OLATHE — Advanced manufacturing in the Greater Kansas City area is experiencing growth and U.S. manufacturing and related industries currently account for 24% of the gross domestic product, with the area’s manufacturing sector expanding at a rate of seven percent and valued at $45 billion as of 2024.
Panasonic’s $4 billion EV-battery plant in De Soto, Kansas, will create 4,000 new jobs, while other Johnson County manufacturers are projected to add an additional 1,500 positions in 2025. To meet these expanding workforce needs, Kansas State University Olathe made a strategic investment to develop the Advanced Manufacturing and Bulk Solids Technology Center. Located on the K-State Olathe campus, the center currently houses a Materials Property Test Lab and will complete its full-scale process lab by summer.