Fabtech 2025 Keynote on 9/11 Underlines Reshoring as Pillar of National Renewal
On a day marked by solemn remembrance and patriotism, with attendees singing the national anthem followed by a moment of silence, industry veteran Harry Moser delivered a compelling keynote at Fabtech 2025. Reflecting on the importance of resilience and strength, Moser emphasized reshoring as a critical strategy to rebuild America’s manufacturing foundation, secure its economy and empower its workforce for challenges ahead.
Moser, founder of the Reshoring Initiative and a respected figure with nearly six decades in manufacturing (he was inducted into our sister publication IndustryWeek’s 2010 Manufacturing Hall of Fame) shared insights drawn from the initiative's national survey revealing how original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and job shops can capitalize on reshoring opportunities.
His message was clear despite lingering perceptions that offshore production is cheaper: Total cost analysis increasingly show that manufacturing domestically offers economic and strategic advantages.
“For too long, American manufacturing jobs have been lost offshore—6 million over recent decades—contributing to a trade deficit topping $1.2 trillion annually,” Moser said. “But the tide is turning. We counted 223,000 jobs restored just last year and the trend continues to grow.”
The keynote detailed how hidden costs such as freight tariffs, inventory carrying and supply chain disruptions, underscored by recent global events like COVID-19 and geopolitical tensions, make offshore manufacturing more expensive and riskier than many realize. By focusing on total cost of ownership (TCO), Moser urged purchasing managers to reevaluate sourcing strategies with a fresh, comprehensive perspective.
READ MORE: Navigating Tariffs and Automation: The Future of U.S. Manufacturing
Workforce Skills Key to Unlocking Reshoring Potential
Moser also highlighted the role of workforce skills and accelerating reshoring. “The No. 1 reason companies hesitate to bring jobs back is workforce availability and skill level,” he said. He called for strengthened vocational training, apprenticeships and new career pathways that resonate more closely with today's manufacturing needs, highlighting that “manufacturing careers offer dignity, great benefits and a path to the middle class.”
The keynote underscored the importance of thoughtful industrial policy. Moser advocated for policies that level the playing field, including value-added taxes, tariff reforms and immediate expensing on capital investments, to help U.S. companies compete with global manufacturing leaders who benefit from aggressive government support.
READ MORE: What Tariffs Reveal: A Wake-up Call to Strengthen Manufacturing Skills
Reshoring Successes Earn Recognition
Adding real-world evidence to the reshoring story, two National Metalworking Reshoring awards were presented to manufacturing leaders that exemplify U.S. reshoring success. Drew Greenblatt, CEO of Marlin Steel, described how pivoting toward high-value engineered products and promoting quality, speed and innovation have allowed his company to thrive despite low-cost imports.
Meanwhile, Bill Good, vice president of supply chain at GE Appliances, showcased his company's massive investment of more than $6.5 billion since 2016 in U.S. factories, creating thousands of jobs by bringing production of major appliances back from overseas.
“Manufacturing is not just important, it’s essential to national strength, community vitality and a vibrant economy,” Good said, noting the efforts to modernize plants with advanced automation and improve employee benefits—painting a vision of a competitive, sustainable future for American manufacturing.
