Manufacturing

Sarasota County’s MSA is home to over 923 companies producing everything from hurricane impact-resistant windows to insulated drinkware to fiber optic cables. With a long history of manufacturing and the easy ability to ship worldwide, we’re one of the first calls when it comes to relocating and growing a manufacturing business in Florida.

A Solid Base

Florida is one of the nation’s top 10 states for manufacturing. Over 29,900 manufacturing companies employing over 334,254 people produce a range of goods to transport across the globe. Florida offers special sales and use tax exemptions for the aviation and aerospace industry, including commercial space activity, manufacturing equipment and aircraft parts, modification, maintenance and repair. Learn more about Florida’s machinery and equipment sales tax exemption.

Florida’s robust infrastructure makes it ideal for manufacturing operations

20 Commercial airports
15 deepwater seaports
2,700 miles of freight rail tracks
135,000+ miles of roadway

Sarasota County attracts many manufacturers. Its cost-competitive business market combined with international airports and the fastest-growing deepwater seaport in the state makes it one the best places to test, produce and distribute products.

Key Statistics

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923 Manufacturing Companies

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18,144 Jobs

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$59,793 Average Salary

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179 Industry Graduates

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Key Jobs

Team Assemblers

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1,551 Jobs

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$36,600 Avg. Salary

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23 5-Year New Job Demand

Welders

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820 Jobs

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$42,900 Avg. Salary

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85 5-Year New Job Demand

First Line Supervisors

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715 Jobs

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$60,100 Avg. Salary

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60 5-Year New Job Demand

State Incentives Benefit Manufacturers

Tax-Free Electricity

Charges for electricity used directly and exclusively at a fixed location to operate machinery and equipment that is used to manufacture, process, compound, or produce items of tangible personal property for sale, or to operate pollution control equipment, recycling equipment, maintenance equipment, or monitoring or control equipment used in such operations, may be exempt from the sales tax. Read more.

If 75 percent or more of the electricity or steam used at the fixed location is used to operate qualifying machinery or equipment, 100 percent of the sales tax on the charges for electricity or steam used at the fixed location is exempt.
If less than 75 percent but 50 percent or more of the electricity or steam used at the fixed location is used to operate qualifying machinery or equipment, 50 percent of the sales tax on the charges for electricity or steam used at the fixed location is exempt.

No Machinery State Sales Tax

An exemption from Florida state sales and use tax applies to the amount charged to customers for labor associated with the maintenance or repair of:

New Manufacturers – In order to qualify for the new business exemption, the machinery and equipment must have been purchased, or a purchase agreement made, prior to the date the business first begins to produce a product for inventory or immediate sale. Purchased machinery and equipment must be received within twelve months of the date that production began.
Expanding Manufacturers – Industrial machinery and equipment is exempt from tax when purchased by an expanding business.

Sarasota County-Based Manufacturers

Invest in Sarasota County

The EDC of Sarasota County diversifies our local economy and helps create jobs for Floridians. Investing in the EDC empowers us to grow our economy and attract more business to our region.

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