Now we’re seeing a resurgence of U.S. manufacturing, fueled primarily by rising labor costs overseas and low energy costs at home. More »
Almost nothing in today’s economy is evenly distributed, whether it be technology, productivity, output, or inclusive prosperity. And so it is worth getting more specific about where exactly automation may displace workers — and where not. More »
Suniva and SolarWorld have petitioned the US International Trade Commission calling for strong tariffs against foreign manufacturers claiming that foreign governments, like China, have subsidized competing solar cell manufacturers abroad, undercutting the US solar industry. But much of the rest of the US solar industry finds those figures far-fetched, and calls the tariff a terrible idea. More »
An Aerospace Manufacturing Attractiveness Index compiled by global professional services network PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) ranked Michigan second nationwide behind Georgia based on a weighted score of category and subcategory rankings including labor, infrastructure, industry, economy, cost, tax policy, and geopolitical risk. Rising six rankings after falling to eighth place last year, Michigan’s improvement was attributed to the state’s strong performance in the economy, infrastructure, and cost categories. More »
While it's not secret that the internet has changed the way we shop, it's changing where we work. It's transforming New Jersey's workforce. More »
Manufacturing in New York City’s garment district is in jeopardy of unraveling at its seams. The city’s Economic Development Corporation may soon begin the certification process to lift the zoning laws that have protected fashion and apparel businesses in these few blocks in Midtown Manhattan for decades. More »
Automation. Depending on the angle from which you’re looking at the crystal ball, it’s either an imminent wave of large-scale labor force devastation or a slower, more muted change that society will seemlessly absorb—and perhaps even enjoy. More »
If you believe the great robot takeover has begun, then Michigan appears to be ground zero. Michigan has the nation’s highest rate of industrial robots as a percentage of workers, and the state’s factories are now using nearly as many robots as the entire West Coast of the United States. More »
One of the biggest potential job-creating bonanzas in the country, a giant new auto plant proposed by Toyota and Mazda, began in secret with a mysterious code name. More »
It’s true that many jobs have gone overseas, to places where workers are willing to toil for less money. Yet at the same time, American manufacturers have actually added nearly a million jobs in the past seven years. And federal statistics show nearly 390,000 such jobs open. More »
Access to skilled labor pools has become a primary factor among retail companies in search of new distribution centers. More »
In a small town outside Dallas, niche manufacturer Nokona is hanging on. How? More »
If Big Ass Fans stands as refutation to the premature obituaries for American manufacturing, the people running the operation worry about a looming risk. Talk of trade hostilities from Washington could shrink the globe, potentially yielding policy that could limit American exports while impeding access to crucial components of manufacturing. More »
Ready or not, the next generation of manufacturing has arrived. Manufacturers are up against coalescing forces of technological disruption, economic uncertainty, globalization and trade upheaval—all of which will shape the manufacturing industry of tomorrow. Today, that means a wide array of business risks to identify, evaluate and build into business strategy. More »
A new learning collaborative is charting efforts in four metros to connect minority communities to entrepreneurial resources. More »
The Texas A&M University System and Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies Texas are nearing the next phase of a partnership with the federal government as a Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing. More »
Research and Development labs are even more geographically clustered than venture capital or startups More »
American Apparel is giving shoppers who want their goods “Made in the USA” a chance to put their money where their mouths are.
The company’s freshly relaunched website features a provocative capsule collection with an ethical test: Shoppers can choose between two nearly identical versions of eight of American Apparel’s signature basics, such as hoodies and t-shirts. More »
Right now, the reliability of the electric grid with renewable energy increases is under review. But I believe Iowa is a red state with a blueprint for the United States’ next steps. More »
As Toyota Motor Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. begin to scour the U.S. for where to put the first auto assembly plant announced under President Donald Trump, one state looks like a frontrunner: Mississippi.
The Magnolia State already is home to a Corolla factory that’s been producing the compact car for almost six years. Toyota and Mazda plan to open a $1.6 billion new facility to produce that model, plus a Mazda crossover, starting in 2021. More »
