Taking a Look at Maryland’s Manufacturing Revolution

March 15, 2016 | American Manufacturing

Manufacturing is the key to growing jobs and the U.S. economy. Just ask Maryland.Here on the Marlin blog, the topic of the manufacturing renaissanceis one that comes up frequently. Usually, though, when you hear about the manufacturing renaissance, it’s referencing the resurgence of the manufacturing industry on a national level.

However, this resurgence of manufacturing is one that is taking place in many different states and cities. It’s a national movement, but one that is being carried out by individual manufacturers in their respective hometowns.

Take, for example, Marlin Steel’s own home state of Maryland. In Maryland, several manufacturing companies like Marlin have been hard at work making products and growing jobs for the state.

In fact, Maryland’s manufacturing revolution has been prominently featured in an article by the Baltimore Business Journal titled Maryland’s Undergoing a Manufacturing Revolution.

Manufacturing: Growing Jobs That Reward Workers

Manufacturers like Marlin Steel not only add jobs to whatever state they operate in; they create careers that provide workers with a real living wage. This not only helps boost the local economy by adding more consumers with disposable income, it gives workers the chance to pursue the American dream and support a family.

As noted in the Business Journal article, “Maryland’s manufacturing employees earn, on average, more than $80,000 per year. That exceeds the average worker’s salary in the state by more than $25,000.”

These jobs are worlds apart from the dead-end, minimum wage jobs flipping burgers for a chain. In manufacturing, workers have a chance to provide for their families and embark on a real career.

The aforementioned Business Journal article talks about what happens when the industry isn’t strong: “Cities lose people. Homes are boarded up. Neighborhoods erode. Working families lose their ticket to upward mobility.” Manufacturing builds the middle class, helping improve the quality of life for American workers.

Sustaining the Manufacturing Revolution in Maryland and Beyond

Because of how much the growth of manufacturing jobs matters to the growth of the middle class and the health of local economies, it’s important to make sure that manufacturers can continue to grow and add jobs without getting put out of business by unfair trade practices and other barriers to success.

The Baltimore Business Journal article addresses this issue, noting several ways to help protect American manufacturers and grow jobs in Maryland:

  • Securing and Enforcing Fair Trade Agreements. One of the major challenges faced by American manufacturing companies is the unfair trade practices that are often abused by foreign competitors. As noted by the article, “strongly enforcing domestic and international trade rules will help bring American products to more than 1 billion new customers and create and protect jobs here at home.”
  • Investigating All Avenues of Generating Energy. Right now, American manufacturers are enjoying a pretty nice level of affordability for their power costs thanks to the shale gas boom. However, to maintain the edge that gives American manufacturers, we need to, as the article states, “incorporate every available energy source within our national energy strategy.” Only by using every resource at our disposal as efficiently as possible can we keep energy costs down and protect one of the biggest advantages enjoyed by American manufacturers.
  • Immigration Reform. Immigration is a hot-button topic in nearly any era. However, immigration remains a great source of smart, talented, and driven individuals who can make great contributions. As noted in the article, “we must welcome those who want to contribute their talents to this nation’s success.”

Manufacturing is the key to growing American jobs and the economy. By working with lawmakers to help refine the regulations governing manufacturing’s success, we can all benefit from the growth of manufacturing jobs and industry.

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