Illinois 'Makers on the Move' bus tour ends at National Safety Apparel factory

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Have you ever wondered who makes the uniforms and safety equipment first responders and industrial workers use every day? The Illinois Manufacturers' Association celebrated National Safety Apparel on the final day of the organization's statewide bus tour.

After eight days and nearly 2,000 miles on the road, the Makers on the Move bus arrived at the National Safety Apparel factory on the south side of Chicago. The second annual tour highlighted more than 20 businesses across the state, leaders said there is a growing number of manufacturers supporting 30% of all jobs in Illinois.

"We have hundreds if not thousands of those from Cairo to Rockford and from Quincy to Danville," said Greg Webb, board chair of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association. "Let's pay attention to what we do as a state because it all matters."

Gov. JB Pritzker joined the IMA members and local elected leaders to see some of the hard work up close. NSA specializes in safety gear for the military, first responders, the U.S. postal service and industrial workers.

"It's become very difficult over the years to maintain garment manufacturing in the USA," said NSA President Michael Enright. "Our commitment was strong. We wanted to stay here in Chicago. The state of Illinois, the city of Chicago, the IMA and Illinois Manufacturers' Excellence Center all helped us make that happen."

Illinois manufacturing generates between $580 billion and $611 billion in economic investment annually. State leaders said that is the largest share of any industry to the Illinois gross domestic product.

"From the tech that keeps us connected to the clothes that we wear to the clean energy advancements ushering in a more sustainable future for all of us, Illinois manufacturers play a vital role in every aspect of our day to day lives," Pritzker explained.

Pritzker said he will continue to be the state's chief marketing officer to let the world know that Illinois is the best state for manufacturing.

"We're very proud of our workforce and the manufacturing facilities in this area that allow us to show that we can contribute and we are here to help make Illinois a strong and stable economy," said Rep. Theresa Mah (D-Chicago).

State leaders said they have been happy to see more businesses expand or relocate to Illinois in recent years due to the state's dedicated workforce and state-of-the-art facilities.

"Too many people have an outdated view that manufacturing is dark, dirty and dangerous with smokestacks," said IMA President and CEO Mark Denzler. "And it's not. Look at the floor here. It's clean, it's sustainable, it's diverse and it's innovative."