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A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | M A Y 2 0 1 6
6 MARKET SPOTLIGHT
FEEDBACK
U.S. MANUFACTURING COMPETITIVENESS
RISING TO THE TOP
The United States is expected to
be the most competitive manufactur-
ing nation by 2020, moving China into
the number two position, according to
the 2016 Global Manufacturing Com-
petitiveness Index report from Deloitte
Touche Tohmatsu Ltd. and the Coun-
cil on Competitiveness. The predic-
tion is based on an in-depth analysis
of survey responses from more than
500 chief executive officers and senior
leaders at manufacturing companies
around the world. Report highlights
include:
• The U.S. improved its ranking from
fourth in 2010 to second in this
year’s study, and is expected to
reach first place by 2020.
• Made up of the five Asia Pacific
nations of Malaysia, India, Thai-
land, Indonesia, and Vietnam,
the MITI-V could represent a
“new China” and enter the top 15
rankings of global manufacturing
competitiveness over the next
five years. Low cost labor, agile
manufacturing capabilities, favor-
able demographics, and market
and economic growth are leading
factors.
• Among the BRIC countries
(Brazil, Russia, India, and China),
only China is viewed as a top
ASM SUPPORTS SCIENCE
TEACHERS
I am a high school science teacher at the
Academy for Enrichment and Advancement
in Union City, N.J., and I attended the Ma-
terials Science Workshop this past summer
at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. It
was a great experience and I learned a lot,
which led to some recent accomplishments
I would like to share. First, I assembled a
team of students from our school and en-
tered the Materials Choice Award sponsored
by ASM. Our team chose Nitinol as our
material and “ThēORbēTalS” has moved
to the second round of the competition.
Second, I received a 2016 Urban Science
Educator Award from the National Science
Teaching Association and Shell at the Na-
tional Science Conference held in Nashville,
Tenn., in April. I was one of seven educators
nationwide to receive this award. Both of
these accomplishments were only possible
with the support of the ASM and the local
Chapter. My students and I are grateful for
such opportunities.
Paul Orbe
PAYING HOMAGE TO METALS
PIONEERS
I am just writing to tell you howmuch I en-
joyed the Pioneers series (“Metallurgy Lane,”
September 2015-March 2016). I find that the
level of difficulty is just right and the articles
are very interesting. Keep up the good work.
Bob Rapp
[The ASM Technical Books Committee
recently approved a proposal for a historical
volume based on Charles Simcoe’s popular
“Metallurgy Lane” series. Publication is
expected in late 2016. —Eds.]
We welcome all comments
and suggestions. Send letters to
.
manufacturing nation in 2016. The
other three have seen continuous
declines in the study’s rankings
over the past six years. Brazil’s
political uncertainty, Russia’s
geopolitical activities plus impact
from the slide in global crude oil
prices, and India’s economic and
policy actions regarding infrastruc-
ture and investments have likely
triggered the decline.
• The U.S. stands out as the anchor
for North America with the highest
level of manufacturing invest-
ments, a strong energy profile, and
high quality talent, infrastructure,
and innovation. Canada’s low
trade barriers, tariff-free zone, and
investments in sectors key to its
growing high-tech manufacturing
future along with Mexico’s 40 free
trade agreements, low labor costs,
and close proximity to the U.S.
round out the region.
• European nations are lagging
behind as they work through slug-
gish economic recovery efforts and
look to their anchors, Germany
and the United Kingdom, to pull
them ahead.
For more information or to download
the free report, visit
Global CEO Survey: Drivers of GlobalManufacturing Competitiveness
Source: Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd. and U.S. Council on Competitiveness