Next Generation Manufacturing Opportunities

The U.S. still maintains the most robust economy in the world but as we saw these last several years probably the most vulnerable too, and that’s because our manufacturing capability is not nearly as strong as it could be. For the last 40 years, manufacturing in the U.S. has been declining and that’s why you can’t find any product in a store that displays the label; “Made in U.S.A.”

The trade agreements were supposed to be good for all Americans and lead to a revamped economy that put the U.S. at the top of the heap, but all it did was make us an exporter of raw materials and force American consumers to buy more and more products made abroad.

However, the Pandemic has proven to everyone that we must focus on rebuilding our domestic manufacturing, spreading commercial and industrial development to more areas of the country, especially rural ones, and looking to hand off to the next generation a sound economy and strong manufacturing base.

Mass Transit Opportunities

Intel is coming to Columbus, Ohio to build the largest chip factory in the world employing thousands of hardworking Ohioans. No one though is talking about how these workers are going to get to work and that is a missed opportunity. We can build new light-rail systems linking downtowns with industrial areas, airports, suburbs and rural towns that will help workers lower their costs of traveling and help reduce traffic and pollution as well.

These new ways to travel can be clean and built right here in Ohio! All we need is the leadership to make it happen.

Components such as rails, cars, station platforms and power generation should be constructed from materials here in our communities. bringing jobs locally and by linking small towns with big cities that boosts local economies.

How the Bank of Ohio can help

If we are serious about keeping reliable supply chains in the future then we need to be thinking about building new facilities to strengthen our national security when it comes to manufacturing.

The Bank of Ohio can be an excellent source of funding for rural areas in particular who would like to build ready-made sites in order to attract larger investments by manufacturers. This would allow commerical and industrial development to be more evenly spread throughout Ohio rather than concentrating on the already overdeveloped urban centers.

The Bank of Ohio, similar to the Bank of North Dakota contributing to that state's manufacturing success, could catapult Ohio's manufacturing capabilities far into the 21st century.

Industrialized Hemp

When industrial hemp is widely used, there have to be new outlets created quickly where farmers can sell their harvests. Hemp has many uses in the manufacturing world; everything from construction materials like cinder block, fiber board, lumber, paper, and clothing, parts for cars such as door panels, dashboards and fabric for seats.

Ohio must create new avenues for investment that would attract new business to begin building the facilities to manufacture new products incorporating industrial hemp resulting in thousands of jobs right here at home.

Hemp can be a pathway that helps restore nutrients in farmland with no added chemicals, clean up waterways and allow for a new generation of farmers to expand their own growth by broadening their product range. This is one crop that can help make our rural communities stronger in the long run.