In the upper Midwest where U.S. component manufacturing is concentrated, large firms are escalating pressure on their suppliers to reduce prices but still maintain high quality and improve delivery performance. Many small suppliers lack the capacity to meet these demands, leading large customers to purchase supplies abroad or pursue lower-end corporate strategies. Either way, the implications for U.S. competitiveness in manufacturing, and for regional economic stability and improvements in living standards, are disastrous.

The Advanced Manufacturing Project (AMP) is a consortium of researchers from universities and technical centers throughout the upper Midwest – including COWS – that investigates the nature and impact of the problem and identifying steps government, industry, and labor can take to correct it. AMP is supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

conference Supply Chain Governance and Regional Development in the Global Economy: Creating an Advanced Manufacturing Sector - read more -

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