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Made in the USA – domestic manufacturing startups are on the rise. Manufacturing is showing distinct signs of life at the smaller end of the scale. Between 2000 and 2006 there was a 67% increase in manufacturing startups, according to a survey by the Kauffman Foundation. That’s particularly significant when you consider that 70% of all U.S. manufacturers have fewer than 20 employees. Add it all up, and small business owners can take some credit for the increase in overall manufacturing sales, which rose by 20% between 2002 and 2006, according to the census data.
What’s driving this resurgence? One word: innovation. In the hyper competitive world of modern manufacturing, success often hinges on how fast a company can bring new products to market. Rapid prototyping is a key aspect of this process and one in which many small U.S. manufacturers excel. (Excerpts from FORTUNE Small Business article June 2007).
Robotic automation will play an even larger role in reshaping manufacturing in 2009 and beyond.
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