Author: Dominic Calabro
Publisher: Florida Today
Date: June 14, 2015
Silicon Valley is synonymous with global technology, but could Florida be the next frontier? A new high-tech hub being developed outside Orlando will thrust the Sunshine State into the global advanced manufacturing industry, and promises high-skill jobs, new capital and the influence of a multibillion dollar industry.
Central Florida’s newest tech endeavor is a result of the work of the International Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research, a public-private partnership between several Florida Universities and business groups. While the state already boasts more than 18,000 manufacturers, the consortium is focused on growing advanced manufacturing in Florida and developing emerging technologies in its Florida Advanced Manufacturing Research Center.
The research center will explore emerging technologies, such as smart sensors, an industry expected to be worth more than $154 billion by 2020. While there are huge financial opportunities for Florida in advanced manufacturing, the industry is already flourishing in the Sunshine State. In fact, four of the top five of Florida manufacturing sectors are considered advanced. The state features aerospace, medical equipment, semiconductor and electronic component manufacturing, which offer high-skill, high-wage jobs to Floridians. Read more here.
