The August issue of "Stamping News Brief" featured an article written by Michele Nash-Hoff, the author of the book Can American Manufacturing Be Saved? Why We Should and How We Can. In the article, which was published on huffingtonpost.com, Nash-Hoff noted that "after dominating the globe for over 60 years as the world's largest, most productive, and technologically advanced in the world, America's manufacturing sector is in a decline in nearly all industries. America's lead in a number of industries vanished years ago, and nearly all industries are facing potentially dangerous erosion." 

After presenting some of the article's content, including a rather grim look at the American machine tool industry, which fell from the world's third largest in 2000 to seventh in 2008, we asked SNB's readers if they think it is possible for policymakers to turn things around and what's the likelihood of their doing so in the next four to five years.

Among the responses was one from a reader who works for a company in the Northwest part of the country. Many in manufacturing can relate to his response: (more...)