Whatever you want to call it, there’s no doubt that the manufacturing and metalworking industry is experiencing a tough time. Companies of all sizes and capabilities may struggle with any or all of the following:
- Lack of skilled labor
- Stagnant or declining sales
- Irregular sales, production, or money collection cycles.
Whether your primary service is as a sheet metal fabricator, Installer/Contractor, or a solo sheet metal shop, we feel your pain — and so does the rest of the industry.
Whether you're in a production predicament or your fabricators are fatiguing, here's why the state of the workforce should have you seeking an industrial ductwork fabrication partner.
The State of the Metal Fabrication Services Workforce
While sheet metal employment growth is projected to be a slow 4.8%, employment growth for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers is growing faster than the average for all occupations — 8.2% compared to 7.7%.
However, the growth just means more shoes to fill — and there will be a lot. From 2020 to 2030, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting employment openings among these key fabrication positions to hover around 10%. Many expected openings come from the need to replace workers who pursue different occupations or retire from the labor force.
So, Who’s Going to Make Industrial Ductwork?
Good question. In short, the employment gap continues to widen, especially in the manufacturing space. Although Millennials became the largest demographic in the labor force in 20161, thanks to lower total fertility rates, there simply aren’t enough Millennials and Gen Zers to replace the Boomer generation in the workforce.
A smaller population, coupled with decreased interest in working full-time positions, means those responsible for hiring and recruiting are left to face unfavorable circumstances. According to Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute research, this lack of skilled labor may result in 2.4 million unfilled positions between 2018 and 2028 — that's 53 out of 100 positions.
Our Take on the State of the Industrial Ductwork Fabrication Industry
Download our report on the state of the industrial duct and metal fabrication workforce for more stats, graphs, and insights into the problem we're all facing. Inside, we also offer up the smartest solution there is to combat the effects of the declining labor pool.
How Do I Find Quality Ductwork Fabrication Near Me?
Don't start Googling just yet. US Duct is an American-owned and -operated manufacturer of industrial ductwork systems and custom ventilation solutions. The combination of a dedicated sales team and skilled fabrication team gives contractors, ductwork installers, and sheet metal fabricators everything they need to select and sell ductwork to end-users.
From design to fabrication to on-time delivery, we’ll be a reliable partner that can save you time and money and remove the stress of manufacturing ductwork.
Our Take on the State of the Industrial Ductwork Fabrication Industry
Download our report on the state of the industrial duct and metal fabrication workforce for more stats, graphs, and insights into the problem we're all facing. Inside, we also offer up the smartest solution there is to combat the effects of the declining labor pool.