Reader Feedback – 2009-10-01

Leadership, technology will deliver manufacturing rebirth Over the past 30 years, millions of North American manufacturing jobs have been lost and replaced with generally lower paying service jobs. These manufacturing jobs helped build the vibrant middle class that raised the standard of living for millions of families.

October 1, 2009

Leadership, technology will deliver manufacturing rebirth

Over the past 30 years, millions of North American manufacturing jobs have been lost and replaced with generally lower paying service jobs. These manufacturing jobs helped build the vibrant middle class that raised the standard of living for millions of families. While turning these losses around is extremely difficult, a more sustainable manufacturing presence is possible through the right initiatives, continual support and a collective effort by manufacturers, policy-makers and business leaders.

In light of recent economic revival efforts by the Obama administration, including the assumption of control over a major domestic automotive manufacturer, it is now time to take action, develop a high-performance manufacturing industry and support economic recovery. To this end, the Association for Manufacturing Excellence stands ready to provide leadership for industrial growth and sustainability at a national and local level in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

AME is comprised of a diverse network of manufacturing professionals and businesses focused on continuous improvement and the pursuit of enterprise excellence. For 25 years, the men and women of AME have shared their experiences through practitioner-to-practitioner and company-to-company-focused events. From each interaction, AME members take away innovative and proven continuous improvement strategies and methods that they can use to increase organizational success and global competitiveness.

It is this spirit of collaboration and knowledge sharing that we believe will once again position North American manufacturing as the example of innovation and leadership. Success is vital for the economic health and security of our countries’ futures. With the right vision, resources, a results-driven culture, rapid advancement of technology and most importantly, the combined strength of AME members, individual and corporate, we can make a difference now.

AME already has a network of industry professionals that can help launch local business excellence groups or consortiums using proven deployment processes. Toward that end, government should strive to help create a framework, infrastructure and environment that supports increasing our productivity. Together, we can start developing jobs and re-energize the manufacturing industry in North America.

The fundamental continuous improvement approaches that have been established in the last few decades are necessary to develop and sustain manufacturing excellence. However, without a commitment by all of us to implement and use them, we will continue to see the demise of North American manufacturing. Please support the Association for Manufacturing Excellence along with your colleagues and employees in our pledge to ensure that through the exchange of knowledge and best practices, manufacturing can thrive once again.

Ralph L. Keller

AME President