There are two primary pillars of the manufacturing sector in Mpumalanga, and these account for in excess of 75% of the output for this sector:
• Fuel, petroleum and chemical products
• Metal, machinery and appliances

The fuel, petroleum and chemical products manufactured in Mpumalanga are essentially synthetic fuel and its byproducts, which are produced from coal in the Highveld Region of the Province.
The other major components of the manufacturing sector are the Ferro-Alloy, Steel and Stainless Steel industries based in eMalahleni (Witbank) and Middelburg in the Nkangala District Municipality.

Agro-processing is centred primarily in the Lowveld region of Mpumalanga and it makes a valuable contribution to the provincial economy’s manufacturing sector. Agro-processing is centred around processing the vast amounts of tropical and sub-tropical fruit and nuts cultivated in the Lowveld.

Mpumalanga has a diverse manufacturing sector that accounts for 15% of provincial GGP, in addition to an expanding retail sector.

Most of the nation’s power stations are located in Mpumalanga, and three previously mothballed power stations have recently been re-opened.