By: Jerry Jasinowski, Fmr. President of the National Association of Manufacturers, The Huffington Post While the immediate prospects of the U.S. economy are bleak, and nothing happening in Washington suggests an early improvement, there is more than ample reason to believe our economy can look forward to better times in the not too distant future. In the cover story in the December issue of The Atlantic headlined “Why The Future of Industry is in America,” James Fallows and Charles Fishman made a persuasive case that U.S. manufacturing is on the leading edge of a major resurgence as a growing number of companies bring work back from China and other foreign countries, and launch new products here. “A convergence of trends makes operations in America more attractive and feasible,” Fallows wrote, “just as the cost and friction of operating in China is increasing.” He writes at length about growing discontent among Chinese workers who are demanding higher pay and better working and living conditions, while rapidly advancing technology favors nations with more advanced skill sets, such as the U.S. “For the first time in memory, I’ve heard ‘product people’ sound optimistic about hardware projects they want to launch and facilities they want to build, not just in Asia, but also in the United States.” Fishman put some meat on the bones of that idea with an account of how General Electric is suddenly expanding its old plants at Appliance Park in Louisville, Ky. At its height in 1973, that facility employed 23,000 people. By 2011, it had bottomed out at 1,863 and GE was trying to sell off its appliance division. Now it’s headed in the other direction. In February, GE opened an all-new assembly line to make cutting edge water heaters that had previously been made in China. In March it opened another assembly line to make new high-tech French-door refrigerators. And early next year, GE will start making trendy front-loading dishwashers and matching dryers. GE will end this year with 3,600 hourly workers there, and also has hired 500 new designers. There are many reasons for this trend: oil prices are three times what they were in 2000 making shipping costs higher; the...

By: Janet Harrah, Center for Economic Analysis and Development at Northern Kentucky University, Cincinnati.com While stories abound about the demise of U.S. manufacturing, the truth is that manufacturing is still vital to the health of the economy. As noted in the 2012 edition of Facts about Modern Manufacturing, “the U.S. manufacturing sector is so huge that if it were its own country, it would rank as the tenth-largest world economy.” Locally, the impact of manufacturing has been well evident in its impact on our economic recovery. Employment in the Cincinnati metro area has grown faster than average over the past year primarily based on the strength of our manufacturing sector. The recessionary decline in Cincinnati’s manufacturing jobs was not as steep as that of the United States. Additionally, Cincinnati’s manufacturing sector has been rebounding much more quickly than the U.S. overall. The Facts about Modern Manufacturing, produced jointly by The Manufacturing Institute, the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation, and the National Association of Manufacturers, provides key facts and figures that define the state of the U.S. manufacturing industry. Some key findings from the recently released report include: •Manufacturing is driving productivity growth in the U.S. economy, increasing at two and half times the rate of the service sector. •Companies with fewer than 100 employees make up more than 94 percent of all U.S. manufacturers. •U.S. manufacturers invest a far greater percentage of revenue in research and development than other industries. •Manufacturing employees earn a higher average salary and receive greater benefits than workers in other industries. •U.S. manufacturers have reduced energy usage and emissions to below the level from 1990. •U.S. manufacturers are responsible for 47 percent of total U.S. exports. •The U.S. is the number-one destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) by a wide margin. The report highlights a challenge for our region as well. Between 2006 and 2011, the 27 states that saw manufacturing’s contribution to economic growth decline most significantly were clustered in the eastern half of the country including Kentucky and Ohio. Read the full report...

By: National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President and CEO Jay Timmons issued this statement today following the release of the October employment report: “October’s meager uptick sandwiched between months of job loss and the looming fiscal cliff continues the troubling one step forward, two steps back trend. This report is more evidence that the economy is stuck in neutral, and we desperately need leaders to champion policies that will support job creation and grow the economy. Manufacturers are increasingly worried that the unemployment rate, coupled with Washington’s failure to address the fiscal cliff, has already dampened GDP by 0.6 percentage points this year, as shown in the NAM’s Fiscal Shock report released last week. Alarmingly, falling off the cliff will lead our economy into a recession in 2013, with nearly 6 million jobs lost through 2014. Manufacturers need leadership and action from Washington to avert the fiscal cliff and create jobs at a level that will significantly bring down the unemployment rate. On Tuesday, voters will decide the direction of our economy, and the 12 million people who work in manufacturing will make their voices heard because America’s economy is at...

By: National Association of Manufacturers Manufacturers recognize 296 members of congress for their support of pro-manufacturing policies On October 2, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) announced that 248 members of the House of Representatives and 48 senators received the NAM Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence. This is a record year for the number of members who voted in support of pro-manufacturing policies and demonstrates the understanding from our policymakers how important manufacturing is to our economy. Unfortunately, gridlock prevented Congress from acting on the major reforms manufacturers need to turn around our economic slowdown. “Manufacturing is front and center, and with more members of Congress than ever before supporting the manufacturing agenda, we have an opportunity to drive economic growth,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “The choice we face now is whether we continue down a path of uncertainty and risk falling in the fiscal abyss or pursue a thriving manufacturing economy that encourages investment and jobs here in the United States.” These awards are based on members of Congress’s votes on key manufacturing legislation identified by the NAM in the 112th Congress. These included key votes on issues such as energy policy, taxes and regulations, among others. Each key vote was selected by the NAM’s Key Vote Advisory Committee, which is comprised of NAM member companies and associations. Members of Congress are notified in advance when key votes are pending and why the key vote designation has been made. The NAM is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. Voting records for all members of Congress and further details about NAM Key Manufacturing Votes are available...

By: National Association of Manufacturers In a newly released video, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is reminding Americans of manufacturing’s legacy in the United States and the need for manufacturers’ voices to be heard on Election Day. The video begins by highlighting the stark reality that the policies coming out of Washington are hurting our nation’s economy but pivots to the potential manufacturers have to enhance our nation’s competitiveness and make us the most dynamic economy in the world. To view the video, please click here. “America’s economy is at stake. America is at stake. The success of the manufacturing economy will determine the quality of life of every American in the future,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “Voters understand that manufacturing creates jobs, makes us more globally competitive and grows our economy. This video reminds us of the connection we each share with the 12 million men and women who make things in America, and why we want policies that encourage more manufacturing investment and jobs here in the United States.” “This video has an important and strong message that we hope to deliver on Election Day—we need leaders with a bold agenda,” said Kelly Johnston, vice president of government affairs for Campbell Soup Company and chair of the NAM’s Public Affairs Steering Committee. “It is my hope that this video will inspire manufacturers all across the United States to share this message with employees, colleagues and their family and friends. Manufacturing is critical to our economic future, and we can achieve greatness with the right policies out of Washington.” This is one part of the NAM’s yearlong effort to empower voters during this critical election and provide them with all the tools they need to vote for the candidates who will stand up on behalf of manufacturing here in Washington. The NAM has dedicated unprecedented resources to empower manufacturers, and our efforts will continue through Election Day, Inauguration Day and into the new Congress and administration....