Manufacturing vs. Design

 

Mark Tomlinson, Exec Director & GM of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers proposes that economic recovery should really be about supporting the making things instead of supporting unproductive financial services.

We tend to agree, with a few caveats. Certainly there always must be manufacturing (or physical services) present at the base of the economy, otherwise what would financial derivative products be based on?

But we feel there is definitely a role for financial services, if nothing else to provide a means for smoothly moving capital from investors to new or expanded manufacturing ventures. Without this flow of capital, many companies simply could not expand or even start up.

But sketchy financial services of the type provided by the failed investment houses or Bernie Madoff are not the kind required by any investor.

The desktop 3D printing industry needs investment, now more than ever. In fact, we’re anticipating a large expansion of 3D tech in the future as prices drop, features increase and ease of use improves. So don’t write off all financial services quite yet, we’re gonna need ’em.

Via Society of Manufacturing Engineers