On Thursday, February 22, representatives from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) joined leaders from across Macomb County at RCO Engineering in Roseville for the NAM 2024 State of Manufacturing Address. The speech, which was broadcast online across the country, was delivered by NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons.
“Every year, we travel the country to deliver the NAM’s State of Manufacturing Address,” he said. “We reflect on everything manufacturers are accomplishing, all the good we’re doing for the world—and how we’re driving the American economy forward.”
Timmons and team selected Michigan for the address, and Macomb County in particular, due to its legacy as a powerhouse for manufacturing.
“Manufacturing represents more than 10% of the U.S. economy, or $2.9 trillion, and 16% of the economy here in Michigan,” Timmons said. “But manufacturing’s impact on our country and on the world is incalculable (....) At the heart of our achievements are incredible manufacturing teams—like RCO Engineering. You celebrated your 50th anniversary last year. Your company has had an amazing story, growing and adapting with the times, broadening your capabilities to include aerospace design. Resilience, adaptability, constantly refining and strengthening the commitment to the communities you serve—that’s why manufacturers in the U.S. are the best in the business.”
Joining Timmons for the address was Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, who shared his perspective on NAM choosing the County for the event, as well as the County’s overall industrial impact.
“Of the more than 600,000 manufacturing companies across the United States, the National Association of Manufacturers chose to celebrate the annual State of Manufacturing right here in Macomb County,” he said. “The address championed the unrivaled achievements of our 1,600 manufacturers in Macomb, and illustrated how manufacturing is the heartbeat of our economy. In Macomb County, we remain committed to working with our economic development and educational partners to ensure that manufacturing continues to thrive. I am incredibly optimistic about the future of manufacturing. Not just here in Macomb County, but across the country, because from concept to consumer, no one does it better than how we do it right here in America.”
“Every year, we travel the country to deliver the NAM’s State of Manufacturing Address,” he said. “We reflect on everything manufacturers are accomplishing, all the good we’re doing for the world—and how we’re driving the American economy forward.”
Timmons and team selected Michigan for the address, and Macomb County in particular, due to its legacy as a powerhouse for manufacturing.
“Manufacturing represents more than 10% of the U.S. economy, or $2.9 trillion, and 16% of the economy here in Michigan,” Timmons said. “But manufacturing’s impact on our country and on the world is incalculable (....) At the heart of our achievements are incredible manufacturing teams—like RCO Engineering. You celebrated your 50th anniversary last year. Your company has had an amazing story, growing and adapting with the times, broadening your capabilities to include aerospace design. Resilience, adaptability, constantly refining and strengthening the commitment to the communities you serve—that’s why manufacturers in the U.S. are the best in the business.”
Joining Timmons for the address was Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, who shared his perspective on NAM choosing the County for the event, as well as the County’s overall industrial impact.
“Of the more than 600,000 manufacturing companies across the United States, the National Association of Manufacturers chose to celebrate the annual State of Manufacturing right here in Macomb County,” he said. “The address championed the unrivaled achievements of our 1,600 manufacturers in Macomb, and illustrated how manufacturing is the heartbeat of our economy. In Macomb County, we remain committed to working with our economic development and educational partners to ensure that manufacturing continues to thrive. I am incredibly optimistic about the future of manufacturing. Not just here in Macomb County, but across the country, because from concept to consumer, no one does it better than how we do it right here in America.”
Following the address at RCO, County leaders toured NAM officials around several other local facilities, including Second Nature Brands, the manufacturer of Kar’s Nuts and Sanders products, and Triumph Geared Solutions, which manufactures, tests and builds complete gearbox and transmission assemblies, as well as complex gears and housings.
Images of the day are available here. Photos courtesy of David Bohrer from the National Association of Manufacturers.
Photo 1: (left to right) Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons, and Michigan Manufacturers Association John J. Walsh inside the Sanders Chocolate & Ice Cream Shoppe
Photo 2: (left to right) Jeff Simek, general manager of operations at RCO Aerospace & Engineering, Walsh and Timmons during a tour of RCO
Photo 3: Inside the Sander’s manufacturing facility
Photo 4: (left to right) Hackel, Timmons and Walsh inside the Sander’s manufacturing facility
Photo 5: Walking through the Triumph Geared facility
Photo 6: Timmons meets an RCO employee
Photo 7: Timmons speaks with an RCO employee
Photo 8: Timmons speaks with a Triumph Geared employee
Photo 9: A Second Nature Brands employee
Images of the day are available here. Photos courtesy of David Bohrer from the National Association of Manufacturers.
Photo 1: (left to right) Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons, and Michigan Manufacturers Association John J. Walsh inside the Sanders Chocolate & Ice Cream Shoppe
Photo 2: (left to right) Jeff Simek, general manager of operations at RCO Aerospace & Engineering, Walsh and Timmons during a tour of RCO
Photo 3: Inside the Sander’s manufacturing facility
Photo 4: (left to right) Hackel, Timmons and Walsh inside the Sander’s manufacturing facility
Photo 5: Walking through the Triumph Geared facility
Photo 6: Timmons meets an RCO employee
Photo 7: Timmons speaks with an RCO employee
Photo 8: Timmons speaks with a Triumph Geared employee
Photo 9: A Second Nature Brands employee
Tom Lehrer
586-463-3523
lehrer@macombgov.org
