New York Times Magazine Contributing Writer Dan Kaufman discusses his recent examination of NAFTA's role in changing American politics through the lens of the Master Lock factory in Milwaukee, Wis.Photo courtesy Dan Kaufman; Photo by Andrew T. Warmanبقلم The Manufacturing Report

When husband and wife Carolyn and Joseph Ferrara launched Ferrara Manufacturing in 1987, they set out to make the best womenswear in the business, all from their New York City's Garment District factory. They had no idea that NAFTA was about to rock the U.S. garment industry to its core, but they fought through the tumult and found success in worki…

American Giant CEO Bayard Winthrop and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai discuss rebuilding a fully American-made apparel supply chain, from cotton fields to finished garments. They highlight the importance of worker-centered trade policy, economic security, and the potential to make affordable, high-quality products in America.Not…

When one Portland dad couldn't find a high-quality truck camper for family adventures, he decided to build his own. Peter Williams, co-founder and president of Super Pacific, shares what his company's "built like an airplane" mantra means for their production process and discusses the challenges of building the business during the pandemic and how …

In 2020, U.S. diplomats Kris Forrest and Rebecca Beardsley hosted a cocktail party, but their shaker just wasn’t up to snuff. So they decided to make their own. Forty cold calls to American steel fabricators and many YouTube CAD tutorial videos later, they launched C&D Tools, a veteran- and minority-owned company. Within six months, they had landed…

While studying at Yale Law School, Darnell Epps heard that U.S. manufacturers were grappling with a labor shortage, and he was baffled that tens of thousands of valuable community-supporting jobs weren't finding applicants. So, he enrolled at a trade school to become a certified machinist and find out what the heck was going wrong. What he learned …

For decades, Image Pointe's unionized workers have screen-printed clothing in Iowa. So, when the company contemplated starting its own American-made apparel factory that held true to the same ethical labor practices, Image Pointe CEO Josh Ruyle knew it had to be union-represented. In 2024, Image Pointe opened Dignity Apparel in Tennessee with 100% …

Grilling is an iconic American pastime, but unfairly subsidized Chinese imports threaten to dissolve the U.S. factories making our grills right here. Meco President Whitney Winter discusses the impact of unfair Chinese competition on the Tennessee-based family-owned grill manufacturing company and highlights the critical role Meco plays in supporti…

Family-run shoe manufacturer Rancourt & Co. has maintained its commitment to Made in America quality and tradition for more than 50 years. This year, you can catch their shoes on full display at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Co-owner and President Mike Rancourt shares the process of creating these iconic, American-m…

If you’ve ever done any water sports, then you’ve probably used TRC Recreation water gear. The Texas company has been a key player in the water sports gear market since the 1950s. CEO Matt Iles shares their rich history, innovative spirit, and commitment to American manufacturing. Photo courtesy of TRC Recreation…

Wendy Cutler has spent nearly 30 years as a diplomat and negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, working to lower tariffs and open markets. But, now, as the world grapples with a deluge of Chinese industrial overcapacity in key sectors, Cutler is advocating for preemptive trade action and international cooperation to counter Chin…

Host Scott Paul shares how to channel all that flag-waving spirit into buying that supports America's workers and economy. And, he revisits conversations with industry experts, Made in America Store Owner Mark Andol and Annin Flagmakers Vice President of Sales Bob Caggiano, who discuss their commitment to 100% American production and the impact on …

Chinese-made cars are already finding their way onto American streets with brands like Volvo leading the way. Dunne Insights CEO Michael Dunne, a seasoned expert in the automotive industry with extensive experience in both American and Chinese markets, discusses how Chinese automakers have strategically positioned themselves to dominate both the in…

As America's factory boom comes to fruition, recruiting the next generation of factory workers is more important than ever, but getting them through the door isn't always easy. Taylor Evans, the president and founder of talent recruitment agency Rust Belt Recruiting, shares how manufacturers can go beyond the paycheck to add value to employees' liv…

Amid escalating global competition and trade cheating, the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of the United States is helping American manufacturers play offense. Owen Herrnstadt, a member of EXIM’s Board of Directors, shares how the bank’s Make More in America Initiative works in conjunction with President Biden’s U.S. supply chain resiliency effort to clo…

China is the world's biggest shipbuilder by far, an advantage that Beijing has stolen through decades of trade cheating and massive government subsidies. A new trade investigation launched by the Biden administration is America's first step toward course correction. United Steelworkers International President David McCall joins the podcast to share…

China and India are the world's leading mobile phone manufacturers, but one company is moving its production away from these countries and setting up shop in the United States. Dubbed "Project Patriot," Orbic's plan to manufacture connected devices on Long Island will bring more than 1,000 jobs back to America. Orbic North America Founder and CEO M…

American Paper Optics has made a whopping more than 3 billion pairs of its innovative 3D glasses. Now, in preparation for the Great North American Eclipse on April 8, this Tennessee company is churning out millions upon millions of ISO-approved and CE-certified eclipse glasses so people can safely experience this rare astronomical event. In fact, i…

In his new book, "American Flannel: How a Band of Entrepreneurs Are Bringing the Art and Business of Making Clothes Back Home," journalist Steven Kurutz profiles men and women who have the courage and grit to fight the tide of offshoring that obliterated 98% of America's apparel and textile industry. Listen in for what inspired his examination of A…

Award-winning Director Carl Kriss shares a behind-the-scenes preview of his new documentary, "Relighting the Flame," which profiles the next generation of workers who are fighting for the resurgence of the steel industry. But this isn't the first time Kriss has told the stories of the Midwest's blue-collar people. Listen in for what he's learned ab…

Now in its 50th Class of the “Breaking the Chains of Poverty” pre-apprenticeship program, the Pittsburgh Chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) provides real-world experience and industry-recognized credentials for participants from underserved communities in partnership with the United Steelworkers and other unions. APRI Pittsburgh Vic…

In her latest book, “Making It in America: The Almost Impossible Quest to Manufacture in the U.S.A. (and How It Got That Way),” journalist Rachel Slade profiles Ben and Whitney Waxman’s mission to rebuild Maine’s lost textile industry by founding their own union-made apparel manufacturer. Slade shares how the Waxmans’ company, American Roots, has f…

Kory Daniels, chief information security officer for cybersecurity firm Trustwave, breaks down the company’s recent report examining the manufacturing industry’s greatest vulnerabilities to cyberattacks and how manufacturers can mitigate these risks in a way that even non-security leaders can implement. Photo courtesy of Trustwave…

We're counting down the top manufacturing news stories of 2023 and forecasting what lies ahead in the coming year. Join Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) President Scott Paul and the AAM team for the conversation. Getty Imagesبقلم The Manufacturing Report

Bevin Bells, the only dedicated bell manufacturer in America, has been making bells in "Bell Town" East Hampton, Conn., since 1832. The family-owned company made the iconic bell featured in "It's a Wonderful Life" and its bells can still be found around the country today. Listen in for how the company, now in its sixth generation, has navigated the…

Two father-and-son teams found a hole in the market for toys that bridged the gap between blocks and Lego. They knew they wanted to make it in America. The problem? They had zero manufacturing experience. A successful Kickstarter campaign and nearly 10 years later, Luke’s Toy Factory is thriving. Here’s how they did it. Photo courtesy of Luke's Toy…

Shinola Chief Operating Officer Bailey Mattacola breaks down how the Detroit-born company tackled the challenge of building watches in America again and then expanded to manufacturing bags, apparel, jewelry and so much more. Mattacola also dives into how Shinola is reclaiming high-quality American manufacturing and how customers respond to the “Det…

Direct-to-consumer mattress pioneer BedInABox got its start in 2004 by establishing a radically new way to sell mattresses. Since then, the industry has been swarmed with competitors, and the same shipping method that BedInABox innovated has been exploited by copycat importers. But BedInABox has leveraged its Mount Airy, N.C., production to differe…

Kristen Fanarakis was deeply entrenched in the world of finance when she made the radical decision to buck the offshoring, race-to-the-bottom trend in 2017 and start her Made in Los Angeles luxury apparel brand, Senza Tempo. Fanarakis shares why she's committed to American manufacturing and the policies that best support Made in America brands. Pho…

Alliance for American Manufacturing President Scott Paul discusses a new poll that documents a radical shift that likely Republican primary voters have made on trade and breaks down the second Republican presidential candidate debate. Paul evaluates whether the 2024 presidential candidates are aligning themselves with voters on trade, China and ind…

U.S. trade policy was ruled for decades by the concept that free trade was always the answer — a fallacy that led to the loss of millions of American manufacturing jobs. Former United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer fundamentally changed that and ushered in policy that put American workers first. He joins the podcast to discuss his ne…

Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio), a lead Republican author of the Leveling the Playing Field Act 2.0, joins us to explain how the bipartisan legislation would modernize the trade remedy tools America needs to push back against the predatory economic practices of China and other nations. Johnson also discusses the importance of America's steel industry. P…

When Team AAM spoke with members of the United Steelworkers union this past summer during the Rapid Response conference in Washington, D.C., these hardworking men and women shared how integrally their communities are tied to manufacturing and why a policy that reinvests tax money back into communities is vital to their livelihoodsAAM photo…

Auburn Manufacturing Inc. (AMI) CEO Kathie Leonard built her textile company from the ground up in a male-dominated industry decades ago. So when China’s dumping of heavily subsidized silica fabric made her company go sideways, she fought tooth and nail for her business and its workers. She won. In August, President Biden spotlighted AMI as an indu…

Terry Iverson, the president and CEO of Illinois machine tool distributorship and rebuilder Iverson & Company, has been deeply entrenched in the manufacturing world since birth and has made it his personal mission to ensure that America’s next generation seizes career opportunities in the industry. In this episode, he discusses the two books he rec…

China is churning out enough electric vehicles to flood the global market, and it’s working on gearing up for an autonomous vehicle onslaught as well. But American self-driving electric vehicle company Cruise is working hard to beat them in the race, and it’s doing it through a partnership with legacy American manufacturer General Motors that’s cre…

Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens (D) discusses the role of industrial policy in America’s factory boom and how American manufacturers can lead in the global electric vehicle and autonomous vehicle race. Photo courtesy of Rep. Haley Stevensبقلم The Manufacturing Report

More than 2 million packages are imported into the U.S. every day without inspection because of a U.S. Customs loophole that Chinese e-commerce behemoths like SHEIN and Temu have exploited to seize market share -- and America is footing the bill. Now Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) is fighting back with new legislation, the Import Security and Fairne…

Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), a member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, discusses whether new laws aiming to increase U.S. competitiveness are gaining traction, how the United States can best compete with China, and why America (and New Jersey, of course!) is uniquely positioned to lead the world in manufacturing. Photo…

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who represents Silicon Valley and is a member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, argues that American leadership in innovation depends on the nation’s manufacturing strength. The Congressman shares his insight into America’s greatest challenges in an economic rebalancing with China and strategy …

Jennifer Harris, who served as the special assistant to the president and senior director for International Economics under President Biden, breaks down the motivations behind the White House's industrial policy push and the biggest obstacles of that policy going forward. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Harris…

In a market saturated by imports, Los Angeles-based fitness brand Runyon Canyon Apparel is keeping its clothing exclusively American-made. Founder Tony Nuccio shares why he transitioned from a thriving career in the music industry to American manufacturing and his joint effort to protect wildlife. Photo courtesy of Runyon Canyon Apparel…

The vast majority of the world’s single-use plastic is coming in from China and ending up as pollution in our local ecosystems. But this woman-, minority- and veteran-owned company is working to change that with its compostable, eco-friendly single-use cutlery, carryout containers, straws and so much more. Terravive Founder and CEO Julianna Keeling…

Emily de La Bruyère of the Force Distance Times returns to the podcast to outline Beijing's Little Giants and Single Champions programs and their implications for U.S. industrial policy. Getty Imagesبقلم The Manufacturing Report

The newly formed House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) held its first hearing at the end of February, spotlighting the CCP's threat to America's economic and national security. Alliance for American Manufacturing President Scott Paul joined former national security advisers H.R. McMaster and Matthew Pottinger as well as human …

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) shares why she thinks Democrats need to prioritize the issues of America’s Heartland — part of the impetus behind her decision to form the Heartland Caucus — and what the government can do to ensure that the electric vehicles of today and tomorrow are Made in America.Photo courtesy of Rep. Debbie Dingell…

The United States depends on China and India for some of its most critical medicines, but one Central Virginia organization is working to change that. Infused with more than $100 million in public-private funding, including from the national Build Back Better Regional Challenge program, the Alliance for Building Better Medicine is cultivating a hub…

We're covering the major manufacturing news you need to know as we close January out! Listen in to learn about a bill aiming to keep taxpayer-funded inventions Made in America, Boston's contract with a Chinese state-owned rail car company that's wreaked havoc since its start, and a major name brand that committed Made in America fraud. Join Allianc…

A new report produced by Sheffield Hallam University’s Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice and the independent nonprofit research organization NomoGaia reveals that the world’s biggest car brands, including Volkswagen, BMW, Honda, Ford, GM, Stellantis, Tesla and more, are at high risk of sourcing from companies linked to forced labor in…

When the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) was signed into law, it made big waves in the United States electric vehicle (EV) industry. While the consumer tax credits for EVs are an obvious boon to domestic manufacturing, the IRA’s incentives for U.S. battery production are equally significant. But can the U.S. leverage the opportunity quickly e…