A bearded man sits at a desk and fine tunes a piece of hardware.
Industries

Manufacturing

Continuously Improving the Bottom Line

From ice cream to plastic injection molding, Howard County companies whip up some of the most diverse products in the country. In fact, the potential for significant expansion of Howard County’s manufacturing sector is underscored by a 37% 10-year growth rate in industry employment. Several local and regional higher education institutions also support skill growth and continuing education in the sector. An abundance of associations and advocacy groups add to the county’s manufacturing ecosystem, offering networking, apprenticeship programs and informative learning sessions about current industry trends.

Quick Links

Manufacturing Companies in Howard County

With over 200 manufacturing firms in cities like Cooksville, Elkridge, Columbia and Laurel, Howard County businesses engineer solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

Grace logo Grace website link Grace
Vytex Corporation logo Vytex Corporation website link Vytex Corporation
Prime Manufacturing Technologies, Inc. logo Prime Manufacturing Technologies, Inc. website link Prime Manufacturing Technologies, Inc.
Leidos logo Leidos website link Leidos
C.R. Daniels logo C.R. Daniels website link C.R. Daniels
idX Corporation logo idX Corporation website link idX Corporation
American Bully Manufacturing logo American Bully Manufacturing website link American Bully Manufacturing

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Future-Focused for the Next Generation of Makers

Manufacturing education in Howard County offers bountiful opportunities for students to excel in the field. Howard Community College’s Computer-Aided Design (CAD) associate degree program equips students with skills across various CAD systems, while the institution’s 3D Innovation Hub further enhances practical learning, enabling students to engage in real-world additive manufacturing applications. Additionally, Loyola University offers business degree programs at undergraduate and graduate levels that are crucial to high paying jobs in manufacturing like project management, operations management and supply chain management.

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Furthering the Manufacturing Industry Vision

Manufacturing businesses find valuable support in Howard County, including dedicated advocacy groups, associations and career upskilling and reskilling. The Regional Manufacturing Institute of Maryland plays a pivotal role by offering a spectrum of programs and services while advocating for jobs in manufacturing — from STEM classrooms to cleanrooms. Catalyzing growth in Maryland’s manufacturing industry is the Maryland Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which aids over 500 companies across the state in areas such as strategy, growth, ESG initiatives and talent retention.

Three men observe a piece of machinery in a manufacturing facility.

A Business-Friendly Environment for Jobs in Manufacturing

Howard County boasts a dynamic landscape for manufacturing employers. Vytex, a family-owned and operated window manufacturer, expanded its Laurel, MD manufacturing facility by an impressive 60,000 square feet in 2019, raising its total square footage to 220,000. Moreover, the region welcomed BTS Biogas from Italy in 2018, with the groundbreaking of its inaugural U.S. food waste-to-energy facility in Howard County and representing an up to $40 million investment in the county.