‘Made in the U.S.A.’ isn’t dead, just different

[IDemo]

Manufacturing sector is shedding jobs; Experts see it changing

Associated Press - updated 3:45 p.m. MT, Mon., Feb. 16, 2009

WASHINGTON - It may seem like the country that used to make everything is on the brink of making nothing.

In January, 207,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs vanished in the largest one-month drop since October 1982. Factory activity is hovering at a 28-year low. Even before the recession, plants were hemorrhaging work to foreign competitors with cheap labor. And some companies were moving production overseas.

But manufacturing in the United States isn't dead or even dying. It's moving upscale, following the biggest profits, and becoming more efficient, just like Henry Ford did when he created the assembly line to make the Model T.

The U.S. by far remains the world's leading manufacturer by value of goods produced. It hit a record $1.6 trillion in 2007 — nearly double the $811 billion in 1987. For every $1 of value produced in China's factories, America generates $2.50.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29226344/

- I can correct one error from the piece right away: Hewlett Packard, though it may be defined as a "manufacturing" entity, outsources virtually all of their manufacturing to Asian companies.

[KansDem]

1. And didn't the Bush Administration some years back re-class hamburger-frying as "manufacturing?"

Oh, yeah...here:

Building Blue-Collar … Burgers?

NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2004
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(CBS) Manufacturing jobs making things like airplane engines, cars and farm equipment are disappearing from the American economy.

Or are they? According to a White House report, new manufacturing jobs might be as close as your nearest drive-thru.

The annual Economic Report of the President has already stirred controversy by suggesting the loss of U.S. jobs overseas might be beneficial, and predicting that a whopping 2.6 million jobs will be created in the country this year.

As first reported by The New York Times, the fast food issue is taken up on page 73 of the lengthy report in a special box headlined "What is manufacturing?"

"The definition of a manufactured product," the box reads, "is not straightforward."

"When a fast-food restaurant sells a hamburger, for example, is it providing a 'service' or is it combining inputs to 'manufacture' a product?" it asks.

--more--
CBS News

:eyes:

[Every Man A King]

2. Here is the truth

http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/economicsunbound/archives/2005/11/how_low_can_man.html

[pampango]

5. Don't see the contradiction.

Your link to a 2005 Business Week article in which there was a projection that manufacturing would fall below 10% of the economy by 2013.

The article in the OP states that manufacturing employment is already at 8% of total employment. The OP seems more directed to the point that manufacturing output is the largest in the world, not that its share of the economy is growing.

[Javaman]

3. if you can just replace USA with China and Union workers with sweatshop

child labor, then it's all clear and it's just like buying it here!!! Weeeeee!!!

[Gin]

4. instead of Made in America...it is now Assembled in America

[pampango]

6. True in reverse as well.

"Today, "Made in USA" is more likely to be stamped on heavy equipment or the circuits that go inside other products than the TVs, toys, clothes and other items found on store shelves ."

While the things we manufacture here do use parts made in other countries, by the same token things made overseas have parts in them that were made in the US. The finished product will just show where the final assembly occurred, whether that is the US, China or anywhere else. It would be interesting if products had labels that said "Assembled in ___, with parts from ____, ____" and gave percentages of the source of the parts in the product.

[SteelPenguin]

7. At least here in Pittsburgh...

I know that Dominos Pizza is considered a manufacturing job. You manufacture pizza's and there are no seats or tables, so it's not a restaurant. They get tax breaks in the city for being a manufacturer. More insane corruption thanks to the Gang of 400 here in Pittsburgh.