Equipment manufacturers call for national manufacturing strategy

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is calling on the federal government to develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy for manufacturing to strengthen the economy and create new jobs and opportunities. AEM believes that ensuring the future of equipment manufacturing, and manufacturing overall, especially during these difficult times, should be a national priority and one that will require a more coordinated and efficient effort from the entire federal government. 

"The federal government should take strong and immediate action to support equipment manufacturers, protect the 2.8 million jobs that they support, and guarantee the viability of an industry that is essential to the economic and national security of our country as well as our way of life," said Dennis Slater, president of AEM. "Between rising manufacturing costs and the industry's growing skills gap, not to mention the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities across the country, it is imperative that our elected officials mobilize the full force of the federal government in support of the country's manufacturing sector."

To confront both the short-term and the long-term challenges facing the equipment manufacturing industry, AEM is urging the U.S. Congress and the Trump administration to develop and carry out a national strategy to revitalize America's manufacturing sector and ensure that the country remains the global manufacturing superpower. Specifically, AEM urging the federal government to consider the following:

• The creation of a national institute that would serve as a hub for all federal manufacturing programs in the executive branch and coordinate federal manufacturing policy across agencies;
• The establishment of a Chief Manufacturing Officer reporting directly to the President of the United States and responsible for developing and carrying out the national manufacturing strategy.
• The formation of a National Manufacturing Council to provide non-partisan advice to the President on how to strengthen the manufacturing sector and ensure the future competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing in the global economy.

There are presently 58 manufacturing-related programs across nearly a dozen federal agencies, which makes it difficult and expensive to carry out their missions and impossible to estimate total federal investment in manufacturing. A coordinated national effort, including the new national institute, along with the Chief Manufacturing Officer and the National Manufacturing Council, would significantly raise the profile of manufacturing in the federal government, increase efficiencies and collaboration across existing federal manufacturing programs, reduce wasteful spending, and improve the ability and accountability of the federal government to respond to rapid changes in the global manufacturing landscape.

A legislative proposal by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) would achieve the objectives of the proposed national strategy for manufacturing, and AEM is working with Senator Peters to ensure the legislation utilizes current program funding and personnel to dramatically improve efficiencies and reduce redundancies in existing federal manufacturing programs, reduces onerous and ineffective regulations, and attracts broad bipartisan support.

AEM is encouraging other trade associations and business groups to join them in working with the federal government to develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy for manufacturing. The initial recommendations by AEM are meant to be a starting point for a broader dialogue about how to ensure the country's global leadership in manufacturing and guarantee the long-term economic and national security of the United States.