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In February 2020, U.S. manufacturers employed nearly 12.8 million people. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. In an instant, the country lost 1 million manufacturing jobs as governments and businesses scrambled to figure out how best to stop the spread of the disease.

Every motorist uses rearview mirrors whenever they get behind the wheel. In fact, most people look at them every few seconds as they drive. However, few ever give those ubiquitous devices much thought.

Increasing demand for smart devices and embedded intelligence is driving manufacturers in a variety of industries to invest in new production tools and technologies. Additive manufacturing, advanced sensors, augmented reality, cloud-based computing, collaborative robots and digital twins are just a few of the many trends transforming factory floors today.

U.S. manufacturing continued to roll in 2017. Want proof? Look no further than Toyota Motor Corp. In September, the world’s largest automaker announced that it will invest $374 million at five U.S. factories.