Cleveland Fed focuses on manufacturing in new series, highlights resilience in America’s industrial heartland

The importance of the manufacturing sector and its workers, past, present, and future, has been made even clearer during the COVID-19 pandemic, when American manufacturers have been asked to step up to produce the things their country needs.

The Cleveland Fed has just published a three-part multimedia storytelling series, “Manufacturing under Pressure,” weaving together the observations, thoughts about the sector’s future, and family stories of roughly 20 people, including the insights of Cleveland Fed researchers.

This series was produced during the past year in light of continued changes to the manufacturing sector and features 16 data visualizations, photography and videography that offer a glimpse into what US manufacturing looks like, and a feature focused on the resilience of workers, companies, and communities.

Part I examines the changes to the manufacturing industry and the debate about trade versus automation. Part II explores the critical need for talent and the headwinds that manufacturers face in attracting people to its work. Part III shines a light on how various places (among them, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) have evolved and how manufacturers are changing.

Read more: Manufacturing under Pressure

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland is one of 12 regional Reserve Banks that along with the Board of Governors in Washington DC comprise the Federal Reserve System. Part of the US central bank, the Cleveland Fed participates in the formulation of our nation’s monetary policy, supervises banking organizations, provides payment and other services to financial institutions and to the US Treasury, and performs many activities that support Federal Reserve operations System-wide. In addition, the Bank supports the well-being of communities across the Fourth Federal Reserve District through a wide array of research, outreach, and educational activities.

The Cleveland Fed, with branches in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, serves an area that comprises Ohio, western Pennsylvania, eastern Kentucky, and the northern panhandle of West Virginia.

Media contact

Doug Campbell, doug.campbell@clev.frb.org, 513.455.4479