Managing Automation - August 2008 - (Page 22)

MANUFACTURING COUNCIL Q&A EXAMINING U.S. COMPETITIVENESS The MA Manufacturing Council convened at the Progressive Manufacturing Summit in June for a wide-ranging discussion on what can be done to boost American competitiveness. BY JEFF MOAD LAS VEGAS — At Managing Automation’s recent Progressive Manufacturing Summit, Editor-in-Chief David R. Brousell and the MA editorial team met with the publication’s Manufacturing Council to discuss the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing. The springboard for the discussion was a reader poll conducted by MA and its sister publications in Thomas Publishing on U.S. manufacturing competitiveness and what government’s role should be (see p. 16). The council, a group of manufacturing executives and experts, many of whom have been Progressive Manufacturing Award winners, touched on offshoring; energy, commodity, and healthcare costs; and education, among other issues. Q: The survey shows that there is widespread concern about the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing. How would you interpret that? GIFFI: If you talk to the engineers or to other technical people whose jobs are being outsourced, they’re taking a very protectionist approach. The executives have a much more sophisticated understanding of the levers they’re having to pull to remain competitive and still be a U.S. company. I do believe that we’re seeing some pushback from manufacturing executives who are seeing the complexity of those supply chains, particularly as they start to see costs rising in China. They moved stuff to China and they found out, “Gee, the lower cost [is] now in Vietnam or somewhere else in Southeast Asia. Wait a second. Let’s really think through how we want our manufacturing operation to work.” MANUFACTURING COUNCIL Q&A PARTICIPANTS DOUGLAS ENGEL – Partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP CRAIG A. GIFFI – Vice Chairman, U.S. Leader, Consumer and Industrial Products, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP BRAD HEATH – President, VirTex Assembly Services LARRY LAPIDE – Director, Demand Management, MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics BRUCE MCKAY – Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Livingston & Haven ERIC MITTELSTADT – CEO, National Council for Advanced Manufacturing GEORGE W. NICKEL III – Director, Manufacturing Competency Center, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. RICHARD SADE – Vice President, S&S Hinge Co. MAUREEN R. STEINWALL – President/CEO, Steinwall Inc. DONALD J. WEINTRITT, JR. – Global Director, Supply Chain Expertise & Technology Center, The Dow Chemical Co. ma 22 2008 August Photos: Mikael Rob

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Managing Automation - August 2008

Managing Automation - August 2008 Contents Take 1 After 18 Months, the Oracle/SAP Suit Has Little Effect on Maintenance Sales At 100, Foxboro Reinvents Around Its Customers New Private Equity Firm Eyes Software A Software Suite Just for Manufacturers i2 Chief Focuses on Services Plan Notes It's Time for Action Examining U.S. Competitveness Leveling the Field An Unhealthy Situation Exploring Alternatives Math and Science: Key to the Future Product Scan Advertiser Index Next

Managing Automation - August 2008

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