by Dave Jeffrey, CAMA Board Chair

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated what we already knew – manufacturing is essential.

As the national pandemic works its way through its tenth week, manufacturers are preparing for the next challenge: rebuilding a broken supply chain.

The current pandemic has demonstrated our country’s over-dependence on foreign countries providing low-cost production. Protective personal equipment (PPE) shortages are immediate consequences of the offshoring decisions of the past 20 years.

As national policymakers begin exploring policy fixes to re-shore manufacturing to the U.S., they must understand that the small to medium-sized manufacturers will be the ones to rebuild America’s broken supply chain. While politicians are talking, the Colorado Advanced Manufacturing Association (CAMA) and its national partner, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), are acting.

As Chairman of CAMA and owner of my own contract machine shop, JPM Prototype & Mfg., Inc, I understand the simplest way to strengthen the U.S. supply chain is to help U.S. manufacturers connect with one another. The vehicle to make this connection is the national Manufacturers Marketplace.

The Manufacturers Marketplace is a searchable database designed to connect U.S. manufacturers. It was created by and for manufacturers to be the epicenter of the current reshoring initiative.

One U.S. company that distributes kitchen appliances ranging from air fryers to waffle makers is currently looking for an American manufacturer to produce their products. The 4.5 million mini waffle makers they want to make in the U.S. are just one of the opportunities found in the Marketplace.

Here are some of the features of the Manufacturers Marketplace which you can use to strengthen your supply chain and increase sales:

• Search over 140,000+ U.S. manufacturers

• Filter each manufacturing search by state, city, process, Certification NAICS, and SIC codes

• View the Connection Center daily, which allows all subscribers to connect and post RFQ/RFP/RFI

All Colorado manufacturers should and can be a part of these exciting reshoring opportunities.

Please contact me at davejeffrey@co-cama.org or info@CO-CAMA.org to learn how your company can be part of this supply chain renaissance by participating in the national Manufacturers Marketplace.

Your participation in the Marketplace will not only help strengthen manufacturing in Colorado but across the country as well. Together, we will keep Colorado manufacturing strong.