Shipbuilding & Marine Manufacturing Companies in Arkansas

Arkansas has approximately 2,800 manufacturing establishments and 160,000 manufacturing employees. Arkansas has a diverse manufacturing base including food processing, steel production, and plastics, with Nucor and Dassault Falcon anchoring key sectors.

Arkansas contributes to the national shipbuilding & marine manufacturing landscape. Shipbuilding and marine manufacturing includes naval and commercial shipyards, boat builders, and marine equipment producers. The US shipbuilding industry is anchored by the Jones Act, which requires vessels operating between US ports to be domestically built. Major shipyards like Huntington Ingalls and General Dynamics NASSCO build naval vessels and commercial ships, while hundreds of smaller yards produce workboats, tugs, barges, and recreational vessels.

Naval Shipyards: Major facilities like Huntington Ingalls and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works building aircraft carriers, submarines, and destroyers.

Commercial Shipbuilders: Shipyards producing container ships, tankers, offshore supply vessels, and ferries for domestic service.

Workboat & Barge Builders: Smaller shipyards constructing tugboats, towboats, barges, and inland waterway vessels.

Recreational Boat Builders: Companies like Brunswick and Malibu Boats producing powerboats, sailboats, and pontoons.

Marine Equipment Suppliers: Manufacturers of marine engines, propulsion systems, deck equipment, and navigation systems.

Major industrial centers in Arkansas include Little Rock, Fort Smith, Springdale, and Jonesboro. These cities have concentrations of manufacturers across sectors including food processing manufacturing, steel manufacturing, and plastics manufacturing.