10 Treasure Coast companies you might not realize are building things here
Aircraft, boats, juice, surgical tools and cosmetics. Some of the names are internationally known. Others you could drive past for years.
By the numbers
When most people picture the Treasure Coast economy, manufacturing probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.
Maybe it should be.
The Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County says the county has more than 480 businesses across manufacturing sectors, with more than 5,400 employees on the Treasure Coast, producing everything from complete aircraft and boats to citrus juice, fabricated metal parts and electronic components.
Some of the names are internationally recognized. Others are the kind of businesses you could drive past for years without knowing what happens inside.
Here are 10 worth knowing.
1. Piper Aircraft, Vero Beach
One of the most recognizable names in general aviation builds its aircraft right here on the Treasure Coast.
Piper says its Vero Beach campus is where all Pipers are designed, engineered and built.
The company dates to 1937. Its Vero Beach operation traces back to 1957, when engineer Fred Weick set up a development center and manufacturing plant there, according to Piper.
That’s not an assembly operation hidden somewhere in another state. It’s happening in the 772.
2. Pursuit Boats, Fort Pierce
Pursuit has built boats in Fort Pierce since 1983, when it opened a dedicated 75,000-square-foot factory.
As the company approaches its 50th anniversary, Pursuit says its Fort Pierce campus has grown to more than 430,000 square feet with nearly 600 employees.
The boats leaving that campus are sold far beyond the Treasure Coast. They’re built here.
3. Maverick Boat Group, Fort Pierce
One company. Four recognizable fishing boat brands.
Maverick Boat Group builds Maverick, Hewes, Pathfinder and Cobia boats in Fort Pierce. The St. Lucie EDC lists Maverick among the manufacturers that have called the county home for more than 25 years.
We told the full story here: Four of America’s best-known fishing boat brands are built in Fort Pierce.
4. Twin Vee PowerCats, Fort Pierce
Power catamarans are another product being built locally. Twin Vee PowerCats specializes in them and has expanded its Fort Pierce manufacturing operation.
It’s another example of how deep the marine manufacturing ecosystem runs here. Boatbuilding on the Treasure Coast isn’t one company or one brand. It’s a cluster.
5. Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company, Fort Pierce
Not everything made here has an engine.
Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company is part of Fort Pierce’s food manufacturing sector, and the St. Lucie EDC lists it among manufacturers that have operated in the county for more than 25 years.
Next time you see a bottle of Natalie’s somewhere outside the Treasure Coast, remember where the company calls home.
6. TAMCO Group, Port St. Lucie
Electrical products don’t get the same social media attention as boats and aircraft, but they’re part of the region’s manufacturing base too.
TAMCO, a subsidiary of City Electric Supply, operates a 411,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility for lighting and electrical products in Port St. Lucie, according to Trade & Industry Development. The EDC lists TAMCO among its 25-year manufacturers.
It’s exactly the type of company THE 772 wants to explore further: significant local operations that many residents know very little about.
7. OCULUS Surgical, Port St. Lucie
The 772 also makes medical technology.
OCULUS Surgical opened a 60,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility for ophthalmic surgical tools in Port St. Lucie in 2025, according to Trade & Industry Development. The St. Lucie EDC names it among the county’s recent expanding industry partners.
It’s a reminder that “made in the 772” can mean a lot more than boats and construction products.
8. Phoenix Metal Products, Fort Pierce
Metal fabrication is another important part of the region’s industrial economy.
Phoenix Metal Products is based in Fort Pierce and appears in the St. Lucie EDC’s lists of both transportation equipment and aviation and aerospace manufacturers.
It represents the less visible side of the local economy: companies making components that may end up part of something much larger.
9. Radical Cosmetics, Fort Pierce
Yes, cosmetics are manufactured here too.
Radical Cosmetics operates in Fort Pierce and appears on the St. Lucie EDC’s major employers list as a cosmetics manufacturer.
That’s precisely the kind of company that makes us ask: what else is being made around here that most of us don’t know about?
10. A-1 Industries of Florida, Fort Pierce
Construction begins long before anyone arrives at a jobsite.
A-1 Industries of Florida makes building components in Fort Pierce and, according to the EDC, has operated in St. Lucie County for more than 25 years.
Companies like A-1 are a reminder that regional growth creates an entire supply chain behind what residents eventually see being built.
The bigger story
These ten companies aren’t an exhaustive list. Not even close.
The EDC’s own list of local manufacturers includes boatbuilders, aerospace suppliers, food producers, plastics makers, machine shops and building component companies. Move north into Indian River County or south into Martin County and the picture gets even larger.
That’s why Built in the 772 is one of THE 772’s core areas of coverage.
We want to find the companies making things here. We want to see inside their facilities. We want to meet the people doing the work. And we want to understand why they chose the Treasure Coast.
Because there’s a lot more being built in the 772 than most of us realize.
Sources: St. Lucie County EDC, Manufacturing, St. Lucie County EDC, Major Employers, Piper Aircraft, Pursuit Boats, Trade & Industry Development.
