In our 100th outing, the Beacon brought together the usual crew of Tim, Kevin, and Jordan with manufacturing heavyweight Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, for an in‐depth conversation about the past, present, and future of American (and Ohio) manufacturing.
The discussion, which started with Jay’s Hilliard stop at Armstrong World Industries and continues through his stay in Washington, D.C., highlighted Ohio’s storied industrial legacy—from the era of smoky, hard-edged factories to today’s sleek, technology-driven production facilities.
Timmons, an Ohio native with deep personal ties to the manufacturing boom, reminded us of his links to Mead paper mill through his grandfather, framing the transformation of manufacturing as not only a matter of technological innovation but also of a necessary community economic growth for thriving regions and markets.
Throughout the interview, Timmons stressed the importance of sound policy—comparable to the certainty manufacturers need to make long-term investments. He makes the case for the extension of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts (down from 35% to 21% in 2017 for corporations), smart regulatory reform, and more targeted tariff and trade policies as essential to protecting jobs and attracting new investments.
“Mother Mead” was gone after 121 years, leaving a trail of orphans and mourners!
The conversation also covered exciting new projects, from potential Intel and Honda “fabs” to advanced drone factories and localized energy plants, showcasing the potential for the nationwide resurgence of American manufacturing.
Moving into workforce development, the group discussed initiatives aimed at bridging the skills gap through partnerships with local schools and apprenticeship programs. Timmons outlined additional major ambitions like increasing the participation of women in the sector and expanding the current workforce of 700,000 Ohio manufacturing employees, with hopes for significant boosting of those job numbers in the coming years.
From Ohio reminiscences to policy debates, this conversation reminds us of the workers in industry trying to honor their roots and innovate for the future— critical to ensuring that our state, and America at large, regains ground in the realm of global manufacturing.
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