If you are looking for news about the manufacturing industry, an excellent resource is the The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)’s website.  NAM reports that it is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states.  I would recommend NAM’s “ShopFloor Blog,” which provides a good mix of economic analysis and political updates.

In addition, NAM and Industry week recently published the NAM/IW Survey of Manufacturers for 2014, which listed “the top business challenge for the first quarter of 2014 as being an unfavorable business climate due to taxes, regulations and government uncertainties.”  Stop me if you have ever heard that before.

Finally, for something different, NAM’s website has a section called “Cool Stuff Being Made,” which has short videos describing how certain products are manufactured, including Mack Trucks and Boeing 777s (the type of aircraft that is currently dominating the news due to the Malaysia Airlines incident).

 

 

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Photo of Jeffrey White Jeffrey White

I am a partner at Robinson+Cole who handles corporate compliance and litigation matters for both domestic and international manufacturers and distributors that make and ship products around the world. My clients have ranged from publicly traded Fortune 500 companies to privately held and/or…

I am a partner at Robinson+Cole who handles corporate compliance and litigation matters for both domestic and international manufacturers and distributors that make and ship products around the world. My clients have ranged from publicly traded Fortune 500 companies to privately held and/or family owned manufacturers. For those looking for my detailed law firm bio, click here.

I am often asked why I have focused a large part of my law practice on counseling manufacturers and distributors. As with most things in life, the answer to that question is tied back to experiences I had well before I became a lawyer. My grandfather spent over 30 years working at a steel mill (Detroit Steel Company), including several years in its maintenance department. One of my grandfather’s prime job duties was to make sure that the equipment being used was safe. In his later years, he would apply those lessons learned in every project we did together as he passed on to me his great respect and pride for the manufacturing industry.

Because of these experiences, I not only feel comfortable advising executives in a boardroom, but also can easily transition to the factory floor. My experience has involved a range of industries, including aerospace and defense, chemicals, energy, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, nutritional and dietary supplements, and retail and consumer products. While I have extensive experience in litigation (including product liability and class actions), I am extremely proactive about trying to keep my clients out of the courtroom if at all possible. Specifically, I have counseled manufacturers and distributors on issues such as product labeling and warranties, product recalls, workplace safety/OSHA, anti-trust, and vendor relations, among other things. I always look for the business-friendly solution to a problem that may face a manufacturer or distributor and I hope this blog will help advance those efforts.