Global Fastener News

A 61% majority of Americans polled in the Manufacturing Perception Report prefer products made in the U.S.

The poll was taken in advance of the Friday, October 5, 2018, National Manufacturing Day.

• A 52% majority of baby boomers and half of Generation X find the quality of US products are superior. A total of 47% of millennials and 43% of Generation Z think the quality of products are of the same quality.
• When asked about which industries automation will have the biggest impact on, at 34% manufacturing took the lead (34%) followed by transportation (15%), retail (11%) and fast food (10%). When asked about the biggest problem facing the manufacturing, over one-third replied “robotics and automation.”
•  A 51% majority say the manufacturing sector is “very important” to national security. A combined total of 87% of respondents think manufacturing is at least of somewhat importance to national security.
• Two-thirds respond they are “very likely/somewhat likely” to encourage people to pursue manufacturing careers. Half think of manufacturing as high-tech.

The survey was conducted by Thomas, a provider of product sourcing, supplier selection and marketing solutions for manufacturers. Web: Thomasnet.com

“It was surprising to see that half of the respondents feel that the current state of the manufacturing industry is ‘stable but weak or in decline’,” Thomas CEO Tony Uphoff said. “In fact, the opposite holds true: the state of manufacturing is greater than ever—a trend we can expect to continue with innovation, a strong economy and increased national awareness.”

“Manufacturing has been the backbone of the American economy since the 1800s,” Uphoff said. “We are experiencing a renaissance right now that has a lot of promise for job growth and stability for years to come.”

Survey participants were age 18 or over and represented a range of income and locations.