XDisplaying posts tagged: americanmanufacturing
Integrated economies of Mexico & U.S.
- An imported product from Mexico sold in the U.S. is 40% “Made In USA” (given the sharing of parts and labor), versus 4% for the same import from China. According to Richard Fisher, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, “The better off Mexico is, the better off we are.” More »
Manufacturing bill passes in the House
- The American Manufacturing and Competitiveness Act, a bipartisan bill designed boost U.S. manufacturing, passed by an overwhelming majority. More »
Americans need higher wages
- Former Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter, Hedrick Smith, claims Americans have been underpaid for the last three decades, suggesting the economy would grow faster if more of it was based on manufacturing (and if wages were higher). More »
Made In USA matters to shoppers
- A Perception Research Services (PRS) study reveals 4 out of 5 shoppers notice, and are influenced by, “Made In USA” labels and claims. Consumers say the primary reason they’re more likely to buy American is to “help the economy.” More »
1 month for wine lovers
- September is California Wine Month, an annual proclamation celebrating the state's $61 billion wine industry, the 330,000 jobs it generates and the wine lovers who make it possible. More »
3-month slide for manufacturing
- August marked the longest contraction since the recession, with stocks falling on concern U.S. factories (which sparked expansion three years ago) are succumbing to a global manufacturing slowdown. More »
5 factors supporting resurgence
- (1) Weakening U.S. dollar. (2) Narrowing wage differentials and falling productivity between U.S. and key manufacturing economies. (3) Declining natural gas prices relative to global price levels can mean lower manufacturing costs. (4) Global supply chains becoming slower and more expensive. (5) Various forms of volatility more apparent, thus a larger concern. More »
75% say Made In USA holds more value
- Over 75% of respondents in a recent NPD survey say the manufacturing source of their apparel is important to them. More »
$100 billion in saved energy costs
- Obama signs Executive Order to strengthen American manufacturing by facilitating investments in industrial energy efficiency. More »
The passing of an American legend
- Neil Armstrong, the first human to set foot on the moon, died on Sat. August 25, 2012 at the age of 82. An engineer, crack test pilot, spacecraft commander and “reluctant hero who always believed he was just doing his job.” More »
Global manufacturing trends
- Chart shows American manufacturing is in better shape than China and Europe, and has been above contractionary level since early 2009. More »
- Japanese automakers (Toyota, Honda, Nissan) look to produce 100% of cars meant for U.S. market in North America, building new factories and adding extra shifts to meet resurgent demand. More »
Channeling a tradition of innovation
- According to Gene Sperling, Director of the National Economic Council, manufacturing and innovation belong together: “More than any other industry, manufacturing firms account for a disproportionate share of innovative activity in the U.S., 70% of private sector R&D and over 90% of patents issued.“ More »
- U.S. Department of Commerce Under Secretary for International Trade Francisco Sánchez and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigos are developing an online resource to showcase American suppliers of apparel, textiles and footwear. More »
- Obama signs Executive Order to facilitate investments in industrial energy efficiency and strengthen U.S. manufacturing. "This action will cut costs, increase efficiency and help our businesses create strong, middle class jobs.” - Obama. More »
American heroes, past and present
- The United States breeds some of the world’s most influential people. And this handsome infographic proves it. More »
- Amidst great hardship, the struggling rustbelt town of New Castle, IN, sends team to Little League World Series. And the mayor’s office follows. A stirring story that reads like a Hollywood screenplay. More »
Slow recovery and lingering uncertainty
- While manufacturing output has risen significantly, 20% over the past three years, jobs haven’t kept pace. Only 4% more jobs were added over the same period. More »
- Leading indicators suggest economic progress and growth in the months ahead; however, weaknesses in the manufacturing sector continue to take their toll. More »
Administrative investment
- Obama Administration plans to redouble efforts supporting manufacturing sector. "We have come to realize that you can’t separate innovation and production—they have to sit near each other.“ - Dr. Rebecca Blank. More »
- One such effort includes the selection of the first public-private pilot institute for manufacturing innovation. The National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute (NAMII) will help harness the infrastructure needed to support additive manufacturing technology. More »
- Penn State will receive $30 million in federal funding focused on revitalizing American manufacturing. The University is part of a consortium led by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining. More »
American Made Matters
Made is now a member of American Made Matters. They think we matter. Which is exciting news because we think they matter. We also think we matter, and have to assume they know they matter.
At the heart of all this layered mattering is a shared mission: to stimulate American manufacturing by promoting the benefits of buying products made here.
The American Made Matters badge we now wear with pride is a common voice for those working hard to create jobs in the United States. A reminder that rebuilding the American Dream is a matter we all have a say in.
#RightOnRalph
In the spirit of American sportsmanship, show your support for Ralph Lauren’s recent reparation and commitment to American-made products by patting him on the back. The man’s been dished enough hate already.
For more on this topic and a chance to share some constructive compliments, visit our project page.
Emeco 111 Navy Chair® + French Bulldog
Thanks to our friends at Emeco the Made conference room now boasts eight gorgeous 111 Navy Chairs®. Today I sat down with agency cohort and French Bulldog, Duke, to discuss this beloved symbol of American design and manufacturing.
Q: First of all, Duke, thank you for stopping by. We always appreciate your company. Do you realize you’re sitting on the nexus of American manufacturing and high design right now? Handmade by Emeco craftsmen in Hanover, Pennsylvania since 1944. Chairs originally built to withstand torpedo blasts on U.S. Navy destroyers. Works of art that continue to grace fashion spreads, elegant hotels, the trendiest restaurants and sets of major motion pictures.
A:
Q: Mmhmm. Did you know that 250 million tons of trash and 7.6 billion tons of industrial solid waste are generated in America annually, and the chair you’re now perched upon was made from 111 recycled Coke bottles?
A:
Q: OK, I think that about covers it. Any parting questions or thoughts?
A:
Q: Get off the chair, Duke.
For more photos of our new Emeco furniture, check out this behind the scenes board.
Examining regional trends
No matter where you are in the U.S., it’s almost impossible to avoid signs of a manufacturing renaissance. We’re seeing machinery rebound in the rustbelt, shale drilling flourish across the Texas-Oklahoma energy belt and seminal vesicles prosper below the American male belt.
Thanks to exceptional cryobank systems and a donor pool stimulated by liberal legislation, the demand for sperm produced in the U.S. is at an all-time high. Growing by as much as 40% over the last five years, the industry is expected to reach $4.3 billion by 2013.
Last year, California Cryobank, the world’s largest full-service sperm bank, delivered to nearly 60 American-sperm-seeking nations, including the UK, Canada, France, Israel, Australia, Chile, Spain and Sweden.
Many of these countries face shortages and strict limits on how many women can be inseminated by the same donor. In the U.S., however, there is no cap and men receive up to $500 for every donation. Now before you go running to the nearest cryobank, know that approval of one’s goods for production is far from guaranteed.
On top of rigorous medical tests and screenings, a potential donor’s education, height and family history are carefully evaluated. “We joke that it’s easier to get into Harvard than to get accepted in our program,” says Scott Brown, head of communications at California Cryobank.
While the jury is still out on the impact of this boom in the grand scheme of American manufacturing, there shouldn’t be much debate about the $500 I just invested.
I’m Steve. And this is my workspace.
It’s my third day at Made and I’m starting to settle into this new office. At first it was a little tight, disrupting an otherwise handsome hairdo, but I think I’ve found the optimal strap position.
My office, incidentally, is a pair of high-end, Grado, headphones. Standard-issue for everyone who joins the Made movement. Later in this post, I’ll argue that our headgear has supernatural powers. But, first, some context.
Made corporate headquarters is alive, open and growing. A raw space that’s built to foster collaboration and typically filled with a steady hum of hustle and construction. As productivity sometimes demands peace, we find refuge in the portable enclave of our listening devices.
This is by no means standard audio technology. Made, walking the proverbial walk, has armed us with Grado Prestige SR125 headphones. For almost 60 years, Grado Labs has been manufacturing some of the finest audio equipment in the world. Their painstaking attention to detail delivers a truly sublime listening experience. What’s more, they, like me, Jay-Z and Biggie (RIP), represent Brooklyn, New York.
Now I’m pretty sure these headphones are doing more than just reproducing frequencies and cancelling out background noise. Some serendipitous shit is going down around me, suggesting cosmic side effects.
Never before have I seen so much eye contact. It’s at once creepy and wonderfully refreshing. To command attention, instead of knocking on nonexistent doors or picking up phones, we flail our limbs in foolish, awkward and exaggerated ways. And you’ll notice people slowly and melodramatically place their headphones over their ears, as if to say “I’m not listening to you anymore.”
Overall, they’re bringing us together at a remarkable pace. Blurring boundaries and squashing comfort zones.
So I say that, even if the distractions around us subside, we continue to wear our headphones with pride. As modern headdresses for a tribe of people who give a damn. Loyal to this movement.