I am glad you clarified that. A long time ago, we also had machine shops, tool shops, suppliers of all types all over the place, now they are empty buildings. We are becoming a nation that produces nothing, and a nation that produces nothing will be poor, and third world. Without high tech, without business(insurance/claims/customer service/etc) processing, and without manufacturing, just what are we going to pay all of our bills with? how are we going to tax to pay off the national debt? how are we going to pay for the never ending trade deficits?
Big plant closings get the headlines, but the ripple effect you cite often makes up the bulk of the hit side. A good example is the death of the heavy steel industry in the Pittsburgh-Cleveland-Mahoning Valley region. When those plants went away, the numerous (non-union, family-owned) small businesses, tool makers, machine shops, jobbers for specialty parts, etc., all went under. There are those who say small business is the backbone of America. But often small business is dependent for its lifeblood on big business. It is a symbiosis that is often overlooked by those who say we don't need big manufacturing anymore.