Something we can all agree on: manufacturing matters to all Americans

SPARKS, Nevada – Nov. 5, 2019 –  More than 80% of both Liberals and Conservatives agree that manufacturing is key to our economy

Well, we found it. With a country as politically divided as it has ever been, a survey by Leading2Lean (L2L), a leading software provider for the manufacturing sector, proves that nearly everyone can agree that good old manufacturing is vital to America’s present and future. As the country heads toward an election year, there seems to be little that liberals and conservatives can agree on. Although we as a country are more divided than ever, the 2019 L2L Manufacturing Index has revealed some common ground: Americans’ belief in the importance of the manufacturing industry to the nation.

The 2019 L2L Manufacturing Index reveals that 86% of liberals and 88% of conservatives believe that manufacturing jobs are important to the American economy. They also consider the manufacturing industry important to economic growth, with 85% of liberals and 89% of conservatives in agreement. Manufacturing is clearly an industry with bipartisan support.

“Americans of all ages and political views understand the importance of manufacturing,” said Keith Barr, President and CEO of L2L, the lean manufacturing software company behind the survey. “We need to act now and provide innovative solutions to help our industry grow so we can keep at pace with other countries.”

Heading into the 2020 election cycle, manufacturing will continue to be a topic of interest. 2019 saw the industry in a state of fluctuation as the manufacturing index hit its lowest point in 10 years. As America deepens its transition into a service economy, manufacturing is moving off shore and shrinking at home. Yet voters on both sides of the aisles feel its importance to jobs and economic growth is still powerful. Industry performance impacts many Americans, and has historically been a factor at the voting booth.

“The president-elect will have to be be an advocate of the industry. Not just to stabilize it, but to grow it,” said Barr. “In order to remain relevant, manufacturing must adapt to attract the next generation entering the workforce.”

The L2L survey suggests that there is a strong opportunity to attract Generation Z workers to the industry, which is facing a massive loss of baby boomer workers who will be retiring over the next ten years. A full third of these Generation Z (aged 18-22) respondents polled have had manufacturing suggested to them as a career option, compared to only 18% of Millennials and 13% of the general population. Now that they are entering the workforce, they’ll be evaluating whether the industry remains a viable option for them and what this means for the future of the country.

Young people in general recognize the importance of manufacturing to the economy, with 78% of Generation Z and 85% of Millennials agreeing. Younger voters have become more politically engaged in the past year as well, surpassing Baby Boomers and older Americans by 2.1 million votes. ¹

To learn more about the 2019 L2L Manufacturing Index, view more survey results, and download data visualizations, please visit www.l2l.com/leading2lean-manufacturing-index.

Survey Methodology
The 2019 L2L Manufacturing Index findings are sourced from two online omnibus surveys conducted by Engine in May of 2019 and initiated by Leading2Lean (L2L). The first survey was conducted May 6-8, 2019 and distributed to a sample of 1,003 adults demographically representative of the U.S. at a 95% confidence level. The second survey was conducted May 9-13, 2019 and distributed to a sample of 225 respondents aged 18-22 at a 95% confidence level. A total of 303 respondents were aged 18-22 from the two surveys, providing a 6% margin of error for the total Generation Z (18-22) audience. Leading2Lean has defined “Generation Z” as those born between 1997 and 2012 as defined by Pew Research Center.⁶

About Leading2Lean
Founded in 2010, Northern Nevada based Leading2Lean (L2L) unifies manufacturing plants toward the common goal of production performance. The company works with manufacturers of all industries to provide a suite of software solutions that break down the silos that inhibit communication, alignment, and efficiency by enabling the right data to the right people at the right times. The company’s Lean Execution System (LES) software, CloudDISPATCH, provides critical real-time and actionable data to create a problem-solving, engaged workforce through L2L’s Manufacturing 4.0 solution. For more information, visit www.L2L.com.

Sources:

¹Pew Research Center - Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X outvoted older generations in 2018 midterms

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/05/29/gen-z-millennials-and-gen-x-outvoted-older-generations-in-2018-midterms/

###