The image of manufacturing as “dumb, dirty, dangerous and disappearing,” is far from accurate. Today, manufacturing is smart, safe, sustainable and surging; involving a wide range of digital, mechanical and chemical technologies that infuse every step of designing, developing, fabricating, servicing and delivering manufactured goods. This includes high-tech modeling and simulation. It includes robotics, artificial intelligence and sensors for process control and measurement. Manufacturing is about managing global supply and digital networks. More than ever, manufacturing is about engaging with customers and creating new products and experiences tailored to their needs and wants.

Voice of American Labor Leaders on Manufacturing Competitiveness, our third and final Ignite report, captures the unvarnished insights of more than a dozen of America’s top labor leaders on what is needed to kick-start the domestic economy and encourage growth of well-paying, high-skills jobs in the United States.