Export Boom Fuels Factory Town’s Revival – WSJ.com:

It’s more a story of exchange rates (weak dollar) than Lean, but manufacturing isn’t dead yet, especially in Wisconsin.

As someone who re-opened a closed factory says:

“America got tired of manufacturing,” Mr. Martinez says. “But it remains a great way to make money.”

Some handy stats on the U.S. manufacturing economy from the article:

Nationally, only about 10% of the U.S. work force is currently employed in manufacturing. That’s down from a peak of about 42% in the early 1940s, and about 18% in the 1980s.

But while manufacturing now represents about 12% of gross domestic product, down from 15% a decade ago, exports have surged. Last year, the U.S. exported about $1 trillion worth of goods, up 39% from 2002, when the dollar started its decline. The National Association of Manufacturers, a trade group, estimates U.S. exports will hit $1.1 trillion this year. A weaker dollar makes U.S. goods more price-competitive in Europe and other lands with a strong currency.

Now let’s hope the surviving and newly-opened factories are also applying Lean methods…

Do you know of similar stories from your part of the country? Factories being re-opened or mini-manufacturing booms?

About LeanBlog.org: Mark Graban is a consultant, author, and speaker in the “lean healthcare” methodology, focused on improving quality and patient safety, improving access, reducing costs, and fully engaging healthcare professionals. He is also the Chief Improvement Officer for KaiNexus.

Tagged as: Wisconsin, WSJ