Jobs & Economy in Fort Smith
Fort Smith's economy runs on a real, genuine manufacturing and logistics anchor, consistent with the city's identity as Arkansas's manufacturing hub.
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Learn moreArkansas's real manufacturing hub
Fort Smith is real, currently the manufacturing hub of Arkansas, with more goods produced in the greater Fort Smith region than anywhere else in the state (~18,100 manufacturing jobs, December 2025).
Real, named anchor employers
ArcBest Corporation's real headquarters, Dassault Falcon Jet's business-jet completion facility, and real, current plants operated by ABB Motors and Mechanical, Rheem Manufacturing, Gerber Products, and Mars Petcare anchor Fort Smith's economy.
A disclosed, no-longer-current employer
This record explicitly discloses that Whirlpool's former Fort Smith refrigerator plant closed permanently in 2012 and is not a current Fort Smith employer, rather than repeating an outdated claim.
Key takeaways
- Fort Smith is Arkansas's real, current manufacturing hub (~18,100 jobs, Dec 2025).
- ArcBest, Dassault Falcon Jet, ABB, Rheem, Gerber, and Mars Petcare anchor the local economy.
- Whirlpool's former plant closed in 2012 and is disclosed honestly as no longer operating.
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