--- title: Manufacturing Month Highlights a Major Driver of Buffalo County’s Economy description: Manufacturing Month Highlights a Major Driver of Buffalo County’s Economy image: https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hubfs/badass%20workbench%20DED%20tour%202025.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/manufacturing-month-highlights-a-major-driver-of-buffalo-countys-economy#main-content) [![Development Council for Buffalo County logo](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hubfs/Development%20Council%20Logo_1-23-23_V1.png)](https://growbuffalocounty.com) - About Buffalo County - [Communities](https://growbuffalocounty.com/communities) - [Livability](https://growbuffalocounty.com/live) - [Labor](https://growbuffalocounty.com/work) - Site Selectors - [Sites & Buildings](https://growbuffalocounty.com/sites-buildings) - [Target Industries](https://growbuffalocounty.com/target-industries) - [Regional Data](https://growbuffalocounty.com/regional-data) - [Location Advantages](https://growbuffalocounty.com/location-advantages) - Strategic Initiatives - [Build Buffalo County](https://growbuffalocounty.com/build-buffalo-county) - Business Support - [Incentives](https://growbuffalocounty.com/incentives) - [Resources](https://growbuffalocounty.com/resources) - [Entrepreneurs](https://growbuffalocounty.com/big-idea-buffalo-county) - About DCBC - [Services](https://growbuffalocounty.com/services-1) - [Staff](https://growbuffalocounty.com/staff) - [Board](https://growbuffalocounty.com/board) - [Investors](https://growbuffalocounty.com/membership) - [News](https://growbuffalocounty.com/news) - [Contact Us](https://growbuffalocounty.com/contact-us) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ![west pharma worker](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hubfs/west%20pharma%20worker.jpg) # Manufacturing Month Highlights a Major Driver of Buffalo County’s Economy [![Amanda Polacek](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Amanda%20Polacek.png?width=52&height=52&name=Amanda%20Polacek.png)](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/author/amanda-polacek) [Amanda Polacek](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/author/amanda-polacek) Published Oct 06, 2026 Reading Time 2 min read October is Manufacturing Month, an opportunity to recognize the businesses and people who turn ideas, raw materials and technical skill into products used far beyond our community. In Kearney and across Buffalo County, manufacturing supports family incomes, brings outside dollars into the local economy and creates opportunities for people to build careers close to home. Recent data show just how significant that contribution is. According to preliminary [U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data](https://www.bls.gov/regions/midwest/news-release/countyemploymentandwages_nebraska.htm), Buffalo County had 63 private manufacturing establishments and 3,288 manufacturing jobs in March 2026—approximately one in seven private-sector jobs in the county. Together, manufacturers paid more than $55.4 million in wages during the first three months of the year. Those jobs also provide strong earning opportunities. Average weekly manufacturing wages were $1,310 in the first quarter of 2026, compared with $1,070 across all industries in Buffalo County—about 22% higher.   The benefits extend beyond the production floor. When manufacturers sell products to customers outside the region, they bring revenue into our community. Employee spending on housing, groceries, child care and other services helps support additional local businesses. Manufacturers also purchase supplies and services and invest in facilities and equipment, creating connections throughout the economy. Buffalo County’s manufacturing base spans a wide range of products. Local employers include Parker Hannifin’s Baldwin Filters, West Pharmaceutical Services and American Foods Group’s Gibbon operation, producing filtration products, pharmaceutical stoppers and closures, and processed food. Fasse Valves adds electrohydraulic components used in agriculture and equipment applications. Together, these businesses connect our communities to industries and customers well beyond central Nebraska. Kearney’s BluePrint Engines offers another example of local skill reaching a broader market. The company reports producing more than 400,000 crate engines over its history and operating from a 210,000-square-foot factory. Its work includes designing engine components and developing its own manufacturing machines—demonstrating the engineering and innovation behind locally made products. blueprintengines.com Continued success requires skilled people and infrastructure that supports business investment. [Central Community College’s Kearney Center](https://cccneb.edu/locations/kearney/) offers diploma programs in Advanced Manufacturing Design Technology and Mechatronics, providing local pathways into technical careers. These opportunities help connect people with the skills manufacturers need. Nebraska Infrastructure investment is also creating opportunities for future growth. In January 2025, the U.S. Economic Development Administration announced a [$2.6 million grant for water, sewer and roadway improvements](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/news-center/p/item/61147/city-of-kearney-announces-26-million-grant-for-infrastructure-improvements) supporting Kearney’s business park expansion. At the time of the award, the project was expected to help create 46 jobs and generate $27 million in private investment across manufacturing, shipping and warehousing, according to grantee estimates. Supporting existing manufacturers remains equally important. [County manufacturing employment](https://www.bls.gov/regions/midwest/news-release/countyemploymentandwages_nebraska.htm) in March 2026 was 6.5% below March 2025, underscoring the importance of helping employers adapt, remain competitive and retain skilled workers. For the Development Council for Buffalo County, connecting manufacturers with workforce resources, infrastructure planning and opportunities for investment is part of strengthening the foundation for long-term economic success.  This Manufacturing Month, we recognize the people behind the products: the operators, technicians, engineers and other team members whose work supports families, businesses and communities throughout Buffalo County. Their contributions help make this a place where people can build both a career and a future. [![Amanda Polacek](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Amanda%20Polacek.png?width=64&height=64&name=Amanda%20Polacek.png) Amanda Polacek](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/author/amanda-polacek) Share [Manufacturing](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/tag/manufacturing) #### Let's Connect We’d love to hear from you—reach out anytime and let’s start the conversation. ## Related Posts [Three Buffalo County Manufacturing Companies Driving Their Industries Forward Buffalo County, Nebraska, has long been a hub of manufacturing excellence, and three standout busine...](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/news-center/p/item/60114/three-buffalo-county-manufacturing-companies-driving-their-industries-forward) [Buffalo County Economic Pulse | March 2026 March’s Economic Pulse shows a Buffalo County economy that remains steady and active as growth norma...](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/buffalo-county-economic-pulse-march-2026) [Buffalo County Economic Pulse | May 2026 Spring momentum is clearly taking hold across Buffalo County, with most key indicators pointing in a...](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/buffalo-county-economic-pulse-may-2026) ![edcc-logo-1](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hubfs/edcc-logo-1.svg) **Development Council for Buffalo County** 220 11th Avenue Kearney, NE 68845 [(308) 237-9346](tel:+1308-237-9346)[mailto:info@growbuffalocounty.com](mailto:info@growbuffalocounty.com) [info@growbuffalocounty.com](mailto:info@growbuffalocounty.com) - [Buffalo County](https://buffalocounty.ne.gov/) - [City of Kearney](https://cityofkearney.org/) - [Kearney Area Chamber](https://www.kearneycoc.org/) - [Kearney Visitors Bureau](https://visitkearney.org/) - [Contact](https://growbuffalocounty.com/contact-us) - [Site Map](https://242034849.hs-sites-na2.com/sitemap.xml) © 2025 Development Council for Buffalo County. 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