ARTICLE
I can't tell you how many times I have heard in the recent past, "We no longer make anything in this country" or "manufacturing is dead!" I can remember in my old Mack Truck Industrial Revolution days the parking lots outside the 5c plant were filled with cars — the cars of the thousands of assembly line workers. So many people worked at Mack, Bethlehem Steel or one of our many manufacturers and made a pretty darn good, middle class living in the process. They fed families, bought houses and sent kids to college on those hard-earned dollars Along those lines, I was really thankful when the good people at Mack Trucks invited me back to the Lower Macungie plant to see today's assembly line. I was shocked to see how the assembly process has changed since my days, 45 years ago. My first job was putting tires on the trucks. At least 53 gorgeous, brand-spanking new trucks rolled down that assembly line each day. My responsibility was to pick-up and mount (with a wooden stick) five tires upon every truck. Today, things are a little different. A crane apparatus mounts the tires, which is easier on the back, but, still requires a human to get it done. That's a good thing. Manufacturing continues to provide many jobs in the Valley. My friend Don Cunningham from LVEDC tells me that manufacturing is growing at a respectable pace despite what we may think. That is excellent news for valuable, reliable, middle class jobs that will drive this economy. It means more diversity within our economy beyond the expansion in tech, health care and transportation/logistics. Which brings me to an important point. In talking with people in so many of the Valley's industries, do you know what they mention most often to me? "We need good people!" That's why the Chamber and the Lehigh Valley Workforce Development Board have partnered. There are high-paying jobs out there for people with skills — not just for the those boasting the traditional, four-year degree. Nancy Dischinat and her team at the LVWDB provide the training for those jobs, including CDL licenses, mechanical and technical expertise and authentic labor skills necessary to achieve our 21st century industrial growth. I'll close by saying "Thank you" to Mack Trucks and so many other industrial giants who have remained in the Valley. Mack committed to building trucks right here and still does. I appreciate all the companies who, through many changes, twists and turns hung-on to their quality reputation in their field. Thanks to them, 45 years ago I could afford to buy my first house — and a brand new car. You got me started and I'll never forget that. Oh, and thank you to United Auto Workers who served as a support system at that time… not to mention loaning me the money needed to buy my first car through the credit union. When I saw today's assembly line worker, I felt his attitude towards me as a visitor and towards the company as a whole was very positive. It felt good to know that a new generation of productive and dedicated Americans are working hand-in-hand with great companies like Mack Trucks towards achieving the American dream. It's this simple, when a country makes good things that people demand, it supports jobs that build the economy. That, in turn, builds generations of wealth, security and family legacies. Tony Iannelli is president and CEO of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. His column appears weekly on the Business Cycle. He can be reached at tonyi@lehighvalleychamber.org. Read the original article here.