Here in South Carolina, there have been a bevy of new announcements surrounding manufacturing and the supply chain that are sure to bring jobs and resiliency to the American manufacturing supply chain. Let’s look at just one example.
Last year, Masonite Intl. Corp., which is a manufacturer and distributor of interior and exterior doors and door systems, announced plans to open a new location, which was selected in part due to its proximity to customers and suppliers, workforce quality, and availability, and the business climate.
Since moving here, I have seen firsthand the efforts being put forth to bring manufacturing to this region. From EVs (electric vehicles) to doors, we are seeing the rise of plants returning to North America to bring manufacturing back to our own soil.
In this example, Masonite recently celebrated the opening of its new door manufacturing facility in Fort Mill, S.C. (a nice community, if you have never visited). The facility produces doors for the North American residential housing market and services some of the company’s key markets in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the country. The facility will employ roughly 220 people when fully staffed.
For those of you who might not recall this is why I wrote the book, Mending Manufacturing, How America Can Manufacture Its Survival back in 2004, (perhaps it’s time for an update). If we want manufacturing to survive here in the states, we need a diverse approach to problem solving. It’s about thinking differently with employees of all ages and genders. It’s about recognizing that it’s time to innovate effectively and creatively.
Here’s what I like. This unique manufacturing plant features advanced automation and leverages the Masonite Mvantage operating system to assist in identifying and eliminating waste and non-value add activities.
We need this digital transformation if we want manufacturing to be profitable and sustainable here in the United States. I like this is another step forward in a circular and more resilient world. And in fact, this is the only way forward, as we face a worker shortage and a supply-chain crisis across the world.
While this is one example of a new manufacturing plant here in South Carolina, what are you seeing in your own region? What is happening in your local community? I moved from Chicago where I was actively involved and saw a lot of the Industry 4.0 and IoT (Internet of Things) happenings. Now I am learning what is happening in S.C. How are companies stepping up to the plate and bringing jobs and supply-chain resiliency to our country? What would you like to see happen next? The sky is the limit, and we are clearly better together.
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