Manufacturing thumb|The Gary Works of Gary, Indiana is the largest integrated steel mill in North America. Navigable terrain, waterways, and ports spurred an unprecedented construction of transportation infrastructure throughout the region. The region is a global leader in advanced manufacturing and research and development, with significant innovations in both production processes and business organization. John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil set precedents for centralized pricing, uniform distribution, and controlled product standards through Standard Oil, which started as a consolidated refinery in Cleveland. Cyrus McCormick's Reaper and other manufacturers of agricultural machinery consolidated into International Harvester in Chicago. Andrew Carnegie's steel production integrated large-scale open-hearth and Bessemer processes into the world's most efficient and profitable mills. The largest, most comprehensive monopoly in the world, United States Steel, consolidated steel production throughout the region. Many of the world's largest employers began in the Great Lakes region.
manufacturing thumb|the gary works of gary indiana is the largest integrated steel mill in north america navigable terrain waterways and ports spurred an unprecedented construction of transportation infrastructure throughout the region the region is a global leader in advanced manufacturing and research and development with significant innovations in both production processes and business organization john d rockefeller's standard oil set precedents for centralized pricing uniform distribution and controlled product standards through standard oil which started as a consolidated refinery in cleveland cyrus mccormick's reaper and other manufacturers of agricultural machinery consolidated into international harvester in chicago andrew carnegie's steel production integrated large-scale open-hearth and bessemer processes into the world's most efficient and profitable mills the largest most comprehensive monopoly in the world united states steel consolidated steel production throughout the region many of the world's largest employers began in the great lakes region