Manufacturing is dead? Long live Manufacturing…
…I just don’t think making cars is the way to go. Here’s a novel idea Governor Snyder — how about reinventing Michigan as the world leader in something else? Like building windmills? Or solar panels? Or not building anything, because we all know manufacturing is no longer an American core competency. That’s not a bad thing…it just means we have to do something other than build things.
http://www.valleyprblog.com/hype/what-if-you-had-one-shot/
Recently there has been a lot of publicity about Chrysler’s Super Bowl ad trumpeting the rebirth of Detroit and the American automotive industry.
In the wake of federal government intervention to save the automotive supply chain, the auto industry has become the whipping boy for a frustrated populace.
The criticism repeats some of the tired old misconceptions about the Manufacturing industry. Some of have even questioned the importance of Manufacturing to American economy.
Is Manufacturing an American core competency?
Of course, it is.
We’re so good at it that people take it for granted. Americans make more “stuff” than any other nation on earth, and by a wide margin. According to the UN’s comprehensive database of international economic data, America’s manufacturing output in 2009 (expressed in constant 2005 dollars) was $2.15 trillion. That surpassed China’s output of $1.48 trillion by nearly 46 percent. China’s industries may be booming, but the United States still accounted for 20 percent of the world’s manufacturing output in 2009 — only a hair below its 1990 share of 21 percent.
Further, manufacturing companies in the U.S. still account for 60 percent of all private sector R&D so it is likely that whatever gets made in the future from windmills to robots to super computers U.S. manufacturing innovation with be part of the core.
American Manufacturing faces many challenges.
But as a national organization we see steps towards recovery and dominance. The auto industry is taking the lead in developing innovative new battery technologies that will not only run the cars of near future but a host of other devices and fight global warming. We see a future where American small and medium manufacturers have the tools to lead the world in the creation of innovative new products.
We have a strategy to make this happen and welcome an informed debate on how to drive this vision forward.
But make no mistake, rumors about the death of American Manufacturing are greatly exaggerated. And that’s plain to see for anyone who takes the time to look past the hyperbole of the blogosphere.