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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

Nostalgia is all the rage across pop culture–so why not in manufacturing, too? It’s not 1960 but nuclear energy is back on the table. Though this time around AI is part of the conversation. Even with the shining potential of retro clean energy, there are some dark spots on the horizon as job numbers are down and factory output is shrinking. However, we’re all about a bigger focus; looking toward the next decade and not just the next few months. The majority of manufacturers are still employed by small and medium businesses and they have great opportunities for increased technology usage and deeper collaboration. In a similar vein, the Trump administration has settled its tariff deal with Japan to bring us closer on semiconductor production. We can look to the past all we like, but the future must be one of strong and lasting change.

Headlines dive deeper into the previously discussed fault lines in American manufacturing, while shining a light on the major investments from big names like AstraZeneca and WB Alloys.

This week’s first podcast, from Augmented Ops, digs into more work from AstraZeneca around emerging technology. The second podcast, from a16z, showcases the rare-earth minerals needed to power all that emerging technology, not to mention AI.

Our Social Video and Fun Fact both highlight the massive potential of nuclear energy. The future is bright!

Thanks for joining us!

⚙ Manufacturing Headlines

• AFPM CEO on the Big Beautiful Bill, UN plastics deal and U.S. manufacturing [BIC Magazine]

• Growth in the US accelerates in July, services offset manufacturing dip [S&P Global]

• WB Alloys Establishes First U.S. Production Facility in Virginia [Design and Development Today]

• AstraZeneca Investing $50B in US Manufacturing and R&D [Tip Ranks]

• A Strategic Shift in U.S. Manufacturing and Its Implications for Investors [AI Invest]

COMMENTARY

♨️ Rebuilding Through Strain: Manufacturing's Crossroads Moment

If you're trying to understand where American manufacturing stands right now, the past week offered a revealing snapshot.

This week’s newsletter spotlights the growing tension between short-term manufacturing headwinds and long-term strategic realignment. While factory output and jobs continue to slip, policymakers are escalating tariffs on steel, aluminum, and pharmaceuticals to drive reshoring in critical sectors.

Major investments in nuclear energy and semiconductor capacity underscore how industrial strategy is aligning with national security and digital infrastructure needs. But with a projected 3.8 million job gap by 2033, the real question is whether the workforce can keep pace with the momentum.

Upshot: Manufacturing's resurgence will depend not just on tariffs and trade deals, but also on whether energy and digital infrastructure can keep pace with industrial ambitions.

FROM THE FEED

📱The Company Preaching America’s Nuclear Revival

🤨Did You Know?

The United States is the world’s largest producer of nuclear power, accounting for about

30%

of worldwide generation of nuclear electricity.

^{Source: World Nuclear Association}

🎧 Podcasts Worth A Listen