Policy and Legal

NAM: Much at Stake in Movement of Goods Across Border

Timmons Urges Congress to Tackle Immigration Reform with “A Way Forward” Plan

By NAM NewsroomApril 2, 2019
STudents in the Apprenticeship Lab at STIHL work on engineering projects. Virginia Beach-based STIHL Inc., one of several manufacturing facilities in the STIHL Group, is the headquarters for U.S. operations. STIHL Inc. employs over 2,100 people nationwide, with more than 1,900 in Virginia Beach, Va., in a variety of positions from manufacturing, product assembly, manufacturing engineering, sales and marketing, and finance. The Virginia Beach facility is located on approximately 150 acres with over one million square feet under roof, where the company produces a full line of high-quality, handheld outdoor power equipment including blowers, trimmers, brushcutters, and multi-task tools, as well as the number one selling brand of chainsaws worldwide. STIHL Inc. manufactures over 260 model variations of handheld outdoor power equipment for sale in the U.S. and around the world. STIHL products are sold through a network of over 9,000 servicing power equipment retailers from coast to coast

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Manufacturers today outlined the cost of a temporary closing of the Southern Border for manufacturers in the United States and pushed Congress to tackle comprehensive immigration reform to stem the crisis.

NAM Chief Economist Chad Moutray noted the following economic statistics:

  • More than 21,000 manufacturing companies in America export to Mexico.
    In 2018, the U.S. exported $265 billion of goods across the Mexico border.
  • Businesses, including manufacturers and farmers, will lose $726 million every day the border is closed.
  • The jobs of nearly 1 million American manufacturing workers are related directly to exports to Mexico, and those jobs would be immediately at risk should the border close.
  • More than 3.3 million American jobs in other sectors of the U.S. economy that have been created as a result of these export-related jobs would also be at risk.

The NAM has been to the border to witness the situation firsthand, said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. Congress absolutely must tackle comprehensive immigration reform immediately to address the real national security and humanitarian concerns that are a direct result of our current broken system.

Manufacturers have offered ‘A Way Forward,’ a practical, comprehensive solution that provides security and compassion and addresses economic realities. Congress needs to act now so that manufacturing jobs are not at risk, and this plan should serve as a positive starting point.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12 million men and women, contributes $2.25 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.