Ethan Karp

2 months ago | forbes.com | Ethan Karp

Most people hear family business and think of the long-standing ice cream parlor on the corner or the mechanic whose first customers drove Model Ts.As it turns out, many of them are in manufacturing. In fact, of the manufacturers in America are small businesses and most of them are family owned. But it’s not always easy to keep it that way. Over the next 10 to 15 years, 125,000 family-owned manufacturers will transition ownership as the previous regime retires.

2 months ago | forbes.com | Ethan Karp

For decades, manufacturing was a loaded word—synonymous with decline, job losses, and factory closings. It was seen as a relic of the past, not an engine of the future. But today, that narrative has flipped: Manufacturing is America’s comeback story. And in these divided times, it may be the one thing we can all agree on. The Reality CheckManufacturing contributes $2.9 trillion to the U.S. economy, employs 13 million Americans, and leads all other sectors in R&D investment and patents.

Feb 3, 2025 | forbes.com | Ethan Karp

The last few days were a wild ride for manufacturers. To briefly recap, on Saturday, President Trump signed his long-promised tariffs, establishing a 25 percent duty on goods imported from Mexico and Canada and a 10 percent duty on Chinese goods. It didn’t take long for our neighbors to the north and south to threaten their own retaliatory tariffs.

Jan 27, 2025 | forbes.com | Ethan Karp

With inauguration day behind us, we’ve already seen some of the first big moves from the new administration. As they continue to roll out, we know one thing: President Trump plans to make cuts, and perhaps aggressively. The president’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has its sights set on wasteful government spending. Companies that have utilized lean manufacturing principles know a thing or two about cutting waste.

Jan 7, 2025 | forbes.com | Ethan Karp

For manufacturers, 2024 was another rollercoaster year. The industry took cover under the threat of a slowing economy and kept an eye on geopolitical uncertainty. It waited for the results of an election that felt particularly impactful to manufacturers, then sized up how the new administration may impact the industry’s future. As we greet 2025, more uncertainty seems inevitable between the looming effects of tariffs and an economy that still can’t make up its mind.