Welcome to the Industrial Executive!

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Let’s get to it!

In February, Tim Cook announced $500 billion for "US facilities." Turned out to be R&D and AI infrastructure, not manufacturing.

But Wednesday's announcement is different: $100 billion for actual US production, including iPhone glass in Kentucky.

Good news, but glass production isn't full supply chain resilience. The semiconductors, rare earth materials, and critical components that actually determine whether your product ships? Still sitting in Asia. And they're staying there.

Reshoring press releases are easy. Reshoring decades of specialized manufacturing infrastructure isn't.

But, hey. It’s a start.

We're flying blind on manufacturing policy, and it's costing us everything.

Here's what nobody wants to say out loud: there is no actual US manufacturing vision. Sure, we get sound bites about "bringing manufacturing back" and billion-dollar initiatives with impressive names. But when you strip away the political theater, what's left? A collection of disconnected programs that sound good in press releases but don't move the needle where it matters – on the plant floor.

No vision means no strategy. No strategy means no tactical action. And no tactical action means nothing gets better.

Walk through any industrial corridor in Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Michigan and you'll see the evidence. Plants are closing every day. Steel mills that could be producing raw materials for domestic supply chains are shutting down or operating at half capacity. We hear about a manufacturing renaissance, but where's the concerted effort from Washington to make it happen?

The disconnect is staggering. We talk about reshoring while our domestic capacity continues to erode. We celebrate factory announcements while ignoring the infrastructure, workforce, and regulatory framework needed to actually support them long-term. It's like announcing you're going to run a marathon without bothering to train.

Part of the problem is who's driving policy. We need fewer McKinsey consultants in federal roles and more people who actually know how to make things. People who understand that manufacturing isn't just another sector to optimize – it's the foundation of national security, economic resilience, and technological innovation.

The current approach treats manufacturing like a theoretical exercise. Spreadsheet warriors developing policies for an industry they've never worked in, creating compliance frameworks that sound logical in boardrooms but create chaos on production lines.

Here's the real kicker: the talent is sitting right there in every plant across America.

Sixty-year-olds who could run circles around any AI algorithm when it comes to understanding process optimization, quality control, and operational efficiency. These are people who've spent decades troubleshooting complex systems, managing multi-million-dollar equipment, and delivering results under pressure.

Thirty-somethings who can digitally transform a brownfield operation on a weekend. They understand both the legacy systems keeping plants running today and the emerging technologies that could revolutionize tomorrow. They speak both OT and IT, can navigate union dynamics and boardroom politics, and know how to implement change without shutting down production.

But we keep acting like the answer is going to come from somewhere else. From Silicon Valley startups that have never seen a factory floor. From consulting firms that specialize in PowerPoint strategies. From politicians who think manufacturing means photo ops in hard hats.

Look at the CHIPS Act – good idea in theory, but where's the execution? We allocated billions to boost semiconductor manufacturing, but did we address the skilled workforce shortage? Did we streamline the regulatory maze that adds months to facility construction? Did we create the supply chain partnerships needed to support these facilities long-term?

Instead, we got another program that checks political boxes without solving operational realities. It's manufacturing policy written by people who don't understand manufacturing operations.

Real manufacturing policy would start with understanding the actual barriers facing American producers:

Infrastructure that works. Not just roads and bridges, but industrial power grids, high-speed internet in industrial zones, and logistics networks designed for modern manufacturing. You can't run advanced manufacturing operations on 1970s infrastructure.

Workforce development that connects. Instead of generic STEM programs, we need apprenticeships that pipeline directly into specific manufacturing roles. Partner community colleges with local plants. Get experienced operators training the next generation. Make it a career path that pays well and offers advancement.

Regulatory frameworks that enable instead of obstruct. Environmental compliance shouldn't take three years and cost millions in consultant fees. Safety regulations should be written by people who understand both worker protection and operational realities. Tax policies should reward domestic production, not just domestic consumption.

Supply chain resilience. Every critical component shouldn't have to travel 10,000 miles to reach an American assembly line. We need policies that incentivize domestic sourcing and penalize over-reliance on single-source foreign suppliers.

We can keep waiting for Washington to figure this out, or we can start making noise. Real noise. From people who actually understand what it takes to keep American manufacturing competitive.

Call your representatives. Not to complain, but to educate. Explain what's actually happening in your plant. Share the real challenges you're facing – not just the ones that fit convenient political narratives. Tell them about the opportunities we're missing because policy doesn't align with operational reality.

Get someone in DC who knows how to make things happen and understands manufacturing operations. Someone who's managed a P&L in a manufacturing environment. Someone who's dealt with equipment failures at 2 AM and supply chain disruptions that threaten customer deliveries.

Because without that operational perspective driving policy, we'll keep getting initiatives like the CHIPS Act – well-intentioned but ultimately ineffective because they don't address the real constraints facing American manufacturers.

American manufacturing doesn't need more consultants or more press releases. It needs leaders who understand the difference between manufacturing strategy and manufacturing operations. Leaders who know that competitiveness isn't just about cost per unit – it's about reliability, quality, innovation, and the ability to respond quickly to changing market demands.

The expertise exists. The infrastructure can be rebuilt. The workforce can be developed. But it requires policy makers who understand manufacturing as more than just another economic sector to be managed.

Who's with me on making some noise about this? Because the alternative is watching American manufacturing continue its slow decline while we debate theoretical solutions to practical problems.

The time for manufacturing policy written in boardrooms is over. It's time for policy written by people who know how to actually make things.

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And that’s all folks!

Till next week,

The Industrial Executive