Factory work in the United States has changed drastically in the past 20 years thanks to new technology, improved safety measures and faster production times. U.S. manufacturers continue to add more workers and make more products due to software advances, new investments and greater efficiency.
The BBC interviewed three people who engage in factory work in the United States in 2015. Each person has more than a decade of experience in various facets of production. The overriding theme among the workers revolved around how much the industry has changed. More than 12.3 million people, or 9 percent of the American workforce, work in factories as of May 2015.
Workers at a Boeing plant can make a commercial airplane's wing in just six hours, with a total factory output of 42 planes per month, whereas Boeing used to make just 14 planes a month. Innovations in technology, machines and automation help decrease production times at a factory that reduced its workforce in half over the past 30 years.
The company tries to avoid repetitive motion injuries by rotating employees to different types of factory work throughout a shift. New machines that do grunt work also keep injuries at a minimum. Similar to other U.S. manufacturers, Boeing uses automation to reduce the labor pool, save costs, improve product quality and increase output.
Engine manufacturer Cummins in Ohio allows workers to get overtime, if needed. Machines help move engines around so workers do not have to lift bulky loads. Although plenty of women work at the plant, the company seems to lack women in leadership positions.
Whirlpool focuses on the safety of factory work first and profits next. When the company designs new product lines and new ways to make home appliances, a safety team goes in and provides input before a single washing machine leaves the plant in Ohio. Advanced technology allows Whirlpool to make 20,000 washing machines per day.
Other manufacturing trends for 2015 show automated machines advancing further thanks to new software that connects computers, mobile devices and sensors. This interconnectivity allows supervisors to monitor efficiency, suggest improvements, and predict when machines may need maintenance to prevent breakdowns. All of this data means safer factory work for employees and greater quality for products. Companies continue to invest in better equipment to keep up with advances.
Another major trend points to reshoring of American manufacturers that once had operations overseas. China's labor costs have risen, and many new technological advancements simply have not arrived in Chinese plants. Many companies feel the cheap labor that induced them to move work to China simply does not exist anymore and have slowly returned to the United States.
If these trends continue for several more years, plants will need more highly skilled engineers, designers and computer gurus rather than laborers with muscle. Instead of more laborers, manufacturers need tech-savvy employees with a higher education degree for factory work. The face and educational background of Americans in factories have changed just as much as the processes that make products.
Photo courtesy of koko-tewan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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