Trade & Industrial Development

There is a magazine for this: Here

Has a section on manufacturing, that I liked:

The Power of Manufacturing

John Engler

A widespread misperception exists in our country that we have lost our manufacturing base – that manufacturing has migrated to other countries while we have evolved into something called a “service economy.” In reality, the United States was and remains the world’s largest manufacturer in terms of the dollar value of manufactured products. Manufacturing remains the core driver of innovation and economic growth.

Without question, a substantial portion of our low-tech manufacturing has shifted overseas. China, in particular, has aggressively expanded into the manufacture of consumer products that today flood discount stores from coast to coast.

But the United States still dominates the more advanced industries – capital equipment, aerospace, machine tools, computer technology, robots, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, missiles, heavy earthmoving equipment, etc. You see the “Made in China” label on your child’s stuffed toy; you don’t see the “Made in USA” label on the satellite spinning overhead.

It is true that manufacturing is no longer the job creator it was a generation ago. This is largely because of quantum leaps in manufacturing productivity that always translate into fewer jobs. But by and large, they are more advanced jobs that offer excellent pay and benefits. In fact, one of the biggest problems facing our manufacturers today is the scarcity of qualified manufacturing workers.

America is the world's largest manufacturer based on value of goods (still) and Los Angeles County is the nation's top manufacturing center (still).

Southern California has the nation's largest industrial base, and a good chunk of that is still manufacturing, what used to be the backbone of the country.