August 11, 2026 Manufacturing new business activity in Florida

Florida is still putting up factories. Johnson & Johnson is investing more than $1 billion in its Jacksonville vision operation, IKO has opened a $240 million roofing plant in Clay County, and Gulf County has won first approval of a $23.5 million grant for a floating dry dock at the Port St. Joe shipyard. Plants like these run on machine shops, metal finishing, packaging, pallets and freight, and new manufacturing businesses are registering with the state to supply them.

New manufacturing businesses are forming fastest in Southeast Florida. Every newly registered manufacturer draws on a predictable set of local businesses. A new plant needs commercial property and general-liability insurance, workers-comp coverage, industrial equipment and forklift service, bookkeeping and cost accounting, freight and warehousing, packaging and labeling, waste hauling, uniforms, and safety supplies. It also needs skilled hands, which is why plant projects and training programs tend to land in the same regions. That is where new formations cluster.

The counts below show where new manufacturing businesses are registering, by region, over the last 30, 90, and 365 days. Under them is the recent news plant owners are watching, from a billion dollar plant investment in Jacksonville to a livestock feed mill going up in Madison County, with the specific businesses each one creates work for. The standing programs and the official pages live at the bottom, in Manufacturing Resources.

New manufacturing businesses by region, over the last 30, 90, and 365 days. Regions are ranked by the last year.

Otros 917 negocios nuevos del último año no indicaron un condado, así se cuentan en el total de Florida pero no se ubican en una región.

New developments manufacturers are watching right now, with the real date of each and the specific businesses it creates work for. Every item below is dated inside the last 60 days and every one of the seven regions is represented, from the Panhandle and the Big Bend to Ocala, the First Coast, the I-4 corridor, the Gulf Coast, Southwest Florida and the Treasure Coast. The work spans contact lenses, roofing, PVC pipe, livestock feed, drink flavorings, boats, armored vehicles and print.

• Northwest Florida (Panhandle & Capital)· 2026-07-06

  Gulf County wins a $23.5 million grant toward a floating dry dock in Port St. Joe

  Florida's Great Northwest posted on July 6, 2026 that Gulf County has secured first approval of a $23.5 million grant from Triumph Gulf Coast. The money goes toward a floating dry dock at Eastern Shipbuilding Group's Port St. Joe Shipyard. Another $6 million comes from the FloridaCommerce Job Growth Grant Fund and $4 million from the Rural Infrastructure Fund. The project is projected to create 400 skilled jobs for local tradespeople.

  A dry dock lets a yard lift bigger vessels out of the water, so the yard buys more steel, more welding hours, more coatings and more rigging every month it runs. Building and anchoring the dock is heavy marine work in its own right, and that happens first.

  A quiénes les sirve

  • marine welders
  • steel fabricators
  • industrial painting and coating crews
  • crane and rigging companies
  • marine electricians
  • hydraulics and pump shops
  • pile driving contractors
  • industrial supply houses

  It puts large vessel repair capacity in a rural Panhandle county and keeps that work on the Florida coast.

  Fuente: Florida's Great Northwest

• North Central Florida (Gainesville & Ocala)· 2026-07-22

  BioActive Forages breaks ground on a livestock feed plant in Madison County

  The North Florida Economic Development Partnership reported on July 22, 2026 that BioActive Forages has broken ground on a new feed manufacturing facility in Madison County. The facility will process peanut hay and other legumes into pelletized livestock feed products. The project is expected to create about 25 jobs in its initial phase, with room to grow as production rises.

  A feed mill moves bulk material in and finished pellets out, so it buys hauling, handling equipment and packaging from the week it opens. Growers nearby also gain a buyer for a crop byproduct they used to ship a long way to sell.

  A quiénes les sirve

  • bulk hauling and grain trucking companies
  • forage and baling equipment dealers
  • pellet die and roller service shops
  • bagging and bulk packaging suppliers
  • scale and weighing services
  • dust control contractors
  • feed testing labs
  • custom harvesting operators

  It turns a North Florida crop byproduct into a finished product inside the state and keeps farm dollars in the rural Big Bend.

  Fuente: North Florida Economic Development Partnership

• Northeast Florida (First Coast)· anunciado 2026-06-15

  Johnson & Johnson puts more than $1 billion into its Jacksonville vision plant

  Johnson & Johnson announced on June 15, 2026 an investment of more than $1 billion in Jacksonville, Florida to strengthen its Vision operations. The money covers a new distribution facility along with advanced manufacturing and packaging technologies. The company says the work strengthens opportunities for its 3,500 Jacksonville employees. The site makes more than 1.7 billion ACUVUE contact lenses a year for U.S. patients, and construction is under way with the goal of being fully operational in 2028.

  A medical device plant runs on validated equipment and clean process work, so the trades it hires are specialized and the contracts run long. The build alone is more than a year of work before a single new line starts up.

  A quiénes les sirve

  • cleanroom construction contractors
  • precision HVAC and filtration installers
  • process piping firms
  • industrial electrical and controls companies
  • calibration and metrology labs
  • packaging and labeling equipment integrators
  • validation and quality consultants
  • specialty freight companies

  It anchors one of the state's largest medical device operations and holds skilled production work on the First Coast into 2028.

  Fuente: Johnson & Johnson Vision

• Northeast Florida (First Coast)· 2026-06-17

  IKO opens a $240 million roofing plant in Clay County

  IKO held the grand opening of its Clay Hill manufacturing campus in Clay County, Florida on June 17, 2026. The company calls it a $240 million investment covering three production lines in a 300,000 square foot facility, and it is expected to employ over 100 people locally. The three lines are dedicated to asphalt shingles, insulation boards and residential underlayment rolled roofing.

  A building products plant ships heavy product every day, so freight, packaging and materials handling work stays at the site permanently. Roofing made in Florida also shortens the line for the contractors who install it.

  A quiénes les sirve

  • pallet makers
  • stretch wrap and packaging suppliers
  • bulk raw material haulers
  • conveyor and dust collection service firms
  • industrial electrical and controls companies
  • materials testing labs
  • roofing supply yards
  • load securement and crating businesses

  It puts shingle production inside Florida, which shortens a supply line the state leans on hard after every storm season.

  Fuente: IKO

• Central Florida (I-4 Corridor & Space Coast)· 2026-06-16

  Charlotte Pipe finishes a $25 million expansion of its Wildwood plant

  Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company held a ribbon cutting on June 16, 2026 for the expansion of its Wildwood plant in Sumter County. The plant was expanded by 54,700 square feet at a cost of approximately $25 million. It originally opened in 1999, employs 60 associates, and produces PVC pipe for plumbing and irrigation applications.

  Pipe extrusion buys resin by the truckload and runs tooling hard, so a plant this size keeps a steady list of suppliers and service firms busy all year. More pipe made nearby also shortens the wait for the contractors who install it.

  A quiénes les sirve

  • resin and additive suppliers
  • extrusion tooling and die service shops
  • industrial chiller and cooling water contractors
  • materials handling equipment dealers
  • packaging and strapping suppliers
  • forklift and racking dealers
  • plumbing contractors
  • irrigation and underground utility contractors

  It adds Florida made pipe capacity for plumbing and irrigation, which keeps a basic building material sourced close to the job.

  Fuente: Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company

• Central Florida (I-4 Corridor & Space Coast)· 2026-07-08

  A craft distillery starts the rezoning process in Seminole County

  The Seminole County Development Review Committee agenda for July 8, 2026 lists a pre-application for CRAFT DISTILLERY AT E ECON CIR, project number 26-80000071. The request is a proposed rezone to amend the current PD zoning to add an alcoholic beverage establishment on 1.06 acres on the east side of S Econ Cir, south of Econ River Pl.

  A pre-application is the earliest public point in a project, well before site plans, bids and permits are set. Beverage production is specialized build work, and the firms that do it usually get in front of an applicant at this stage rather than at bid time.

  A quiénes les sirve

  • land use consultants
  • civil engineers
  • surveyors
  • stainless steel and process piping fabricators
  • boiler and chiller contractors
  • food grade sanitation suppliers
  • bottling and labeling equipment dealers
  • commercial general contractors

  It adds a small beverage maker to a county better known for offices and technology work, on land already inside a planned development.

  Fuente: Seminole County

• Tampa Bay (Gulf Coast)· anunciado 2026-07-13

  Monin plans a $111 million flavoring plant on 70 acres in Zephyrhills

  The Pasco Economic Development Council announced on July 13, 2026 that Monin, a maker of flavoring products for specialty beverages and culinary use, plans to buy 70 acres of the Zephyrhills Airport Industrial Park Ready Site and build a manufacturing facility there. The initial phase is more than $111 million and 100 new full time positions, growing to 173 ongoing jobs once the plant is fully operational. The council projects the construction phase alone will generate 564 job years locally and $148.4 million in economic output through 2026.

  A food and beverage plant is built by specialists and then buys from them for as long as it runs. The build starts years before the first bottle ships, so the supplier list around it forms early.

  A quiénes les sirve

  • sanitary stainless welders
  • tank and vessel fabricators
  • process piping and pump companies
  • filling and labeling line integrators
  • refrigeration and boiler service firms
  • food grade cleaning and sanitation crews
  • bottle, closure and label suppliers
  • cold storage and freight companies

  It brings a global flavor maker's production into Florida and puts 173 permanent jobs on a rail and airport industrial site in east Pasco County.

  Fuente: Pasco Economic Development Council

• Southwest Florida· 2026-06-24

  Charlotte County breaks ground on a Southwest Florida manufacturing training center

  The Charlotte County Economic Development Office reported on June 24, 2026 that ground was broken on the Southwest Florida Advanced Manufacturing Training Center. It is led by Charlotte County Public Schools and Charlotte Technical College, and the state approved $1.75 million to support it. The center sits inside the Enterprise Charlotte Airport Park at Punta Gorda Airport and will cover advanced manufacturing, CNC, welding, aerospace and other technical fields.

  A training center is an early signal for the shops around it, because a region that can staff machinists and welders starts holding on to the plants that need them. The build itself needs equipment and installation work before the first class runs.

  A quiénes les sirve

  • machine shops
  • welding and fabrication businesses
  • tooling suppliers
  • industrial maintenance firms
  • CNC and welding booth installers
  • industrial equipment vendors
  • safety trainers
  • technical instructors

  It builds a Southwest Florida pipeline of CNC operators, welders and technicians, so the region can staff plant work rather than lose it to another state.

  Fuente: Charlotte County Economic Development Office

• Southwest Florida· 2026-07-28

  Charlotte County honors a Punta Gorda area printing and embroidery maker

  The Charlotte County Economic Development Office gave its Excellence in Business Award to Buffalo Graffix at the July 28, 2026 Commission meeting. The company was founded in 1988 and has served Charlotte County for more than 35 years, producing printing, graphic design, mailing, signs and wraps, embroidery, screen printing, promotional products and branded online storefronts. The county cited more than $47,000 in community support over three years and a partnership with the Charlotte Technical College Design program that provides student tours and hires program graduates into full time positions.

  Print and decorating shops sit at the small end of manufacturing and buy from a wide set of local suppliers every week. A shop that trains through a technical college also keeps work flowing to instructors and equipment vendors.

  A quiénes les sirve

  • blank apparel distributors
  • promotional goods wholesalers
  • ink and thread suppliers
  • vinyl and substrate wholesalers
  • large format equipment service technicians
  • shipping and fulfillment firms
  • graphic design contractors
  • technical college instructors

  It shows a small Southwest Florida maker sustaining skilled production work and training its next set of operators locally.

  Fuente: Charlotte County, Florida

• Southeast Florida (Gold Coast, Treasure Coast & Keys)· anunciado 2026-06-30

  An armored vehicle maker adds a first Florida plant in Fort Pierce

  INKAS announced on June 30, 2026 a North American manufacturing expansion that includes 31,000 square feet for a first time facility in Florida at Fort Pierce. The company says the new facilities are expected to be in full operation by July 31, 2026. INKAS describes its work as the design, engineering and manufacturing of armored vehicles and advanced security solutions, a line that includes armored SUVs and sedans, tactical vehicles, armored personnel carriers, drones and cash in transit vehicles.

  Vehicle armoring is metal, glass and wiring work done one unit at a time, so the plant leans on nearby fabrication and finishing shops rather than long supply lines. Fort Pierce is the company's first Florida location, so those relationships are being formed now.

  A quiénes les sirve

  • steel and ballistic material suppliers
  • precision machine shops
  • sheet metal fabricators
  • industrial glass installers
  • automotive wiring and harness shops
  • upholstery and trim shops
  • industrial paint and coating shops
  • specialty freight companies

  It puts specialized vehicle manufacturing on the Treasure Coast, at the company's first Florida location.

  Fuente: INKAS

• Southeast Florida (Gold Coast, Treasure Coast & Keys)· reportado 2026-07-08

  Weedoo Boats opens a 27,000 square foot boat plant in Stuart

  The Business Development Board of Martin County reported on July 8, 2026 that it teamed with Weedoo Boats to assist the company in opening its 27,000 square foot facility in Stuart. Chief executive Tara Lordi said the move from West Palm Beach came down to needing a larger building. The company designs and manufactures compact, purpose built vessels made to work in shallow water such as swamps, wetlands, canals and lakes, and even on dry land.

  Small boat building is assembled from many small shops rather than one long line, so a builder moving into a county spreads work across the marine trades around it.

  A quiénes les sirve

  • fiberglass and gelcoat shops
  • marine welders and stainless fabricators
  • marine electrical installers
  • hydraulics and running gear service shops
  • marine upholstery and canvas makers
  • paint and finish crews
  • propeller and drive service firms
  • industrial supply houses

  It moves a Florida boat builder into a bigger plant and keeps specialized marine manufacturing on the Treasure Coast.

  Fuente: Business Development Board of Martin County

• We count each business by the date it registered with the state, so this shows new business formation, not the current number of manufacturers.
• State records post about 2 weeks behind, so the last week or two will keep rising as more filings arrive.
• Manufacturing here spans food and drink processing, wood and furniture, metal fabrication and machinery, plastics and building products, medical devices, electronics, apparel, and print and packaging, so a small custom shop and a large plant both count as one new business.
• Counts cover active Florida businesses and update daily.

Preguntas frecuentes

Where are the most new manufacturing businesses forming in Florida?

This report ranks every Florida region by new manufacturing businesses and shows if activity is heating up or slowing down.

Does a new Florida manufacturer need a permit?

It depends on what the plant does. A facility that emits air pollutants is reviewed and permitted by the Department of Environmental Protection Division of Air Resource Management. Food manufacturers, drink bottlers, and other regulated makers have their own state requirements on top of that.

What help is there for a small Florida manufacturer?

FloridaMakes runs a statewide network of regional manufacturers associations with business advisors and workforce programs. The Florida SBDC Network gives no-cost consulting across all 67 counties, and CareerSource Florida funds customized training for new employees at expanding companies through Quick Response Training.

What kinds of businesses count as manufacturing here?

Food and drink processing, wood and furniture, metal fabrication and machinery, plastics and building products, medical devices, electronics, apparel, and print and packaging. A one-room custom shop counts the same as a large plant.

Where does this data come from?

The formation counts come from official Florida business-registration records. We pull every new filing, sort it by industry and region, and update daily. We count a business by the date it registered with the state. The developments come from county, city, port, and economic development records, and from each company's own announcements.

Can I see the actual businesses?

Yes. You get the real filings, with business names, addresses, and officers, free for 7 days, with no credit card required. Start a free 7 day trial to see them.

The standing resources a Florida manufacturer uses, starting with the statewide network, permitting, advising, and training programs, then the local manufacturers association or economic development office for each region. This is the rulebook, not the news. Check it to see the resources a new plant uses, or send a new maker here.