The Decade In Production: Innovations, Trends And The Future Of Manufacturing

The past decade has seen some remarkable gains in the manufacturing industry. AI and big data have created new machine capabilities and new job opportunities for highly skilled workers. The ease of communication on a global scale has made collaborating with suppliers, producers and product development firms around the world faster and simpler than ever before. At the same time, U.S. manufacturers are facing a worrisome long-term skills shortage, while the trade war with China has made the short-term outlook for domestic companies uncertain. I've seen these changes and developments firsthand during my 37 years as an executive for global manufacturing operations -- most recently for a product design, development and manufacturing firm.