Page 14: of Marine News Magazine (July 2025)

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Thought Leadership

Workforce Development

The Rise of the Blue-Collar Worker

By Robert Shuford, CEO, Mobile Pulley

America’s foundries—and thus, the skilled workforce that

For nearly 200 years, metal casting foundries have served as the backbone of powers them—is looking stronger than it has in decades.

A Q1 2025 survey conducted by the American Foundry

American manufacturing. Though only 1,750 foundries remain today, compared to more than 6,000 in 1955, they Society found that manufacturers have seen a notable up- are responsible for more than $110 billion in economic tick in sales over the past 90 days and maintain a positive or somewhat positive business outlook for the remainder output and support nearly half a million jobs. With Presi- of the year. A key concern highlighted in the survey was dent Trump’s tariff negotiations underway, a renewed man- date for reshoring manufacturing efforts, and the looming the growing demand for castings, accompanied by an ur- decisions around the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the future of gent need to increase training opportunities in metallurgy

Mobile Pulley 14 | MN July 2025