Lessons on Trade, U.S. Manufacturing from Chile

1. WEST CHESTER, PA — "With the world captivated by the plight of 33 Chilean miners trapped in a mine more than 2,300 feet below the surface, a local manufacturer of drill rigs is involved in the rescue effort. Schramm Inc. is a major manufacturer of drill rigs and the manufacturer of the particular rig — the T685 — that reached the trapped miners a few days ago.  There are 40-plus Schramm drill rigs in Chile right now, said Edward Breiner, president and CEO of Schramm, in an interview Friday."

2. MILWAUKEE, WI --  "If not for a tiny camera system developed by Aries Industries of Waukesha, the families and rescuers of 33 trapped Chilean miners might not have caught a glimpse of their loved ones.  Aries manufactures pipeline inspection and rehabilitation equipment for water, wastewater, natural gas, oil and disaster recovery services. The company manufactures a camera system that has been used many times in coal mine disasters in this country and was available to Chilean rescuers."

A few points:

1. Chile has achieved a great deal of economic success in the last twenty years, largely because it has pursued free market policies that include very open free trade policies.  The OECD recognized Chile's economic success last December by inviting it to be the first South American country to join the club of developed countries, see CD post here.  With a more protectionist approach to trade with high tariffs, Chile may not have had access to the drill rigs and camera systems manufactured in the U.S. that are now helping in the rescue of the 33 miners.

2. We hear a lot of news about the "death of American manufacturing sector," the "loss of millions of manufacturing jobs," and how this will contribute to some permanent decline in the U.S. economy.  And yet the data show that manufacturing output was reaching historical all-time record highs before a sharp recession-related decline, and manufacturing output is gradually increasing and will probably be at record levels again within a few years (see CD posts here, here, and here).   The manufacturers highlighted here are probably just two examples of the thousands of successful American manufacturers that are world-leaders in high-tech manufacturing equipment.  

HT: Colin Grabow