Despite inflation concerns and lingering supply chain issues, manufacturers are investing in their assembly operations.

U.S. manufacturers have faced significant headwinds this year: supply chain problems, a skilled labor shortage, inflation, and the war in Ukraine. And yet despite these issues—or perhaps, because of them—manufacturers continued to invest in people, plants and equipment.

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.

WASHINGTON—New orders for U.S.-made goods increased solidly in September, but further gains could be limited amid an anticipated slowdown in consumer spending as government money for businesses and workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic runs out.

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN—A manufacturing program at Purdue University recently announced nearly $18 million in federal funding to expand its work with Indiana businesses.

SEDGEFIELD, UK — Filtronic, a designer and manufacturer of antennas, filters and millimeter wave products recently announced that it has invested $1.3 million in new equipment for its manufacturing facility here.