manufacturing

Drawing on in-depth case studies from the New York Manufacturing Extension Program, the study demonstrates that small manufacturers have been able to reduce waste, lower production costs, and cut cycle times as a direct result of services provided by field engineers and other affiliated organizations.

The paperpresents a case study of a metal working firm that was able to increase productivity and profits by instituting measures recommended by a field agent working for the Florida Manufacturing Technology Center.

The report indicates over 60 percent of rural manufacturing establishments benefited from government business assistance programs (state and local tax breaks, training and technical assistance, loans, and industrial parks/enterprise zones), and 28 percent found these programs to be very important to their operations over the last three years. Manufacturers using advanced technologies benefited more than other manufacturers.

The survey reports that quality of local labor hindered manufacturers competitiveness. Other frequently cited local problems include state and local taxes, environmental regulations, the attractiveness of the area to managers and professionals and the quality of local schools. The extent of these problems varies by region more than along a rural-urban dimension.

Data from the survey suggests that skill requirements in manufacturing are rising, but manufacturers who reported major problems finding workers with specific skills were relatively rare, among both rural and urban firms. Moreover, the most common problem was in finding reliable workers with an acceptable work attitude, traits not usually considered skills and difficult to address through typical skill development programs.

The paper presents an analysis of whether the New York Manufacturing Extension Program has accomplished its goal to help manufacturers in the state compete more effectively and thereby generate economic benefits for the citizens of the state.

The report indicates that advanced technology use is less prevalent in rural than in urban manufacturing plants, but plants of comparable size in the same industry use about the same level of technology, regardless of the urban/rural location. Rural manufacturers report more problems with employee turnover and infrastructure than urban plants, but these are reported as minor problems by most businesses.

As part of the series of studies assessing the U.S. competitive position in different industries, the report on the basic steel industry discusses how advances in technology and industry restructuring have led to a U.S. basic steel industry substantially more competitive than ten years ago.

As part of the series of studies assessing the U.S. competitive position in different industries, the report on the U.S. automobile manufacturing industry concentrates on the Big 3 firms (Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors) and discusses the condition of the industry, product and production strategies, the importance of the supply chain.

Based on surveys of companies and consultants, the study concludes that Manufacturing Extension Centers (MEC) do not compete directly with private consultants. MECs encourage greater openness of manufacturers to change, enabling them to benefit more from outside assistance.