AN INDUSTRY RENAISSANCE – Companies who make things are what drives a country's economy. It's production that generates jobs and galvanizes the economy so that policymakers can drive down the national debt. Since so much rests on the fate of manufacturing in the United States, lots of ink has been spilled and airtime spent on the subject this year. NBC's Rock Center with Brian Williams ran a special earlier this month that addressed what it called a manufacturing renaissance in domestic manufacturing.
"The United States may have shifted to a postindustrial economy," the report begins, "but that does not mean the manufacturing sector is dead. Far from it."
A definite revival is underway, and although we need it, do we have the skilled workforce to take this on?
"From coast to coast, manufacturers are making more products, but with fewer people, as the sector makes an improbable rebound right after a tough recession."
MANUFACTURING HOPE FOR THE FUTURE – The National Association of Manufacturers, NAM, is very passionate about this topic. Chairwoman Mary Andringa also appeared on William's show to talk about the bright future of our industry sector.
"I think it's a time of great opportunity in manufacturing," she tells Williams before enumerating some reasons why. She points out:
- The U.S. output $4.8 trillion of manufactured goods in 2010, up from $4.1 trillion in 2000
- That growth came despite the nation going through two recessions in a decade
- The U.S. remains in the lead by producing 21 percent of the world's manufactured goods, followed by China and Japan
[ NAM published a guide to this manufacturing renaissance here, FREE to download! ]
"There's a renaissance going on," Andringa says.
CHANGES AHEAD – The story reports that it's obvious manufacturing has changed, evolving to become more high-tech. It's grown up in a lot of ways, NAM says, reworking itself to become cleaner, more efficient, more in line with principles of lean manufacturing. And increasingly, it's become a sector on which the public pins a lot of potential, a lot of hope for a better tomorrow.
