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U.S. manufacturing activity eased back slightly in November after hitting a two-year high in October, according to the Institute for Supply Management's monthly Report on Business. According to the ISM, industrial activity inched down 1.8% in November, to a still expansionary reading of 57.5%.



Notably, November�s manufacturing activity report reveals a still expanding industrial sector and marks the seventh straight month of expansion for the economy overall.



New orders and production continued to expand in November, though employment contracted over the month. Both imports and exports continue to grow, while supplier deliveries are slowing at a faster rate.



Optimism among manufacturing executives has hit its strongest level since the pandemic, with 2.5 positive comments registered for every cautious comment.

With Thanksgiving approaching, we should take a few minutes to be thankful for our friends and neighbors who are seeing their businesses flourish. There are several reasons for this resurgence in domestic production, but one of the biggest is the practice of "reshoring."



Here are some companies that not only fully embrace reshoring but happen to make products that are very popular around Thanksgiving.

Statistically speaking, leveraging video marketing reaches more customers than other forms of industrial marketing. In fact, Smart Brief notes that 96% of Americans have watched videos explaining how to effectively use a product or service, resulting in fewer calls to customer service.



Videos provide a powerful way to differentiate a company's product within an industry and clarify its value proposition. By combining personalization and video, marketing departments can present a powerful product draw - just take a look at a few of these companies and how they took advantage of video marketing to rejuvenate their business models.

Multiple reports out this month point to continued growth in the U.S. industrial sector, with notable increases in new orders, production and employment. Optimism among industrial executives appears to be on the rise, while a wider range of manufacturing industries are reporting growth.



Today, we're bringing you the big picture look at manufacturing business conditions, compiling key takeaways from various reports on output, labor, new orders, optimism and regional activity.

Dalemark Industries, Inc., a leader in marking, coding, labeling, and transport systems manufacturing, announced the launch of a new tabletop flat product transporter.



The new Model 975-TA tabletop transporter is ideal for high speed feeding of flat products, including cards, sheets, cartons, booklets, sleeves, lidstock, pouches and bags for easy integration with various Product Identification Devices.

U.S. manufacturers have played a critical role amid the coronavirus pandemic, in some cases pivoting completely to produce entirely new products to protect healthcare workers on the front lines. But this isn't the first time U.S. factories have played an important role during a time of crisis. This Veterans' Day, we're taking a look back on some of the inspiring stories of the small manufacturers that have exhibited extraordinary commitment and fortitude in times of war, providing much-needed supplies and support to U.S. soldiers throughout the years

Neway Packaging has introduced a new Make-N-ShipTM box making machine, intuitively engineered to give customers full control to make anything from basic boxes to complex structural packaging, while offering the convenience of ownership through purchase. Their operating system allows for efficient box design, maximizing corrugate yield and minimizing waste.

When people think of the structural metal industry, many picture the iconic image of a group of men eating lunch on an I-beam dangling hundreds of feet in the air. While I-beams are still an integral part of structural metal fabrication, the industry encompasses so many more facets.

U.S. manufacturing activity soared to a two-year high in October, according to the Institute for Supply Management's monthly Report on Business. According to the ISM, industrial activity rose 3.9% in October, hitting a level of 59.3%, hitting a level not seen since September 2018 and representing the sixth straight month of expansion for the economy overall.



October's surge in manufacturing activity was led by new orders and production, while employment, a component of the index that has been struggling, finally crossed into expansion for the first time in fourteen months.

It is with great enthusiasm that U.S. Venture welcomes a new President to their U.S. Lubricants Division, James Williams.



James will relocate from Houston, working from corporate headquarters in Appleton, Wisconsin. As President, James will be responsible for leading and overseeing the vision, strategy, and operations for the lubricants business.



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Sharpe Products, a leader in pipe and tube bending, laser cutting and custom fabrication services, has purchased a BLM GROUP LT-FREE laser cutting system. Built for complex, three-dimensional part profiles, the five-axis, 3 kW fiber optic laser has additional features such as robotic part manipulation and dual access part loading capabilities. Read more about this exciting new development.

Last week, a company called Landing AI announced the launch of a new platform to help manufacturers build, deploy and scale AI-powered visual inspection on the factory floor. Amid the pandemic, cutting edge technology such as AI implementation in inspection, design, maintenance and forecasting has become more of a must-have than ever, helping companies in the hard-hit manufacturing sector reduce costs and improve quality.

If cotton is "the fabric of our lives", then steel and sheet metal are the spine of our nation. From the swords, muskets and other artillery that created the United States of America to the machinery that saw her through the Industrial Revolution, from the spikes that held her first transcontinental railway to the foundational building materials that enable her to reach the sky with her tallest buildings, steel has played an integral role in the birth and continued growth of the nation.

As demand for electric vehicles has exploded in recent years, Kenmode Precision Metal Stamping has been adding new technical capabilities to produce custom busbars to transmit power in all types of electric vehicles, whether hybrid, all-electric, or autonomous (self-driving).



Founded in 1960, Kenmode has produced precision metal stamped parts for the automotive and electronics industries for decades.

While historically companies have used imported aluminum to improve their bottom lines, with the implementation of tariffs on both the raw metal and fabricated products, manufacturers are exploring other strategies. Some, such as Coca-Cola and Genuine Parts, are expecting to pass their cost increases onto consumers. Others, like Illinois Tool Works, are pursuing local sourcing.



The advantages of domestic suppliers



With shorter distances involved when using domestic suppliers, the resultant costs of logistical problems regarding weather conditions and geopolitical obstacles can be reduced or eliminated. Transportation expenditures also are lower and fewer warehousing facilities may be required.



Buying domestically can also result in increased goodwill from consumers. Many customers prefer locally produced goods. They consider buying them as promoting both local wealth and jobs.

Multiple reports out this month suggest the U.S. manufacturing sector is still on the mend, with key metrics showing improvement. Notably, the Small Business Pulse Survey, released by the Commerce Department, finds that U.S. manufacturers are experiencing significantly less negative effect from the pandemic, with 27.8% experiencing a large �negative� effect Oct. 4th-12th, compared to 46.8% at the start of the pandemic.

COVID-19 and the economy are inextricably linked and are foremost among the concerns of many Americans. In order to restart the economy, the virus must first be contained, according to leading medical experts. Only then can the economy restart and reboot safely.



According to the results of a recent Morning Consult poll, 90% of registered voters indicated that they believe the manufacturing sector to be vital to the American economy and the job market.

Big Fogg is pleased to announce special Fall pricing on all outdoor misting solutions. As high temperatures continue, along with COVID-19 related restrictions, businesses have moved outside. Big Fogg misting systems, both permanent installations and rentals, are on sale to help beat the heat.

The pandemic has changed the way the world works. Face-to-face meetings have been replaced with video conferencing, phone calls with emails, paperwork with PDFs.



The industrial sector can't function 100% virtually, of course, but more and more industrial companies are embracing automation and certain operational aspects of running an industrial business can benefit from some of the remote-working software out there.



However, manufacturers have a unique set of needs when it comes to remote operations. Zoom conferencing might work great for a marketing company, but what about when you're discussing proprietary information or trying to examine a complicated manufacturing process from afar?



Are there messaging systems that take into account logistics data? What about purchasing and sourcing, paying vendors and signing contracts?



Today, we're taking an in-depth look at some software solutions that cater to the unique needs of manufacturers.

McHenry, IL based Kwik Mark, Inc. announced today the launch of their new Band Marking Fixture. This made in the USA fixture provides a solution for permanently marking your hose bands five at a time, with alphanumerics, serial numbers, date codes, and graphics. Variable data from external files may also be marked.



The clever design features 5 rows of clamping with 12 "fingers" on each row that flex and conform to part dimensional variations as well. One toggle lever clamps all five bands and draws them down securely for the dot peen marking operation.



Custom configurations and pneumatic powered designs are also available.

U.S. manufacturing activity posted a fifth straight month of expansion in September, though activity slowed slightly over last month, according to the Institute for Supply Management's monthly Report on Business.



According to the ISM, U.S. manufacturing activity edged down 0.6% in September, and now stands at 55.4%.



Although activity took a step back, the index is still well within expansion territory, suggesting a recovery in the sector is securely underway.

SOUTH BEND, IN -- Elkhart Plastics, Inc. (EPI) is expanding its KONG Coolers product line with the KONG Cruiser, a high-end rotomolded wheeled cooler.



Since 2017, KONG Coolers has been helping customers journey longer with coolers that retain ice for longer than almost any other cooler brand in the industry. Now, adventurers can journey further with the new KONG Cruiser.



At 50 quarts, the wheeled cooler is ideal for hauling food and drinks to the beach for the day, or for a week-long trip.

Manufacturing Day 2020 falls within a pivotal time for U.S. manufacturing. Following the COVID-19 pandemic's severe disruptions to the global supply chain, U.S. manufacturing activity is quickly returning to normal. With many industrial companies rethinking their supply chain and looking for parts and supplies closer to home, U.S. manufacturers are in even greater need of skilled workers than they were prior to the pandemic. With a labor shortage of 4.6 million jobs expected over the next decade, the importance of getting the message out cannot be understated.

ResinTech Inc. announced that is has officially moved into its new global headquarters in Camden, New Jersey. The $138.8M development project includes 353,000 square feet of new

construction on a twenty-seven acre campus just two miles from Center City Philadelphia. The company is among several other global brands who have made the move to Camden including

American Water and Subaru of America.

Multiple economic reports out this month suggest the U.S. manufacturing sector is still on an upswing, though some key metrics have eased back. Most startlingly, industrial output, the star of the summer's recovery, edged back sharply. However, a closer look at the numbers reveals a more hopeful picture for the sector overall.



Today, we're bringing you the big picture look at manufacturing business conditions, compiling key takeaways from various reports on output, labor, new orders, optimism and domestic sourcing.

Machining as a service is critical to the manufacturing and production of many different products ranging from household items to spacecraft.



Like every other industry in manufacturing, machining has suffered from the effects of COVID-19 closures.



The good news is that the industry is recovering in sync with the reopening of economies across the country.

The U.S./China trade war continues to escalate. But this is not the first occurrence of tariffs in the U.S.



We recently dug into the MNI archives to glean some insight into the impact of tariffs on U.S. manufacturing. What we found was fascinating.

The USMCA trade deal was somewhat short lived, with the Trump administration declaring new tariffs on Canadian aluminum in early August. Canada has since struck back with its own proposed set of tariffs, due to go into effect September 16th.



This article will take a look at the details of the new tariffs and provide more information about Canada's plans for response.

Dispense Works Inc., a supplier of precision adhesive & fluid robotic dispensing systems based in McHenry, Illinois, has announced they are now offering a new RF 2415 Robot dispensing machine. This dispensing machine is able to process bottles, tubes, vials with caps screwed on or supplied loose.

Murata Machinery, USA, a leading provider of manufacturing and intralogistics automation and support, announced two recent hires to help the company achieve a new strategic direction: leading modern manufacturers to the future with Muratec automated solutions.



Masazumi Fukushima, President of Murata Machinery, appointed Christine Spiegel as the company's first-ever Strategic Marketing Director and Jeff Holtzapple as North American Sales Manager for Turning Products.