Demographic dilemma
The Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce Foundation last month issued the report “Wisconsin’s Demographic Dilemma,” which shows that Wisconsin is not only one of the oldest states in the country, but that its demographic situation is not improving.
- According to the WMC Foundation report, the state’s median age is 40.1 years
- Wisconsin is one of only 14 states with a median age over 40
- The state’s population under age 5 shrank 10.1% from 2010 to 2020
- Wisconsin’s population of people aged 65-84 has grown 41.7% from 2010 to 2020
- One bright spot: Wisconsin’s international immigration has added 11,500 people over the last three years
“We need to recruit more people to move to Wisconsin, but we also need to get people off the sidelines and back into the workforce,” said Rachel Ver Velde, WMC’s senior director of workforce, education & employment.
The global state of 3D printing
Businesses are embracing 3D printing for larger manufacturing volumes, according to a new study by the global manufacturing platform Hubs.
- The study concludes that the 3D printing market will likely experience 17% growth to reach a value of $19.9 billion by the end of 2023
- 71% of respondents said they 3D printed more parts in 2022 than in 2021
- In 2022, 76.24% of companies produced 10 or more parts in their production runs — a significant increase from the 49% reported in 2021
- 56% of study participants named fused deposition modeling (FDM) as their most frequently used additive technology
“The tale of 3D printing is characterized by ongoing evolution,” the report concludes. “Moving forward, we can expect new layers of this agile technology that will reshape our world and the way we interact with it.”
30%
The increase in Wisconsin youth apprenticeships in 2022-2023 over the prior year, with 8,357 juniors and seniors participating statewide
Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
20%
Respondents to Industry Week’s 2023 Technology Survey that said automation and robots are “critical” to their manufacturing operations, up from 14% in 2022
Source: Industry Week
67%
Manufacturers in NAM’s Q2 survey who say they are positive about their company’s outlook, down from 74.7% in Q1 — and the lowest number since Q3 2020
Source: National Association of Manufacturers
No. 1
Green Bay’s ranking on U.S. News & World Report’s list of “Best Places to Live in America,” which analyzed the country’s 150 most populous areas
