MAPI – Manufacturers Alliance Economic News and Reports

Issues in the Brief

Life Is Better With Manufacturing
MAPI’s new video takes a quick (and fun) look at how manufacturing makes our country wealthier, more innovative and more productive. The statistics come from our newly revamped Facts About Modern Manufacturing.

Chess and the Era of Exponential Growth
The “second half of the chessboard” describes the point at which true exponential change becomes overwhelming. Manufacturers are both being influenced by and influencing the current epic transformation in technology, aided particularly by digitization.

Lower Oil Prices Will Hamper Latin America’s Manufacturing Growth
With energy projects being scaled back, postponed and canceled, related business opportunities for manufacturers are on hold. A sustained period of lower oil prices will likely be a net negative for Latin America.

The Post-Recession State of U.S. Manufacturing
Early signs suggest that the swift decline in American manufacturing since 2000 has leveled out. The possibility of a revival in the next decade largely depends on U.S. manufacturers’ sourcing decisions and export performance.

3D Printing and Regional Manufacturing Competitiveness
3D printing will fundamentally alter manufacturing ecosystems in certain industries. With the potential for shorter supply chains and greater end-user involvement in product innovation, this increasingly ubiquitous technology will reshape select regional manufacturing clusters and accelerate cluster-to-cluster spillover impacts.

China Solidifies Its Position as the World’s Largest Manufacturer
China’s 23.2% share of activity makes it the largest manufacturing economy, but in terms of per capita intensity, it is well behind advanced countries.

Understanding Risk Assessment Practices at Manufacturing Companies
In this MAPI and Deloitte survey, executives ranked competitiveness drivers such as innovation and talent management as priority business risks, indicating leading practices in these areas may set a company apart. Risk management and data analytics also were classified as competitiveness capabilities.

Economic Update

U.S. Industrial Outlook: Strong Dollar Offsets Low Energy Prices
Through 2016, manufacturing is forecast to grow faster than the overall economy. Growth drivers include the construction supply chain, transportation equipment infrastructure and medical care expansion.

Manufacturing Activity March 2015
Jobs are the bright spot in recent manufacturing data, which overall suggest a weak first quarter for the sector. Growth momentum is being held back by the strong dollar, slower growth in key economies and the fall in the price of oil.

European Manufacturing Recovery Stalls but Overall Conditions Improve Slightly
Aside from energy, manufacturing in Europe is subdued. Industrial production in the Eurozone is forecast to rise 1.3% in 2015 and 2% in 2016; the region should shift into a more investment-driven growth phase later this year.