America's manufacturing industry has a long and complex history. While the country once had more manufacturing jobs than any other country, companies began sending those jobs overseas in the 1970s and 1980s. President Barack Obama recently announced plans for encouraging reshoring, which would bring some of those jobs back to the United States, and this means that reshoring is one of the top manufacturing trends for 2013.
Michigan and Georgia were two of the states worst affected when jobs moved overseas, but signs show that things are looking up. Jacques Couret points to a report issued by the Georgia Manufacturers Register that showed that manufacturing jobs in the state increased by 1.6 percent from 2012 to 2013. That figure equates to around 7,000 jobs, and the number of manufacturing jobs in the state increased at a higher rate than the national average. The expansion of Kia Motors brought more jobs to the state, and several other automobile manufacturers also hope to expand their facilities in Georgia.
Many people point to the increase in jobs as arising from reshoring, which is one of the latest manufacturing trends. Early in 2013, a large factory in Bangladesh collapsed, killing more than 1,000 workers. While the country pledged to rebuild and make its factories safer, the collapse scared several companies into moving their businesses back to the United States. President Obama announced that he would try to help bring even more jobs back to the country to reduce the high unemployment rates of recent years. Companies are now also more worried that doing business overseas might compromise their security. Both Saks and Brooks Brothers announced plans to return jobs to America, and other companies quickly followed suit.
Some other recent manufacturing trends have been triggered by the rise in social networking. Plug-and-play manufacturing plants create products that users can plug in and use instantly, including smartphones and tablets. Users can easily connect to Facebook or another website to start sharing information, and the number of factories devoted to these devices is likely to grow in the coming years to meet increased demand. You may also have noted several manufacturing trends relating to the automobile industry. Several companies recently moved to Michigan and began hiring local workers, and many of those companies manufacture parts for energy efficient vehicles. As the need for that type of vehicle continues to grow, so will its manufacturing industry. It's clear that manufacturing is still a booming industry, as least in certain parts of the United States.
Looking at the top manufacturing trends can help you identify which industries are on the rise. The collapse of an overseas factory combined with business security risks and the need for new products in the United States has led to many companies opening new factories and hiring workers right here in the country. As the demand for new products changes, however, it's likely that the top manufacturing trends will change too.
(Photo courtesy of njaj / freedigitalphotos.net)
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!