What Do Houston, Louisville, Seattle and Oklahoma City Have in Common?
They're atop the list of America's new manufacturing boomtowns, as compiled by Forbes magazine, which ranked 357 metropolitan statistical areas based on manufacturing employment data from 2001 through January 2013. Rankings are based on recent growth trends (the last year and the last two years), mid-term growth (2007-2012), long-term growth (2001-12) and long-term momentum (2007-2012 relative to 2001-2006).
Houston's booming energy sector, as is Oklahoma City's, is driving growth in metal fabrication and machinery. Manufacturing growth in the South derives from activity in the petrochemical, automotive and aerospace industries, and is most notable in Nashville and Virginia Beach. And, the automotive rebound is felt in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY, and Columbus, IN.
Among the larger metropolitan areas, "the star of the U.S.-led recovery" is the Michigan triad of Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, or "automation alley," where industrial employment increased by 26 percent from 2006 to 2012.
U.S. Manufacturers Rate the Risk Factors of Doing Business
While 75 percent of the largest U.S. manufacturers cite labor as a key challenge and say that competition, consolidation and design copycats are impacting product demand, an overwhelming 96 percent say that federal, state and local regulations are a top risk to doing business in the United States. So says a new survey from BDO USA, LLP that uncovers the top-of-mind challenges U.S. manufacturers face as they look to grow and remain competitive.
Other risks cited by the survey, in addition to general economic conditions: threats to international operations (87 percent), environmental laws, regulations and liability (86 percent) and commodity and raw-material prices (86 percent).
China’s Stainless-Steel Output Makes 2012 a Record Year, While U.S. Production Off
According to statistics from the International Stainless Steel Forum, based in Belgium, 2012 global production of stainless steel jumped by 5.2 percent compared to 2011. China (up 14.2 percent year over year) accounted for the increase, as production throughout the rest of Asia dropped by 0.6 percent; production in the Americas dropped by 4.7 percent.
The second-largest stainless-steel producing region (behind Asia) is Western Europe/Africa. There, production dropped 0.7 percent year over year. In central and Eastern Europe, production was off 8.2 percent.
Justifying the Purchase of a Servo-Driven Press
...using eight principles of improved productivity, flexibility and quality, and reduced costs.
What's New in Die Design?
Plenty, with more robust libraries, improved import/export functions, and advanced algorithms that take accuracy to new levels and reduce design time and lead time.
STAMTEC has expanded its servo press offering to include two-point, direct-drive models from 160 tons to 880 tons. STAMTEC's SDS series, direct-drive servo presses allow for a wide range of slide motion and speed profiles, including "pendulum motion," which allows for variable stroke length, and higher speeds at shorter stroke lengths. Please contact STAMTEC at 931-393-5050 for more information. more about the sponsor
Press Hardening with PCH
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Steel technology and steel market trends for automotive
Join the 2nd International Conference Automotive Steels from 19 - 21 June 2013 in Düsseldorf, Germany! The only event bringing technology
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