The Huntsville area is quickly becoming one of the nation's premier technological centers. Beginning with the advent of the U.S. Space program in the mid-1950’s, the Huntsville community has been rooted in research and technology development. Huntsville/Madison County is home to the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and the U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal, both combining to drive a strong research and development economy and affecting spin-off and commercial activity of technology innovations. Nearly every major U.S. aerospace corporation is represented with 90+ companies employing more than 11,000 people in the local aerospace industry. Huntsville also plays a key role in the U.S. Army’s technology development programs. A majority of the Army’s weapons procurement budget is managed by Huntsville-based operations. Likewise, more than half of the Army’s foreign weapons sales are handled through Redstone Arsenal. Military and support contract employment tops 32,000. More than 300 international and domestic corporations in Huntsville/ Madison County are involved in the design and production of electronics and computer-related technology. Huntsville's Cummings Research Park is the country's second largest research and technology park, containing 225 companies employing 23,000 people involved in technology research and development.

The Huntsville Madison County manufacturing base is a diverse mix of traditional and technology manufacturers comprising approximately one fifth of the overall local area employment. The manufacturing sector has over 220 companies with 32,000 workers, with many workers being highly trained and skilled to perform technology-based precision manufacturing. The area's strong interstate, rail and air cargo infrastructure make for an ideal manufacturing location. The Port of Huntsville's Huntsville International Airport is home to Foreign Trade Zone #83 and the International Intermodal Center, as well as U.S. Customs. There are also over 30 foreign based companies with manufacturing and business operations in Madison County. The majority of local manufacturing operations are located in one of the area's publicly owned industrial parks with sites and infrastructure currently in place for immediate and future growth.

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