Manufacturing is a top industry in Northeast Tennessee Valley, employing more than 70,000 workers in the three-state region. Major employers include Eastman Chemical, John Deere, GE and Tempur Production US.
Some make water heaters, while others are producing furniture for hotels and military bases. And some manufacture products as diverse as fencing, foam and film, not to mention glass and medical instruments.
The manufacturing sector in the Northeast Tennessee Valley is strong and getting stronger, with hundreds of companies collectively employing about 70,000 workers.