In the United States, the manufacturing industry is very important as it creates jobs for millions of people, as well as provides the products and goods the country needs. Our previous blogs have looked at how the economy has fared since President Trump took office and the importance of the American Manufacturing industry and Manufacturing Day. While there have been positive signs that the manufacturing industry is growing, it is still not at the peak levels of the past.
3 Obstacles Holding US Manufacturing Back
- Securing Talent: The majority of American Manufacturing is based in mid-western states, and in areas that are more rural than city. Many manufacturing companies in these areas have jobs available for qualified candidates but have trouble convincing people to relocate to these areas. By being based far away from high population cities, long commutes could keep candidates from accepting offers. To grow a business, quality employees are needed, and this can be difficult for Midwestern manufacturing companies.
- Lack of Modernization: While technology has advanced significantly over the last decade, not all manufacturing companies have taken advantage of this. Many are still running their operations on old computer systems and software, and are still doing business by fax. Reasons for this range from the potentially high cost of updating these systems, to not wanting to change a system that has been in place for years due to a high level of comfort. By not updating this technology companies are missing out on opportunities to be more efficient which could lead to additional profit and revenue. It also could prevent talented employees from joining the team who would not want to work with outdated systems.
- The “Old School Culture”: Many Midwestern manufacturing companies are family owned and operated, and are made up of employees who have been with the company for decades. While their loyalty and experience is necessary and important, many times this can create a culture that is resistant to change, and unwelcoming to new employees and ideas. By not staying up with the latest industry innovations, and welcoming new viewpoints and ideas from new employees, it will be hard for these companies to be competitive and successful long term.
By embracing new ideas and technology, manufacturing companies across the United States will be able to improve their efficiency and production and set themselves up for long-term success. At Universal Polymer & Rubber we are proud to be a Midwestern manufacturing company and are always looking for the best way we can serve our customers. For more information on our products and capabilities, please contact us.