"There's Really No Such Thing as a Post-Manufacturing Society"

Posted by jeckert on 08/18/2010

ohio-plate Ohio is slowly but surely seeing manufacturing jobs return to the state, but is far from acheiving its former status as a manufacturing mecca.  Robert Schoenberger of The Plain Dealer writes, "...if the manufacturing sector ever hopes to become vibrant again, the country needs to change the way it sees industry." Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) also said in a roundtable on Tuesday that "In too many ways, we have lost sight of the importance of manufacturing in our society." Manufacturing czar Ron Bloom agrees, saying that without a vibrant manufacturing sector, the U.S. economy will not be able to provide prosperity for its citizens. Further, Glen Daehn, director of the Ohio Manufacturing Institute at the University of Ohio, explains that, contrary to what policymakers believe years ago, "There's really no such think as a post-manufacturing society." In the state of Ohio, where President Obama met with families today, the voices of politicians have been heard, but the policy to back up the cries for a revitalized manufacturing sector still need to be realized. Read more. ##

1 comment

Scott Paul wrote 2 years 39 weeks ago

John: glad you mentioned

John: glad you mentioned China currency. We agree that it is the essential ingredient in any strategy to boost manufacturing. We also agree that the Obama response has been too weak. Thanks for all of your advocacy on the issue.

JOHN COLM wrote 2 years 39 weeks ago

I was at the "Roundtable"

I was at the "Roundtable" (actually, lots of square tables) along with two manufacturing leaders from our organization. The article failed to mention one critical factor in the decline of US based manufacturing, and that is the Chinese government's pegging of their currency to the dollar, which creates at least a 20% cost advantage for Chinese made goods sold in the US. That is a tough advantage for US based firms to overcome, and has helped the Chinese entice complete supply chains to relocate there. The Obama Administration has to do more to get the Chinese to allow their currency to float with market conditions. Dr. Ned Hill noted as much, pointing to "The Peg" as a factor Ohio must get action and results on. Nearly 1000 firms in the NE Ohio Campaign for American Manufacturing (NEOCAM) are demanding the same action.

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