Page 46 - Garrett County 2021-2022 Visitors Guide

Quality of Life: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Major Employers (2018-19)
Employer
Product / Service
Employees
Garrett Regional Medical Center
Medical Services
517
Beitzel Corp./Pillar Innovation
Industrial Construction
311
ClosetMaid
Storage Product
252
Wisp Resort*
Four-Season Resort
200
First United Corporation
Financial Services
192
Goodwill Retirement Community
Nursing Care
190
Garrett College
Higher Education
185
Garrett County Community Action Committee
Social Advocacy
180
Total Biz Fulfillment
Order Fulfillment
118
Garrett Container Systems
Defense Contract
115
Phenix Technologies
High-Voltage Test Equip.
114
Global Hardwoods
Lumber
100
Savage Industries
Freight Trucking
80
Fechheimer
Uniforms
75
Morningstar
IT Admin Support
68
Simon Pearce
Glassmaking
60
Hugh Umbel Companies
Retail; Construction
56
GCC Technologies
Technology Services
46
*Employment increases to 600 during winter ski season.
Excludes post offices, state and local governments, national retail and food service; includes higher education Source: Garrett County Department of Economic Development
Agribusiness: There are 707 farms in Garrett County, benefiting from the area’s fertile
soil as well as a recent “farm-to-table” movement. Farmers in the county may apply for annual marketing grants up to $250. The agricultural community (garrettfarms.org) is further enhanced by Garrett County’s thriving tourism industry.
Energy: Since 1925, the dam at Deep Creek Lake, now owned by Brookfield Renewable, has provided the region with renewable hydroelectric energy. Three Exelon wind projects in the county — Fourmile Wind Project, Fair Wind Project and Criterion Wind Project — together can generate 140 MWh of clean energy. County government worked with SolarCity (now Tesla) to install three small solar arrays on county-owned properties. Together, the installations can supply approximately 35% to 40% of Garrett County government’s annual power consumption.
Notable Businesses
These are some of Garrett County’s more renowned employers:
ClosetMaid: Established in Ocala, FL in 1965, ClosetMaid opened its Grantsville facility in late 2007 and became operational with 40 employees. Today, the Grantsville facility employs 252 individuals working two shifts and sells its product lines through Amazon, Wayfair, Lowes, Home Depot, Target and other major retailers.
Garrett Container Systems (GCS): GCS is
a major manufacturer of reusable aluminum shipping containers. Its products include general-purpose cargo containers, dog kennels for military K-9 units and welded, air- tight units. The company also is a distributor of high-end tactical equipment used by the U.S. military, law enforcement and other government agencies.
Simon Pearce Glass: One of the last American glassblowing companies in existence, Simon Pearce is renowned for its beautifully designed, handcrafted glass and pottery pieces. In fact, Simon Pearce recently won a five-year contract to create custom stem and barware for American embassies around the world. Founded by artisan and master glassblower Simon Pearce in 1971
in Kilkenny, Ireland, the company moved to the United States in 1981 and expanded into Garrett County in 1998.
Pillar Innovations: Headquartered in Grantsville, Pillar Innovations is a wholly- owned subsidiary of Beitzel Corporation. Founded to service coal mines and industrial facilities in Western Maryland, Pillar
Labor Availability
(by place of residence)
Civilian Labor Force (2019 avg.)
County
Labor Market Area*
Total civilian labor force
15,775
97,586
Employment
15,075
92,687
Unemployment
700
4,899
Unemployment rate
4.4%
5.0%
Residents commuting outside the county to work (2014-2018)
Number
Percent
3,371
25.1%
Employment in selected occupations (2013-2017)
Management, business, science and arts
4,713
33.8%
Service
2,434
17.5%
Sales and office
2,625
18.8%
Natural resources, construction, maintenance
2,294
16.5%
Production, transportation and material moving
1,871
13.4%
*Garrett and Allegany counties, MD; Preston Co., WV; and Somerset Co., PA
Sources: Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, Office of Workforce Information and Performance, West Virginia Workforce, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, and U.S. Census Bureau
44 The Deep Creek Experience