Value Multiplied: GAM’s Advocacy and Our Industry
I have spoken a lot this year about GAM’s 125 years of continuous advocacy for Georgia manufacturers. And for good reason.
It is important for the public to know that we are the voice of Georgia manufacturing, and the only association in the state dedicated exclusively to our industry. But it is doubly important they know about the value of manufacturing and the need to keep our industry strong.
What is Georgia manufacturing’s value proposition? Consider these facts:
- We employ roughly 425,000 people and provide above-average salaries and benefits
- Our makers generate nearly $80 billion in annual economic output
- Manufacturing represents about 10% of the state’s gross regional product
- Just 5.8 manufacturing jobs are required to generate $1 million in economic value compared to 7.7 for the transportation industry and 16.9 for retail trade
- $1 dollar spent in manufacturing adds $2.79 to the Georgia economy – the highest multiplier of any industry
- Manufacturing factories represent the largest share of “anchor businesses” in the state at 22%; these are businesses with at least 1,000 employees at a single location. Georgia’s manufacturing facilities literally serve as economic anchors —and principally for rural communities, providing employment and investment for decades.
Considering the evolution of our industry from its modest beginnings to today’s powerhouse industry with all 21 industrial subsectors now present in the state, manufacturing serves as one of the biggest pistons in Georgia’s economic engine.
No doubt, the people who founded GAM in 1900 would be proud of what they set in motion.
But they would also be proud of the innovations the Association developed and implemented in this year of celebration. Here’s the list of innovative GAM “first evers” from 2025:
- GAM Day in the state capitol – a date dedicated just for GAM and the industry
- Development of our new Operational Excellence (OE) Council and OE Conference –enabling manufacturers to convene and share best practices on the operational issues that matter most
- Manufacturers’ Playoffs – a “March Madness” contest for manufacturers designed to promote the incredible array of products made in the state
- Washington DC “fly in” -- GAM staff and members went to DC to take our message about the value of Georgia manufacturing to our state’s Congressional leaders
- Launch of Manufacturing Georgia – a revolutionary digital platform that aims to grow the manufacturing labor pool by creating a network with emerging talent
- Insights Report – a 110-page document that tells the story of the past, present and future of our industry; there is no report like it.
Our members have told us GAM is on the right track. We conducted an all-member satisfaction survey to get feedback, and 100% of our members said they would recommend membership in GAM to other manufacturers. Our post-conference member surveys delivered an aggregate score of approximately 4.9 out of 5 on the satisfaction scale. And the attendance at our events was robust: In fact, the turnout for our fall conference produced the largest registration we have recorded in the past five years.
It has been a remarkable year for a remarkable industry poised to deliver even more value to Georgia for decades to come. Your association is proud to lead.
All the best,
