In 2017, nearly 900,000 heavy-duty diesel engines were manufactured in facilities across the United States, according to the latest research conducted by Rhein and Associates.
“American-made heavy-duty diesel engines are the workhorse of the U.S. economy, fueling half the economic sectors in the United States with proven, economical, efficient and near-zero emissions technology,” said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum. “From agricultural, mining and construction equipment to commercial vehicles, locomotives, tug boats and other goods-movement equipment, diesel is the powertrain of choice.”
Thirteen states are home to heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturing, with North Carolina leading the way, producing 327,000 engines last year. Other key states include Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and New York.
“The workforce in these states are not just manufacturing the most advanced, high-tech diesel engines for their customers, they are producing advanced technology that when put into service, contributes substantially to cleaner air and lower greenhouse gas emissions,” Schaeffer noted. “Today’s diesel engine has advanced dramatically in design and overall performance, doing more work, producing more power, using less fuel and with lower emissions than ever before. Diesel’s continuously improving unique combination of energy efficiency, power, economical ownership and operation, reliability, durability and now near-zero emissions are the features that ensure it will continue to play a lead role in both the U.S. and the global economy.”
In 2017, heavy-duty clean diesel engines directly supported $3.4 trillion in U.S. economic activity. The agricultural, fishing, forestry, mining, construction and logistics industries are directly dependent on heavy-duty diesel engines. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, these diesel-dependent industrial sectors have grown by 10 percent since 2008. These sectors represent more than 11 percent of all private-sector industrial activity, equivalent to the utility and information technology sectors combined.
“U.S.-based heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturing facilities are producing the latest new-generation diesel technologies, which reduce emissions and contribute to improving air quality,” Schaeffer added. “The more the newest, most-efficient, near-zero emission engines can be put to work, the greater the fuel savings and emission reductions delivered to the communities in which they operate, whether that be from a commercial truck, a tugboat, a pickup truck or an ambulance.”
Based on the most recent economic estimates compiled by the Diesel Technology Forum, the manufacture of clean diesel engines, along with the vehicles and equipment they power, supports 1.25 million jobs across the United States. These include more than 260,000 diesel engine and bus mechanics employed across the country. On average, these jobs pay 60 percent more than the average national salary.
Recently, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers concluded that the production of diesel-powered equipment will support 1.3 million jobs and generate $158 billion in economic value. Overall, the average wage in the diesel manufacturing industry exceeds the national average, paying workers about $78,000 per year.
For more information, visit www.dieselforum.org.