U.S. Manufacturing's Global Future

WITH THEIR SPECTACULAR REPORTED FINANcial results, it should be no surprise that energy companies dominate this year's IW U.S. 500 and IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies lists. But this mature industry's strong showing causes me to wonder: What does this tell us about the future of U.S. manufacturing?

Weren't high-tech, high-value-added companies supposed to dominate our nation's manufacturing sector from now on? These questions become more critical as you dig down into the lists. While petroleum and coal-products companies accounted for 15 of the IW 50 Best Manufacturing Companies, metals and primary metals companies accounted for seven, followed closely by printing and publishing with six. Where are the pharmaceutical, computer and electronic, and medical equipment companies?

These are trick questions, however, designed to get us thinking about what we think about when we think about manufacturing and its future. Readers of this column know that one of my and IWs missions is to convince business and public policy leaders to think differently about manufacturing-and to convince manufacturing executives that it's in their best interest to do so as well.