The Manufacturing Report

The Manufacturing Report
  • 4.8 (25)
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  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Manufacturing is having a moment. But what will it actually take to create more blue-collar jobs and strengthen our industrial base? Alliance for American Manufacturing President Scott Paul chats with policymakers, manufacturing experts and factory workers to find out.

  1. Why This Army Veteran Refused to Make His Product Overseas

    JAN 26

    Why This Army Veteran Refused to Make His Product Overseas

    The idea for this company didn’t start in a boardroom — it started under a military helmet. Today, Scott Paul speaks with Haidar Hamoud, founder of HaakWear, about reinventing the traditional beanie through American manufacturing. Haidar shares how his U.S. Army experience inspired a patented stitch design that eliminates discomfort, why he chose to manufacture entirely in Cleveland, and how rigorous testing and customer feedback guide the company’s product development. They discuss the challenges of starting a manufacturing business from scratch and HaakWear’s commitment to community impact and ethical production. 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories on U.S. trade policy, buying American, and protecting American jobs. Check out our 2025 Made in America Holiday Gift Guide! And sign our petition to bring shipbuilding back to America! https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/ships Guest Resources https://www.haakwear.com Resources & Links 2025 Made in America Holiday Gift Guide Sign up for our daily newsletter, Daily Digest. or our bi-weekly version, ManufactureThis Check out our Made In America Directory And sign our petition to bring shipbuilding back to America! https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/ships You can also listen wherever you get podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Socials X: @KeepItMadeInUSA Facebook: www.facebook.com/americanmanufacturing Instagram: www.instagram.com/americanmanufacturing

    35 min
  2. One TV Segment Changed Everything for These American Makers

    JAN 12

    One TV Segment Changed Everything for These American Makers

    Happy 2026! Today we’re featuring two artisan makers who were spotlighted in AAM’s holiday gift guide. Treeworks founder & co-owner Meaghan Goulder shares their evolution from arborist work to full-time spoon making, and the importance of sustainable wood sourcing. Dirty South Pottery co-owner Carvel Norman shares how he and his wife built a functional ceramics brand, the success of their signature mugs, and lessons on following customer demand after a surge from CBS Sunday Morning. 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories on U.S. trade policy, buying American, and protecting American jobs. And sign our petition to bring shipbuilding back to America! https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/ships Guest Resources https://treeworksidaho.com https://www.dirtysouthpottery.com Resources & Links 2025 Made in America Holiday Gift Guide: https://bit.ly/2025Gifts Sign up for our daily newsletter, Daily Digest: https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/digest-sign-up or our bi-weekly version, ManufactureThis: https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/subscribe Check out our Made In America Directory: https://www.americanmanufacturing.org/made-in-america/ You can also listen wherever you get podcasts Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-manufacturing-report/id1213359909 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3jAoV4AHejHd36wSjSEPMs Socials X: @KeepItMadeInUSA Facebook: www.facebook.com/americanmanufacturing Instagram: www.instagram.com/americanmanufacturing More About The Manufacturing Report While America is charting its way through a crisis like no other, we've rediscovered the value and importance of making things right here. Alliance for American Manufacturing President Scott Paul chats with policy makers, manufacturing experts and factory workers to find out. The Manufacturing Report has featured interviews with Ben and Erin Napier of HGTV's hit show "Home Town", American Giant CEO Bayard Winthrop, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), the stars of "Working Man" (2019), and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage among others.

    45 min
  3. The Year of the Tariff

    12/29/2025

    The Year of the Tariff

    2025 will be remembered as the year tariffs took center stage in U.S. trade policy. Today, AAM President Scott Paul and AAM Director of Media Relations, Cat Adams, recap 2025 and walk us through the Trump administration’s trade actions from day one through a pivotal Supreme Court showdown. They examine sweeping new tariffs, market and political backlash, and competing arguments over costs versus strategic benefits. From everyone at AAM, thanks for listening all year long. We wish you a happy holiday season and a strong, successful New Year. See you in 2026! 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories on U.S. trade policy, buying American, and protecting American jobs. Check out our 2025 Made in America Holiday Gift Guide! And sign our petition to bring shipbuilding back to America! https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/ships Resources & Links 2025 Made in America Holiday Gift Guide Sign up for our daily newsletter, Daily Digest. or our bi-weekly version, ManufactureThis Check out our Made In America Directory And sign our petition to bring shipbuilding back to America! https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/ships You can also listen wherever you get podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Socials X: @KeepItMadeInUSA Facebook: www.facebook.com/americanmanufacturing Instagram: www.instagram.com/americanmanufacturing

    29 min
  4. How City Threads Survived Fast Fashion and Kept Making Clothes in the USA

    12/22/2025

    How City Threads Survived Fast Fashion and Kept Making Clothes in the USA

    In an industry dominated by imports, one company stayed local — and competitive. AAM President Scott Paul speaks with City Threads founders Shayna Samuels and Joe Willis about building a Made-in-USA apparel brand from the ground up. They discuss how City Threads grew from early boutique sales into a national direct-to-consumer business, why they prioritize U.S. cut-and-sew manufacturing, and how customer feedback shaped their shift toward comfortable, clearly labeled cotton basics. 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories on U.S. trade policy, buying American, and protecting American jobs. Check out our 2025 Made in America Holiday Gift Guide! And sign our petition to bring shipbuilding back to America! https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/ships Guest Resources https://www.citythreads.com/ Resources & Links 2025 Made in America Holiday Gift Guide Sign up for our daily newsletter, Daily Digest. or our bi-weekly version, ManufactureThis Check out our Made In America Directory And sign our petition to bring shipbuilding back to America! https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/ships You can also listen wherever you get podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Socials X: @KeepItMadeInUSA Facebook: www.facebook.com/americanmanufacturing Instagram: www.instagram.com/americanmanufacturing

    46 min
  5. The Portland Startup Saving Millions of Inner Tubes from Landfills

    12/15/2025

    The Portland Startup Saving Millions of Inner Tubes from Landfills

    It started with one sewing machine, a pile of flat inner tubes — and a big idea about American manufacturing. Lanette Fidrych shares how Cycle Dog grew from sewing dog leashes out of discarded bike tubes to becoming a nationally distributed, U.S.-made pet product manufacturer. She discusses scaling production from her home to a full factory and retail/tavern space, the brand’s commitment to sustainability, and the importance of creating meaningful manufacturing jobs. Lanette also explains how in-house production accelerates innovation and enables the company to repurpose waste into new products. Our 2025 Made in America Holiday Gift Guide is out now: https://bit.ly/2025Gifts 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories on U.S. trade policy, buying American, and protecting American jobs. Check out our 2025 Made in America Holiday Gift Guide: https://bit.ly/2025Gifts And sign our petition to bring shipbuilding back to America! https://act.americanmanufacturing.org... Guest Resources https://cycledog.com/ AAM Resources & Links 2025 Made in America Holiday Gift Guide: https://bit.ly/2025Gifts Sign up for our daily newsletter, Daily Digest: https://bit.ly/4iWbJga or our bi-weekly: https://bit.ly/4rXmh2Q Check out our Made In America Directory: https://bit.ly/4oUQRY7 You can also listen wherever you get podcasts Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3XQ7glr Spotify: https://bit.ly/48PXG7d Socials X: @KeepItMadeInUSA Facebook: www.facebook.com/americanmanufacturing Instagram: www.instagram.com/americanmanufacturing #CycleDog #MadeInUSA #AmericanManufacturing #SustainableManufacturing #UpcycledProducts #EcoFriendlyBusiness #PetIndustry #USAMade #ManufacturingInnovation #SmallBusinessSuccess #SustainablePetProducts #EcoFriendlyPets #Upcycling #CircularEconomy #DogLovers #PetProducts #WomenInManufacturing #EntrepreneurLife #FactoryTour #BuyAmerican

    43 min
  6. How Two Parents Built a Made in America Production Line for Kids' Play Furniture

    12/08/2025

    How Two Parents Built a Made in America Production Line for Kids' Play Furniture

    They built one toy for their daughter - and it changed everything. Blueberry and Third, founded by Nikki and Brian Benbenek, began as a handcrafted climbing arch for their daughter and evolved into a fast-growing, Montessori-inspired children’s play-furniture brand. Nikki discusses how their passion for quality, open-ended play, and Brian’s 20+ years of woodworking experience helped them scale from a basement workshop to partnering with U.S. manufacturers. She also shares why domestic production gives them unmatched flexibility and control. 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories on U.S. trade policy, buying American, and protecting American jobs. Resources & Links Check out our 2025 Made in America Holiday Gift Guide! Sign up for our daily newsletter, Daily Digest or our bi-weekly Check out our Made In America Directory You can also listen wherever you get podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories on U.S. trade policy, buying American, and protecting American jobs. Guest Resources https://blueberryandthird.com/pages/contact Resources & Links Sign up for our daily newsletter, Daily Digest or our bi-weekly version, ManufactureThis https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/subscribe Check out our Made In America Directory And sign our petition to bring shipbuilding back to America! https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/ships You can also listen wherever you get podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Socials X: @KeepItMadeInUSA Facebook: www.facebook.com/americanmanufacturing Instagram: www.instagram.com/americanmanufacturing #madeinusa #madeinamerica #americanmade #podcast #smallindustries #entrepreneur #smallbusiness #montessori #kids #christmas #holidaygiftguide #woodworking #shoplocal #holidayshopping #blueberryandthird #handcraftedtoys #familybusiness #supportsmallbusiness #madeintheusa #woodentoys #montessorikids #holidaygiftideas #shoplocalforchristmas #entrepreneurship

    31 min
  7. A Footwear Brand’s Path Back After the Floods

    12/01/2025

    A Footwear Brand’s Path Back After the Floods

    The sneaker brand that beat the odds against American footwear manufacturing — until disaster struck. Today we continue our Made in America Holiday Gift series with Justin James, founder of Opie Way, a U.S.-made sneaker brand rooted in craftsmanship and community. Justin shares how a lifelong passion for footwear led him to build a domestic shoe factory from scratch — only to have it destroyed by Hurricane Helene in 2024. He describes the emotional aftermath, the overwhelming support from fellow makers and customers, and his determined effort to rebuild. The conversation highlights resilience, American manufacturing, and the mission to relaunch Opie Way stronger than before. Catch next week’s episode as we continue our holiday series with City Threads, a Los Angeles-based clothing brand that manufactures comfortable, durable apparel for the whole family. Make sure to tune in! 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories on U.S. trade policy, buying American, and protecting American jobs. Guest Resources: www.opieway.com Resources & Links Sign up for our daily newsletter, Daily Digest or our bi-weekly version, ManufactureThis: https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/subscribe Check out our Made In America Directory: https://bit.ly/2025Gifts And sign our petition to bring shipbuilding back to America: https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/ships You can also listen wherever you get podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Socials X: @KeepItMadeInUSA Facebook: www.facebook.com/americanmanufacturing Instagram: www.instagram.com/americanmanufacturing #MadeInUSA, #GiftGuide, #OpieWayFootwear, #opieway #HolidayGifts, #AmericanManufacturing #hurricanerecovery #giftguide #sneakers #sneakerhead #sneakernews

    52 min
  8. How a Teen Hobby Turned Into One of America’s Hottest Leather Brands

    11/24/2025

    How a Teen Hobby Turned Into One of America’s Hottest Leather Brands

    What does it take to build a modern American manufacturing brand from scratch? A lot more than leather… Today, we’re continuing our Made In America Holiday Gift series with Lost Dutchman founder. Nathan Walker shares how he built his American-made leather goods company from a teenage hobby into a fast-growing brand. He discusses the origins of the company name, his self-taught craft, scaling from Etsy to a full shop with employees, and the importance of quality and transparency in U.S. manufacturing. 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories on U.S. trade policy, buying American, and protecting American jobs. Guest Resources www.lostdutchmanleather.com Resources & Links Sign up for our daily newsletter, Daily Digest or our bi-weekly version, ManufactureThis Check out our Made In America Directory You can also listen wherever you get podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Socials X: @KeepItMadeInUSA Facebook: www.facebook.com/americanmanufacturing Instagram: www.instagram.com/americanmanufacturing #MadeInUSA, #GiftGuide, #LostDutchmanLeather, #HolidayGifts, #AmericanManufacturing #holidaygiftguide #holidayshopping #leather #leatherworking #leathercraft #arizona #maker

    35 min
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4.8
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

Manufacturing is having a moment. But what will it actually take to create more blue-collar jobs and strengthen our industrial base? Alliance for American Manufacturing President Scott Paul chats with policymakers, manufacturing experts and factory workers to find out.

Information

  • Creator
    The Manufacturing Report
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    271
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    The Manufacturing Report

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