Saving American Manufacturing

I recently came across an article in IndustryWeek: First Up: Saving American Manufacturing. The ideas hit a soft spot for me... coming from a small family-owned & operated manufacturing business which has just weathered another recession. The words in the 3rd paragraph are ones I should repeat. Actually, I think I will. We all need to make a concious effort for our businesses, industries and rebuilding America, sweet Land of Liberty.

http://www.industryweek.com/articles/first_up_saving_american_manufacturing_22779.aspx?Page=1

"If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman." I couldn't help reflecting on that quote of Margaret Thatcher recently as I read Michele Nash-Hoff's 2009 book, "Can American Manufacturing Be Saved? Why We Should and How We Can," while considering the backdrop of largely male politicians locked in ideological squabbling rather than rolling up their sleeves and working to solve our deadly serious economic crisis. I can't recall a sorrier time for American politics.

Nash-Hoff, president of ElectroFab Sales, a manufacturers' sales rep firm based in San Diego, has chosen to be an activist. In that vein, she wrote: "The American people have a choice to make. We can either accept the continued destruction of America's industrial base and allow all the gains achieved by America's industrial workers to be wiped out to compete with Third-World labor. Or, we can choose to secure a future for American industry and our industrial workers."

If this statement from the book sounds overly dramatic, consider her vantage point when she was writing it. Nash-Hoff saw 20% of her company's manufacturing database disappear during the six years prior to her starting the book. Nationally, tens of thousands of manufacturing facilities closed during that period and employment fell by 3 million. The picture has only worsened since she published the book.

When I caught up with her recently, Nash-Hoff reiterated her concerns that a weakened manufacturing sector will result in both fundamental economic and national security problems for the United States. She says without a vigorous manufacturing sector, the country risks losing its middle class and becoming a "Third-World nation exporting commodities while materials are turned into finished products in another country. We will become a nation of haves and have-nots."

She says China openly aspires to become the dominant superpower in the world and that it is practicing "predatory mercantilism" as an economic strategy for doing just that. "China is not a democracy. It is a communist country that practices a version of capitalism as part of its plan to become the No. 1 economy in the world," she warns.

Nash-Hoff also ponders what will happen if we lose more of our manufacturing base and "we can't produce the products we need to defend our country." Could a conflict with Chinese interests result in cutting off the U.S. military from Chinese-produced components needed for military equipment?

Asked how the country was faring under the Obama administration, Nash-Hoff says both the health care reform legislation and the impending rescission of the Bush tax cuts would increase costs for manufacturers and add to the uncertainty about the business climate. Regarding the tax cuts, she says, "That is really serious because 99% of all manufacturers are small businesses and many are not incorporated. It is going to affect people's personal incomes, not just corporate taxes. That is a big thing keeping people from hiring."

In her book, Nash-Hoff recounts a steady stream of recommendations from various organizations for promoting U.S. manufacturing. She says the problem has been that these reports come and go, but don't result in policies with traction. Nash-Hoff offers her own immediate and long-term remedies. At the top of her immediate list are tax issues: Cut the capital gains tax to 15%, reduce corporate taxes to 28% or 31%, increase and make permanent the R&D tax credit, and eliminate the estate tax. Right after that, she urges action to address foreign currency manipulation.

What would U.S. manufacturing look like in five years or so if her recommendations were followed? Nash-Hoff says the country could recoup half to two-thirds of the 5.5 million manufacturing jobs lost in the last 10 years. She says this recovery would be fueled in part byinnovators and entrepreneurs who can "regenerate and rejuvenate our American manufacturing."

As Nash-Hoff wrote, we have a choice to make if we are to save manufacturing. The November elections will be a good place to start.

SPRINGing back

After a long recession and business downturn, Sunset Metal Works is happy to SPRINGing back into action. Many of our customers are experiencing an upswing in business and need parts... that's where we come in. During the down cycle, Sunset was able to focus on process improvements, personnel changes (adding a full-time inspector) and many other changes that will benefit our business as well as our customers.



Covered on the front page of the local newspaper, Public Opinion, Sunset Metal Works is looking forward to a better year in 2010!



http://www.publicopiniononline.com/search/ci_14865902?IADID=Search-www.publicopiniononline.com-www.publicopiniononline.com



Call us at 717.263.1550 or email us from our website (http://www.sunsetmetalworks.com/) for more information or for quotes on your parts fabrication.

Metal Art

Over the past few weeks, Pete (Welding Engineer) has been designing & creating metal art. We have been selling the items directly and at local wine & craft festivals.

CLICK HERE to view the Metal Art!

EMAIL US for pricing or with your custom projects.

New Logo

After many months, we were able to find a design that worked for our new corporate image. We wanted to blend the old and the new... the same way our shop runs. We have some old "tried & true" methods but we also integrate new technologies.

Represented in our logo is the anvil and a robotic arm. The anvil is iconic of metal working. Robotics are the future.

Our new logo represents what we do, graphically, and brings a clearer meaning to our business to customers unfamiliar with Sunset Metal Works.

Spirit of Shackleton

OEM Off Highway is a market-specific national magazine. As a supplier to many OEMs in the industry, Sunset subscribed to the publication and later shared our story with the editors. The July issue features Sunset in the cover story, "In the Spirit of Shackelton".

OEM describes the story: There's an allegory in the story of Ernest Shackelton, whose crew survived for two years in Antartica against all odds. Companies todate can apply his leadership skills - surviving these times requires a good attitude and approach.

Click here to complete article.

Pop-A-Cork for The Capitol

Join us Downtown Chambersburg on Saturday, August 29 from 12-8PM for the "Pop-A-Cork" wine festival for the Capitol Theatre.

There will be a number of wineries, entertainment indoor & out, and food & craft vendors. Sunset Metal Works will have a booth and be selling metal art. Pete, Taren & Laura Nicklas have been working on various projects, including:

- wine tiki torches

- wine garden lights

- letter artwork

- chandeliers

- much more!

For tickets & information, contact Laura Nicklas.

Hope to see you there! "Ting-Tang!"

ISO Registration

Sunset Metal Works, Inc. is pleased to announce that our quality management system has been found to satisfy the requirements of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 9001:2008.

Registration was achieved through QMI-SAI Global, a world leader in assessing business processes and products against internationally recognized standards. QMI-SAI Global emphasizes that ISO 9001:2008 focuses on processes and customer satisfaction as well as procedures.

Sunset Metal Works, Inc. is deeply focused on delivering our Quality Policy Statement: Sunset Metal Works is committed to continuously satisfy our customers' requirements through Detailed Driven Excellence. Every Part. Every Day. Every Customer.

Jim Nicklas, President and Owner, commented, "We are delighted to achieve accreditation, gaining recognition for our commitment to quality and to continuous improvement. This certification demonstrates and affirms Sunset's dedication to providing products that exceed our customer's expectations."

If you have any further questions regarding our quality management system, or our registration, please contact me.

Peter J.Nicklas Welding Engineer & Quality Manager