Manufacturing Digital, by Jonny Williamson

The House of Representatives have passed a new bill designed to launch an in-depth, comprehensive analysis of ways to better strengthen US manufacturing, ensure its long-term, global competitiveness and ultimate survival.

Introduced by Rep. Dan Lipinski and Reo. Adam Kinzinger, the legislation has garnered bipartisan support in recognition of the vital importance a healthy manufacturing sector has to the country’s broader economy.

H.R. 5865 seeks to form a federal board of manufacturing experts tasked with analysing the health of the nation’s manufacturing sector, current government policies and the policies of competing nations, in an effort to determine how best to attract and support manufacturing within the US. The analysis will form the basis of a national competitiveness strategy to gain Presidential approval within the next 18 months, with a follow-up analysis scheduled for 2018.

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Among the bill’s supporters are the National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA) and the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), whose combined advocacy programme, “One voice”, represents nearly 3,000 US metalworking companies.

PMA President Bill Gaskin commented:

“There is no better moment for the White House and Congress to focus on revitalising our industry through a concerted, pro-manufacturing strategy that addresses the competitive disadvantages our members contend with every day. PMA and NTMA member companies play an integral role in the broader economy, producing components found in over 90 percent of US manufactured goods and equipment.

“We support the viability of nearly every key domestic industry sector, ranging from agricultural and mining, energy and transportation to aerospace, medical devices, electronics, national defense and homeland security.”

NTMA President Dave Tilstone added:

“It is more important than ever that the government develop an industrial strategy to build and grow a sustainable US manufacturing sector that can protect our national security and strengthen our economy in the long run. This bill would help policymakers take a comprehensive approach to encouraging the growth of US manufacturing by identifying what goods are produced, where they are produced, and in which sectors we are most competitive.

“The entire country will benefit if we increase US manufacturing jobs, support growth of technologies that strengthen our industry’s competiveness, and reach a realistic understanding of how our foreign competitors fight to attract market share in this highly competitive global industry.”