Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers Vice President of International Economic Affairs Linda Dempsey released the following statement after the House Financial Services Committee passed legislation to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank for 10 years:

Manufacturers need long-term certainty that the Ex-Im Bank can keep helping manufacturers secure new sales overseas that support well-paying American jobs. The legislation would help manufacturers in the U.S. compete in the global economy by providing a 10-year reauthorization, increasing the authorization ceiling and ensuring the agency’s board will remain fully functioning. This deserves strong bipartisan support on the House floor. We appreciate the members who support this critical agency and thank them for their vote on this important legislation.

Quick facts about the Ex-Im Bank:

• The agency has supported 2.5 million jobs over the past 20 years.
• On average, more than 90% of the Ex-Im Bank’s transactions directly support small businesses.
• The agency has generated $9.6 billion for taxpayers since 1992.
• Foreign competitors are stealing America’s competitive advantage by devoting hundreds of billions of dollars to official export credit agency financing for their domestic manufacturers.
• The agency’s default rate is better than many commercial lenders and far below the 2% maximum rate set by Congress.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers 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 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.38 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic multiplier 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.

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons today joined Vice President Mike Pence and manufacturing leaders from across Pennsylvania at SCHOTT North America in Duryea to celebrate the factory’s 50th anniversary and to urge Congress to ratify the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement. Leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada approved the USMCA last year to replace the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement.

In his visit with Vice President Pence to a Pennsylvania manufacturer in support of the USMCA, Timmons stated that tax reform and regulatory certainty championed by the current administration served as “rocket fuel for manufacturers, propelling manufacturing to new heights.” But, he noted, manufacturers are seeing new challenges brought on by global headwinds. Timmons pointed to the group’s most recent quarterly outlook survey—where more than 60 percent of NAM member companies saw trade uncertainties as a major challenge—as yet another reminder of why manufacturers need the USMCA passed soon.

Below are excerpts from Timmons’ remarks urging swift passage of the USMCA:

“Twenty-five years ago, the North American Free Trade Agreement helped expand access to Canada and Mexico, but our industry has transformed since then. NAFTA is now in need of an update—a new set of standards for the 21st-century economy—which is exactly why the administration negotiated the USMCA.

“Now it’s time for Congress to pass it.

“For manufacturers like SCHOTT, the USMCA would provide best-in-class intellectual property rules, set new standards for innovation and the modern digital economy, eliminate red tape at the border, improve transparency and ensure we can sell products duty free and much more.

“Why is that so important?

“SCHOTT earns more than three-quarters of its sales from consumers outside of the United States. These sales support good jobs for SCHOTT’s workers and a better economy for everyone. For so many manufacturers, expanding access to international markets is critical.

“And the most important trading markets are Canada and Mexico, which alone purchase more U.S.-manufactured goods than our next 11 trading partners combined—despite representing less than 4 percent of the global economy.

“That’s why manufacturers are raising our voices in unison, calling on Congress to ratify this agreement and provide businesses with a level playing field and certainty to compete, grow and win in the global market.

“The Speaker of the House said recently that her party is ‘on a path to yes.’ So let’s get to the destination and pass the USMCA this year.”

Timmons concluded his remarks with a call for manufacturers to let their voices be heard by telling members of Congress that “a vote for the USMCA is a vote for America’s manufacturing workers.”

In addition to Vice President Pence, Timmons was joined by SCHOTT North America President Jim Gareau, SCHOTT Duryea Site Manager Robert Gomeau, hundreds of manufacturing employees and dozens of community leaders from across Pennsylvania.

For Timmons’ full remarks, click here.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers 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 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.38 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic multiplier 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.

Duryea, PA – On Monday, the National Association of Manufacturers and SCHOTT North America will host Vice President Mike Pence at SCHOTT North America in Duryea, Pennsylvania, to highlight the positive impact the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement will have on manufacturers and employees in Pennsylvania.

WHAT:
Remarks by Vice President Mike Pence at SCHOTT North America;
introduction by SCHOTT Duryea Site Manager Rob Gomeau, SCHOTT North America President Jim Gareau and National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons.

WHERE:
SCHOTT North America Inc. – Site Duryea
400 York Ave.
Duryea, Pennsylvania
18642

WHEN:
Monday, Oct. 21, 2019
*All times local, EDT
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: Media call time and preset for video cameras and tripods.
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Access closed to press.

MEDIA:
Coordinate Information: Latitude, 41.3471332; Longitude -75.7496961
Camera Throw: 70 feet
Cable Run: 125 feet

RSVP:
Full Name:
Network Affiliation:
Position (Camera, Still Photographer, Reporter):
Cell Phone Number:
Email:
Event (Visit to SCHOTT North America Inc. – Site Duryea):
*Note if you are arriving with a satellite truck.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers 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 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.38 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic multiplier 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.

733 10th St. NW, Suite 700 • Washington, DC 20001 • (202) 637-3000

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Manufacturers, joined by more than 350 associations and businesses representing manufacturers of all sizes, today called on Congress to ratify the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement. Leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada approved the agreement last year to modernize the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement. In a letter sent to Congress, the coalition writes:

We write to you to urge passage of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement as soon as possible this autumn. . . . North America is the most significant trade market for the United States globally, with Canada and Mexico purchasing one-fifth of the total value of U.S. manufacturing output. Canada and Mexico alone, despite representing less than 4 percent of the global economy, buy more U.S.-manufactured goods than our next 11 trading partners combined. Here at home, U.S. manufacturing exports to Canada and Mexico support millions of American manufacturing jobs as well as 40,000 small and medium-sized businesses and communities across all 50 states.

Mexico’s government has ratified the USMCA. It now awaits approval from Congress. The coalition writes that the USMCA would spur economic growth and provide much-needed certainty for manufacturers across North America through the following provisions:

• Strengthen and Modernize America’s Innovation Engine: The USMCA includes best-in-class intellectual property rules that will help protect the full range of U.S. manufacturing inventions and innovations from theft and set new standards for the 21st-century digital economy that will prohibit distortive measures that undermine American innovation.
• Expand U.S. Manufacturing Access to Canada and Mexico: The USMCA will maintain and improve duty-free market access to Canada and Mexico, eliminating red tape at the border and making it easier for small and medium-sized businesses to sell into these critical markets.
• Level the Playing Field: The USMCA will raise standards, improve transparency and prohibit both anti-U.S. discrimination and anti-competitive activity—all while providing the same binding enforcement for all obligations in the agreement.

Click here to view the letter and full list of signers.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers 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 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.38 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic multiplier 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.

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Manufacturers has launched a seven-figure advertising campaign urging lawmakers to support the manufacturers that develop lifesaving innovations by opposing drug-pricing control proposals that act as a hidden tax on the industry. The campaign also thanks senators who have stood up for manufacturers. This nationwide digital, print and cable campaign follows an initial effort launched in mid-September that featured advertisement in several nationwide outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, Axios, The Washington Post, The Hill and Politico.

We need a better approach to drug pricing that supports the manufacturers developing lifesaving and life-changing cures for people in this country and around the world, said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. The proposals being debated in Congress right now would put our health at risk, abandon free market principles and move us closer to a top-down, government-controlled health care system. Our top priorities should be ensuring safety and quality, while upholding the values that make our country exceptional and economy strong: free enterprise, competitiveness, individual liberty and equal opportunity.

As the employers of nearly 13 million Americans, manufacturers care deeply about lowering the cost of health care, and as the innovators behind many revolutionary medicines, manufacturers are also committed to delivering lifesaving and life-changing cures to people in this country and around the world. When misguided government proposals threaten our ability to deliver health care and drive innovation, we are compelled to speak out.

More information can be found at www.nam.org/hiddentax.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers 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 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.38 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic multiplier 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.

Washington, D.C. – The Manufacturing Institute, the education and workforce partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, and Novelis, the leading producer of flat-rolled aluminum products and the world’s largest recycler of aluminum, celebrated Manufacturing Day with a kick-off event at Novelis’ Greensboro, Georgia, facility. MFG Day gives students the opportunity to see what modern manufacturing looks like and aims to inspire them to pursue careers in the industry.

During the visit, Manufacturing Institute Executive Director Carolyn Lee and Novelis Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and NAM board member Dev Ahuja met with students, business leaders and community members to discuss the high-tech, well-paying opportunities in modern manufacturing and the growing number of open jobs at manufacturing facilities across the country.

“Manufacturers across the country are looking for the best and brightest talent to join them,” said Lee. “Our industry is growing, but with that growth comes the challenge of recruiting and retaining new workers. Currently, there are more than half a million jobs open—an all-time high—and our industry will need to fill 4.6 million by 2028. Through MFG Day events, we have the chance to connect with the next generation of manufacturers and let them know—Creators Wanted.”

Lee and Ahuja were joined by 50 students from the local Greensboro area. The group was welcomed by Plant Manager Beatriz Landa, a leader within Novelis who recently transitioned to Greensboro following her assignment as Novelis’ Vice President of North America Specialties. Lee and Ahuja gave brief remarks before the group took a tour of the state-of-the-art aluminum recycling and casting facility.

“We are so proud to work alongside the National Association of Manufacturers and The Manufacturing Institute on such critical initiatives as Manufacturing Day, where we are able to highlight the innovative work being done by manufacturers here in Georgia and across the country—and open our doors to the communities where we live and work,” said Ahuja. “By focusing on attracting and retaining the best talent and making the right investments in training and developing our people, we are able to take full advantage of new technologies and processes—and help close the skills gap that is significantly impacting our industry.”

MFG Day is led by The Manufacturing Institute. First held in 2012 and organized by its founder—the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International—MFG Day gives manufacturers the opportunity to address the skills gap, connect with future generations, update the public perception of manufacturing and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the industry as a whole. Learn more about MFG Day and the significant impact this event has across the nation here.

Members of the media interested in covering the event should contact Leah Ferguson at [email protected]. To learn more about MFG Day, click here.

-MI-

The Manufacturing Institute is the education and workforce partner of the National Association of Manufacturers. It drives programs and research to promote modern manufacturing and jumpstart new approaches to growing manufacturing talent. For more information, please visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org.

-Novelis-

Novelis Inc. is driven by its purpose to shape a sustainable world together. As a global leader in innovative products and services and the world’s largest recycler of aluminum, we partner with customers in the automotive, beverage can and specialties industries to deliver solutions that maximize the benefits of sustainable lightweight aluminum throughout North America, Europe, Asia and South America. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, operates 23 facilities in 9 countries, has approximately 11,000 employees and recorded $12.3 billion in revenue for its 2019 fiscal year. Novelis is a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, an industry leader in aluminum and copper, and metals flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, a multinational conglomerate based in Mumbai, India. For more information, visit novelis.com.

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons traveled to Newberry, South Carolina, today to kick off Manufacturing Day at a flagship event hosted by Samsung. MFG Day, spearheaded by The Manufacturing Institute, the education and workforce partner of the NAM, gives students the opportunity to peak behind the curtain and see what modern manufacturing looks like, aiming to inspire them to pursue careers in the industry.

Timmons joined South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and Samsung Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Affairs David Steel at the Samsung Electronics Home Appliance facility—the company’s first home appliance manufacturing facility in the United States. The group met with students, business leaders and community influencers to discuss the high-tech, well-paying opportunities in modern manufacturing and the growing number of open jobs at manufacturing facilities across the country.

“Manufacturers across the country are seeking creators—those individuals who want to help solve tomorrow’s challenges today,” said Timmons. “Our industry is growing, and we need passionate, driven individuals to join our ranks. As the skills gap widens, 2.4 million positions across the manufacturing industry could go unfilled by 2028, so we must work to attract and develop new talent. Through MFG Day, we are engaging with the next generation of manufacturers—students—and letting them know our industry’s rallying cry: ‘Creators Wanted.’”

Timmons, Steel and Gov. McMaster were joined by students from Newberry Middle School. The group toured the state-of-the-art factory where Samsung manufacturers many of the home appliances sold in stores across the country. Following the tour, Timmons and Gov. McMaster gave brief remarks to the group, followed by a discussion with the head of human resources, Sherri Satterfield, about ways to inspire more students to pursue careers in modern manufacturing.

“We are proud to work with the National Association of Manufacturers and The Manufacturing Institute to engage students and help demonstrate the opportunities modern manufacturing has to offer,” said Steel. “There are more manufacturing jobs available in South Carolina than there are people to fill them. Opportunities for those seeking a rewarding, high-paying career in manufacturing truly abound.”

According to the latest data from the NAM, South Carolina manufacturers account for 17% of the state’s output, totaling $37.15 billion. In addition, the state has more than 247,000 manufacturing employees across 3,390 companies with an average compensation of more than $72,000.

MFG Day is led by The Manufacturing Institute. First held in 2012 and organized by its founder—the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International—MFG Day gives manufacturers the opportunity to address the skills gap, connect with future generations, update the public perception of manufacturing and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the industry as a whole. Learn more about MFG Day and the significant impact this event has across the nation here.

-MI-

The Manufacturing Institute is the education and workforce partner of the National Association of Manufacturers. It drives programs and research to promote modern manufacturing and jumpstart new approaches to growing manufacturing talent. For more information, please visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org.

Washington, D.C. – The Manufacturing Institute, the education and workforce partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, kicked off a month-long celebration of modern manufacturing today on Manufacturing Day. Held annually on the first Friday in October, MFG Day helps show the reality of modern manufacturing careers in an industry that is vital to our economy. Today, thousands of companies and educational institutions around the nation will open their doors to students, parents, teachers and community leaders to showcase all that manufacturing has to offer.

“Our industry is growing and thriving, but we are facing a workforce crisis,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “Over the next decade, manufacturers will create 4.6 million jobs—jobs that are high-skill, high-tech and high-paying—but 2.4 million could go unfilled if we don’t close the skills gap. MFG Day shines a spotlight on these opportunities and allows us to connect with the next generation of creators who will lead this industry into the future.”

Timmons will join South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and Samsung Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Affairs David Steel, along with local students, business leaders and community influencers at Samsung Electronics Home Appliance facility in Newberry, South Carolina. Manufacturing Institute Executive Director Carolyn Lee will travel to Greensboro, Georgia, to visit Novelis and tour its state-of-the-art aluminum recycling center. Novelis Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and NAM board member Dev Ahuja will join Lee.

“MFG Day aims to change the narrative around manufacturing. Many people have no sense of what modern manufacturing looks like in today’s economy. We want to connect with the future workforce—America’s students—and showcase the innovation and collaboration that drives manufacturing today,” said Lee. “MFG Day is an opportunity for anyone looking to join us on this exciting journey to get a firsthand look inside some of the country’s great manufacturing companies.”

First held in 2012 and organized by its founder—the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International—MFG Day gives manufacturers the opportunity to address the skills gap, connect with future generations, update the public perception of manufacturing and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the industry as a whole.

-MI-

The Manufacturing Institute is the education and workforce partner of the National Association of Manufacturers. It drives programs and research to promote modern manufacturing and jumpstart new approaches to growing manufacturing talent. For more information, please visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org.

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers Senior Vice President and General Counsel Linda Kelly issued the following statement on today’s D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Mozilla Corp. v. FCC:

Overall, today’s decision is a welcome development for manufacturers and those who depend on a free and open internet. In the 21st century, the internet should not be regulated by laws designed in the 1930s for the era of rotary telephones. The FCC was wrong to impose heavy-handed ‘net neutrality’ rules in 2015, and manufacturers have opposed misguided lawsuits that want to take us backward and reimpose those stifling regulations.

Manufacturers support a free and open internet, as does today’s FCC. More appeals and legal wrangling over the issue will only harm our competitiveness and economic growth, and the Manufacturers’ Center for Legal Action will keep fighting in the courts as long as it takes. Ultimately, the clearest way to resolve this issue is for Congress to pass basic guidelines that promote investment, foster innovation and establish a truly open internet.

Background
The NAM filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit supporting the FCC’s 2017 repeal of the prior net neutrality rule. Last year, a group of plaintiffs sued alleging the FCC unlawfully overturned the 2015 rule by mischaracterizing how internet access works. Manufacturers are the beneficiaries of a global broadband infrastructure, which has transformed the way they operate, providing numerous opportunities to create and market innovative products and services. The NAM’s brief explains that regulating broadband providers as common carriers is unwise, and the FCC’s 2017 change promotes investment that is critical to developing the next generation of technologies.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers 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 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.38 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic multiplier 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.

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement on the Trump administration’s successful negotiations to improve the Universal Postal Union:

Manufacturers are cheering today because we now have a stronger Universal Postal Union framework that will help protect manufacturers from counterfeiters and other bad actors operating in countries like China, which have been exploiting a dangerous and unfair system. The Trump administration gave manufacturers a seat at the table and listened to our needs throughout this collaborative process, and the United States worked with our allies abroad to bring broadly supported reforms to an antiquated agreement. This is an important action to level the playing field against unfair trading practices, and the NAM will continue to work with the administration and our international partners to promote a more open and fair trading economy.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers 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 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.38 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic multiplier 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.