Manufacturers: We Need USMCA to Continue to Win​
July 15, 2019 5:20pm
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Washington, D.C. – A delegation of manufacturing leaders met with Vice President Mike Pence today to highlight the importance of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement to manufacturing in the United States.
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The delegation included former NAM Board Chair and Emerson Chairman and CEO David Farr, Winton Machine Company Co-Owner and CEO Lisa Winton, Kent Corporation Chairman and CEO Gage Kent, General Motors Company Chairman and CEO Mary Barra, Sukup Manufacturing Co. President Charles Sukup and HM Manufacturing President Nicole Wolter.

“The Trump administration continues to show its steadfast commitment to America’s manufacturing workers,” said Farr. “Manufacturers in Missouri and across the nation are keeping our promise to grow, invest and hire. This historic agreement will help us sustain this momentum. Congress must act now and ratify this agreement.”

“Manufacturing in Georgia is stronger thanks to policies like tax reform and regulatory certainty,” said Winton. “To keep making significant contributions to local economies, we need certainty on trade, which means we need Congress to pass the USMCA. It’s essential to the livelihoods of Georgia manufacturing workers.”

Canada and Mexico are manufacturers’ top trading partners, purchasing one-fifth of the total value of U.S. manufacturing input—more than the next 11 countries combined. These exports support 2 million American manufacturing jobs and 43,000 small and medium-sized businesses. Comprehensive new state data from the NAM shows the USMCA’s positive impacts in each state and throughout the U.S. On Wednesday, the NAM is bringing manufacturing leaders from across the country together in Washington to urge Congress to pass the USMCA.

“The USMCA would undoubtedly strengthen and expand the U.S. food and agriculture industry—and all the sectors that support it, including manufacturers,” said Kent.“Agriculture is at the center of the Iowa economy, supporting countless jobs and industries. Each day that passes without the USMCA in place is a day that costs Iowa’s manufacturers and businesses.”

“General Motors has long supported efforts to modernize the agreement and believes passage of USMCA is vital to the success of the US automotive industry,” said Barra.“The certainty that comes from having USMCA in place will allow us to continue to invest in manufacturing in the United States with confidence.”
“American businesses need certainty in our trade policy to create jobs and grow,” said Sukup. “Without concrete, modern trade laws with our closest trading allies—Canada and Mexico—manufacturers in America won’t reach our full potential. On behalf of Iowa’s more than 25,000 employees whose jobs rely on North American trade, I urge Congress to swiftly pass the USMCA.”

“Tariff-free, modern trade is important for Illinois manufacturers, especially us small businesses,” said Wolter. “Selling what we make here to countries around the world helps us to remain competitive in today’s global economy. It also helps us to reinvest in our businesses, hire more employees and give back to the community.”
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The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.38 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

The Daily Herald highlighted HM Manufacturing President and CEO Nicole Wolter’s STEP Ahead recognition.  The STEP Ahead Awards honor the achievements of women in science technology, engineering, and production careers. 

​HM Manufacturing President and CEO Nicole Wolter was featured on Rising’s segment Small Business Boom on The Hill TV. Host Buck Sexton interviewed Nicole on the impact tax cuts have had on HM Manufacturing’s growth.  

“With the tax cuts we’ve been able to invest. We have twenty employees now. From this time in 2009 we only had about six. We’ve been growing.”

Watch the full video at The Hill TV.   

The Daily Herald recently featured HM Manufacturing President and CEO Nicole Wolter as a guest columnist in their op-ed section. Wolter was chosen to write an opinion piece because of her extensive knowledge of the manufacturing industry.  

In the article, Wolter highlights the extensive job growth recently in U.S. manufacturing, contrary to the popular belief that the industry is doomed.  The recent manufacturing boom comes, in part, from companies using their tax cut savings to invest back in their business and employees. 



​“Rumors of the death of U.S. manufacturing have been greatly exaggerated.”

To read the full article online, head to The Daily Herald.

In a guest article for the October issue of the Daily Herald Business Ledger, HM Manufacturing President and CEO Nicole Wolter discusses the importance of nurturing a “skills interest” in STEM from students at an early age.  The article covers Nicole and HM Manufacturing’s efforts to increase students’ interest in STEM and manufacturing and some of the early benefits due to these grants, classes, internship, and other efforts.

“Many of the students I talk to find a sense of accomplishment when they physically make something in class.”

To read more head to DH Business Ledger

In the May issue of Manufacturing Today, Staci Davidson interviewed HM Manufacturing President and CEO Nicole Wolter.  In the column, Wolter highlighted how she is growing HM Manufacturing’s workforce and what she believes the manufacturing industry needs to do in order to gain more skilled employees.  One key area Nicole stressed is investing in young adults. 
 
“With so many companies competing for skilled workers, HM is looking for people we can invest in,” Wolter said.  “So many manufacturers talk about a skills gap, but I want skills interest. 
 
To read the full interview, head to MANUFACTURING TODAY

TMA’s February news bulletin features HM Manufacturing’s President and CEO Nicole Wolter.  TMA, or the Technology & Manufacturing Association provides almost 1,000 manufacturers and over 30,000 employees with programs and services to improve their operations, strengthen their workforces, and grow their businesses.  Their February issue focuses on how HM Manufacturing and Nicole Wolter overcame their unique challenges.
 
 “Nicole Wolter is finding a way to nearly double the speed and efficiency of the multi-national company’s food processing machines in order to meet their customers demands.”
 
To read the full article online, head to TMA 
Or find it on page 8 of the online edition of the news bulletin at TMA

​SME’s “Humans of Manufacturing” Spotlights Nicole Wolter     
 
            As part of their “Humans of Manufacturing” series, SME covered HM Manufacturing’s turnaround through our President and CEO Nicole Wolter’s hard work and growth.  The Humans of Manufacturing series was created to cover “the human element” of manufacturing.  The article highlights Nicole’s growth from knowing “virtually nothing” about manufacturing to leading a massive turnaround for a struggling power transmission components company.
 
“I knew that if we were going to grow and take on different kinds of work, we had to modernize our systems. Manufacturing is constantly evolving, and if you want to stay ahead of things, you need to evolve with it.”
 
To read the full story head to SME

Nicole Wolter and HM Manufacturing were featured in today’s Wall Street Journal. “Tax Incentive Puts More Robots on Factory Floors” focuses on how the new changes to the tax code will impact U.S. manufacturers.
 
“Other companies say the tax legislation changed their plans. Nicole Wolter, president of HM Manufacturing Inc. in suburban Chicago, said because of the lower 21% corporate tax rate she will be able to afford three additional milling and lathe machines this year for her 20-employee firm, which makes transmission and other components.”
 
Nicole is one of several industry leaders featured. 
To read the full article head to WSJ

On January 19th, 2018 Kim Mikus of the Daily Herald Business ledger interviewed local business leaders about their predictions and thoughts for the coming year.  Our President and CEO, Nicole Wolter was one of the leaders featured in the interview, answering an assortment of questions such as,

“Q: What is one issue you are concerned with heading into 2018?
A: One of my biggest concerns for 2018, that seems to be a consistent theme, is workforce development.”

To read the rest of Nicole’s answers and what the other great interviewees have to say about 2018 read the full story at Daily Herald