Findings from a Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA)-commissioned study determined the vehicle supplier industry continues to be the nation’s largest manufacturing sector.
The IHS Markit analysis showed automotive and commercial vehicle suppliers directly employed 907,000 workers domestically in 2019. Through direct, indirect, and induced employment, the vehicle supplier industry generated a total of 4.8 million jobs.
“The numbers from this study illustrate the valuable economic contribution of the vehicle supplier industry,” MEMA President and CEO Bill Long said. “Vehicle suppliers are a source of measurable job growth. In addition to remaining the largest manufacturing sector in the U.S, the industry increased direct employment by more than 6 percent since 2015.”
The study’s scope of work involved IHS Markit utilizing full-year 2019 labor and economic analysis. The research was built upon studies in 2012 and 2015 to determine the impact of vehicle supplier employment in America.
The study also revealed the average 2019 wage for direct vehicle supplier jobs domestically reached $80,300, which exceeded the average wage of all manufacturing sectors.
“These are high-tech, well-paying jobs,” Long said. “Policies that support the vehicle supplier industry will drive further economic growth in our country.”
MEMA indicated its member companies supply the aftermarket parts that keep millions of vehicles on the road, fueling international commerce and society’s need for transportation.