WASHINGTON, D.C. – “Made in America” day highlighting U.S.-made products at the White House on Monday featured a bucket truck assembled by Birmingham-based Altec Industries, which exports its products to more than 100 countries.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Monday declaring this as “Made in America” week to celebrate homegrown products from each of the 50 states.
After the ceremony, he got a close-up look at the bucket truck produced by Altec, whose customers include utilities, telecommunications firms and other businesses. Alabama Power is among Altec’s customers.
“I’m proud to be hosting so many incredible American companies and featuring their products at the White House for the ‘Made in America’ Showcase,” Trump said. “Throughout our country’s history, our gifted and skilled tradespeople have made ‘Made in America’ a gold standard for quality and craftsmanship, but for too long our government pushed aside their interests and allowed their jobs to be shipped overseas.
“My administration is committed to putting the hardworking men and women of this country – like the ones represented in the showcase – first again so that we can unleash the true potential of the American economy,” he said.
Manufacturing power
Alabama has one of the nation’s heaviest manufacturing concentrations.
Manufacturing remains the No. 1 employment sector, with more than 260,000 workers. That’s equal to 12.9 percent of the state’s total employment base, placing Alabama at No. 5 among the states.
In 2015, Alabama’s manufacturing output totaled $35.1 billion, about 17 percent of the state’s total gross domestic product, according to the National Association of Manufacturers, a trade group.
“Alabama is a state where many products, from airplanes to automobiles and just about everything in between, are assembled by some of the best workers in the world,” Gov. Kay Ivey said.
“We’re committed to making sure that manufacturers and other companies can prosper in our state because that sends a powerful message that Alabama is open for business.”
Altec was founded in 1929. Its CEO, Lee Styslinger III, has served as an adviser on trade to presidents, including Trump. He’s currently serving on a commission on American manufacturing.
This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.
Jerry Underwood for Made in Alabama | © 2017, alabamanewscenter.com
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