For example, according to the Precision Metalforming Association, 69 percent of U.S. metalworking companies have job openings. However, 91 percent of those companies are experiencing challenges finding qualified employees, and 42 percent describe that difficulty as “severe.”
TIPTON, IN—Chrysler is investing $162 million at its assembly plant here to produce nine-speed automatic transmissions for front-wheel-drive vehicles. The project is expected to create 850 jobs.
ASHEVILLE, NC—President Barack Obama visited a truck parts assembly plant here to highlight the role of U.S. manufacturing in reviving the economy, and to follow up on his State of the Union message of strengthening the middle class.
WASHINGTON—Women could help manufacturers fill their need for skill workers, but companies will need to improve the image of the industry as a female-friendly workplace.
WASHINGTON—Factory orders increased in December even though companies trimmed orders for the goods that signal investment plans. The Commerce Department says factory orders rose 1.8 percent in December from November, when orders had fallen 0.3 percent.
NEW YORK—The Dow industrials topped 14,000 for the first time since 2007, capping their fifth-straight weekly gain, following encouraging data on U.S. jobs and manufacturing.