Manufacturing is a rollercoaster industry, with prophets and doomsayers focused on the tiny bumps and dips at every turn. But at the end of the day, the industry is showing signs of growth.
This September, Industry Week released their annual Industry Week 1000 World’s Largest Manufacturers. North America has placed in the top ten slots for revenue growth across some of the biggest sectors currently in manufacturing, which is a strong showing for a continent that became known for outsourcing.
Looking for a new job or to brush up on how the industry is growing? This list may be the place to start.
Food
Darling Ingredients Inc
Darling Ingredients has the honor of being the U.S. company with the highest revenue growth (129.35%) this year. In the business of sustainability for food, fuel, and feed, Darling Ingredients intends to find solutions for a growing population. Headquartered in Texas with a worldwide presence, this company has been recently noted for their mass-scale renewable diesel facilities.
Whitewave Foods Co
Focused on alternative health choices, Whitewave (35.19%) strives to bring products including organic and soy options to the masses using their resources that are normally found solely in big food. Delivering many brand name items that buyers are already familiar with, they are also working to reduce waste, water usage and greenhouse gas emissions as part of their environmental responsibility initiatives.
George Weston LTD
Canada’s largest private sector employer, Weston (30.78%) is centered on growth and innovation. Providing primarily baked foods, Weston is known for their brands in desserts, breads, and frozen foods, but the company also has branches in pharmacy, retail, and electronic products.
Pharmaceuticals
Gilead Sciences Inc
The only other company on this list with a reported revenue growth over 100% (122.22%) is Gilead — a biopharmaceutical company focused on unmet medical needs. Looking to better people with life-threatening illnesses, Gilead has developed products for HIV/AIDS, liver diseases, cancer, and others. With proven medications that work, the company has been at the forefront of saving lives for those who previously may not have had a chance.
Biogen Inc
Biogen (46.53%) specializes in therapies for neurological, autoimmune, and hematologic disorders. From research to marketing, they are involved with their product every step along the way. Specifically in manufacturing, they develop and deliver both large and small molecule therapies, with over two decades performing the former and a plan for developing the latter.
Celgene Corp
Celgene (18.12%) is a biotechnology company that manufacturers drug therapies for cancer patients. Their treatments are constantly being developed to battle the hardest cases, from incurable hematological and solid tumor cancers to triple-negative breast cancer and pancreatic cancer. Known for putting patients first, they offer safe and easily accessible treatments.
Petroleum and Coal
Devon Energy Corp
Devon Energy (88.19%) tops the revenue growth charts in the Petroleum and Coal sector this year. They’re an independent oil and natural gas company that focuses on onshoring in North America with a record of environmentally responsibility. Looking to expand their work in natural gases, while striking a balance between producing oil and alternative energy resources.
Crescent Point Energy Corp
Breaking into the top 1,000 for the first time, Crescent Point Energy (57.77%) is still fairly new by business standards — founded in 2001. Based in Toronto, this traditional oil and gas producer focuses on low-risk drilling for record production, reserves, and dividends. In the dozen or so years this company has been around, Crescent Point Energy has proven to be a competitor to other companies of their size and one to watch.
Western Refining Inc.
Climbing the Industry Week 1,000 list by more than 1,000 places in the last year, Western Refining (50.24%) is an independent oil refiner and marketer dedicated to providing fuel for transportation to the western and southwestern customers of the United States. Self-proclaimed server of the community in the southwest, Western also vows commitment to provide a safe and healthy environment.
Computers and Electronics
Micron Technology Inc
Micron (80.29%) has come a long way from its beginnings in 1978 with no signs of slowing down. With over 20,000 patents under their belt, Micron has been innovating since their conception — even winning awards like the 2014 Digital Technology of the Year from Electronic Design News for their Automata Processor, Additionally, any company with a foundation focused on STEM education and educators is the kind of movement the industry as a whole needs.
Lam Research Corp
Lam Research (28.02%) is the leading supplier wafer fabrication equipment and serves the semiconductor industry. Their business surrounds the tiny, complex chips used in an endless electronic products. This complexity calls for sophistication and precision, and Lam allows for chips to be 1,000 times smaller than a grain of sand.
Harman International Inds Inc
Harman (24.45%) is all about connectivity. Connected cars with navigation, multimedia, and security systems built in. Synced products through mobile and the cloud right at your fingertips. Audio, video, and entertainment services for at home or out in the world. Everything is measured through detailed analytics and used to improve products for the future.