Manufacturing is not standing still. Across the country, some manufacturing subsectors are growing faster than others, and many of those same sectors are also investing heavily in automation and advanced systems. For Inland Empire manufacturers, the message is clear: growth and automation are not opposites. In many cases, automation is how manufacturers grow.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall manufacturing employment is projected to be little changed from 2024 to 2034. But the growth is not evenly distributed. BLS projects job growth in several manufacturing subsectors that are directly relevant to the Inland Empire, including:
- Food manufacturing: +92,500 jobs projected from 2024–2034
- Computer and electronic product manufacturing: +49,600 jobs
- Other electrical equipment and component manufacturing: +48,400 jobs, or +29.2%
- Semiconductor and electronic component manufacturing: +44,500 jobs, or +11.4%
- Beverage manufacturing: +37,800 jobs, or +11.4%
- Aerospace product and parts manufacturing: +30,100 jobs
- Plastics product manufacturing: +26,300 jobs
- Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing: +19,000 jobs
- Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing: +15,800 jobs
These are not isolated industries. They connect directly to Inland Empire strengths in food production, packaging, plastics, metals, electronics, aerospace and defense suppliers, medical device components, logistics, and advanced manufacturing.
Many of these same industries are also among the most automation-intensive. The International Federation of Robotics reports that global industrial robot installations in 2024 were led by electronics at 24%, automotive at 23%, and metal and machinery at 16%, followed by plastic and chemical products at 5% and food and beverage at 4%. In the United States, IFR reported that robot installations rose 11% in 2025 to approximately 38,000 units, with automotive remaining the largest adopter at about 13,500 installations and food industry adoption rising 30%.
The overlap is not accidental. Growing manufacturers automate because they need to increase throughput, reduce downtime, lower scrap, improve quality, strengthen scheduling, and make better use of labor and equipment. Customers increasingly expect speed, consistency, traceability, documentation, and reliable delivery. Automated and modernized competitors are better positioned to meet those expectations.
The relationship between automation and hiring is not one-for-one. Automation does not automatically create jobs, and lack of automation does not immediately prevent hiring. But in many of the fastest-growing manufacturing subsectors, modernization is becoming a condition for growth. Firms that improve throughput, quality, scheduling, traceability, and equipment utilization are better positioned to win business, retain accounts, and create the higher-skill technical jobs that come with expansion. In that sense, automation is not the opposite of hiring; for growing manufacturers, it is often what makes future hiring possible.
For owners and C-suite leaders, modernization is also a valuation issue. A company with stronger systems, better process control, higher output per employee, and more reliable delivery is usually a more competitive and more valuable business. A company that falls behind may lose accounts to competitors that can produce faster, cleaner, and more consistently.
That is why MCIE’s Manufacturing Modernization Assessments and Roadmaps are timely. The program helps Inland Empire manufacturers identify practical opportunities across automation, advanced manufacturing systems, energy efficiency, workforce development, process improvement, and operational performance.
The question is not whether modernization is happening. It is whether it is happening fast enough inside your operation.
To learn more or schedule a brief introductory consultation, contact Sandra Sisco at ssisco@mfgcouncilie.com.
