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.
AFP | Getty Images Workers in a clothing factory in Bozhou, Anhui province, China.
China—a low-cost maker of goods—is falling behind in the global manufacturing race as rising wages and energy costs put pressure on the Asian country, synonymous with making super cheap stuff.
Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Jack Brown Produce workers sort apples on a packing line in Sparta, Mich. The state, a big exporter of agricultural goods, is among U.S. regions raising its export profile.
It’s well-known American jobs have been lost to overseas competition. While work on U.S. manufacturing floors has declined, overseas markets have developed a growing appetite for American-made goods—from chemicals and wood products, to medical devices.
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
Documentary: Made by China in America? directed by Miao Wang about Chinese firms bringing manufacturing to the U.S. It is part of Morgan Spurlock’s “We the Economy” series (www.wetheeconomy.com).
When I was a baby, my mom waited in line at 3am with her ration ticket to pick up the monthly allowance of meat. As fortunate dwellers of China’s capital city, we received a little more than two pounds. In remote provinces, it was half or a quarter of that amount.
WeatherTech
Nearly every piece of gear that military recruits get when they show up for training is made here in the United States — but not their running shoes.
That is about to change, under a policy shift that could have big repercussions in New England. Read more
What will the ramifications of all-American shoes manufacturing be here in Massachusetts?
Tony Post has a good idea what the answer would be. Read more
The United States remains the largest medical device market in the world with a market size of around $110 billion, and it is expected to reach $133 billion by 2016. The U.S. market value represented about 38 percent of the global medical device market in 2012. U.S. exports of medical devices in key product categories identified by the Department of Commerce (DOC) exceeded $44 billion in 2012, a more than seven percent increase from the previous year. Read more
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
