Manufacturing Industry Grows as Lean Takes Hold
At its peak in 1980, manufacturing represented 21 percent of the U.S. economy. Today, that figure is closer to 12 percent as manufacturing employs about 12 million American workers.

Increasingly, manufacturers are investing in technology and programs to advance lean manufacturing – boosting output with tighter head counts and smarter production.

Manufacturing Production Estimated to Grow 3.2% in 2014
Manufacturing growth in 2014 is estimated to be 3.2 percent. If MAPI’s estimate proves accurate, it will outpace growth in U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) which is estimated at 2.8 percent for the year.

The outlook is even more positive for 2015 with an overall growth rate forecast at 4.1 percent, followed by high-tech growth at 8.4 percent and non-high tech growth at 4.0 percent.

OSHA Update: Ventilation
Ventilation is one of the most important engineering controls available for maximizing the quality of air in a work environment. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has addressed a number of statistics related to proper ventilation in its recent standard #1926.57.