The Thomas Blog

Skills Gap Vs. Perception Gap: What America Thinks Of Your Manufacturing Industry

As manufacturing faces a shortage of up to 2 million skilled workers over the next decade, it’s important to understand how a typical person — one who doesn't work within the industry — views the sector as a viable career path for the workforce of tomorrow.

4 Myths About American Manufacturing

As advanced and innovative as manufacturing is today, many people still hold outdated beliefs about the industry, the opportunities it presents, and its future in today’s shifting landscape.

Celebrating The Independent American Manufacturer

In honor of the Fourth of July, Thomas is not only celebrating Independence Day, but also celebrating the independent American manufacturers that contribute so much to our country throughout the year.

And while there are many  of reasons to appreciate these small and mid-sized businesses, we wanted to highlight three in particular.

A Well-Known Indiana Nonprofit Elevates Both Their Bottom Line And Their Core Mission

 Goodwill, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is a remarkable organization.

The American Inventions That Revolutionized Manufacturing

American inventors have had a tremendous impact on the United States and people around the world. 

The manufacturing industry has also felt the impact of these innovators who were willing to push the possibilities of their times and technologies.

Thomas took a look back at a few of the awesome American inventions that have shaped the industry.

3 Ways To Simplify The Purchase Of Complex Parts

Digitized information offers vast flexibility. When employed at its best, digital information can make the most complex processes simpler and more efficient. This especially applies to the selling of complex industrial parts.

Five Reasons Why We ♥ Manufacturing

It’s Valentine’s Day, and love is definitely in the air. But at Thomas, we just have one thing in our hearts: manufacturing.

We love the industry, the companies that make it run, and the people that make it great. After all, since 1898, we’ve been helping manufacturing companies grow, so you might say we’re in a bit of a committed relationship.

There are so many reasons to love manufacturing. Here are our top five.

Steel Scandal Will Shake Up The Supply Chain

Some of the biggest names in manufacturing — Boeing, General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Honda, and many others — have seen their supply chains thrown into turmoil after a major Japanese steel supplier admitted fabricating quality control data.

Thomas Index Report: Hurricane Harvey

To help buyers and suppliers stay ahead of the latest shifts and emerging trends, we constantly analyze the industrial/B2B buying activity taking place at Thomasnet.com, where every 2 seconds a buyer evaluates a supplier. This powerful, proprietary data fuels our Thomas Industrial Index.

This week we take a look at sourcing in and around the Houston area in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, with our data adding some insight into the sheer magnitude of the disaster. Here’s what we’re seeing: