MFG DAY 2015: Semiconductor Manufacturing Critical to America’s Strength, Competitiveness

by Dan Rosso, Vice President, Communications

Today is National Manufacturing Day (MFG DAY), a time to highlight the strength and promise of American manufacturers and address the collective challenges they face. MFG DAY gives a unified voice to manufacturers across the United States and draws attention to the actions needed to ensure the future success of American manufacturing.

There is no more advanced or innovative manufacturer than the U.S. semiconductor industry. Researchers, designers and manufacturers in our industry have followed Moore’s Law to previously unimaginable levels, enabling smaller, more powerful, more energy-efficient and less expensive electronic devices. These breakthroughs have spurred tremendous growth in the U.S. economy and strengthened America’s global technology leadership. In fact, the semiconductor industry is one of the top contributors to U.S. economic growth of any manufacturing industry in the U.S. over the past 25 years and has accounted for 30 percent of all productivity gains due to innovation in the U.S. economy over the same period.

Thanks to the hard work and ingenuity U.S. semiconductor workers – 250,000 strong – the U.S. semiconductor industry continues to lead the global market, accounting for 51 percent of total global semiconductor sales in 2014. And U.S. semiconductor companies do most of their manufacturing (52 percent in 2014) in the United States. That’s one of the main reasons semiconductors are perennially one of America’s top manufactured exports, behind only aircraft and automobiles.

This MFG DAY, let’s recognize the great work of manufacturers across the United States, including the highly advanced and innovative manufacturers in the U.S. semiconductor industry. Their success is a key driver of America’s economic strength and global competitiveness.