Nation's standard of living at risk

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Nosbusch, Chairman and CEO, Rockwell Automation) - We need to act now to bolster America's industrial base. A competitive manufacturing base will avert our nation's slide to a lower standard of living in the future...

[W]e need to face the reality that change is necessary to remain the leader. Wisconsin manufacturers must be competitive in all dimensions - cost, innovation and the skills of employees...The factories of the future require more brains than brawn. Machine operators, trades people, technicians, engineers and software designers can earn a good living by adding value from their knowledge skills.

Education programs for STEM - science, technology, engineering and math - will create a pipeline for the future workforce needed in manufacturing. Improved education outcomes at all levels will lead to sustainable, value-adding careers for our citizens. We need an education system that prepares our workforce for the future.

The Manufacturing Institute and MAPI/Manufacturers Alliance report that U.S. manufacturers are burdened with structural costs that add nearly 18% to the cost of doing business here compared to our major international trading partners...Wisconsin manufacturers can overcome these hurdles and achieve growth only through innovation and productivity...

U.S. manufacturers are overcoming some cost disadvantages today by making their operations more productive...The government should pursue policies that further improve industrial productivity, but it should also demand productivity from every other sector, including services, health care, education and the government itself. Manufacturing alone cannot offset the waste in other parts of the economy.

I believe if manufacturers are going to thrive in the post-recession global economy, we must adopt smart, safe and sustainable manufacturing technologies. Smart, safe and sustainable manufacturing enables manufacturers to increase productivity and optimize their performance, thus improving their ability to compete while making better use of energy and natural resources, increasing plant safety, and enhancing product safety and quality...

We need measurable goals so we can hold our state officials accountable and regular progress reports to the citizens of Wisconsin. Government's role is to create the environment for manufacturers to thrive. A good goal would be to move up at least to the middle of the state business climate rankings.