America: #1 in global manufacturing

THE FUTURE OF WORK: "Manufacturing: Yes, We'll Still Make Stuff," by David Won Drehle, Time, 18 May 2009.

U.S. exports twice the value of goods as China. Germany comes in third. Our export by value has increased $800B since 1990--more than what Germany exports today.

But yeah, we've lost lots of manufacturing jobs--mostly to "productivity."

Comments

[Louis Heberlein]

Key word is value. Modern software for manufacturing and global info/data networks favor a new craftsman oriented mass customization rather than volume oriented mass production with low unit values.

MIT demonstrated the techniques for countries trying to join New Core and they got it.

Navy pioneered the new techniques in shipyards and on big ships for maintenance for almost two decades.

Politicians, K-12 schools, too many colleges and (last time I checked) US Labor Department still don't get it ... and think mass production.