Manufacturing made America great

Feb. 1, 2011
I just finished reading the December 2010 In the Loop editorial and can't quite figure out if you are condoning or condemning manufacturing. Manufacturing

I just finished reading the December 2010 In the Loop editorial and can't quite figure out if you are condoning or condemning manufacturing. Manufacturing and the Industrial Revolution were what made America great. However, we are raising a generation that knows nothing about manufacturing and thinks that we can exist without it. As you mention, manufacturing creates pollution. However, even people do so, when we exhale CO2. We cannot have our prosperity without some penalties.

Case in point: I once worked as a manager of a local iron foundry, which was closed due to shifting work overseas and the extremely high cost of meeting environmental regulations. I purchased many a ton of steel from Republic, about which you write, back in the 1960s. It helped us conquer space and go to the moon. Now we rely on China for almost everything, and Russia to get us to the Space Station. It's not too hard to see the direction we are going — for some of us, anyway. As an aside, America recently lost the greatest leader it has ever had for championing manufacturing in America: Mr. Roger Milliken died in December. Go to milliken.com to learn more about his life.

Contact us

Do you have a question, comment, or opinion you'd like to share? Perhaps you have an article idea or topic area you'd like to see us cover? We'd like to hear from you.

Drop us a note at [email protected].

Sponsored Recommendations

June 27, 2025
Ensure workplace safety and compliance with our comprehensive Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Safety Training course. Learn critical procedures to prevent serious injuries.
June 27, 2025
Join our expert webinar to discover essential safety control measures and best practices for engineering a truly safe and compliant industrial environment.
June 25, 2025
An innovative aircraft with electric drives combines the best of both worlds. The cross between drone and helicopter could mean significantly faster and more efficient air emergency...
June 25, 2025
Effective when other materials fail, ceramics are particularly suitable for applications requiring wear and chemical resistance, sliding characteristics or biocompatibility. Discover...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Machine Design, create an account today!