With no established commercial cultivation of natural rubber in the US, demand for natural rubber is met by imports from countries such as Indonesia and Thailand. Due to the necessity of natural rubber in various products (e.g., tires), rubber product manufacturers and other industry participants are researching ways to produce natural rubber outside of tropical climates, including in the US, to try to avoid price volatility as well as the relatively high price of natural rubber in the current natural rubber supply.
October 9, 2019MV transmissions and powertrain parts compose the largest product segment of the US power transmission component market. Rising fuel economy standards have spurred the development of advanced transmissions, such as continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) and dual-clutch transmissions (DCTs), that improve fuel efficiency and boost product value. As standards continue to rise, demand for these transmissions will expand further.
October 11, 2017The fabricated metal products industry is one of many targeted in the Trump administration’s recently imposed tariffs, and like other industries, the potential outcomes are largely unknown. Retaliatory tariffs are mounting. Will the smaller actors in the US fabricated metal products industry maximize their capabilities and expand to meet rising demand?
August 15, 2018From 2013 through 2016, sequestration, a system of budget cuts meant to enforce spending caps set by the Budget Control Act, led to stagnation in US shipbuilding output. Now, plans to dramatically increase the size of the US naval fleet from 275 ships to 355 promise to reinvigorate US shipbuilders.
November 14, 2017