Industry Trends & Analysis

When the world's biggest retailer pledged it would buy an additional $50 billion worth of U.S.-made products over the next decade, Cutting Tool Engineering Editorial Director Alan Rooks questions whether the news is cause for celebration.

Sandvik Coromant video report suggests that collaboration, hyperspecialization and technology can help manufacturing companies prepare for the future.

Cutting Tool Engineering Editorial Director Alan Rooks ponders the impact additive manufacturing will make on the industry.

As I'm writing this in mid-July, we're experiencing uncomfortably hot and muggy weather in the Chicago area. I worked up a sweat just walking the dogs this morning -- and they walk pretty slowly. It's hard to want to do much of anything. That description seems to fit the U.S. economy in general and manufacturing in particular.

The national conversation about the "skills gap" and its role in manufacturing continues to simmer, writes Alan Rooks of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine, in his Lead Angle column for the July 2013 issue.

The Lead Angle editorial in the May 2013 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering ponders some major developments that are remaking the energy market and, with it, manufacturing.

When I read about The Brookings Institution's proposal to develop 20 U.S. manufacturing universities, my first thought was "what will the mascots be for the football teams?" Purdue already has the time-honored "Boilermakers" moniker but what about the others? Would they be the Michigan Machinists, the Caltech CAD/CAMs, the Lehigh Lasers or, maybe, the Fightin' Facemills?

In early December, two companies announced plans to make substantial investments in U.S. manufacturing. One was Apple Inc. and the other was Detroit Diesel Co. Guess which one got more coverage in the media. I'll help you. Even though Detroit Diesel's investment was more than Apple's and despite President Obama showing up at Detroit Diesel's announcement ceremony, my casual Web review showed Apple beat Detroit Diesel in news references by about 7 to 1.

AMT's latest Global Forecasting & Manufacturing Conference found reasons for both caution and optimism.

Manufacturing faces more uncertainty than usual in 2013, but the year ahead could be a good one.

Many reasons are given, including the bad image of manufacturing, lack of training in high schools and competition from other economic sectors. All of these reasons seem plausible. But now comes a study by The Boston Consulting Group, a management consulting firm, that seems to throw cold water on the idea of a serious skills gap. According to the authors, the skills gap in U.S. manufacturing is more limited than many believe. The study is part of BCG's ongoing "Made in America, Again" study, which examines the changing economics of manufacturing.

There's no doubt that the U.S. manufacturing boom has created jobs. The question is, are they for humans or robots?