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By SPESA
Below is a compilation of recent news and reports that explore topics related to Made in America manufacturing and the sewn products industry.
This article reviews multiple reports on U.S. reshoring interests and notes important considerations for possible U.S. producers, including: risks of stocking out, the impact of pandemics, possible dock strikes, tariffs, intellectual property risks, government incentives, and the value of the Made in USA label.
USA Still Importing PPE at Huge Scale, Import Reaches US $8.63 Billion in First 4 Months of 2021 - Apparel Resources According to the Department of Commerce Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), the United States imported US $8.63 billion worth of PPE and related products January - April 2021, a nearly 400% increase from the same time last year. Obviously, Covid-19 was not yet considered a huge threat in the U.S. early on in 2020, so the data is a bit skewed, but the information provided is still interesting.
This article focuses on how 2021 could give a new dimension to America’s call for reshoring. It also notes why machine learning, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, 3D printing, and supply chain management are instrumental in the continual efforts to reshore manufacturing.
‘Onshoring’ Is So Last Year. The New Lingo Is ‘Friend-Shoring’ - Bloomberg Expanding the traditional perception of reshoring, “friend-shoring” or “ally-shoring” is not restricted to domestic production. Reliable friends and allies are also deemed okay as sources. The latest lingo is an important element of the U.S. government’s planned manufacturing policy.
In the Spring 2021 “Semiannual Economic Forecast” from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Business Survey Committees, purchasing and supply executives shared their business outlooks for the rest of the year, noting expectations for continued growth across all manufacturing sectors as the U.S. recovers from Covid-19.
With insights from the Reshoring Institute and California Manufacturing Technology Consulting, this article explains the 2012 inflection point in the discussion about moving production away from China and back to the U.S., and examines the challenges it faces.
An alternative perspective, this dive shares a report that reshoring supply chains to North America could be limited by the region's reputation for protectionism, the resilience of Asian supply chains during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the growing consumer market in Asia.
A shift back to the U.S. would bring an increased emphasis on the ins-and-outs of “Made in USA” rules and requirements. This article delves into some of the regulatory considerations companies need to keep in mind when considering reshoring. As predicted, Made in USA claims are currently subject to increased attention and enforcement. We will talk more about this topic in this month’s Trade & Policy Round-up.
The White House 100-Day Review assessing supply chain vulnerabilities. The report focuses on semiconductors; large capacity batteries; critical minerals and materials; and pharmaceuticals and advanced pharmaceutical ingredients, but also provides insight on the Administration’s overall approach to U.S. manufacturing and workforce so far.