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💴 This Week in Manufacturing

2025 is off to the races and the manufacturing industry has all the fuel needed to stay in the race, we just need to keep momentum and focus. This month’s industry report details the opportunities ahead for industry strengthening this year, and beyond.

The December monthly industry review and report highlights a further decline in output and new orders, though the PMI was only fractionally down from November by posting 49.4. Furthermore, companies such as Eli Lilly and NOVONIX are making significant investments in American manufacturing hubs and our supply chain. Reshoring is underway, in a big way!

This week’s headlines continue the parade of nearshoring and innovation. We have advances in alternative cement, robotics, and challenges to China’s drone dominance, to get started.

Next, this week’s podcasts hit on heartfelt sources of inspiration: our children and our planet. Whether making playgrounds in America (The Manufacturing Report) or how the supply chain can be sustainable (The Manufacturing Executive).

Finally, our Social Video and Fun Fact look toward the future of manufacturing technology here in the states; where it should be.

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⚙ Manufacturing Headlines

• ORNL Produces First 3D Printed Specimen Capsule for Nuclear Energy [3DPrint.com]

• Alternative Cement Manufacturing [Clean the Sky]

• December manufacturing industry data review [CompanyWeek]

• Accelerate Program of Pittsburgh Robotics Factory in Third Cohort [The Robot Report]

• U.S.-based company challenging China’s drone motor dominance [Drone Life]

• First Made-in-USA Solar Plant Set to Power Google Data Centers [U.S. Department of Energy]

MONTHLY REVIEW

♨️ US Manufacturing Insights - December

December 2024 capped off a year of continued growth and investment in American manufacturing.

The S&P Global US Manufacturing PMI posted 49.4 in December, down slightly from 49.7 in November. This signaled a sixth straight month of deterioration in operating conditions, as output and new orders fell at a quickened pace. New export orders stabilized in December per ISM data after months of declines, likely helped by a weaker dollar boosting the competitiveness of U.S. goods overseas.

With the right structural support from policymakers, U.S. manufacturing can regain solid momentum in 2025. Time will tell whether that optimism is well-founded as global growth projections remain lackluster.

Upshot: Surging natural gas production and relatively affordable energy costs give American factories a persistent edge. Manufacturing employment should also rise thanks to new facilities coming online and a deep pool of skilled labor.

FROM THE FEED

📱Bring manufacturing back to America

🤨Did You Know?

According to one research, the average automation level in factories will rise to

79%

over the next decade.

^{Source: WNS}

🎧 Podcasts Worth A Listen

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