Tomorrow is National Manufacturing Day in the United States. Staff members at The Manufacturing Institute, sponsor of the celebration, observes, “Each year, manufacturers and their partners across the country open their doors to students, educators, parents and community members to show what modern manufacturing really looks like. Plant tours, hands-on activities, career conversations, classroom visits and community events are changing the way a new generation sees our industry. Celebrated annually on the first Friday in October with events continuing throughout the month and beyond, MFG Day has grown into one of the most visible workforce development movements in the country. This year, we are building on that momentum in exciting new ways.”

One of the stark lessons learned during the Covid pandemic was the importance of manufacturing essential products locally during times of stress. Since that time, geopolitical tensions have increased and global trading patterns have fractured. As a result, many manufacturers have reconsidered where they make their products. Robert Bittencourt, a Partner and Head of Apollo Thematic Investing, reports, “After four decades of offshoring, a combination of pandemic-era supply shocks, rising geopolitical competition, and renewed policy focus is driving a concerted effort to rebuild America's industrial base.”[1]

The Reindustrialization of America

Bittencourt explains that as the American economy moved away from domestic production towards a more service-oriented economy, China moved in the opposite direction capturing much of the world’s manufacturing activity. He notes, “That model delivered efficiency, but it also introduced fragility in the US economic system. US manufacturing has fallen from approximately 28% of GDP in the 1950s to roughly 9% today, leaving the country with stagnant capacity and greater dependence on foreign suppliers for critical inputs such as pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and defense components. The consequences are visible across the US industrial base.” As a result, he notes, “The ambition to reindustrialize is clear, but the challenge is executing it at a viable cost and scale.”

Despite the focus on reshoring manufacturing, Bittencourt underscores the reality that the effort hasn’t been and won’t be cheap. He explains, “Apollo estimates that restoring the combined US manufacturing and defense capital stock to its share of GDP in the 2000s would require approximately $2 trillion of incremental investment. Returning to the levels seen in the 1980s would require roughly $6.5 trillion.” According to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the payoff for those investments could be huge. The Association insists, “For every $1.00 spent in manufacturing, there is a total impact of $2.69 to the overall economy. … This figure represents one of the largest sectoral multipliers in the economy. In addition, for every one worker in manufacturing, 5 workers are added in the overall U.S. economy, including indirect and induced impacts, and for every $1.00 earned in direct labor income in the manufacturing sector, $4.33 in labor income earned is added to the overall U.S. economy.”[2]

The good news is that analysts from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) expect companies to invest heavily in U.S. reindustrialization over the next few years — albeit in a few limited areas. They write, “According to our analysis, US companies are planning $6 trillion in domestic investments between 2025 and 2029. That capital — concentrated primarily in data centers and AI compute, along with the electrical grid — represents a roughly threefold increase compared with investments over the past five years. It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity.”[3] They add, “Companies that want to win in this environment must understand the driving factors of US reindustrialization, address the key constraints holding them back, and revisit their labor strategy to secure the workforce they need now and in the years ahead.”

As noted at the beginning of this article, one of the principal goals of National Manufacturing Day is workforce education and development. The NAM staff encourages U.S. companies to introduce “the reality of modern manufacturing careers … to students, parents, teachers and community leaders.” They stress, “As manufacturers seek to fill 4.6 million high-skill, high-tech and high-paying jobs over the next decade, MFG Day empowers manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges so they can help their communities and future generations thrive.” Jobs strategist Kyla Dewar adds, “Manufacturing Day is a reminder that behind every product, supply chain, and technological breakthrough is a team of skilled professionals making it all happen. These are the people solving problems, building smarter systems, and keeping entire industries in motion. And yet, their work often flies under the radar. Beyond just a well-earned pat on the back, this day is a chance to spotlight the impact these teams make daily, and to show the next generation that modern manufacturing is anything but outdated.”[4]

Concluding Thoughts

Bittencourt concludes, “Reindustrialization should not be confused with the goal of complete economic self-sufficiency. In our view, the US is unlikely to rebuild every supply chain domestically, nor would doing so make economic sense. The more realistic objective is strategic self-sufficiency: increasing capacity where supply disruptions carry the greatest economic or national-security consequences. That points toward priority sectors including energy, semiconductors, aerospace and defense, rare earth minerals, pharmaceuticals, and the technologies that enable advanced manufacturing.” Yes, it will take a lot of money to build-up America’s industrial sector. As BCG analysts note, however, “Capital is the easy part.”

The biggest challenge may be convincing individuals entering the workforce to consider the manufacturing sector. “That’s why Manufacturing Day matters,” writes Dewar. “It’s a chance to showcase the reality of day-to-day operations, attract fresh talent, and it’s also an opportunity to celebrate the skilled employees powering the industry and remind them their work is valued. By spotlighting both innovation and the people behind it, organizations can change how manufacturing is seen and spark the next wave of talent ready to carry it forward.”

Footnotes

[1] Robert Bittencourt, “The Reindustrialization of America Is Underway,” Apollo, 15 September 2026.

[2] Staff, “Facts About Manufacturing,” National Association of Manufacturers.

[3] Meldon Wolfgang, Patrick Sykes, Thomas Peddicord, Emily Kos, Ian Stuart-Hoff, and Rob Grosvenor, “Winning America’s Reindustrialization,” Boston Consulting Group, 14 September 2026.

[4] Kyla Dewar, “Manufacturing Day: Celebrating the backbone of industry,” Achievers, 17 September 2026.