Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, presented its 2023 State of Manufacturing on Feb. 21, from Husco International in Waukesha, Wisconsin, as well as on a live video stream.
Timmons reiterated how manufacturers are the “economic engine” of this country and that “the state of manufacturing in America remains steadfast and resolute.”
Labor
He addressed the ongoing labor shortage, referencing the nearly 800,000 manufacturing jobs currently open, and argued that legal immigration could be a powerful way to keep the workforce moving. “Our country will be stronger if we provide legal avenues that give people a chance to start new lives in America.”
In addition to legal immigration, Timmons encourages companies to offer the best possible benefits and ensure the industry is purpose-driven and cares for everyone’s well-being. “Manufacturers are dedicated to doing the right things for their employees.”
Global competition
Timmons also said additional taxes on companies mean they have less money to dedicate to machinery and research. By comparison, he says, China gives companies a 200 percent reduction in research and development, or about 20 times as much as what America gives. He challenged the Biden administration and Congress to “turn the tables. Let’s make it easier for America to out-innovate China,” he said. “For small companies across this country, NAM will never stop fighting to make them more competitive.”
Furthermore, counterfeit products are a problem of what Timmons called “epidemic proportions” that cost $131 million dollars and 325,000 American jobs. Eight-seven percent of counterfeit products seized at borders in 2019 came from China, he said.
Another way to win global competition, he says, is to speed the construction of new projects in America. A key initiative is to push Congress to pass a bill that reforms the permitting process, which would make it easier to get permission to build roads, power plants and new facilities. “We should set high standards and modernize the process to have fewer delays,” said Timmons. “It’s not about cutting corners; it’s about keeping up with the world around us.
“The story of manufacturers in America is one of resilience and defying the odds,” he continued. “Don't stack the odds against us with policy, that's our message to Congress and federal agencies.
Timmons heralded manufacturing as an industry that inspires others and is dedicated to values that he says have made America “exceptional,” including free enterprise, competitiveness, individual liberty and equal opportunity. “Working together, we will make this a manufacturing decade.”
