There’s a renewed focus on manufacturing in America.

Both the present and previous Administrations have pushed policies designed to heighten American manufacturing. Multinational corporations seem to be competing over who can announce the most jobs and economic benefits from new American manufacturing facilities. And if there’s one thing nearly all Americans agree on, it’s creating more well-paying jobs by making more of our stuff here in America.

What does most of that manufacturing rely on? Among other things, plastics.

A couple new reports showcase just how important making plastics in America is to the success of key manufacturing industries… and to U.S. economic growth and manufacturing overall.

U.S. Manufacturing Depends on Plastics

In July our Economics team issued an analysis (Plastics in American Manufacturing) that looked at the manufacturing sectors that are most reliant on plastics for their material inputs. The team found that plastics are indispensable to critical U.S. industries – from automotive and aerospace to healthcare and electronics – that employ nearly 5 million Americans and pay over $391 billion in U.S. wages.

These critical industries are reliant on plastics and cannot operate without a robust and reliable supply.

American Jobs

Recently, the same team issued a broader report (Economic Contributions of Plastics Manufacturing to the U.S. Economy). Some key findings (2024 numbers):

• The U.S. plastics manufacturing industry itself directly employs nearly 670,000 Americans.
• The industry indirectly supports 1,288,000 jobs in its supply chain.
• The industry supports 1,033,800 payroll-induced jobs through the spending of those employed directly or indirectly.
• These direct, indirect and payroll induced jobs from the plastics manufacturing industry add up to 2,987,900 jobs.

Report: More than three jobs are supported elsewhere in the U.S. economy for each job in the plastics manufacturing industry, totaling more than four jobs in the economy for each job in plastics.

Nearly 3 million jobs. An impressive number. But it gets better.

U.S. $$ Revenues (or industry output)

• The U.S. plastics manufacturing industry produced nearly $380 billion in output.
• Indirect shipments revenues were $525+ billion.
• Payroll induced revenues were $216+ billion.
• Overall combined output/revenues equaled $1,125,00 billion… or $1.1+ trillion.

That’s a trillion dollar+ contribution to the American economy.

Economic Impact

The report contains a lot of other measures of the breadth and importance of the U.S. plastics manufacturing industry. It demonstrates that the industry is investing in America, in Americans and in communities across the country. A few highlights:

• The industry invested $17.5 billion in capital expenditures – a more than 50% rise over a decade.
• The industry supports $239.2 billion in U.S. wages.
• The industry operated from 11,610 establishments located in nearly every state.

Report: The plastic resin sector holds a nearly $22 billion trade surplus, making it one of the limited U.S. industries that exports more than it imports.

These reports tell a compelling story: America’s plastics manufacturing industry is a significant economic driver in and of itself… but its most important role is enabling the other critical manufacturing industries that make the things that all Americans rely on: our cars and trucks, our airplanes, our homes and buildings, our medical supplies and equipment, our solar and wind energy, our protective gear, our computer chips, even our food and water supply.

Every day, innovations in plastics enhance our lives. We need to keep this innovation alive here at home in America to help our economy thrive, rather than outsourcing our innovation overseas.

As we consider any industrial/manufacturing policy in the U.S., we should remember that our nation’s critical industries need a robust, reliable supply of plastics. And that the best way to ensure that supply is to make plastics here in America.

By supporting a strong U.S. plastics manufacturing industry, we are helping lay the groundwork for an American manufacturing renaissance. If you would like to lend your voice to supporting U.S. manufacturing, feel free to sign up for more info and alerts on how you can help.

For a deeper look at the role of the U.S. plastics manufacturing (and recycling) industry, check out our American Plastics page.