Top 10 Manufacturing Employers in the Southeast (And What They Pay)

The American Southeast has quietly become one of the most concentrated manufacturing regions in the world. Driven by lower costs, right-to-work laws, massive state incentives, and proximity to major ports, global manufacturers have poured hundreds of billions of dollars into plants across the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and beyond.

For skilled tradespeople, this means an enormous—and growing—pool of high-paying manufacturing jobs. We profiled the 10 biggest manufacturing employers in the Southeast, what they build, which trades they need, and what they pay.

Southeast Manufacturing by the Numbers

| Metric | Value | |---|---| | Total manufacturing jobs (SE region) | 2.1 million+ | | Manufacturing job growth (2020–2025) | +12.4% | | Average manufacturing wage (SE) | $58,200/year | | Major new plant investments (2023–2026) | $95 billion+ | | States covered | AL, GA, SC, NC, TN, FL, MS, KY |

The Southeast is adding manufacturing jobs faster than any other U.S. region. The combination of EV battery plants, aerospace expansion, semiconductor investments, and automotive reshoring is creating a multi-decade demand wave for skilled trades.

1. BMW Manufacturing (Spartanburg, SC)

Location: Greer/Spartanburg, South Carolina Employees: ~11,000 Industry: Automotive Assembly (X3, X5, X7, XM SUVs) Annual Output: 450,000+ vehicles — the largest BMW plant in the world

BMW's Spartanburg plant is the single largest BMW factory on the planet, exporting vehicles to 120+ countries. The facility covers 7 million square feet and represents over $12 billion in cumulative investment.

Trades Hired: Industrial maintenance technicians, robotics technicians, CNC machinists, electricians, welding specialists, paint technicians, quality inspectors

Typical Pay:

• Production Associate: $22–$28/hour ($46k–$58k/year)
• Skilled Maintenance Technician: $32–$44/hour ($67k–$92k/year)
• Robotics Technician: $30–$40/hour ($62k–$83k/year)
• Quality Technician: $25–$33/hour ($52k–$69k/year)

What makes them different: BMW runs one of the most advanced apprenticeship programs in U.S. manufacturing—the BMW Scholars Program—in partnership with local technical colleges. Apprentices earn wages while completing their associate degree, and they're guaranteed a skilled trades position upon completion.

2. Mercedes-Benz (Tuscaloosa, AL)

Location: Vance/Tuscaloosa, Alabama Employees: ~6,000 Industry: Automotive Assembly (GLE, GLS SUVs; EQS, EQE electric vehicles)

Mercedes invested $7 billion in their Alabama operations, including a new EV battery assembly plant. The Tuscaloosa facility is Mercedes' primary U.S. manufacturing hub and a cornerstone of Alabama's automotive industry.

Trades Hired: Mechatronics technicians, industrial electricians, maintenance mechanics, battery assembly technicians, welders, CNC machinists

Typical Pay:

• Production Team Member: $21–$27/hour ($44k–$56k/year)
• Mechatronics Technician: $30–$42/hour ($62k–$87k/year)
• Industrial Electrician: $32–$44/hour ($67k–$92k/year)
• Battery Assembly Technician: $24–$32/hour ($50k–$67k/year)

Training Programs: Mercedes partners with Shelton State Community College and Tuscaloosa Career & Technology Academy. Their AMTAP (Alabama Mechatronics Training & Apprenticeship Program) is modeled after the German dual-education system.

3. Gulfstream Aerospace (Savannah, GA)

Location: Savannah, Georgia Employees: ~10,000 Industry: Business Jet Manufacturing (G280, G500, G600, G700, G800)

Gulfstream is the world's leading business jet manufacturer, and Savannah is where every Gulfstream aircraft is built. The company is Savannah's largest private employer and has invested heavily in expanding production capacity for the next-generation G700 and G800 models.

Trades Hired: Aircraft structural assemblers, avionics technicians, sheet metal mechanics, composite fabricators, painters, CNC machinists, electricians, quality inspectors

Typical Pay:

• Aircraft Structural Mechanic: $24–$36/hour ($50k–$75k/year)
• Avionics Technician: $28–$40/hour ($58k–$83k/year)
• Sheet Metal Assembler: $22–$32/hour ($46k–$67k/year)
• Composite Technician: $23–$33/hour ($48k–$69k/year)
• CNC Machinist: $25–$35/hour ($52k–$73k/year)

What makes them different: Gulfstream is known for outstanding benefits—including a pension plan, which is increasingly rare. They partner with Savannah Technical College for aviation manufacturing certificates and run an internal career development program.

4. Volkswagen (Chattanooga, TN)

Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee Employees: ~4,500 Industry: Automotive Assembly (Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport; future EV production)

Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant is the company's only U.S. manufacturing facility. VW invested $800 million to add EV production capacity, making it one of the first European automakers to build electric vehicles in the Southeast. The plant recently voted to join the UAW, which is expected to raise wages and benefits.

Trades Hired: Industrial maintenance technicians, robotics technicians, electricians, welders, paint specialists, quality technicians

Typical Pay:

• Production Team Member: $23–$30/hour ($48k–$62k/year) — post-UAW contract
• Skilled Maintenance Technician: $34–$45/hour ($71k–$94k/year)
• Robotics/Automation Technician: $30–$40/hour ($62k–$83k/year)
• Quality Inspector: $25–$33/hour ($52k–$69k/year)

Training Programs: VW partners with Chattanooga State Community College for a mechatronics apprenticeship program modeled after the German "dual system" model.

5. Boeing (Charleston, SC)

Location: North Charleston, South Carolina Employees: ~6,000 Industry: Aerospace (787 Dreamliner final assembly and mid-body fabrication)

Boeing's Charleston campus handles final assembly for the 787 Dreamliner—one of the most advanced commercial aircraft ever built. The facility also produces major fuselage sections. Charleston is Boeing's only non-union commercial aircraft assembly site.

Trades Hired: Aircraft structural assemblers, composite technicians, electricians, sealant applicators, CNC machinists, tool and die makers, quality inspectors

Typical Pay:

• Aircraft Assembler (Entry): $21–$28/hour ($44k–$58k/year)
• Aircraft Assembler (Experienced): $28–$38/hour ($58k–$79k/year)
• Composite Fabricator: $23–$33/hour ($48k–$69k/year)
• Quality Inspector: $27–$37/hour ($56k–$77k/year)
• CNC Machinist: $26–$36/hour ($54k–$75k/year)

What makes them different: Boeing offers extensive internal training. New hires go through weeks of hands-on instruction before touching an aircraft. Tuition assistance covers trade school and college coursework.

6. Lockheed Martin (Marietta, GA)

Location: Marietta, Georgia (northwest Atlanta metro) Employees: ~7,500 Industry: Aerospace & Defense (C-130J Super Hercules, F-35 components)

Lockheed's Marietta facility is where the C-130J Super Hercules military transport is manufactured—a program that has run for over 70 years with continuous upgrades. The site also produces components for the F-35 and classified programs.

Trades Hired: Aircraft structural assemblers, welding specialists, electricians, machinists, composite technicians, painters, quality inspectors

Typical Pay:

• Aircraft Structural Assembler: $23–$34/hour ($48k–$71k/year)
• CNC Machinist: $25–$36/hour ($52k–$75k/year)
• Aircraft Electrician: $26–$37/hour ($54k–$77k/year)
• Welding Specialist (TIG/MIG): $27–$38/hour ($56k–$79k/year)
• Quality Inspector: $28–$38/hour ($58k–$79k/year)

What they look for: U.S. citizenship required (security clearance). Trade school certificates or military aviation maintenance experience preferred.

For more on Lockheed and other defense manufacturers, see our profile of top manufacturing employers in Texas (which covers Lockheed's Fort Worth F-35 operations).

7. Blue Origin (Huntsville, AL)

Location: Huntsville, Alabama Employees: ~3,000 (and growing rapidly) Industry: Aerospace / Space Launch Systems (BE-4 rocket engines, New Glenn launch vehicle)

Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin is building BE-4 rocket engines in Huntsville—the same city where NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center designed the Saturn V. The Huntsville facility manufactures engines for both Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket and United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur.

Trades Hired: Precision welders (TIG), CNC machinists (5-axis), NDT technicians, composite technicians, assembly technicians, test technicians

Typical Pay:

• TIG Welder (Aerospace): $28–$42/hour ($58k–$87k/year)
• CNC Machinist (5-Axis): $28–$40/hour ($58k–$83k/year)
• Assembly Technician: $23–$33/hour ($48k–$69k/year)
• NDT Technician: $27–$38/hour ($56k–$79k/year)
• Test Technician: $26–$36/hour ($54k–$75k/year)

What makes them different: Rocket engine manufacturing demands the highest precision in the trade world. Blue Origin welders work with exotic alloys (Inconel, titanium) to tolerances measured in thousandths of an inch. The pay reflects it.

8. Micron Technology (Clay, NY → Southeast Expansion)

Location: Expanding into Southeast with major investments Industry: Semiconductor Manufacturing

Micron is investing $100 billion in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, with a significant Southeast presence as part of the CHIPS Act buildout. Their memory chip fabrication facilities demand thousands of skilled technicians. While Micron's largest existing U.S. operations are in Idaho and New York, their Southeast expansion—including partnerships with regional technical colleges—is creating new opportunity for tradespeople across the region.

Trades Hired: Fab technicians, equipment maintenance technicians, facilities technicians, process technicians, calibration specialists

Typical Pay:

• Fab Technician: $22–$30/hour ($46k–$62k/year)
• Equipment Maintenance Technician: $28–$40/hour ($58k–$83k/year)
• Facilities Technician: $25–$35/hour ($52k–$73k/year)
• Process Technician: $24–$33/hour ($50k–$69k/year)

9. Hyundai Motor Group (Ellabell, GA)

Location: Ellabell, Georgia (near Savannah) Employees: Ramping to 8,100+ Industry: Electric Vehicle & Battery Manufacturing

Hyundai's $7.6 billion "Metaplant" near Savannah is one of the largest single manufacturing investments in U.S. history. The facility will produce Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis electric vehicles along with EV batteries. Production is ramping through 2026 with a target of 300,000 vehicles per year.

Trades Hired: Industrial electricians, maintenance technicians, robotics technicians, welders, battery assembly technicians, HVAC technicians, quality inspectors

Typical Pay:

• Production Team Member: $22–$28/hour ($46k–$58k/year)
• Skilled Maintenance Technician: $32–$44/hour ($67k–$92k/year)
• Robotics Technician: $28–$38/hour ($58k–$79k/year)
• Battery Pack Assembly Tech: $24–$32/hour ($50k–$67k/year)
• Industrial Electrician: $30–$42/hour ($62k–$87k/year)

What makes them different: Brand-new facility with state-of-the-art equipment. Hyundai is partnering with Savannah Technical College and Georgia Quick Start for customized workforce training. Getting in during the ramp-up phase means maximum career growth opportunity.

10. Rivian (Stanton Springs, GA)

Location: Stanton Springs North, Georgia (east of Atlanta) Employees: Ramping (planned 7,500+) Industry: Electric Vehicle Manufacturing

Rivian's $5 billion Georgia facility is under construction and expected to begin production in the 2026–2027 timeframe. The plant will build Rivian's next-generation, lower-cost EV platform. Like Hyundai's Metaplant, this represents a massive injection of manufacturing jobs into the Georgia economy.

Trades Hired: Maintenance technicians, electricians, robotics technicians, welders, CNC machinists, battery technicians, HVAC/facilities technicians

Typical Pay (Based on Rivian Normal, IL Facility):

• Production Associate: $22–$28/hour ($46k–$58k/year)
• Maintenance Technician: $30–$42/hour ($62k–$87k/year)
• Electrician: $32–$44/hour ($67k–$92k/year)
• Robotics Technician: $28–$38/hour ($58k–$79k/year)
• CNC Machinist: $26–$36/hour ($54k–$75k/year)

Why it matters: Rivian represents the new wave of Southeast manufacturing—EV-focused, automation-heavy, and building from scratch. Workers who get in early have the best shot at rapid advancement.

How to Position Yourself

The Southeast manufacturing boom rewards three things:

1. Get certified. Welding certifications, CNC programming credentials, and industrial electrician licenses are the most transferable qualifications across these employers. FANUC robotics certification is increasingly valuable as automation expands.

2. Target the ramp-ups. Hyundai Ellabell, Rivian Stanton Springs, and Blue Origin Huntsville are all in active hiring mode. New plants hire aggressively and promote from within during ramp-up. Getting in early is the fastest path to leadership roles.

3. Use the training pipelines. Almost every employer on this list partners with local community colleges and technical schools. Programs like BMW Scholars, Mercedes AMTAP, and VW's Chattanooga apprenticeship are designed to take you from zero to skilled trades in 2–4 years—while earning a paycheck.

For more on which trade career to pursue, see our guide to choosing the right trade specialty. For a look at the highest-paying roles across all trades, check the top 10 highest-paying trade jobs in 2026.

Employer data sourced from company filings, public careers pages, Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, state economic development agencies, and HireBuilt employer database. Employee counts are approximate and include both direct manufacturing and support roles. Pay ranges reflect 2025–2026 data and vary by experience, shift, and specific role. Rivian Georgia pay estimated from comparable roles at their Normal, IL facility. Always verify current openings and compensation directly with employers.