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This Week in Manufacturing - 4/8/26

This Week in Manufacturing - 4/8/26

What's up? Hiring and costs!

April 08, 2026

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This report is brought to you in partnership with Sustainment, a market network dedicated to the success of American Manufacturing. Learn More →

💴 This Week in Manufacturing

U.S. manufacturing is expanding again, with PMI reaching a two-year high, but the recovery remains uneven. Rising input costs, tightening supply chains, and cautious hiring are limiting momentum. Demand is holding, yet confidence is still rebuilding. The data points to an early-stage recovery where growth is real but constrained by structural friction, reinforcing the need for stronger, more resilient domestic supply networks.

This week’s headlines cover enduring resilience and ingenuity across the industry from trade show innovation to workforce rebuilding and space-bound collaboration.

Our first podcast, from Advanced Manufacturing Now, further dives into the hiring challenge with cobots transforming operations. The second podcast, from Augmented Ops, features a reimagining of manufacturing’s production systems.

The Social Video and Fun Fact both showcase the true heart of American manufacturing: small businesses. From a 24/7 aerospace shop to the future workforce needs nationwide, the future is small.

Thanks for joining us!

⚙ Manufacturing Headlines

IMTS 2026 will showcase manufacturing technologies [Today’s Medical Developments]
A year later, here's where things stand on Trump's manufacturing revival [Politico]
Collaboration to build manufacturing workforce in US [HR Dive]
US manufacturing showing greater resilience [ING]
Manufacturers Across America Power Historic Artemis II Mission [NAM]

COMMENTARY

♨️ U.S. Manufacturing Isn’t Slowing Down—It’s Running Into Reality

Hiring is Rebounding but Supply Chain Snarls and High Costs Remain

If you’ve been waiting for clear evidence that U.S. manufacturing is turning a corner, this was the week.

After months of contraction, U.S. manufacturing is showing clear signs of growth, with production and new orders driving a third straight month of expansion. At the same time, rising costs, slower supplier deliveries, and low inventories are putting pressure on the system. Hiring is improving but remains cautious, reflecting uncertainty about sustained demand.

While long-term investment continues, the near-term environment is defined by volatility, highlighting the importance of building flexible, relationship-driven supply chains to support continued growth.

Upshot: With 250,000 manufacturers across the country, 99% of them small businesses, the system only works when those companies can confidently find and work with each other.