“Contrary to its image as a fading giant, manufacturing is helping to propel the U.S. economy to new heights of wealth and reward.”
The popular notion is that manufacturing in the US is on the decline. There is no doubt that there has been a major sea change in the industry and therefore in the professions associated with manufacturing. But, perhaps surprisingly, the US remains the dominant manufacturing country in the world, even when compared to Japan, Europe and China. The US continues to be the largest producer of manufactured goods globally. It is also remarkable that this fraction of value added has not changed over two decades, given the rise of Japanese industry during that time, and the rapid growth in China’s output in the past decade.
Data: UNIDO
Most industrialized nations have toyed with the idea of eliminating manufacturing from their economy. But as the data below shows, in all the major countries of the world, the wealth created by manufacturing is still significant, and for most, especially in the United States, it is growing in importance.
Data: "China and India: The Reality Beyond the Hype," A Deloitte Research Study
The modern global manufacturing environment has never been more challenging. As part of the MEng Curriculum, we have the chance to examine leading companies. In every case, what distinguishes the best from everyone else is the relentless pursuit of excellence and a culture of continuous change and innovation. What is also clear is that the leaders pursue technical as well as operational excellence, placing new and exciting challenges on manufacturing engineering professionals.
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