Thank you Supply Chain Digest [1] for this table with clear numbers. Depending on what case an article wants to make, they might use one column or the other. So it is great to see both the differences since 2009 and the differences since the peaks years earlier in a consolidated table.
I want to make a few observations from this clear tabulation.
#1. US Manufacturing output is much better now than what it was in 2009. Except for a couple of exceptions, most manufacturing areas have big gains.
#2. Several manufacturing areas seem to be as strong or stronger now than ever. These area have trends that look very promising.
- Semiconductors
- Food
- Computer and Electronics
- Aerospace Equipment
- Ship and Boat Building
- Motor Vehicle Parts
- Machinery
- Consumer Durables
- Plastic and Rubber Products
#3. Some manufacturing areas might never return to their old peaks in the US. I have a hypothesis that if these areas have not recovered to anywhere close to their old peaks that perhaps these are the areas that have truly left the US and might not come back any time soon. Many of these had peaks in the US before 2000.
- Textiles
- Apparel
- Primary Metals
- Hardware
- Paper, Paperboard
- Electrical Equipment
- Household Appliances
The rest of the manufacturing areas might still have hope to return to their peaks of 2006-2008. I encourage you to read the full Supply Chain Digest article at the reference below.
Reference
[1] “Supply Chain News: US Manufacturing Recovery by Key Sectors”, Supply Chain Digest, 2016 February
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