Manufacturing Organizations Urge Federal Support For New Industrial Strategy

September 10, 2009

Managing Automation (9/10) reports, "A group of manufacturing organizations led by Rockwell Automation today called on the federal government to dramatically increase funding for research and development, help develop a plan for green manufacturing, and enact changes in tax law to encourage automation and modernization of U.S. factories." In addition to Rockwell, the group "consisted of the Manufacturing Institute, a unit of the NAM...as well as the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy." Keith Nosbusch, chairman and chief executive of Rockwell Automation, "called for a 'new U.S. industrial strategy for competitiveness.'" Emily DeRocco, president of the Manufacturing Institute, said, "U.S. industry is in a battle not just with [countries] with lower costs, but also with developed countries. Competing on cost is a losing battle. We must differentiate through innovation, and government must support these efforts."