How Made in USA Manufacturing Put K’NEX Back on Track
When the leader of the free world comes calling, most people jump. When the Obama administration first contacted Michael Araten, in November 2012, he hesitated. Read more
Chinese Textile Manufacturers Bring Jobs Back to America
Twenty-five years ago, Ni Meijuan earned $19 a month working the spinning machines at a vast textile factory in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. Read more
Ford To Begin Production of Medium-Duty Commercial Trucks
Ford Motor Co. announced, Wednesday, Aug. 12, that Ford F-650/F-750 medium-duty trucks will for the first time roll off the line in the United States, at the company’s Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake. Read more
South Carolina’s Push to Grow Jobs
While I am no fan of the Chinese owning Volvo, I am proud of “my” home state showing that manufacturing can be accomplished in America. Thanks for pushing forward and leading the charge to bring manufacturing back to America.
– James Kidd, Fan of The Made in America Movement
SOURCE: Yahoo Finance
Nabisco to Cut Chicago jobs, Send Some Work to Mexico
Mondelez International (Nabisco) will lay off half its 1,200 employees in its bakery on Chicago’s Southwest Side after deciding to invest significantly in a Mexico plant rather than its long-standing facility here. Read more
The Next Industrial Revolution Should Happen In America
The ‘Industrial Internet’ is poised to overhaul the way companies manufacture goods, in turn changing our everyday interactions with products. Read more
Nike CEO told POTUS About U.S. Manufacturing 4 Years Ago
When President Obama visited Oregon in 2011, Nike Chief Executive Mark Parker foreshadowed what was on the sneaker giant’s horizon. Read more
Nike To Create 10,000 Jobs in U.S. with Approved Trade Pact
As it prepared to welcome President Obama to its headquarters campus Friday morning, Nike announced it would pour more money into advanced footwear manufacturing in the United States if and when the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement is approved. Read more
Read Obama’s Speech at Nike: Full text
The White House posted the full text of President Barack Obama’s speech at Nike headquarters near Beaverton on Friday morning. The White House has also posted a video of the speech. Read more
China Abuses WTO Rules to Control Foreign Tech Firms
The Chinese Communist Party has created a new law that allows it to selectively ban foreign imports while propping up its own companies. The new law uses a loophole in world trade, and could push U.S. technology companies out of China. Read more
Libbey Glass Announces $20 Million Investment and New Jobs
Posted: Nov 12, 2013 4:42 PM EST | Updated: Nov 22, 2013 4:42 PM EST
Libbey Inc. executive Dan Ibele announced today the company will invest $20 million in Libbey’s Shreveport manufacturing site, bringing new technology and a new research and development component to its operations. The capital investment in new glass making technology will create 70 new direct jobs, averaging more than $38,000 per year, plus benefits. The new investment will also generate an additional 75 new indirect jobs in the community for a total of more than 140 new jobs. Libbey also will retain 511 existing jobs in Shreveport. Read more
Retailers To Home Furnishings Vendors: Focus on Made in USA
For home furnishings manufacturers, the impetus to move a larger proportion of their manufacturing to the United States is about more than patriotism. It’s about that time-tested business fact—that the customer is always right.
Kentwood Company Moving Toothbrush Production Back From China
KENTWOOD, Mich. (WZZM) – A toothbrush company that outsourced some of its manufacturing to China years ago is bringing work back to West Michigan. Read more
Innovation and Hard Work Made America Great
Guest post by Monica Gomez
America has always been known as the “land of opportunity.” But opportunity doesn’t knock unless you work hard for it. While tycoons and businessmen may have shaped the oil, steel, and auto industries, the reality is many of them came from humble beginnings, and worked alongside the skilled tradesmen they later employed before amassing their own wealth—a true testament to the power of the American dream. Read more
The Story behind Starbucks Community Tables, Made in the USA
A group of Army Reservists in uniform sit around a community table in a Starbucks near a military base. With coffee cups close, they pour over planning papers. Their attention is focused on the task at hand; unaware the large table they’re using was handmade in the U.S.A. Read more
Economic Manufacturing Quantities: The Right Amount and the Right Locations
Does your manufacturing firm have enough facilities creating the optimum number of products in the right locations? Read more
Made in the USA – Reshoring Children’s Products
For all expecting and new parents, you probably have learned how quickly buying your child’s products adds up! So why would you be willing to pay more for an American-made product when you could purchase a similar product or even the “same” product, produced overseas, for half the cost? Read more
The American Flag: Made in USA and Creating Jobs in the Process
SARAH HOFFMAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
From left, Melissa Kleitsch, Diane Hynek and Laurie Bessler sew American flags at MSA Brand Products in the McBattas Packaging and Printing building in Fairbury, Nebraska. The former Swingster sewing factory — where Bessler worked for 17 years — has been transformed to produce and sell American flags made in the U.S.
The American flag flapping above the McBattas Packaging and Printing building on the north edge of town is unremarkable as flags go.
At 3-by-5-feet, it’s not especially large. Its colors, of course, are the standard red, white and blue, and it has 50 stars and 13 stripes. Read more
The Rise of ‘Made by China’ in America
Later this year along the banks of the James River outside Richmond, Virginia, a paper products maker based in northeastern China will begin construction on a new U.S. manufacturing plant. The factory will churn the region’s straw and corn stalks into household products including napkins, tissue and organic fertilizer—all marked “Made in the USA.” Made by China, in America.
Made in USA Fuels New Manufacturing Hubs in Apparel
Photo: Victor Lytvinenko
Christel Ellsberg is an expert tailor and pattern maker for Raleigh Denim, which makes American-made jeans.
New York City, including Manhattan’s historic Garment District, is commonly known as a fashion capital of the world. But glimmers of new and revived apparel hubs are emerging in smaller cities, fueled by rising production costs overseas and a growing appetite for “Made in USA” goods. Read more
U.S. Pork Plant Program Draws Criticism: Hormel Petition
Jan 30 (Reuters) – Processing lines at some U.S. pork slaughterhouses are moving too fast for inspectors to adequately address contamination and food safety concerns, according to an advocacy group that says it has obtained affidavits from four government meat inspectors. Read more
Check Out New Balance’s Latest ‘Made in the USA’ Sneaker Collections
A “Made in USA” label is becoming a more actively coveted item. But local footwear brand New Balance has long been crafting a number of their sneakers domestically. Read more
Toy Maker To Bring Lincoln Logs Production Back to U.S.
Production of Lincoln Logs coming back to U.S.A. Manufacturing will once again be made in the U.S.A. (Photo courtesy of K’NEX Brands)
A Montgomery County manufacturer of plastic injection molds and K’NEX construction toys is bringing production of one of its classic toy brands back to the United States from China.
Lincoln Logs, a classic toy brand developed nearly 100 years ago, is part of the K’NEX family of brands. Beginning next year, Pride Manufacturing in Burnham, Maine, will manufacture the Lincoln Logs product line. The Maine company is a manufacturer of engineered wood products.
Related Article: Production of Lincoln Logs in USA Creating Jobs [p][/p]
K’NEX Brands, which licenses the Lincoln Logs brand from Hasbro, has designed Lincoln Logs since 1999, but decided to build upon its reshoring initiative that it introduced in 2009, said Michael Araten, president and CEO of K’NEX and its subsidiary, The Rodon Group in Hatfield. As part of this initiative, K’NEX delivered the production of Tinkertoy products back to the U.S. in 2012, where it is mass produced by The Rodon Group.
Since The Rodon Group does not make wood products, it needed to find a manufacturer in the U.S.
“We kept at it and finally found a manufacturer in Maine who will manufacturer the Lincoln Logs,” Araten said. “It’s really about substituting our U.S. supply chain for the China supply chain.”
Now, the entire supply chain for the production of Lincoln Logs will be U.S.-based, Araten said.
K’NEX will continue to design Lincoln Logs in Hatfield.
“We’ve started production of the logs now, so we can have product on the shelf in July,” Araten said.
Next year, K’NEX will launch 10 new sets that are made in the U.S.: Horseshoe Hill Station, Country Meadow Cottage, Oak Creek Lodge, 100th Anniversary Tin, Collector’s Edition Village, Wrangler’s Ranch, Wolf’s Lodge, Mountaintop Hideout, Grand Pine Lodge and Colts Creek Command Post.
Next on the company’s agenda is to potentially bring production of toy motors back to the U.S. “That’s our next big initiative,” Araten said.
He said there are many reasons manufacturing is returning to the U.S. from China.
Chinese labor rates are rising dramatically, the U.S. is experiencing an energy boom, manual labor is being replaced by automated systems in U.S. manufacturing facilities and the flexibility and skills of the American workforce are strong, according to Araten.
American Company Goes To The Mat For ‘Made In America’
At a time when flag-waving couldn’t be more in fashion, David MacNeil knows a thing or two about standing up for American products. Or at least resting your muddy boots on them. While creating jobs in the process.
$147 Million Tax Break Yields US Built Lexus
The incentive helped seal a deal with Toyota to move nearly all production of the Lexus ES luxury vehicle to Kentucky. Read more
Made in America, Again: Why Manufacturing Will Return to the USA
For over a decade, deciding where to build a manufacturing plant to supply the world was simple for many companies. China was the clear choice with its seemingly limitless supply of low-cost labor, an enormous, rapidly developing domestic market, an artificially low currency, and significant government incentives to attract foreign investment. Read more
Made in USA… Again: U.S. Manufacturing Gains Momentum
Maybe the once-ubiquitous label, Made in USA should be updated to: Made in USA — Again. Read more
