As was the case with many of the presenters at VMA’s Market Outlook Workshop held in August 2016, Randy Giggard of FMI Consulting noted that availability of labor at all levels is a major concern in the construction business.

As was the case at last year’s event, speakers and attendees at this year’s Market Outlook Workshop were consistent in their concerns about the low price of oil and the high U.S. dollar. But another topic wove throughout the presentations—that of the skilled labor shortage that threatens to disrupt manufacturing around the world.

One major change in the economic picture that’s occurred since the beginning of this year is that “we’re starting to see improvement in terms of sentiment,” according to Chad Moutray, chief economist for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). He gave a third-quarter update via webcast July 21.

“When I meet with manufacturing leaders around the country, I’m often asked: have we hit rock bottom? Are we now moving in the right direction? Some of our most recent numbers indicate that’s the case,” he said.

Moutray went on to give a cautionary, but mostly positive outlook, citing a number of sources.

With new technology being developed virtually every day, 3D printing has the potential to change how valve engineers develop and refine products, and how users are able to see how a particular valve can fit into their process.

In the Spring 2015 edition of VALVE Magazine, we featured a comprehensive article on additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing. But a great deal can happen in the world of technology in a year, and AM is no exception. Here’s an update on the newest ways AM is being used within the valve industry.