When we talk about building a more productive and competitive manufacturing industry, talk of AI, automation, and other new tech usually crops up. But let’s not forget the basics – the way we power, staff, and build sustainable practices. That stuff’s also important.
We’re in an era of transformation right now, but it’s definitely not the first time the US has gone through this. In fact, we get a little history lesson in this episode from Ted Fertik, VP of Manufacturing & Industrial Policy at BlueGreen Alliance. With a PhD in Economic History, we hear how today’s manufacturing challenges mirror our history and what we can learn from it.
As we look to the future, Ted talks about today’s greater demands on the electrical grid but also why a low carbon economy and electrification are the future. Ted gives us a breakdown on the work that BlueGreen Alliance is doing to make manufacturing decarbonization a reality and attractive to fresh talent and investors.
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3 Quick Things from this Episode
- The US electrical grid faces huge demand – from data centers, electrification of transport and heating, and energy-intensive manufacturing processes. That’s why we need a reliable, affordable, clean grid for the future of manufacturing.
- A low carbon economy isn’t just about the environmental benefits (although they’re important too) it also boosts our competitive advantage. Electricity is more efficient, meaning it delivers better input-to-output rations and bigger productivity gains.
- To attract talent and investment to manufacturing, the benefits need to be clear and wide-ranging. Benefits to working conditions, career prospects, health and safety and environmental concerns, plus a better economy overall, are all key to winning interest in the industry.
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Tweetable Quotes
- “We need the benefits of the manufacturing economy to be really widely felt. And we need them to be real.” – Ted Fertik
- “There’s a powerful link between making things with less carbon and the prospect of huge gains in productivity and in material wellbeing for people.” – Ted Fertik
- “As we’re thinking about building out manufacturing, an affordable, stable, and reliable clean grid is an essential ingredient to a thriving, future-facing manufacturing sector in the US.” – Ted Fertik
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What We Discuss with Ted
- Ted shares his background as a PhD grad in Economic History with a focus on industry
- Some stories from industrial history that inspired Ted to build a career, including the history of Brazil and the UK’s industries
- How industrial strategy has been successfully rolled out in other countries in the past
- What the BlueGreen Alliance does to help build a low carbon economy and a stronger industry
- Why focusing on investment into transformation benefits everyone, not just the economy
- The connection between sustainability and productivity and why they benefit each other and workers
- Why manufacturing is such a critical part of a healthy modern economy, especially in the US
- What a low carbon future could look like and why we can’t overlook the effect on the demand for electricity
- How manufacturing and industry can attract talent and the role of trade unions
- How to attract investment to a capital-intensive industry and the role of the public sector in making it economically viable
- Why we need to make sure that the benefits of careers and investment in manufacturing are widely felt across the population
Recommended Resources
- BlueGreen Alliance, an organization that shapes US industrial policy with a focus on good-paying union jobs and environmental progress
- Arnold’s Mussel Bar, serving an extensive variety of mussels, Belgian beers, waffles, and more in a ground-level, brick-lined space near Dupond Circle in Washington, DC
Connect with Ted and BlueGreen Alliance
BlueGreen Alliance on X | Ted Fertik on X | BlueGreen Alliance on LinkedIn | Ted Fertik on LinkedIn
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