Page 20 - HIWT Fall 2011 World of Welding

THE WORLD OF WELDING http://www.welding.org

eWi releases rePort: strenGtHeninG
ManUfaCtUrinG CoMPetitiVeness

new report from the 2010 Conference on the future of Materials Joining in north
america details Key Challenges and opportunities for Manufacturers

Columbus, Ohio – Edison Welding Institute (EWI) and modern work environment. One major concern is the ever-
America Welding Society (AWS) released a report detailing increasing number of baby boomers that will retire in the near
the outcomes of its 2010 Future of Materials Joining in North future leaving a significant gap in the required number of
America Conference. The report was compiled by a team trained workers needed compared to the number available.)
from EWI, AWS, Babcock & Wilcox, GE Aviation, The Ohio
State University (OSU), and NASA representing experts from Shrinking Global Market Share
industry, academia, and government who participated in the
conference. The pivotal role of materials joining and the key Output is in Freefall
challenges and opportunities for contributing to a stronger
North American manufacturing base are described. Rising Costs

The report states that increasing the level of technical innovation While we have heard many of these concerns expressed before,
and increasing workforce competitiveness are two “grand according to the report, these trends are important because the
challenges” that exist for North American manufacturers manufacturing sector is such a strong influence on the national
today, relative to materials joining. It also describes two economy that a weak manufacturing sector will adversely and
broad opportunities that exist for greater collaboration among immediately affect the whole. A decreased standard of living,
manufacturing stakeholders and influencing policy and higher unemployment rate, reduced productivity, higher trade
funding priorities. deficit, reduction in investments for R&D and innovation, and
an increased threat to national security are some of the effects
According to Chris Conrardy, Vice President of Technology as a result of a troubled manufacturing economy.
& Innovation at EWI and the Future of Materials Joining in
North America Conference Chairman, “There is an urgent, It is clear that the U.S. needs a manufacturing policy that
growing sense that North American manufacturing is at a focuses on and stimulates those factors that will make U.S.-
crossroads. Our global manufacturing competitiveness is based production a viable and profitable business choice. This
at risk, which endangers our global leadership, our national will then naturally stimulate innovation, which will be needed
security, and our standard of living. The report, Strengthening to satisfy production improvement requirements.
Manufacturing Competitiveness from the 2010 Conference
on the Future of Materials Joining in North America takes a The full report is available for download in the News & Events
critical look at the state of the materials joining industry and section of the EWI website at http://www.ewi.org/events.
offers recommendations for making our manufacturing base
stronger.”

The report states, “There is an unfortunate gathering of
alarming trends in manufacturing that must be recognized and
reversed,” including: About EWI

Decreasing R&D Funding EWI is a leading engineering and technology organization
dedicated to materials joining and allied technologies. We
Decreasing Manufacturing Output provide applied research, manufacturing support, and strategic
services to nearly 2,800 member company locations of global
leaders in the aerospace, automotive, defense, energy and
Declining Employment
chemical, government, heavy manufacturing, and electronics
industries. We also operate a variety of technology-based
Lack of a Trained Workforce centers and consortia dedicated to advancing manufacturing
(This is explained by stating there is a growing lack of trained competitiveness. Visit www.ewi.org or call 614.688.5000 for
workers with required skills for today’s and tomorrow’s more information.

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