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Is U.S. Manufacturing Really in Decline?
Strategy+business ^ | July 26, 2016 | Daniel Gross

Posted on 07/28/2016 5:37:52 AM PDT by expat_panama

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To: InterceptPoint
U.S. manufacturing is quite healthy and growing
Then why is it when I shop for almost anything - clothes, appliances, TVs, electronics, furniture, vehicles - the vast majority are not made in the US?
21 posted on 07/28/2016 6:09:33 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: InterceptPoint
Still no. Especially not after reading the third chapter of The Conscience of a Conservative and seeing what that branch of government was up to.
22 posted on 07/28/2016 6:10:10 AM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: Aria

Robotics will be good for some time. Automation tech, too. But, manufacturing engineering, automation technology, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, etc. are not sexy college majors like law, medicine, finance or biotech. And as posted above, there’s a vast need for voc-ed provided skills. A blended high school + technical associates degree path would help. And a resurrection of apprenticships.


23 posted on 07/28/2016 6:10:28 AM PDT by polymuser (Enough is enough)
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To: Lower Deck

Statistics are still in the same category as “lies” and “damned lies”, are they not. Especially when the particular source is also telling us we have a mere 5 percent unemployment.


24 posted on 07/28/2016 6:12:49 AM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: expat_panama

This is another weak attempt to try to convince people that US Manufacturing is alive and well. Just because output has grown over the past 30 years doesn’t mean anything, the question is, how does it compare with other data.

For instance, according to the chart in the article, since 1980, manufacturing output has grown about 95%. Sounds great right? The problem is, over that same period, consumption in this country has grown by about 250%.

This means all of that extra consumption is being supplied by stuff that’s made OUTSIDE the United States. There’s a big vacuum sound sucking our wealth away.


25 posted on 07/28/2016 6:13:35 AM PDT by pb929
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To: expat_panama

Excellent article.

I spent $2 million on new equipment last year and another $1 million this year. Doing so let me not replace six employees and more than doubled output for the products involved.

Why you ask? Keeps the company from having to deal with Ocare requirements and other things like OSHA.


26 posted on 07/28/2016 6:14:20 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: oh8eleven
Then why is it when I shop for almost anything - clothes, appliances, TVs, electronics, furniture, vehicles - the vast majority are not made in the US?

Read the article. It has quite a good explanation for that issue.

27 posted on 07/28/2016 6:15:23 AM PDT by InterceptPoint (Ted, you should have endorsed. Big mistake.)
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To: oh8eleven
Then why is it when I shop for almost anything - clothes, appliances, TVs, electronics, furniture, vehicles - the vast majority are not made in the US?

Because those are low margin, labor intensive products which are more cheaply made overseas in places like Asia. And that is why, regardless of what Trump says, you're not going to see that kind of manufacturing returning to the U.S.

28 posted on 07/28/2016 6:16:01 AM PDT by Lower Deck
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To: Olog-hai
The Conscience of a Conservative

LOL. Excellent book. Great guy.

29 posted on 07/28/2016 6:16:19 AM PDT by InterceptPoint (Ted, you should have endorsed. Big mistake.)
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To: Olog-hai

Developed countries tend to have around 25% of their GDP in manufacturing but only 20% of their employees in manufacturing.

The number of employees per unit of manufacturing has been dropping for years.

One take:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-04-28/why-factory-jobs-are-shrinking-everywhere


30 posted on 07/28/2016 6:16:59 AM PDT by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: Olog-hai
Statistics are still in the same category as “lies” and “damned lies”, are they not. Especially when the particular source is also telling us we have a mere 5 percent unemployment.

So if you don't trust government statistics and you have none of your own to provide in rebuttal then what are you going on for your decision? Gut feel?

31 posted on 07/28/2016 6:17:19 AM PDT by Lower Deck
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To: expat_panama

Own company that sells to the industry. Most companies do not have enough confidence to buy new equipment. New equipment sales off 18%. Automotive ok. Other sectors flat. Mexico up big. Defense spending is primarily the big boondoggles (F35 etc) pay to play defense elites. Implementing the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, and Asexual or Ally is the priority under this military hating administration. If Crooked Hitlary is elected we have a plan in place to lay off everyone and close the business. Not going to work 7 days a week to support the takers and have to deal with the government regulations and BS.


32 posted on 07/28/2016 6:18:06 AM PDT by cp124 (Trade, Immigration, Intervention)
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To: InterceptPoint

Production and output doesn’t necessarily translate to jobs. Modern plants rely on automation. The problem is theses plants are moving outside our borders.

I’ve seen the Samsung plant in Mexico. It’s the size of a medium city. It employs tens of thousands of people. They plan on doubling in size. They are in the process of building FOUR gas turbine generators to power it.

The town that it is located in has 3 Korean language TV stations, none in English.

Where do you think the appliances made at this factory are sold? Wouldn’t it have been nice if Samsung had located this factory in Texas?


33 posted on 07/28/2016 6:18:47 AM PDT by PJammers (Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?)
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To: expat_panama

Shipping and fuel use statistics show a year over year decline—how can more be produced and not require delivery?


34 posted on 07/28/2016 6:18:57 AM PDT by Ozark Tom
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To: polymuser

I agree. All the engineers I know are employed.


35 posted on 07/28/2016 6:19:55 AM PDT by Aria (2016: The gravy train v Donald Trump)
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To: InterceptPoint
This has to be the stupidest, more easily refutable argument ever made here. Using statistics to perpetuate a lie.

We make more electricity since 1920. We drill for more oil? Whoda thunk?

So, if you put a couple things that wildly up in a graph with something that has trended down what do you get? This.


36 posted on 07/28/2016 6:20:01 AM PDT by Last Dakotan
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To: expat_panama

So all the product shipped form China that used to be Made in the USA is a mirage? Who knew? The 55,000 factories closed since 2001 that is just a lie?


37 posted on 07/28/2016 6:21:04 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: Aria
...company I work for is actually building a huge manufacturing plant...   ...staffed by robots.

My bet is that it will be doing a lot of manufacturing while the place that sells you the robots will be doing a lot of employing.

38 posted on 07/28/2016 6:21:07 AM PDT by expat_panama
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To: InterceptPoint

U.S. Cutting Tool YTD Consumption down 9.1% in May

May U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $165.68 million according to the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI) and AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the Cutting Tool Market Report (CTMR) collaboration, was down 4.6% from April’s $173.64 million and down 4.1% when compared with the total of $172.81million reported for May 2015. With a year-to-date total of $855.45 million, 2016 was down 9.1% when compared with 2015.

These numbers and all data in this report are based on the totals reported by the companies participating in the CTMR program. The totals here represent the majority of the U.S. market for cutting tools.

Brad Lawton, chairman of AMT’s Cutting Tool Product Group said “The cutting tool industry continues to show negative results for month to month and year to date sales performance, which reflects the anxiety in the nation’s manufacturing industry. This condition will more than likely continue through the end of 2016.”

“While cutting tool orders contracted for the 13th month in a row, the rate of contraction has slowed down in recent months. In fact, the annual rate of change appears to have peaked and should contract at a slower rate in upcoming months.” said Steve Kline, Director of Market Intelligence at Gardner Business Media. “The trend of decelerating contraction is likely to continue as interest rates remain low and durable goods new orders have grown in recent months.”

The Cutting Tool Market Report is jointly compiled by AMT and USCTI, two trade associations representing the development, production and distribution of cutting tool technology and products. It provides a monthly statement on U.S. manufacturers’ consumption of the primary consumable in the manufacturing process – the cutting tool. Analysis of cutting tool consumption is a leading indicator of both upturns and downturns in U.S. manufacturing activity, as it is a true measure of actual production levels.

Historical data for the Cutting Tool Market Report is available dating back to January 2012. This collaboration of AMT and USCTI is the first step in the two associations working together to promote and support U.S.-based manufacturers of cutting tool technology.


39 posted on 07/28/2016 6:21:23 AM PDT by cp124 (Trade, Immigration, Intervention)
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To: Neoliberalnot
...big ticket items are made, or at least assembled in the U.S., but the items most Americans use are not...

"Big ticket items" sound like jets, cars, and trucks.  Americans use those.

40 posted on 07/28/2016 6:21:43 AM PDT by expat_panama
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