I appreciated the Plain Dealer’s 11/29/07 article on a recent “Manufacturing Brief”, published by Cleveland State University’s Center for Economic Development (see this link). There was some good news in the Brief, which also raised some questions NE Ohio should consider as we look at the state of US based manufacturing.
First, our metals sector is alive and well. The sector is adding jobs, investment and economic output. It ships most of its products from the region, and through these exports, brings new money into NE Ohio. It is thus one of the most productive and valuable industry clusters in NE Ohio. The region should coalesce better around opportunities to maximize the wealth and job creation potential of this 100,000 job cluster that includes primary metal-making, metal forming, tool making, metal plating, local metals industry associations, our network of community college and high school career-technical training institutions and our university research facilities.
The Manufacturing Access to Growth and Innovation in Cuyahoga County and NE Ohio (MAGICC NEO) is a good first step at addressing the training and workforce development needs of the metals sector, which is targeting metals firms that hire machinists, welders and industrial maintenance workers. The machinery industry is closely related to metals, as most machines are built of metal. It too is expanding employment and output. Contact us at WIRE-Net if you are interested in learning more about MAGICC.
But why are so many other of our key manufacturing sectors lagging in both employment and output? One key factor is our antiquated trade policies. Not only does our trade bureacracy look the other way when our so-called “trading partners” break the rules of international trade – for example, by pegging their currency to an artificial value of the dollar and giving themselves a significant cost advantage for products made in their county, but it is confused between its two jobs of both promoting trade and enforcing trade laws. We seen China backsliding on protection of intellectual property too, not to mention a dangerous and cavalier attitude about product and workplace safety. Finding better ways to enforce fair trade rules, and updating our trade policy to the global economic realities are critical to NE Ohio’s future and to our manufacturing economy.
John Colm, President and Executive Director
WIRE-Net
