PERSPECTIVE: St. Louis Region Remains a Manufacturing Powerhouse
Pictured Above: Worker assembling Boeing MQ-25 Stingray, an unmanned aerial refueling aircraft being developed for the U.S. Navy. It is designed to launch from aircraft carriers and deliver fuel to other aircraft in flight, extending their range and freeing fighter jets from refueling duties.
Date Posted: October 13, 2026
Posted In: Regionalism, What we are thinking about,
by Mary Lamie, Executive Vice President, Multimodal Enterprises, Bi-State Development
October is National Manufacturing Month, a fitting time to recognize why the St. Louis region remains one of America’s leading manufacturing and aerospace hubs. Boeing’s recently awarded $20 billion contract to build the nation’s next-generation fighter jet in St. Louis and its $562 million contract to begin production of the MQ-25 refueling drone in Mascoutah, Ill., are more than significant wins for the company. They are further evidence of the strength and capabilities defining our region’s advanced manufacturing economy.
Manufacturing is the fourth-largest employment sector in the metro area, with local workers generating substantially higher output per worker than the national average. That strength is especially evident in aerospace, where 62 aerospace manufacturing businesses – up from 49 just two years ago – support more than 18,000 employees and a broader network of more than 330,000 related jobs. The region now has nearly 6.5 times more aerospace manufacturing employees than similar-sized markets, up from 4 times more in 2024.
Boeing’s success also underscores the strategic importance of the I-44 Aerospace Supply Chain Corridor stretching from the St. Louis region through Oklahoma and into North Texas. This corridor supports more than 1.6 million aerospace-related jobs, with one in five of those jobs located in the St. Louis region.
These are not just impressive statistics. They represent innovation, economic growth and career opportunities across our bi-state area, while demonstrating the power of public and private sector collaboration. The future of American manufacturing is taking shape right here in the St. Louis region, and you can learn more at AeroSTL.org.
Mary Lamie is executive vice president of Multimodal Enterprises for Bi-State Development and leads the St. Louis Regional Freightway. A professional engineer, she works with public and private partners to strengthen the region’s freight transportation network and advance its position as a national manufacturing and logistics hub. She previously served as deputy director of highways and Region 5 engineer for the Illinois Department of Transportation.