Fascinating Facts – 5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About the Manufacturing Industry

New information is thrown at us every day through multiple avenues. We can be so overwhelmed by what we receive in our letterboxes, email inboxes, and social media advertising that we start to tune much of it out. 

Doing so has its benefits, but it can also stop us from learning about other industries and worlds outside of our own. Take manufacturing, for example. How much thought have you put into how this significant industry came to exist and what it looks like now? Likely, not a lot, but that’s about to change. 

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Britain Was Leading the Way  

We tend to assume that the United States kicked off the manufacturing boom because of how many pieces of machinery were invented there. For example, the first mechanical grape harvesters and all grape harvester parts were first produced in California during the 1950s. 

However, Britain was onto manufacturing much earlier. They kicked things off with the Industrial Revolution when they were already a leading commercial nation. By the time the 20th century rolled around, the British Empire was the largest in history. 

Everything Around You Is Manufactured

Even down to the homemade lunch on your desk, everything has undergone a manufacturing process of some kind to get to the final state you see it in today. 

In fact, most things undergo several manufacturing processes within a supply chain before reaching the end consumer – even that bread forming the bulk of your sandwich. 

For example, the mass-produced bread varieties in your local supermarket likely undergo mechanical dough development processes. There’s also mixing, fermentation, proofing, and baking – all of which require machines and processes when produced in large quantities. 

We Won’t Reach the End of Our Manufacturing Potential

If we can dream it, we can build it. The technology we have at our disposal, partnered with fresh ideas of entrepreneurs and creative people, means we will always have new products to create and enjoy. 

In 2020 alone, hundreds of new products hit the market, each one unlike anything we have ever seen before. Some of the more recent innovations include refuges for bees, AR-guided medical equipment, and made-to-order manicures. While we may be building on the successes of some already-produced products, there’s no telling what the experts among us will come up with next.   

Our Economy Relies on Manufacturing

According to the National Association of Manufacturers, manufacturing has a massive impact on local, national, and global economies. 

In the fourth quarter of 2020, manufacturers contributed around $2.35 trillion to the US economy. For every $1 spent on manufacturing, an additional $2.79 is added to the economy. 

As of March 2020, there were also 12.28 million manufacturing workers, each earning an average of around $88,000 annually. These workers also contribute to the US economy through their wages. 

We Go Bigger and Better Every Year  

If you were to compare the cellphone technology of today to just ten years ago, it would be clear to see that we’ve grown in leaps and bounds. Thanks to our new technology, we’re able to manufacture some of the most complex products in existence. 

Body parts are being printed for surgery, and virtual reality restaurants are popping up around the world. The best part is that we’re not even done yet. 

The manufacturing industry is not one that most people give much thought to. We simply purchase products online or from a store and use them without thinking of the effort involved in creating them. However, the next time you purchase something new, you may just start thinking about how incredible the manufacturing industry really is.

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