When you work in manufacturing, you get to see some really neat things. Take us at Zekelman Industries – being the largest independent tubular products producer in North America, all of our tubular products that we manufacture are formed into a round shape first! So even that square HSS section you installed in your latest project actually started as a round tube. Here are five more of my favorite facts on manufacturing that you should know:

Nine percent of our workforce is related to manufacturing: With over 12 million manufacturing workers in the U.S., most individuals are bound to know someone who works in the manufacturing field. In the steel industry alone, one steel job supports seven other jobs – including logistics.

Return on Investment: For every dollar that is spent in manufacturing, another $1.40 is added to the economy! That’s quite a return on value. Not even your 401K plan gives you a 40% return on the money you spend – but manufacturing can. Return on Investment isn’t just monetary – there is also a sense of pride knowing you produced an item that will consumed further down the supply chain in various applications.

The Nation of Manufacturing: Did you know that manufacturing contributed $2.1 trillion dollars to the United States GDP in 2014? If manufacturing was its own sovereign nation, it would be the ninth largest economy in the world!

Taking care of your health: 2015 saw more than 90% of manufacturing workers eligible for health insurance; the national average is only 79%. Manufacturers not only care about producing a quality product, they also care about the well-being of their employees.

A robust job market: Manufacturing jobs are expected to grow over the next decade – likely to the tune of 3.5 million! These well-paying, highly skilled production positions will be a necessity to fill as manufacturing continues to push the boundaries, providing better products with tighter production tolerances than ever before.

At Zekelman Industries, we take manufacturing seriously. We can service your needs through one our 15 strategic locations across North America. We will continue to offer innovative products, such as ASTM A1085, that are second to none.  

Source: http://www.nam.org/newsroom/facts-about-manufacturing/