1. business and industrial
2. manufacturing

How to Succeed in
Manufacturing Executive
Search in the Southeast
The Framework for International Recruitment
of Engineers and Leaders in Manufacturing
Contents
How to Succeed in Manufacturing Executive Search in the Southeast
The Framework for International Recruitment of Engineers and Leaders in Manufacturing
Business Advantage of FGP International
3
Core Industrial Markets by State
4
The Southeast: Leading the Manufacturing Resurgence
5
Manufacturing is making a historic comeback, particularly in the Southeast.
High-tech and advanced manufacturing facilities, research and development,
foreign direct investments, logistic hot spots and port expansions are giving the
region the competitive edge to attract and retain great people.
Executive Leadership & Employment in Manufacturing
In a highly competitive global marketplace, manufacturers need industry
leaders that can solve challenges, scientists who can create the next generation
of materials, and a skilled workforce that is ready to get the job done.
9
Identifying Talent that can Transform Industry
12
Get to know your executive recruiting team. It’s the game changer to recruiting
and retaining top talent in manufacturing.
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To learn more about FGP International and its divisions in executive search, professional staffing, IT
staffing and consulting, HR consulting and outplacement services, please visit www.fgp.com.
2
How to Succeed in Manufacturing Executive Search in the Southeast
Business Advantage of FGP International
The Southeast is a business climate
unlike anywhere else. With competitive
state and local incentives, a largely
non-union labor force and a swell of
industrial know-how and expertise,
both US and foreign companies are
expanding or breaking ground on
new plants in the Southeast.
Find Great People
International is at the
epicenter. Headquartered
in Greenville, SC, our
executive search team has
a worldwide network
to help your company
identify forwardthinking engineers
and mid- to highlevel manufacturing
professionals.
Top 25 Research Universities
National Labs & Technology Centers
Research universities listed are ranked in the top 25 nationally, according to The Center for
Measuring University Performance at Arizona State University (2010).
How to Succeed in Manufacturing Executive Search in the Southeast
3
Core Industrial Markets by State
Alabama
Prefab Enclosures
Textiles
Mississippi
Furniture
Florida
Georgia
Agricultural Products
Motor Driven Products
Textiles
Construction
Aerospace Vehicle and
Defense
North Carolina
South Carolina
Biopharmaceuticals
Apparel
Textiles
Construction
Furniture
Create the Future
Power Generation
and Transmission
Texiles
Automotive
Virginia
Kentucky
Motor Driven Products
Tennessee
Motor Driven Products
Chemical Products
Automotive
West Virginia
The Southeast’s competitive edge comes from a
variety of industrial clusters. While there are many
core industrial markets, we’ve listed the highest
cluster specialization for each state that have a
5% or greater employment share, according to the
Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at the
Harvard Business School.
* West Virginia’s employment in Oil and Gas Products and Services is 1.54%.
4
Business Services
Texiles
How to Succeed in Manufacturing Executive Search in the Southeast
Oil and Gas Products
and Services*
The Southeast: Leading the Manufacturing Resurgence
There’s a widespread belief that American
industrial economy. From the shop floor to the
manufacturing is declining. In reality,
boardroom, there is a greater need in today’s
manufacturing in America has become much
global marketplace to identify competitive
more productive. When adjusted for inflation,
advantages with great people.
manufacturing output of nearly $2.2 trillion
in 2009 was nearly 215% higher than it was in
1970, according to United Nations data.
Manufacturing Output
(billions)
80
70
60
50
There is a wealth of industrial expertise in
the Southeast. Within the 10-state region,
there are 58,191 industrial establishments
with a manufacturing output of more than
$324.2 billion, according to the US Bureau
of Economic Analysis. Manufacturing
employment accounts for more than 2.4
million jobs, which represents about 20% of
all manufacturing jobs in the United States.
40
30
20
10
0
AL
FL
GA
KY
MS NC SC
TN VA WV
“The modern manufacturing plant is straight out of
Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis
With new advances in technology, lean
manufacturing principles and best practices,
the employment landscape has changed.
In 1979, manufacturing jobs peaked at 19.6
science fiction, the work is exciting and ever
changing, and opportunities abound.”
Jerry Jasinowski,
former president of the National
Association of Manufacturers
million. Today there are nearly 12 million,
according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
And yet there is a boom for high-paying skilled
factory workers, talented engineers, worldclass scientists and executive leaders within the
How to Succeed in Manufacturing Executive Search in the Southeast
5
The Southeast is a region where inventors,
investors and entrepreneurs come together.
Within a half-day drive of Greenville, SC, where
FGP International is located, there is more
than $5 billion in research conducted annually
at 16 research universities and two national
laboratories, Oak Ridge National Lab and
Savannah River National Lab. North Carolina’s
Research Triangle is noted for its high-tech
companies and enterprises and is anchored
by three major universities.
15000
Number of Manufacturing
Establishments (thousands)
Shipping & Logistics
One of the chief benefits to manufacturers in
the Southeast is the region’s rail and highway
connectivity. Beyond Atlanta, which is often
noted as the South’s main hub of logistics
activity, companies are finding advantages
throughout the Southeast. The Piedmont-Triad
region of North Carolina enjoys five interstates
– I-40, I-73, I-74, I-77 and I-85. More than
150 trucking firms operate within the region,
including the headquarters for one of the
largest LTL trucking companies in the country.
South Carolina has become No. 1 in the
12000
Southeast in industrial distribution capacity
9000
recruitment. Over the past five years some of
the notable brands to open distribution centers
6000
in the Palmetto State include Adidas Group,
Amazon.com Corp. and Walgreen Co.
3000
0
AL
FL GA
KY MS NC
SC TN VA WV
Container Port Volume
Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis
Venture capitalists are also taking note. With
funds typically dominant on the West Coast
and Northeast, Virginia has now cracked the
top 10 states with deals totaling more than
$375 million. Across the Southeast, new angel
groups, such as the Upstate Carolina Angel
Network in Greenville, SC, are tapping into
advance manufacturing clusters, including
aerospace, automotive, healthcare/medical
devices and energy.
Rank
Port
TEUs (000s)
4
8
10
11
11
15
Savannah, GA
Norfolk, VA
Charleston, SC
Jacksonville, FL
Miami, FL
Mobile, AL
3,000
1,950
1,350
950
950
19
Source: Colliers International National ranking based on
twenty-foot equivalent units for 2012; minimum 45,000.
6 How to Succeed in Manufacturing Executive Search in the Southeast
Port Expansion
In South Carolina a new $25 million inland
Much of the Southeast is connected by rail
serviced by CSX Corp. or Norfolk Southern
Corp. Adjusted for inflation, the average rail
customer can ship nearly twice as much freight
for the same price paid 30 years ago, according
to the Association of American Railroads. In
2012, there was $25.5 billion in private rail
infrastructure investments in the United States.
Among the top container ports in the United
States, Savannah, GA, and Charleston, SC, are
port in Greer is scheduled to open in
September 2013. Trains will run daily from
the inland terminal to the Port of Charleston.
The biggest user is expected to be BMW
Manufacturing Co., which is expected to ship
up to 25,000 containers annually.
Meanwhile, Port Miami is gaining strength in
Latin America with more than 50% of its trade
from South and Central American nations. It too
plans to deepen its harbor to 50 feet by 2014.
among the top 10. Both are making significant
advances to increase global trade and accept postPanamax ships. The Port of Savannah has received
approval to dredge to 47 feet (currently 42 feet),
and the South Carolina Ports Authority is working
on a $300 million project to deepen Charleston’s
harbor from 45 feet to 50 feet. By the time the
expansion of the Panama Canal opens in 2015,
an estimated 2,500 mega-vessels will be in service
and both ports should be ready.
At the Garden City Terminal in Georgia there are
now 25 super electric-powered container cranes,
the most of any single terminal in the US. These
cranes can reach across vessels 22 containers
wide and lift cargo up to 65 long tons.
How to Succeed in Manufacturing Executive Search in the Southeast
7
Find Great Sites...
and Great People
Selection magazine for the highest number of
qualified capital investment projects for 2012.
The Southeast has become very attractive to
As real estate availability rates drop across
the country, the Southeast is leading the
way, according to CBRE Global Research and
Consulting. In the agency’s first quarter report
for 2013, they credit an “increased demand
for warehouse and distribution space to
employment growth, and a rapid improvement
international companies. When it comes to
attracting jobs through foreign investment,
South Carolina is No. 1, according to IBM Plant
Location International’s 2012 Global Location
Trends annual report. Also among the top 10
are North Carolina (3), Georgia (6), Alabama (7)
and Mississippi (9).
in the housing market.”
FGP Manufacturing/Engineering Placements
Yet, when you connect the dots, the
60
Southeast’s economic competitiveness didn’t
happen by accident.
50
40
People made it happen.
30
20
10
2010
2011
2012
The future is bright. There’s high-value
production, high-tech employment and robust
research and development happening in the
Southeast. It’s why five southeastern states – Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia
and Kentucky – achieved top 10 rankings by Site
“Spartanburg, SC, has the highest international
investment per capita in the nation.”
8 How to Succeed in Manufacturing Executive Search in the Southeast
Source: New York Times
Executive Leadership & Employment in Manufacturing
Economic phases that were 50 to 150 years in
the making have been replaced by eras that
last maybe a decade. There is a resurgence of
manufacturing in the US, and the rise can be
attributed to executive leaders who value their
intellectual assets, are productivity-driven and
are finding ways to become cost competitive
with offshore competition.
That’s easier said than done. Finding the right
Vice President, Plant Manager, Director of
Supply Chain Management or Project Engineer
can be challenging, timely and costly without a
game plan.
In a new era of international growth and
innovation, executive search has also gone
global. Manufacturers from around the world
seek corporate executives who can support
product development, improve productivity,
foster continuous improvement and grow
exports into new markets. The right candidate
may even be in another country.
About 90% of C-Level recruits are passive
candidates – employed and only interested
when the right career move comes along. An
executive search consultant keeps a watchful
eye on top candidates worldwide and can help
navigate a company and candidate through
immigration concerns. With his or her vast
network of industrial candidates, a recruiter can
quickly identify the ideal recruit that matches
your company’s unique culture.
Finding Manufacturing
Intelligence in a Pinch
An economic development organization
contacted Find Great People International on
behalf of new plastics manufacturer coming to
town. They needed to fill six positions: Plant
manager, Design Engineer, Logistics and Supply
Manager, two Sales Representatives and an
Administrative Professional. And it all needed to
be done within two weeks.
Within two days FGP identified 18 qualified
candidates for interview. Within two weeks
the entire team was assembled. Unlike other
agencies, FGP has divisions in every discipline
and they all work together.
1.29
MILLION
Manufacturing jobs in the Southeast
“Individual recruiters at other executive search
firms are often protective of their turf, including
their candidates. What distinguishes us is our
ability to work faster as a team,” said Elliot
Figueroa, manager of the Engineering and
Manufacturing Division at FGP, “All of us worked
together – each of us drawing on our strengths.”
How to Succeed in Manufacturing Executive Search in the Southeast
9
The Building Beam:
Scientists and their Toys
If you are looking for an experienced VP of
Engineering, a Chemical/Petroleum Engineer, an
R&D Process Engineer or a Computer Engineer,
these candidates are highly skilled and have a
technical lingo all their own. If you are working
with an executive manufacturing consultant,
he or she has the experience to speak their
language.
respectively. And yet, when it comes to
automotive and advanced materials research,
no region beats the expertise found in the
Southeast.
It’s one thing to say you are innovative.
It’s another to actually be innovative. When
crafting the next generation of automobiles,
medical devices, aerospace components or
renewable energy solutions, take a look at
your infrastructure, not only internally, but
also externally. Seeing the big picture is critical
and an executive search partner will help you
identify and attract great people.
“68% of businesses say a highly skilled, flexible
Most high-tech engineers seek a “research
workforce is most important to future success
culture” that often goes beyond your walls.
They are attracted to centers of excellence
where ideas are exchanged and celebrated,
particularly with university cooperatives. It’s
no accident that Massachusetts, home to the
famed Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
tops the Knowledge Economy Index, developed
by Tate Watkins and Bruce Yandle of George
Mason University and Clemson University,
10 How to Succeed in Manufacturing Executive Search in the Southeast
over the next 3-5 years.
Source: New York Times
Workforce Development:
Making the Future
10 years, according to reports. Another study by
The United States is facing a skilled labor
in manufacturing. Women earn more than half
shortage. There are about 600,000
the associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees
manufacturing vacancies nationwide, according
in the US, and as consumers and influencers,
to a report by The Manufacturing Institute and
their experiences and insights can contribute
Deloitte Development LLC. Stereotypes that
significantly to the industry’s competitiveness.
Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute argues
women are critical to addressing the skills gap
factory jobs are dirty and require a lot of heavy
lifting persist.
Great employers are focused on employee
development at all levels. Working with a
Computer-aided machining (CNC), however, has
company that offers cross-functional teams
replaced much of the labor-intensive jobs of
to identify great candidates can help unify
yesterday. A machinist five years on the job can
the company’s culture from the boardroom
make $50,000. That can double to $100,000 in
to the shop floor.
How to Succeed in Manufacturing Executive Search in the Southeast
12
Identifying Talent that can Transform Industry
Find Great People International develops strong
If you are not fully prepared to begin
relationships with its client companies. We
your search, you run the risk of losing top
want to know and understand a company’s
candidates. Our experienced recruiters can
culture, mission, reputation and strategy to
help identify the ideal recruit, including
serve others, pursue excellence and grow
C-Level executives, plant managers and
profitability. This helps us realize the full
directors, engineers, business development/
potential of qualified candidates and increase
sales associates, and supply chain, logistics
their overall impact on your organization.
and purchasing managers. We can also find
great people in accounting and IT with a
We never match a candidate on qualifications
on paper alone. He or she should be matched
on accountability, consistency, humility and
other core values of your company.
unique niche in the industrial sector.
Elliot Figueroa
Division Manager
[email protected]
Troy Bennett
Executive Search Consultant
[email protected]
David Jones
Senior Executive Search Consultant
[email protected]
Lindsey Stork
Executive Search Consultant
[email protected]
12 How to Succeed in Manufacturing Executive Search in the Southeast
Contact Us
FGP Manufacturing & Engineering
(877) 819-7619
www.fgp.com
[email protected]