SAN ANTONIO, Texas—According to an economic development partnership charged with leading the region’s growth, San Antonio is solidifying its position as a premier hub of advanced manufacturing. The partnership, Greater:SATX (stylized as greater:SATX), marked National Manufacturing Month recently by releasing some key statistics that are reported to highlight San Antonio’s thriving advanced manufacturing ecosystem.
Greater:SATX stated in a release that 61,000 of the region’s residents are employed in the advanced manufacturing sector, which includes 1,600 manufacturing companies that span industries such as automotive, aerospace, semiconductors, oil and gas, new energy, machinery, and food and beverages. Fourteen new manufacturing projects were underway in the region in 2024, resulting in 1,597 new jobs and $940 million in capital expenditure investment.
San Antonio also generated what the partnership described as a “manufacturing-driven regional GDP of $13.5 billion, with a growth rate of 27 percent since 2020.”
“San Antonio’s advanced manufacturing sector is a key engine of our region’s economic growth, fueling our expanding bi-national megaregion and manufacturing corridor,” said Jenna Saucedo-Herrera, CEO of greater:SATX, in the release. “The industry is powered by innovation, skilled talent, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence. It includes sub-sectors from automotive to aerospace, food and beverage to biomanufacturing, and emerging technologies, and we take pride in being home to leading-edge companies that are shaping the future of the industry.
“We’re thrilled to recognize National Manufacturing Month and MFG Day with these companies, our partners, and the community, honoring the more than 1,600 manufacturers based in San Antonio and the approximately 61,000 residents who contribute to the sector’s ongoing success.”
San Antonio’s diverse advanced manufacturing landscape includes companies of all sizes, from local innovators to large global enterprises. The region hosts a wide range of businesses, from Helmy Plastics and Avanzar Interior Technologies to major players like International Motors (formerly Navistar) and Toyota, which recently announced a $541 million investment in the area.
Other notable companies include grocery innovator H-E-B and global construction equipment manufacturing leader JCB, which recently broke ground in San Antonio for its second North American manufacturing facility. The $500 million JCB facility will produce Loadall telescopic handlers—the company’s best-selling product in North America—along with aerial access equipment, with production set to begin in 2026, the release stated.
San Antonio is continuing to attract advanced manufacturing firms due to its skilled workforce, positive culture, drive for innovation, and business-friendly environment, making it especially appealing to newcomers, according to greater:SATX.
The partnership stated that San Antonio is a leader in manufacturing innovation thanks to a recent investment from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CyManII). Based in San Antonio, CyManII is at the forefront of integrating cybersecurity with smart, energy-efficient manufacturing to secure U.S. manufacturing facilities and supply chains.
With expertise in research and development (R&D), factory automation, and workforce development, CyManII is said to be shaping the future of American manufacturing, supporting early-stage R&D to enhance competitiveness, secure supply chains, and advance cybersecurity in energy-efficient manufacturing.
The San Antonio region and Mexico are home to robust manufacturing industries, forming a dynamic cross-border innovation zone highlighted by the Texas-Mexico Automotive Supercluster. This cluster stretches from Dallas in the north to San Luis Potosi to the south, with San Antonio at the heart of it all. According to greater:SATX, the region is emerging as “the epicenter of automotive manufacturing in North America, fueling economic growth bi-nationally.”
“Toyota demonstrates this by strategically investing in manufacturing operations in San Antonio and Mexico, alongside suppliers who do the same, like Avanzar Interior Technologies,” the release stated.
Greater:SATX led the implementation of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Talent Pipeline Management framework across six key industries, including advanced manufacturing. Internship programs, such as Toyotetsu’s award-winning initiative targeting a hidden workforce and greater:SATX’s internship program for high school students, are said to be creating tangible results. During Manufacturing Month, greater:SATX was planning to host several job shadow opportunities—including a Women in Manufacturing panel—for high school students to learn more about manufacturing careers.
Greater:SATX stated in the release that San Antonio’s diverse majority-minority community is 64 percent Hispanic, positioning it as a model for the future U.S. demographic landscape.
“With its rich culture of innovation and positivity, and commitment to workforce development, San Antonio is not only a hub for advanced manufacturing but a blueprint for the future of U.S. metros,” the release stated.