U.S. Manufacturing

If You Build It, They Will Come – Opening Day Musings From a Baseball Fan

March 28, 2024

Baseball’s Opening Day brings with it both nostalgia and excitement. You don’t have to be a die-hard fan to appreciate the dedicated folks who leave work early

What Black History Month Means to Me

February 13, 2024

I thought a lot about what to write in honor of Black History Month. We often hear stories and quotes from heroes like Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks and

North Carolina MEP Brought Me Back Home 25 Years Ago

February 2, 2024

As Director of the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP), located on the campus of North Carolina State University (NC State) in Raleigh

Manufacturing Day: Changing People’s Perceptions

August 15, 2023

Manufacturing Day, or MFG Day, has grown to mean many things since it was officially proclaimed in 2012. Some celebrate on the first Friday in October with an

Adrianne Kroll: Be Open to Opportunities That Take You in New Directions

August 9, 2023

This blog is part of a series to celebrate and share the stories of Black American manufacturing leaders. Adrianne Kroll says she kind of stumbled into

Have Lemons? Make Lemonade!

July 11, 2023

The world economy went into a tailspin in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to face a new normal. From changes in the marketplace to

Needs and Opportunities in the Semiconductor Manufacturing Sector

July 6, 2023

In 2022, President Biden signed into law the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act – an investment to strengthen U.S. manufacturing, supply chains and our national

Video: Heroes of American Manufacturing – AMG Engineering and Machining

June 14, 2023

Small and medium-sized manufacturers sometimes think they’re too small to be a target for hackers. They may not have the resources to put into cybersecurity

Miriam Kmetzo: Passionate About Performance Excellence

June 8, 2023

This blog is part of series recognizing the contributions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders to the manufacturing industry. Born and

Seriously, Drop What You’re Doing and Launch this Manufacturing Youth Engagement Program Right Now.

May 24, 2023

A manufacturing youth engagement program that excites local businesses, offers templates and guidance to effectively launch in new regions, has a 10-year track

Jessica Ingle: Continually Improving

March 22, 2023

This blog is part of a series for Women’s History Month to highlight women who are making an impact on the manufacturing industry. Jessica Ingle is like a lot

Sarah Dvorak: Manufacturing is for Anyone Who Wants to Solve Problems and Serve Customers

March 16, 2023

This blog is part of a series for Women’s History Month to highlight women who are making an impact on the manufacturing industry. Sarah Dvorak didn’t

Asia Dillon: Making a Name for Herself as a Manufacturer

February 24, 2023

This blog is part of a series for Black History Month to celebrate and share the stories of Black American manufacturing leaders. Asia Dillon is not your

Rodney Reddic: Helping Texas Manufacturers Succeed

February 16, 2023

This blog is part of a series for Black History Month to celebrate and share the stories of Black American manufacturing leaders. For more than 20 years, Rodney

Revolutionizing American Manufacturing

February 2, 2023

A major focus of the current administration is revitalizing American manufacturing, and new technologies are changing the way things are made. Manufacturing

NASA and The MEP National Network Collaborate to Advance Manufacturing

July 6, 2022

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP) is, as you might expect from the name, always looking for

Strengthening U.S. Manufacturing: Manufacturing USA® and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership

March 24, 2022

The infographic, Strengthening U.S. Manufacturing: Manufacturing USA® and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, highlights how Manufacturing USA and the

Sometimes It’s Not Easy Being a Small Manufacturer

February 23, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented big challenges for small manufacturers. That was the message of three leaders from manufacturing companies located in two

U.S. Manufacturing to the MEP National Network: Don’t Let Up!

February 17, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has asked much of manufacturing executives. They’ve had to make decisions about staffing and operations in the face of tremendous health

After a March (and More) of Madness, What’s Next for Manufacturers?

February 10, 2021

The six manufacturing executives participating in a Sept. 25, 2020, virtual conversation spent much of the time discussing what comes after the pandemic has

Pandemic Makes Plain Need for Manufacturing Workforce

February 4, 2021

In the Sept. 18, 2020, session of the “National Conversation with Manufacturers,” our three West Coast manufacturing leaders on the panel kept coming back to

Sometimes You Just Have To Go Fishing Says Manufacturing Executives

January 12, 2021

Sometimes you just have to go fishing. Seriously. That’s one of the messages manufacturing executives from West Coast and Mountain states passed along during a

How Daycare and Industrial Entrepreneurship Relate to Manufacturing’s Recovery

December 23, 2020

Two subjects that came up that I wasn’t expecting (but probably should have been) in a conversation with manufacturing executives were daycare and

Rethinking Business Risk After the Great Lockdown

December 16, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has made us more aware of the items we purchase on a regular basis and how they get to store shelves and to our doors. Anyone else still

COVID-19 — The Disease That Is Reshaping Manufacturing

December 9, 2020

Unless you’ve been living on private island (send invite immediately!), it’s no secret that the pandemic has changed the way manufacturers operate and run their

Midwestern Manufacturing Leaders Learning the Lessons of Testing Times

December 1, 2020

I think we’d all say that this year has been different than we thought it would be way back in January. Plans had to change; adaptations had to be made. Video

Where Manufacturing Is Growing (and Where It Is Not)

November 19, 2020

Over the past few years, I have written more than a few blogs and papers looking at manufacturing productivity across the 50 states. I wanted to update some of

Midwest Manufacturers — Make Do, Can Do, Will Do

November 17, 2020

As a proud son of the Midwest (yes, my family does exchange holiday cheese, and yes, it’s delicious, we have no regrets), I was particularly interested in the

Manufacturers Share Views on Leadership from the Pandemic Shop Floor

November 10, 2020

As a kid I used to be confused by the so-called curse, “May you live in interesting times.” Wouldn’t interesting times be … good? Why would I not want to be

Supplier Scouting Provides Solutions

October 29, 2020

Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy and create two-thirds of net new jobs that drive U.S. innovation and competitiveness. In recent months, in

Manufacturing Innovation Blog