Chapter. 5: The North American Manufacturing Core

San Diego's coastal location has allowed for it's growth as a major city. The government saw San Diego as a critical location for defense, and established several military installations throughout the city and into neighboring areas. Aviation became an important industry as several manufacturers were located within the city.

Charles Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis" was built in San Diego by Ryan Airlines

With the onslaught of World War II, San Diego became an even more important military hub due to it's Pacific location. Jobs created by the defense industry saw the city's population increase, thus adding to the economy. Even after the war, the defense and aerospace industry continued to play an important role in the job market. However, with military spending cuts in the later part of the century, most of the aerospace industries closed down or moved. Even most of the once bustling military bases/training camps were shuttered.

To stimulate its economy, San Diego turned to science/technology and tourism. Software development, Telecommunication and biotechnology have replaced aerospace as the leading contributors to the job market.

Among all U.S. metropolitan areas, San Diego has the third largest concentration of biotech companies, with more than 32,000 biotech jobs at 499 companies.¹

Scripps Research Biotech Lab

1. http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-West/San-Diego-Economy.html