Factories in Nebraska
Nebraska has 1,761 manufacturing establishments employing 104,418 people (Census County Business Patterns, 2023), 0.8% of US manufacturing jobs and the 35th most of any state. The largest industries by employment are food, machinery and fabricated metal products. We track 3 new plant projects here, 0 under construction.
- Establishments
- 1,761
- Census 2023
- Manufacturing jobs
- 104,418
- Census 2023
- In EPA records
- 1,130
- Active, ECHO
- New plants
- 3
- 0 building
- Sheet
- NE
- Revised
- November 11, 2026
What is made in Nebraska
| Industry (NAICS subsector) | Establishments | Employees | In EPA records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food 311 | 309 | 40,241 | 210 |
| Machinery 333 | 186 | 10,928 | 96 |
| Fabricated metal products 332 | 279 | 9,800 | 121 |
| Vehicles, aircraft and parts 336 | 66 | 9,530 | 48 |
| Chemicals 325 | 107 | 5,504 | 187 |
| Plastics and rubber 326 | 72 | 5,295 | 47 |
| Medical devices and other goods 339 | 127 | 4,320 | 23 |
| Computers and electronics 334 | 39 | 3,841 | 24 |
| Glass, cement and stone 327 | 151 | 3,585 | 199 |
| Wood products 321 | 64 | 2,348 | 35 |
| Printing 323 | 145 | 2,308 | 24 |
| Paper 322 | 17 | 1,635 | 14 |
| Electrical equipment and appliances 335 | 24 | 1,434 | 10 |
| Furniture 337 | 51 | 1,230 | 9 |
| Primary metals 331 | 12 | 1,124 | 23 |
| Beverages and tobacco 312 | 55 | 741 | 3 |
| Textile products 314 | 31 | 190 | 2 |
| Leather goods 316 | 5 | 146 * | 0 |
| Textile mills 313 | 7 | 119 * | 2 |
| Apparel 315 | 13 | 80 * | 0 |
| Petroleum and coal products 324 | — | — | 53 |
Establishments and employees: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, mid-March employment. * Census flags this figure as having high noise. "In EPA records" counts active facilities in EPA's ECHO database, a subset that excludes plants EPA doesn't regulate.
New plants in Nebraska
| Project | Industry | Status | Announced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley respirator and hearing protection plant expansion3M, Valley | Medical devices | Announced | $67M40 jobs |
| Columbus prefilled flush syringe expansionBD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), Columbus | Medical devices | Announced | $35M50 jobs |
| Bellevue medium-voltage switchgear plantEaton, Bellevue | Electrical equipment | Announced | $30M200 jobs |
Factory pages in Nebraska
18 Nebraska factories have their own page so far: the facilities that report to EPA's Toxics Release Inventory and hold the most detailed federal records. See all 18, grouped by industry.
Questions
What is made in Nebraska?
Nebraska has 1,761 manufacturing establishments employing 104,418 people (Census County Business Patterns, 2023), 0.8% of US manufacturing jobs and the 35th most of any state. The largest industries by employment are food, machinery and fabricated metal products.
How many manufacturers are in Nebraska?
1,761 manufacturing establishments (Census, 2023). EPA's ECHO database lists 1,130 active manufacturing facilities in Nebraska that it regulates, 354 of which report to the Toxics Release Inventory.
Are new factories being built in Nebraska?
We track 3 large plant projects in Nebraska announced since 2021: 0 under construction, 3 announced, 0 operating.
Can you tour a factory in Nebraska?
Yes: Case IH Grand Island Plant Tour, Golden Spike Tower at Bailey Yard, UNL Dairy Store Tour.