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.

WASHINGTON—U.S. factory production rebounded in June by the most in four months as the industry regained its footing after a fire-related disruption at an auto parts supplier, Federal Reserve data showed Tuesday.

Increasing demand for smart devices and embedded intelligence is driving manufacturers in a variety of industries to invest in new production tools and technologies. Additive manufacturing, advanced sensors, augmented reality, cloud-based computing, collaborative robots and digital twins are just a few of the many trends transforming factory floors today.