Interest rates help determine when and how much manufacturers and machine shops invest in new machinery, systems, and consumables. Now that the Federal Reserve Bank has cut interest rates for a third time – should manufacturers be ready to invest? What other factors are shaping their choices in 2025? Chris Chidzik, chief economist for AMT – the Association for Manufacturing Technology, explains it all.

2024 has been a year of remarkable growth and innovation for the manufacturing sector, with key trends making lasting impressions on the industry. Automation, AI, and advanced robotics have gained traction, while sustainability initiatives have become a central focus for many manufacturers. Additionally, global supply chain challenges and innovations in smart manufacturing have pushed companies to adapt and rethink their strategies. In this year’s end wrap-up, the editors from Endeavor Business Media’s Manufacturing Group look back at the most important trends that impacted manufacturing in 2024 and offer insights into the direction the industry is heading.

Anna Townshend is managing editor of Plant Services and has been a journalist and editor for almost 20 years. In addition to writing and editing thousands of articles in her career, she has been an active speaker on industry panels and presentations. In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, she reads her latest Maintenance Mindset article, where each week one of the Plant Services editors highlights important and interesting nuggets in the news about manufacturing and asset management.

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Maintenance Mindset: The future of emissions monitoring — Exploring NIST’s game-changing spectroscopy technology New laser technology from NIST researchers to measure greenhouse gas emissions could bring better methods to the plant floor. Written and read by Anna Townshend Read the article