Sections
| Title | Starting Page | Number of Pages |
|---|
| COVER | 1 | 3 |
| PLUNKETT S MANUFACTURING &ROBOTICS INDUSTRY ALMANAC 2015 | 4 | 4 |
| CONTENTS | 8 | 3 |
| INTRODUCTION | 11 | 2 |
| HOW TO USE THIS BOOK | 13 | 3 |
| Chapter 1 MAJOR TRENDS AFFECTING THE MANUFACTURING &ROBOTICS INDUSTRY | 16 | 24 |
| 1) Introduction to the Manufacturing and Robotics Industry | 16 | 2 |
| 2) Industrial Robots and Factory Automation | 18 | 1 |
| 3) Service Robots in a Variety of Industries | 19 | 1 |
| 4) U.S. Automobile Exports Soar | 20 | 1 |
| 5) Global Growth in Manufacturing and Trade Requires Investment by Emerging Nations | 21 | 1 |
| 6) Regional Trade Centers Will Evolve to Boost Manufacturing and Logistics | 21 | 1 |
| 7) Introduction to the Outsourcing &Offshoring Industry | 22 | 2 |
| 8) Pros and Cons of Outsourcing &Offshoring | 24 | 1 |
| 9) Nearshoring and Reshoring Keep Operations Closer to Home | 25 | 2 |
| 10) Wages Rise in China/Vietnam, Cambodia and Other Countries Gain Manufacturing Market Share | 27 | 1 |
| 11) The Vast Majority of Shoes Sold in the U.S. Are Made Elsewhere | 28 | 1 |
| 12) Original Design Manufacturing (ODM) and Contract Electronics Manufacturing Continue to Grow | 28 | 1 |
| 13) Outsourcing of Automobile Component Manufacturing/Design | 29 | 1 |
| 14) 3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing), Rapid Prototyping and Computer Aided Design | 30 | 1 |
| 15) 3PL Supply Chain Management Evolves to Serve the Global Market | 31 | 2 |
| 16) Manufacturers Focus on High Performance Plastics and Specialty Chemicals | 33 | 1 |
| 17) Refineries Along with Chemicals and Plastics Plants Invest Heavily in U.S./Take Advantage of Shale Natural Gas | 33 | 1 |
| 18) Computer and Smartphone Markets in India and China Targeted by Manufacturers | 34 | 1 |
| 19) Telecom Equipment Makers Face Intense Competition from Manufacturers in China | 35 | 1 |
| 20) Boeing and Airbus Enjoy Boom in Orders/Major Aircraft Market in China | 35 | 3 |
| 21) Big Three U.S. Automobile Manufacturers Rebound | 38 | 2 |
| Chapter 2 MANUFACTURING &ROBOTICS INDUSTRY STATISTICS | 40 | 38 |
| I. Overview of the Manufacturing Industry | 41 | 1 |
| Manufacturing &Robotics Overview | 42 | 1 |
| Quarterly After-Tax Profits, U.S. Manufacturing Corporations: 2010-1st Quarter 2014 | 43 | 1 |
| Selected Financial Data, U.S. Manufacturing Corporations: 1st Quarter 2013-1st Quarter 2014 | 44 | 1 |
| Sales &Net Income After-Tax, U.S. Manufacturing Corporations: 2003-1st Quarter 2014 | 45 | 1 |
| Sales &Operating Profits, U.S. Manufacturing Corporations, by Industry: 1st Quarter 2013-1st Quarter 2014 | 46 | 1 |
| II. Output &Employment | 47 | 1 |
| Value Added to U.S. Economy by Manufacturing Sector, as a Percentage of GDP: 1948-2013 | 48 | 1 |
| All Manufacturing Employees, U.S.: Monthly, January 1939-July 2014 | 49 | 1 |
| Employment in the U.S. Manufacturing Sector, as a Percentage of all Private Industry Employment: 1948-2013 | 50 | 1 |
| Employment in the U.S. Manufacturing Sector, by Industry: 2007-2013 | 51 | 1 |
| Manufacturing Output vs. Employment, U.S.: 1980-2014 | 52 | 1 |
| Employment &Productivity in the Manufacturing Sector, U.S.: 1987-2013 | 53 | 1 |
| Output per Hour in Manufacturing Sector, U.S. &Select Foreign Countries: 1980-2011 | 54 | 1 |
| Gross Output in the Wood &Nonmetallic Mineral Products Manufacturing Industries: Selected Years, 2005-2012 | 55 | 1 |
| Gross Output in the Primary Metals &Fabricated Metal Products Manufacturing Industries: Selected Years, 2005-2012 | 56 | 1 |
| Gross Output in the Machinery Manufacturing Industry, U.S.: Selected Years, 2005-2012 | 57 | 1 |
| Gross Output in the Computer &Electronic Product Manufacturing Industries: Selected Years, 2005-2012 | 58 | 1 |
| Gross Output in the Electrical Equipment, Appliances &Components Manufacturing Industries: Selected Years, 2005-2012 | 59 | 1 |
| Gross Output in the Motor Vehicles &Transportation Equipment Manufacturing Industries: Selected Years, 2005-2012 | 60 | 1 |
| Gross Output in the Food, Beverage &Tobacco Product Manufacturing Industries, U.S.: Selected Years, 2005-2012 | 61 | 1 |
| Gross Output in the Textile &Apparel Manufacturing Industries, U.S.: Selected Years, 2005-2012 | 62 | 1 |
| Gross Output in the Chemicals, Plastics &Rubber Products Manufacturing Industries, U.S.: Selected Years, 2005-2012 | 63 | 1 |
| III. Shipments | 64 | 1 |
| Value of Manufacturers' Shipments for All Manufacturing Industries, U.S.: Monthly, January 1992-June 2014 | 65 | 1 |
| Annual Value of Manufacturers' Shipments for Industry Groups, U.S.: 2007-2013 | 66 | 2 |
| Monthly Value of Manufacturers' Shipments for Industry Groups, U.S.: 2013-2014 | 68 | 2 |
| IV. Exports | 70 | 1 |
| Value of Exports of All Manufactured Goods, U.S.: 2008-2nd Quarter 2014 | 71 | 1 |
| Exports of Durable &Nondurable Manufactured Goods, U.S.: 2008-2nd Quarter 2014 | 72 | 1 |
| Exports, Imports &Trade Balance of Computers &Electronic Products, U.S.: 2008-2nd Quarter 2014 | 73 | 1 |
| Top Ten Suppliers &Destinations of U.S. Computers &Electronic Products: 2008-2nd Quarter 2014 | 74 | 1 |
| Value of Exports of U.S. Vehicles: 2008-2nd Quarter 2014 | 75 | 1 |
| Top 50 Destinations of U.S. Textiles &Apparel Exports: 2012-2013 | 76 | 1 |
| Exports, Imports &Trade Balance of Chemicals, U.S.: 2008-2nd Quarter 2014 | 77 | 1 |
| Chapter 3 IMPORTANT MANUFACTURING &ROBOTICS INDUSTRY CONTACTS | 78 | 33 |
| Chapter 4 THE MANUFACTURING 500: WHO THEY ARE AND HOW THEY WERE CHOSEN | 111 | 537 |
| INDEX OF COMPANIES WITHIN INDUSTRY GROUPS | 112 | 15 |
| ALPHABETICAL INDEX | 127 | 4 |
| INDEX OF HEADQUARTERS LOCATION BY U.S. STATE | 131 | 3 |
| INDEX OF NON-U.S. HEADQUARTERS LOCATION BY COUNTRY | 134 | 4 |
| Individual Profiles On Each Of THE MANUFACTURING 500 | 138 | 510 |
| ADDITIONAL INDEXES | 648 | 30 |
| INDEX OF FIRMS NOTED AS HOT SPOTS FOR ADVANCEMENT FOR WOMEN &MINORITIES | 649 | 2 |
| INDEX OF SUBSIDIARIES, BRAND NAMES AND AFFILIATIONS | 651 | 27 |
| A Short Manufacturing &Robotics Industry Glossary | 678 | 19 |
