The History of the Manufacturing Industry
The history of manufacturing begins with the word itself, to manufacture, meaning to make by hand. It spans the cottage industry of individual artisans and ends with today's mass production for mass consumption. Manufacturing is not, however, a simple matter of supply meeting demand, but a history filled with technological achievement, political struggles and social ills.
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Craftsmen
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For much of human history, skilled laborers made what people needed. Goods could be custom-made to meet demands or built at home for use on the farm or household. The process mostly continued that way up until the 1700s.
The Industrial Revolution
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Divided into two nearly seamless periods of productivity, the Industrial Revolution lasted almost a century, from 1760-1850. Machine-based manufacturing, steam power and the development of pig iron and coke-fired steel provided a quick production of items at a profit.
Manufacturing was overhauled through improvements to the steam engine and the invention of the jenny, a large loom that increased clothing production. Agriculture vastly improved through better farm implements, soil conservation, increased food output and the ability to keep large livestock herds. These advances meant fewer farms could feed booming city populations. Transportation was enhanced through a network of canals and railroads.
Perhaps the most important development of the Industrial Revolution was interchangeable parts. Developed by Honoré Blanc in 1778 and brought to the United States by Eli Whitney in 1798, interchangeable parts finally became a reality in 1816 when machines managed to make the pieces identical.
Industrialization changed the family and social structure, with the development of large urban centers and company towns. Workers now spent as many as 14 hours per day in factories rather than working at home.
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Unions
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Trade unions grew out of earlier guilds. By 1820, separate unions banded together for a common cause, notably shorter workdays and better conditions. The Clayton Act of 1914 gave workers the legal right to form unions, and the AFL-CIO was formed in 1955 to end squabbles between different organizations. There has been a steady decline in union membership since the 1960s, brought on by safer working conditions and the creation of jobs as secondary, rather than primary, sources of income.
Henry Ford
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Automaker Henry Ford made his factories as efficient as possible in the early 1900s. Ford developed assembly lines, repetitive motion and the division of labor, giving workers specific tasks to complete along the line. He paid higher wages than his competitors so his employees could become consumers of his cars.
Lean Manufacturing
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In the 1960s, the Toyota Motor Corporation improved Henry Ford's ideas by further reducing waste, increasing efficiency and seeking employee input to improve manufacturing. This led to a heavy reliance upon automation to trim costs, because machines work without breaks, shift changes, pay or benefits. Toyota depleted inventory overstock by selling products shortly after they were built, lowering storage costs and creating flexibility in meeting consumers' changing demands.
Natural Resources
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The search for natural resources, especially metals, lumber and petroleum, changed the political landscape, as industrialized powers sought access to these materials. Starting in the 16th century, they expanded throughout the Americas and claimed territories in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the South Pacific. This expansion led to increased trade with established powers, as well as better access to new markets and sources of cheap labor. This expansion reached its peak during the Industrial Revolution, but continues today as corporations seek inexpensive labor and abundant resources in Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin and South America.
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