Economy

Manufacturers contribute $2.17 trillion to the U.S. economy, according to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), a Washington, D.C.-based association representing small and large manufacturers in 50 states. Up nearly 28 percent since the second quarter of 2009, the amount spent by manufacturers leads off the "Top 20 Facts About Manufacturing" posted on the NAM website.

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector contracted in December for the second consecutive month, while the overall economy grew for the 79th consecutive month, according to the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business®. The report, issued Jan. 4 by Bradley J. Holcomb, chair of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Manufacturing Business Survey Committee.

The United States Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI), a leading trade association for the North American cutting tool industry, recently launched Careers In Manufacturing, a website that promotes careers in manufacturing and provides resources for students, educators, parents and manufacturers.

In October 2015, TRUMPF purchased approximately five acres of land adjacent to Interstate Highway 90 in Hoffman Estates, Ill., a northwestern suburb of Chicago. Located within one of the core zones of the sheet metal business in North America, this site will serve as the future home of the TRUMPF Technology Center and the center of excellence for Industry 4.0, according to the company.

Direct manufacturer Stratasys Direct Manufacturing published the results of a trend forecast on 3D printing's place in the manufacturing world. "To get a more complete sense of 3D printing's imminent impact on manufacturing we needed to look beyond our factory walls," explained Stratasys CEO Joe Allison in the study's forward. "So we sponsored an independent survey of serious, professional users of 3D printing, many of them working for companies with over $50 million in revenue."

August U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $285.92 million according to AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTO program, was down 10.2 percent from July's $318.48 million and down 21.2 percent when compared with the total of $362.65 million reported for August 2014. With a year-to-date total of $2,771.23 million, 2015 was down 10 percent when compared with 2014.