News & Insights
We’re changing the narrative of the manufacturing industry one story at a time. CMTA’s award-winning storytelling team showcases California’s 30,000 manufacturers by uplifting the voices of our makers. Find industry news and the stories from those “Making California” below.
California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) Kicks Off Manufacturing Month
Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) kicked off the start of a month-long celebration to recognize California’s 30,000 manufacturers. October is known as Manufacturing Month, with the first Friday of October, October 4,...
Solano Economic Development Corporation and California Manufacturers & Technology Association Announce Strategic Partnership
Sacramento, Calif. – The Solano Economic Development Corporation and the California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) announced today it is entering a strategic partnership to bridge the gap of state and local resources for advanced manufacturing...
CMTA’S President & CEO Releases Statement on Passage of AB 98 (J. Carrillo)
Sacramento, Calif. – California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) President and CEO, Lance Hastings, released the following statement on the passage of Assembly Bill 98 (J. Carrillo), the statewide mandate on warehouse operations. “On Sunday evening,...
Op-Ed: AI Needs Carefully Crafted Regulations That Foster Innovation
-This commentary was originally published in Capitol Weekly's September Issue, written by Lance Hastings and Samantha Corbin. Hastings is the President and CEO of the California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA), and Corbin is the Senior Policy Advisor...
WEBINAR: Data-Driven Solutions for ESG in Manufacturing
Webinar presented by Adastra and CMTA Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) hosted an exclusive webinar with associate member Adastra, exploring data-driven ESG solutions in manufacturing on Sept. 24, 2024. CMTA's Vice...
Supply Chain Operating System Startup for Manufacturers Joins CMTA
Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) welcomed new member, Soff, to the organization today. Based in San Francisco, Soff is a supply chain operating system for manufacturing companies. The startup company works to unify...
CMTA’s CEO & President Releases Statement on Gov. Gavin Newsom Vetoing Manufacturing Tax Credit, AB 52 (Grayson)
Sacramento, Calif. – Late Friday evening, California Governor Gavin Newsom returned AB 52 (Grayson) to the Legislature without his signature. This bill would have provided an investment tax credit for the purchase of manufacturing equipment. In his veto message,...
How AB 52, Manufacturing Tax Credit, Will Expand California Jobs
California manufacturing generates more than $394 billion annually and employs more than 1.3 million people with over 30,000 firms. Our manufacturers are the most significant contributor to the United States manufacturing industry, making up 11% of the manufacturing...
Four Products Make the Final Round of the “Coolest Thing Made in California” Contest
Voting for the winner starts Monday, Sept. 9 Sacramento, Calif. – The four finalists of the 2024 “Coolest Thing Made in California” contest, hosted by the California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA), have been announced. From a pool of 138 products...
CMTA Government Relations Update: California Assembly Bill Would Create Tax Credit for Manufacturers
This month’s Government Relations Update video highlights crucial legislative developments for California’s manufacturing sector. https://youtu.be/F8B9bRRI5s8 This proposed legislation, which aims to introduce a manufacturing tax credit for qualified manufacturing...
Press Release
California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) Kicks Off Manufacturing Month
Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) kicked off the start of a month-long celebration to recognize California’s 30,000 manufacturers. October is known as Manufacturing Month, with the first Friday of October, October 4, 2024, named as MFG Day nationwide by The Manufacturing Institute.
Manufacturing is one of California’s largest industry sectors, accounting for 11.8% of the state’s GDP. The CMTA works to promote the reality of modern manufacturing in California, which employs 1.3 million people.
“Manufacturing is growing: The jobs available in the industry are highly skilled, and highly technical as the goods produced adapt to our new world, but we are facing a workforce crisis,” said Lance Hastings, CMTA’s CEO & President. “This month is a way to highlight the clean, high-paying jobs available in manufacturing and shine a spotlight on the opportunities for the next generation of makers.”
Manufacturing is not only good for the economy, but the California Assembly’s Committee on Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy has labeled it a “gold standard” for jobs, “because of the higher wages paid to workers, the inclusion of small businesses within its extended supply chains, and the high multiplier effect on their local communities and across the state.” The average annual salary for a manufacturing worker in the state is $143,515. The Milken Institute estimates that for every job created in manufacturing, 2.5 jobs are created in other sectors.
It is imperative to highlight manufacturers of all sizes during the month of October. Our small and medium-sized makers account for a large portion of the industry, with 64% of the state’s manufacturers having 25 employees or fewer.
Throughout the month of October, manufacturers across California and the country celebrate the industry that is vital to our economy and communities. The CMTA will celebrate Manufacturing Month at its 2nd Annual MakingCA Conference & “Coolest Thing Made in California” Awards Ceremony on Friday, October 18, 2024.
To raise up the next generation of manufacturers, the CMTA hosts an Annual CMTA Foundation Golf Tournament that has helped raise tens of thousands for scholarships to benefit students to pursue a career in the manufacturing industry. This year will be the third year of the tournament.
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About CMTA
The California Manufacturers & Technology Association has advocated for pro-growth laws and regulations before the California legislature and administrative agencies since 1918. The total output from manufacturing in California is $300 billion per year, roughly 10 percent of the total economic output of the state. Manufacturers employ 1.3 million Californians paying wages more than $25,000 higher than other non-farm employers in the state. For more information, visit CMTA’s website.
Solano Economic Development Corporation and California Manufacturers & Technology Association Announce Strategic Partnership
Sacramento, Calif. – The Solano Economic Development Corporation and the California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) announced today it is entering a strategic partnership to bridge the gap of state and local resources for advanced manufacturing companies in the region.
Acknowledging Solano County’s decisive role in advancing manufacturers to the region, CMTA aims to support the businesses making California. Solano County employs over 12,000 manufacturing employees across 270 companies in the region, according to the most recent data. As Solano’s manufacturing scene continues to grow, CMTA will also play a pivotal role in supporting Solano County’s Advanced Manufacturing Plan to ensure strong benefits and seamless processes to bring new manufacturers to the region.
“Supporting our state’s local manufacturing ecosystems are imperative to keeping manufacturing jobs in California,” said Lance Hastings, CMTA’s CEO & President. “This collaborative partnership marks a major advancement in our commitment to support Solano and the state’s economic growth.”
Solano County is known as being the Bay Area’s trade corridor for goods and services, and this directly correlates to its strong manufacturing base of advanced materials, biotechnology and biomedical, and food and beverage. Many CMTA members are located in the region, including Anheuser-Busch, Jelly Belly Candy Company, and Valero Energy Corporation.
“We are thrilled to officially finalize our partnership with the CMTA as it marks a major step forward in strengthening Solano County’s manufacturing ecosystem,” said Chris Rico, Solano EDC’s President & CEO. “This collaboration aligns with our advanced manufacturing strategy, a key recommendation from our Moving Solano Forward 3 economic study, and supports our mission to create local jobs that reduce the need for long commutes for our residents. Together with CMTA, we are excited to empower our manufacturers with the resources they need to thrive and succeed.”
In a collaborative effort, all new CMTA members within the Solano region will automatically receive a Solano EDC membership, allowing their companies to gain CMTA membership benefits and Solano EDC support.
CMTA represents over 400 businesses across the state, with benefits including but are not limited to; access to our government relations team advocating manufacturing priorities in Sacramento, money-saving programs for employee training through the Employment Training Panel (ETP), and engagement with local industry leaders through events and networking opportunities.
Solano EDC benefits include but are not limited to; confidential site location assistance to new businesses looking to locate to the region, city and county, access and guidance for permitting and economic development needs, and participation in the Solano EDC Manufacturing Task Force.
By leveraging the organization’s resources, Solano EDC and CMTA are poised to empower manufacturers across the region. CMTA and Solano EDC will be working closely to keep manufacturers informed, provide state and local resources, and provide a unified network for businesses in the region. Learn more about the partnership here.
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About CMTA
The California Manufacturers & Technology Association has advocated for pro-growth laws and regulations before the California legislature and administrative agencies since 1918. The total output from manufacturing in California is $300 billion per year, roughly 10 percent of the total economic output of the state. Manufacturers employ 1.3 million Californians paying wages more than $25,000 higher than other non-farm employers in the state. For more information, visit CMTA’s website.
About Solano Economic Development Corporation
Solano EDC’s mission is to positively impact the economic growth of Solano County by maintaining and enhancing a competitive location for businesses to expand and locate, providing direct service to scale local traded sector industries, attracting new jobs and investment, and connecting businesses with resources to meet their needs. The EDC collaborates with the cities, county, workforce development, utilities, and education to deliver all resources. For more information, visit Solano Economic Development Corporation’s website.
CMTA’S President & CEO Releases Statement on Passage of AB 98 (J. Carrillo)
Sacramento, Calif. – California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) President and CEO, Lance Hastings, released the following statement on the passage of Assembly Bill 98 (J. Carrillo), the statewide mandate on warehouse operations.
“On Sunday evening, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 98, a bill regulating logistics and warehouse facility development, passed by the Legislature without consulting manufacturers. The provisions of AB 98 were revealed in the last few days of the legislative session, receiving very little review prior to passage.
Despite its aim to address environmental concerns, AB 98 imposes strict and ambiguous restrictions on facility locations, posing significant challenges to California’s 30,000 manufacturers, who often operate as temporary warehouses by moving and storing products on-site. Most business organizations opposed the bill due to its broad and detrimental impact on an already costly regulatory landscape. The rigid mandates will adversely affect industries beyond warehousing and may lead to job losses, ultimately harming the economy.
In their joint statement, the California Chamber of Commerce, California Retailers Association, California Restaurant Association, and California Apartment Association praised the bill as a sensible compromise. However, this perspective overlooks the reality that AB 98 imposes severe constraints that could stifle economic growth and innovation. The claim that it avoids negative impacts is misguided; the bill will instead exacerbate the challenges faced by our manufacturers.
The Governor has now vetoed manufacturing’s top priority (AB 52) and signed manufacturing’s biggest threat (AB 98). The California Manufacturers & Technology Association advocates for a more strategic approach to achieving the state’s environmental goals while supporting economic growth. We will propose legislation next year to minimize the impact of AB 98 on manufacturers across the state. We need leaders who backs manufacturing with more than just words—too much is at stake for California’s economy.”
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About CMTA
The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) has advocated for pro-growth laws and regulations before the California legislature and administrative agencies since 1918. The total output from manufacturing in California is $300 billion per year, roughly 10 percent of the total economic output of the state. Manufacturers employ 1.3 million Californians paying wages more than $25,000 higher than other non-farm employers in the state. For more information, visit CMTA’s website.