Week 34 in Manufacturing News

Slideshow: List of the top 500 publicly held U.S. manufacturers based on revenue; UK manufacturing slump eases but Brexit and trade wars still take a toll; Manufacturers Want to Quit China for Vietnam. They’re Finding It Impossible.

U.S. Manufacturing Slipped in July

ISM index fell to 51.2 last month, its lowest reading in nearly three years. The U.S. factory sector lost further momentum last month, slipping to its lowest reading in nearly three years in July as anemic global growth and trade tensions continued to pressure manufacturing.

Source: The Wall Street Journal.

2019 IW. U.S. 500: Top Manufacturing States

Which states have the most manufacturing headquarters? Here are the top 10 based on the 2019 IndustryWeek U.S. 500, IndustryWeek’s annual list of the top 500 publicly held U.S. manufacturers based on revenue.

The state with the most manufacturing headquarters employs 1,325,700 representing 7.72% of the workforce.

Watch the slideshow.

UK manufacturing slump eases but Brexit and trade wars still take a toll

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has published their monthly survey of UK manufacturing, showing an easing in the recent downturn, Reuters reported on Tuesday, August 20. 

Industrial order expectations from UK manufacturers reported a balance of -13% below normal. This was an improvement from the previous month’s balance of -34% and trumped a poll of economists who predicted a -23% balance. 

Source: Capital Com.

German manufacturing stays firmly in contraction mode in August

A preliminary reading of the closely-watched manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for August gave a score of 43.6, up from 43.2 in July. It was well below 50, however, which indicates contraction.

The manufacturing sector was held back by continued weakness in demand from abroad, according to statistics firm IHS Markit, who released the survey data.

Source: CityAM.

Manufacturers Want to Quit China for Vietnam. They’re Finding It Impossible

Global companies are rushing to seek alternative bases, only to find even promising countries like Vietnam don’t match up. With the U.S. and China tangled in a nasty trade fight, this should be Vietnam’s time to shine.

The specialized supply chains that made China a production powerhouse for smartphones and aluminum ladders and vacuum cleaners and dining tables are nowhere near as developed in Vietnam.

Source: The Wall Street Journal.