The Global Manufacturer

Economics: The Week in Review

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 18:04:00 +0000

An eventful and choppy week for economic data as the U.S. economy continued to recover from the Great Recession in fits and starts. Concerns grew that budget tightening was creating a drag on the fragile economy and would likely cause the Federal Reserve to continue its monetary stimulus policy. There was little this week to support the idea of a manufacturing renaissance.

The Global Manufacturer

Apple Pie Offers a Slice of American Products

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:39:00 +0000

Add online retailer Apple Pie to the growing list of organizations seeking to promote Made in the USA products.

The Seattle, Wash.-based retailer offers thousands of American products from kids' toys to clothing to dog treats.

The Global Manufacturer

Medical Device Manufacturers Achieve Symbolic Victory

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 19:01:00 +0000

Despite a Senate vote in favor of repealing the medical device tax, don't bet on manufacturers escaping the new tax.

On Thursday, the Senate approved an amendment to the Senate Budget Resolution by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D- Minn., that expressed support for repeal of the tax, part of the Affordable Care Act. However, the amendment, passed in a 79-20 vote, is non-binding. Observers say the vote gave many senators political cover to support manufacturers in their states without actually voting to repeal the tax.

The Global Manufacturer

What Does the ‘Age of Unconventional Energy’ Mean?

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:41:00 +0000

Citing huge economic advantages to the U.S., ExxonMobil (IW 500/1) Chemical President Steve Pryor laid out his vision for the “new age of unconventional energy.” You might wonder if unconventional refers to windmills or solar panels or fusion reactors. But the green Pryor was referencing was the economic boom coming from shale oil and gas.

The Global Manufacturer

GDP Creeps into Positive in 4Q Revision

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:08:00 +0000

After initially reporting that U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) had decreased 0.1% in the fourth quarter of 2012, the government issued revised data showing it had actually grown by 0.1%.

The Global Manufacturer

GDP Numbers 'Not a Surprise to Manufacturers'

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:45:00 +0000

National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Chief Economist Chad Moutray calls the dip in 2012 fourth-quarter GDP "not a surprise to manufacturers."

The Global Manufacturer

US 4Q GDP Train Did Not Keep a Rollin

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:55:00 +0000

A 22.2% reduction in defense spending derailed growth in the U.S. gross domestic product for the fourth quarter of 2012. Real GDP fell by 0.1% in the quarter after a 3.1% increase in the third quarter.

The Global Manufacturer

The Fine Art of the Public Apology

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 18:35:00 +0000

OK, Lance Armstrong has peddled (sorry, couldn't resist) to Oprah his very public apology for cheating throughout his historic cycling career. But famous athletes are hardly the only ones these days who have to, as mom told us, "say you're sorry." Consider Apple CEO Tim Cook, who admitted that the company’s Maps app didn’t “just work.” Or Akio Toyoda, who told a Congressional panel he was “deeply sorry for any accidents Toyota drivers have experienced.”

The Global Manufacturer

CEOs Focus on People and Operations in Slow-Growth Economy

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 15:27:00 +0000

Human capital and operational excellence are squarely in the sights of corporate leaders looking to bolster their businesses in a sluggish global economy. That’s the main takeaway from the Conference Board’s CEO Challenge 2013, a survey of more than 700 senior executives in the U.S., Europe and Asia.

The Global Manufacturer

December Jobs Numbers: Still Stuck in Neutral

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 16:14:00 +0000

Any politicians still celebrating their tiny victory in heading off the fiscal cliff need look no farther than today's federal jobs report to know that the real work of healing the economy remains ahead of them.

Ball State economist Michael Hicks said today’s job report underscores his belief that recovery from the Great Recession will be anemic for the long term.