Though we are probably sick of this slogan already, there is some truth in the power of the American people to be world influencers, and truly a great nation in every sense. However, with the rise of globalization, it seems like America’s economic power seems to weaken, mostly due to the decrease in industry and production in this part of the world. Many companies have moved operations overseas in order to remain competitive with their pricing, often crippling American industry towns.
However, things seem to shifting recently with the political atmosphere, and though not everyone would agree on the social and environmental direction, many can get onboard with the economic agenda. This is especially true for those involved in industrial production and are hungry for more opportunity and work.
The good news is that American companies looking to either expand or start up in the industrial space have a few things going for them that wasn’t the case even 10 years ago.
- Cheap Space
Manufacturing takes up a lot of space. Arranging machinery, storing materials, and packaging products all requires a lot of room. It used to be very difficult for a company to afford a spacious building near a readily-available workforce. However, in places like Detroit, the administration of the city is so hungry for economic development, that they will lease you a large building for very little if any money at all. This makes it easier for the manufacturing industry startups to initiate their operations and maintain cash flow in the first few months. With so many empty warehouses and buildings, this capital investment will not be a burden on a newly expanded or created company like it would have been in the past.
- Used Machinery
Unfortunately, in the last few years, many North American manufacturing companies went out of business. However, they left behind a wealth of preowned industrial machinery, much of which is still in good condition and usable for many years to come. All a new start up needs to do is get in touch with a company selling a large range of used process equipment for industrial purpose. No need to order or buy new machines, some of which cost upwards of several hundreds of thousands of dollars. With such a wide supply of used machinery, there’s a good chance you’ll get what you need at a winning price.
- National Pride
In the last few years, Americans have developed a sense of pride around items made in the States. They are willing to pay a premium to support products and services created in America rather than oversees. This is mostly due to seeing and feeling, directly or indirectly, the impact of purchasing power. One thing that America never lost was a high level of quality and pride in its work. Thanks to this, manufacturing companies can in a way compete with offshore producers. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes something bad to happen to get us all united under the same goal.
- Taxes and Duties
Though it’s mostly been just talk until now, if President Trump gets his way, manufacturing in the States will become an even more attractive option for those who are currently on the fence. By taxing imported manufactured goods more heavily than domestic ones, items made in the States will cease to be at a price-point disadvantage. This means that people won’t just be choosing American over foreign because of patriotism, but also because it makes fiscal sense to them.
If you are considering either opening a manufacturing company or are deciding if training for manufacturing jobs is a good investment of time and resources, the answer is “do it”! Right now, Americans are getting a second chance at becoming a country of producers and manufacturers, and you could be part of this resurgence!