As the 25th state admitted into the Union, the state of Arkansas has a long and vibrant history. It began as Native American lands and later was settled by hardworking European and American settlers and farmers. Because of this, Arkansas has always had a long history as one of the top agricultural and manufacturing hubs of the country and it remains so even today.

According to a 2006 report from the U.S. Census Bureau, Arkansas' top three industries are all in the area of manufacturing. Food manufacturing ranks first, primary metal manufacturing is second, and transportation equipment manufacturing ranks third. Below is a description of each of these industries.

Food manufacturing
Food manufacturing is the process by which food is processed and made available en mass. This might include a few different steps and processes including milling, preservation, labeling, packaging, and transportation of the food. Large food manufacturing plants provide employment for many people in Arkansas.

Primary Metal Manufacturing
Primary metal manufacturing is an industry like a steel mill or iron mill that smelts or refines metal from ore or scrap using metallurgical techniques. They may also manufacturer alloys by introducing other chemicals to pure metals. The output of smelting and refining is used to make forms of metal like sheet, strip, bar, rod, or wire.

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
This industry produces equipment for transporting people and goods. This might include bending, welding, and forming metal or plastic into mechanical parts and components. These may used in many transportation sectors including road, rail, air, and water transportation. This industry is extremely economically significant in all North America countries.

Thanks to its hardworking residents, Arkansas is one of the nations leaders in these three significant and important national industries.