Does US Manufacturing Need a Savior?

Apparently, US manufacturing needs a ‘messiah’. Industry 4.0 and services are being touted as potential ‘saviors’, but hold your horses, why is there this perception that manufacturing in the USA needs rescuing? It’s time to get to the crux of this...

It’s a sad statement to have to make, but US manufacturers are often their own worst enemy, with many industry insiders ‘attacking’ manufacturing in the USA rather than championing this valuable sector.

Consequently, sensationalist claims are spreading across social media like wildfire, bloggers are blasting the industry, and all these voices are ‘shouting’ the same thing – “US manufacturing is in need of a savior.” Some manufacturers have felt inclined to agree, boldly stepping forward to pitch their products and services as potential ‘saviors’.

All the while, the world is watching on, witnessing US manufacturing tear itself apart and for what? A ‘belief’ that this powerful industry needs saving from global competitors. Those condemning US manufacturing are right, it does need saving...

US Manufacturing Does Need a Savior

...But, they’re wrong in thinking that it needs saving from ‘outside’ influences. In fact, it needs saving from itself – namely those slamming the very industry that helped to shape the America we see today. We need to stop buying into the scaremongering headlines and hearsay that depict US manufacturing as powerless and ‘on its knees’.

Is this not the nation long seen as the leader in manufacturing innovation? Is this not the country that exports USA made goods to global consumers? Is this not the nation where many of the world’s leading manufacturers call home? Is this not the land that commissions its manufacturers to go out to all the world and spread US pioneered ideas?

We say, yes. Manufacturing in the US has survived for hundreds of years and today, we would argue that it’s stronger than ever. In fact, we’d go as far as saying that manufacturing is saving us, as opposed to the industry needing a savior.

Is the sector perfect? No. But manufacturing is far from needing a ‘messiah’ and it’s foolish to think that it does. It’s our duty, as manufacturers, to uphold the industry - in good times and bad.

What we say about manufacturing in the US is being monitored, closely!

Criticizing the state of manufacturing in the US only serves to empower other global superpowers. They’re watching on, hoping to capitalize on the uncertainty created by the US manufacturing sector itself.

Every time we put out - in the public domain - that US manufacturing is in crisis, it gives other countries the opportunity to poach staff worried about their futures. It tempts American-based companies to offshore their manufacturing processes, fearing that the industry is on the brink of collapse.

It’s time to cut out the manufacturing trash talk and go back to the root of what makes the industry great and how valuable it is, not just to the US, but to the global economy. ‘USA made’ carries weight and that’s what we need to be echoing in the public domain.

Let’s make strides to improve manufacturing productivity in the US and not be the authors of the industry’s demise.

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