In 2019, the City of Seattle convened the Industrial & Maritime Strategy Council, bringing together more than 60 stakeholders from industry, labor, workforce organizations, developers, and nearby communities to modernize industrial policy for the first time in decades. In 2021, the Council released 11 strategies to guide the next generation of industrial and maritime jobs. These strategies culminated in the adoption of the 2023 Seattle Industrial & Maritime Strategy, setting the framework for the creation of the Sound Industrial Alliance (SIA).

Originally conceived as the Manufacturing Maritime Industrial Association (MMIA), the SIA was founded to serve as Seattle’s first city-wide industrial stewardship organization. Through business engagement, research, and collaboration, SIA works to strengthen the conditions that allow industrial businesses to operate successfully. In partnership with industry and community stakeholders, SIA focuses on education, coordination, and long-term stewardship of industrial lands, helping sustain innovation and family-wage jobs as a core part of Seattle’s economy.