Manufacturers represent approximately 17% of middle market companies compared to about 12% of the economy as a whole. Clearly, manufacturing is key to the success of the middle market, which in turn, drives the overall U.S. economy. While middle market manufacturing is growing and the manufacturing climate has markedly improved, these businesses currently face a unique set of challenges to the way they operate.
This report highlights:
- How globalization and consolidation is creating intense competition and what manufacturers are doing about it.
- How manufacturers are growing faster by developing more collaborative relationships with suppliers and customers.
- How manufacturers are changing the mix of what they sell by switching from a product only model to selling value-added services to stand out in the market.
- How technological advancement is changing manufacturing processes and the growth and risk opportunity that brings.
- How the manufacturing skills gap and talent management issues stem and compound from every other challenge manufacturer’s face creating the importance to train and grow from within.
The National Center for the Middle Market worked with experts from Chubb as well as its sponsors, SunTrust Banks, Grant Thornton, and Cisco Systems, and faculty advisors from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, to review research and data and understand the broad challenges middle market manufacturers face. Strategic and financial decision makers from middle market manufacturing companies were also surveyed as part of the report findings.
Download the research report to uncover the findings.
