Not Just a Wheat State by Tara Trenary, photos by Steven Hertzog
Kansas is not just about agriculture. Right here in Lawrence, local industrial companies manufacture cutting-edge products for industries all across the board. The importance of manufacturing in the United States cannot be understated. A community with a strong manufacturing base benefits from increased research and development, exploration of innovative ideas, improved processes and productivity, and creation of new products and jobs. Manufacturing helps raise the standard of living and, most importantly, fuels the U.S. economy. According to the Kansas Department of Commerce, products created by Kansas manufacturers range from fuselages to food and chemicals to computer electronics. And these pursuits all have a common thread: the use of the most advanced techniques and innovative materials. Kansas Manufacturing Solutions’ 2021 Manufacturing in Kansas Annual Report states that Kansas is home to more than 2,500 manufacturing firms. The 64
manufacturing sector contributes to local economies in Kansas in a number of ways: providing wages to local workers; creating profits for local business owners and investors; and paying taxes to local and state governments. In 2020, Kansas was the transportation origin for $10.4 billion worth of merchandise exports, including agricultural commodities, raw materials and manufactured goods, the report says. Manufactured goods accounted for 79 percent of the state’s total exports. With $8.26 billion worth of manufactured exports in 2020, Kansas ranked 32nd among all states on this measure. Located in the center of the United States, Kansas produces a fifth of all the wheat grown in the nation. But agriculture isn’t the only major manufacturing industry located in “America’s Breadbasket.” Lawrence, in particular, has a number of manufacturers that create cutting-edge products while benefiting from the resources this community has to offer.
