NORAMARK Forums

My name is Michael
I have always liked machines and trucks. This probably started my fascination with manufacturing.
Over the years I have seen a lot of old American businesses close due to work being sent overseas.
We need to stop the bleeding.
The first step is to get American manufacturers connected with each other so we can all learn and support each other.
This is why NORAMARK exists.

I sent a couple intros in DM as well.

I have been getting requests for connections to:
domestic nitrile glove makers
trustworthy machine shops that don't outsource overseas
American made scrubs and hospital supplies in general
there is also a lot of talk our exposure to raw materials that make up batteries and magnets

I saw @Mark_Coxon and a few others over at Astranis over the weekend.
It was a great and we got to tour the factory where they make GEO sync satellites in a historic building in SF.

@Robert_Beecher The best place to start is to invite us manufacturers and supporters to noramark so they can be connected in the community.
We need to get everyone connected and expand the connective tissue that has been eroded for so many years.
We will all have to work together.

All of the talk about tariffs is getting crazy.
It's being weaponized and twisted by pessimists and influencers who are fueled by outrage.

The other flashy promise that I see a lot of skepticism around is full-on automation.
So many manufacturers are working on high mix production lines.
For the right factories it has been amazing, but it will be a long time before humans are put out of jobs.

Sourcing parts and materials is a fundamental challenge in manufacturing, but few stop to consider the real cost of this process. Whether you’re quoting a project, fulfilling a contract, or simply committed to keeping your supply chain American-made, the time and effort required to find the right supplier can be substantial.
The Search Begins
Depending on the size of your operation, your sourcing process may begin with an engineer identifying suppliers. They might:

Search old business cards and contacts
Dig through directories
Use Google, LinkedIn, Directories, or trade association lists
Call past suppliers for referrals
Time Spent: Approximately 2 hours for simple parts

Vetting the Supplier
Once potential suppliers are identified, your sourcing or procurement team takes over. They must:

Contact each supplier
Verify their capabilities, lead times, and certifications
Evaluate quotes and compare options
Assess reliability based on past experience or references
Time Spent: Approximately 2 hours for simple parts

At this stage, the total cost in wages and lost productivity is already significant — often running into hundreds or thousands of dollars. And this is assuming the first supplier found is the right one. If a better option exists, the process might need to be repeated.

The Risks of Inefficient Sourcing
Missed Deadlines: Every extra step in sourcing adds time to production.
Higher Costs: If a better supplier isn’t found, you may overpay or receive subpar materials.
Lost Productivity: Skilled employees — engineers, machinists, and buyers — are pulled away from high-value work.
Limited Supplier Visibility: What if there was a better option out there that wasn’t found?
The NORAMARK Solution
Instead of relying on outdated directories and cold calls, NORAMARK offers a trusted, AI-powered sourcing network that streamlines the process.

How NORAMARK Saves Time & Money
Drop a request into a vetted feed — Instantly access a network of proven manufacturers

Discreet, private sourcing — Securely share requests with verified, high-trust suppliers

Seamless collaboration — Engineers and buyers can work together in one platform

Trust Scores & Ratings — Quickly evaluate suppliers based on real performance

All Manufacturing Verticals — If it’s made in the U.S., it’s on NORAMARK

Instead of spending 4+ hours per request searching, calling, and vetting suppliers, NORAMARK helps you connect with the right partner instantly. Save time, reduce costs, and ensure quality sourcing — all while keeping manufacturing strong in America.

The Bottom Line
For large and small manufacturers, inefficient sourcing scales into millions of dollars lost. For small shops, every hour spent looking for a bolt or outsourcing work means time off the shop floor. The real cost of sourcing isn’t just dollars — it’s productivity, speed, and reputation.

@Robert_Beecher welcome to the forum!
I love the mission.
It would be great to collect the contact info for shops looking for an exit.
I know a lot of people who are interested and actively making acquisitions.

Bridging the Old and New
American manufacturing has long relied on traditional methods of networking and community building. Trade shows, business cards, trade organizations, and directories have helped manufacturers find partners and build trust. However, in an era of trade wars, tariffs, and global instability, these methods alone are no longer enough.

The U.S. needs to rapidly ramp up manufacturing production, integrate new players, and attract young talent to sustain and grow its industrial base.

NORAMARK doesn’t replace these old-school methods — it supplements and supercharges them to bring American manufacturing into the digital age. By leveraging technology and data-driven trust systems, NORAMARK ensures that manufacturers can efficiently find, vet, and collaborate with the right partners.

The Old Ways: Pros, Cons, and Gaps
Trade Shows
Pros:

Face-to-face interactions build trust quickly.
Exposure to many potential partners in one place.
Industry insights and networking opportunities.
Cons:

Expensive and time-consuming.
Highly verticalized (no exposure to other industries)
Highly regionalized (limited exposure)
Limited to annual or semi-annual events.
Networking depends on chance encounters.
The NORAMARK Solution: We enable manufacturers to extend trade show connections online, maintaining year-round 24/7 engagement with trusted partners beyond the event floor.

Business Cards
Pros:

Easy way to exchange contact details.
Tangible and personal.
Cons:

Easily lost or forgotten.
No verification of expertise or reputation.
No seamless integration into digital workflows.
The NORAMARK Solution: A dynamic, digital profile with verified credentials replaces outdated paper exchanges, ensuring contacts remain useful and easily accessible.

Trade Organizations & Associations
Pros:

Bring together industry peers.
Offer credibility and networking events.
Cons:

Limited to region and/or vertical
Limited to members
The NORAMARK Solution: We provide streamlined, tech-enabled tools to help Trade organizations and associations with industry networking, allowing for instant connections based on trust metrics and private communication channels for members.

Google Search & LinkedIn
Pros:

Broad reach.
Can surface new potential partners.
Cons:

No trust verification — anyone can create a profile or website.
Time-consuming to vet potential partners.
Search algorithms prioritize SEO, not reliability.
The NORAMARK Solution: Unlike generic search engines, NORAMARK curates a vetted network where manufacturers can instantly connect with verified, high-quality partners.

Social Media & Directories
Pros:

Visual representation of work and capabilities
Directory of manufacturers
Cons:

Social media lacks credibility checks and business context.
Directories are static, and lacking modern matchmaking features.
Low trust, full of posers
The NORAMARK Solution: We combine the visual showcase of social media with verification rigor and searchable database, ensuring manufacturers find trusted, capable partners quickly.

How to Find and Evaluate Trusted Partners
Trust Scores: NORAMARK establishes credibility with a universal trust metric, similar to seller ratings but tailored for manufacturers.
Industry-Specific Vetting: Whether you’re a textile manufacturer looking for a machinist or a machinist seeking an injection molder, NORAMARK provides industry-specific verification and matchmaking.
Geographic Expansion: Manufacturers in Texas can find partners across the country with confidence, expanding their networks beyond regional constraints.
The Urgency of Modernization
With rising global competition and economic uncertainty, America must accelerate its manufacturing resurgence. NORAMARK ensures that businesses can scale faster, forge stronger relationships, and attract new talent without relying solely on outdated methods.

The old ways built the foundation — Noramark is building the future.

Are you ready to modernize your manufacturing network?

Manufacturing and industry are the backbone of a country's economy, driving economic growth, ensuring national security, and creating opportunities for innovation and employment. This article explores the multifaceted importance of the manufacturing sector, detailing its economic impact, contributions to national security, and the wide range of opportunities it generates.

Economic Impact
The manufacturing sector is a crucial pillar of every economy, contributing significantly to GDP, job creation, and economic stability. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), manufacturing accounted for approximately 11% of the U.S. GDP in 2022, with the sector employing over 12 million people.

Key Economic Contributions:

GDP Contribution: The manufacturing sector’s output exceeds $2.5 trillion annually in the U.S.
Job Creation: Manufacturing jobs support an additional 3.4 jobs in other sectors, according to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).
Innovation and R&D: The sector drives technological innovation, with American companies investing over $600 billion in R&D in 2022, per the National Science Foundation (NSF).
National Security
Manufacturing is vital for national security, ensuring the country can produce essential goods and maintain critical infrastructure. The ability to manufacture domestically reduces dependence on foreign sources for key materials and technologies, enhancing national resilience.

Key Security Contributions:

Defense Manufacturing: The U.S. Department of Defense relies heavily on domestic manufacturers for defense equipment, from aircraft and vehicles to advanced electronics and weapons systems.
Critical Infrastructure: Manufacturing supports the production of components essential for national infrastructure, such as energy, transportation, and communication systems.
Supply Chain Security: Policies like the Defense Production Act (DPA) empower the government to prioritize and allocate resources to domestic manufacturers in times of national emergency.
Economic Policies and Tariffs
Government policies and tariffs play a crucial role in shaping the manufacturing landscape. By creating a favorable business environment, these measures encourage domestic production and protect against unfair competition.

Key Policies and Tariffs:

Section 232 Tariffs: Imposed on steel and aluminum imports to protect national security by ensuring the viability of domestic industries.
Incentives for Domestic Production: Tax incentives, grants, and subsidies for manufacturing investments, such as those provided under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), encourage companies to produce domestically.
Opportunities in Manufacturing
The manufacturing sector offers numerous opportunities for economic development, job creation, and technological innovation. These opportunities are critical for maintaining a competitive edge in the global market.

Key Opportunities:

Advanced Manufacturing: Technologies like automation, robotics, and AI are transforming manufacturing processes, increasing efficiency, and reducing costs.
Sustainable Manufacturing: Implementing eco-friendly practices and reducing carbon footprints can attract environmentally conscious consumers and comply with stringent regulations.
E-commerce and Private Label Manufacturing: The rise of e-commerce creates new markets for manufacturers, particularly in the private label sector, where businesses can quickly bring customized products to market.
Specific Threats and Challenges
Despite its strengths, the manufacturing sector faces several challenges and threats that must be addressed to maintain its critical role in the economy and national security.

Key Threats:

Global Competition: Manufacturers face intense competition from countries with lower labor costs and less stringent regulations.
Supply Chain Disruptions: Events like the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted vulnerabilities in global supply chains, underscoring the need for resilient domestic production.
Intellectual Property Theft: Protecting IP from foreign competitors, particularly in countries with lax enforcement, is crucial for maintaining a competitive advantage.
Government Actions:

Tariffs and Trade Policies: The U.S. government imposes tariffs on imports that threaten domestic industries and negotiates trade agreements that protect American manufacturers.
Investment in R&D: Federal funding for research and development supports innovation and helps maintain technological leadership.
Workforce Development: Programs that invest in education and training for manufacturing skills ensure a steady pipeline of qualified workers.
Conclusion
Manufacturing and industry are essential to the American economy, national security, and the creation of new opportunities. Through strategic policies, technological innovation, and sustainable practices, the United States can strengthen its manufacturing sector, ensuring continued growth and resilience. For businesses looking to leverage the strengths of American manufacturing, American sourcing offers unparalleled quality and reliability.

Invest in the future of manufacturing, become a part of the community.

Let's go!

Hi Carlton, it was great to meet you!
We want to keep the American manufacturers open and growing and get the next generation involved.

It's sad that we have been buying from overseas for so long that we don't even know how to define made in the usa anymore. I definitely see this turning around but it will take time.

A network of trusted partners is the most valuable asset any business holds. For American manufacturers, these connections define success at every stage of the business lifecycle. There are three critical moments when a strong network is essential: at birth, during growth, and at exit. While these networks often overlap, each serves a unique function and can be difficult to establish and maintain.

The Birth of a Business: The Need for Trust
Every new manufacturing business faces the same core challenge: acquiring its first customers. Without an established track record or a network of reliable partners, breaking into the market is daunting. Trust is everything — who can you count on for fair deals, timely payments, and quality standards?

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 20% of new businesses fail within the first year, and 50% fail within five years. One of the biggest factors contributing to this failure rate is a lack of trusted relationships in supply chains, financing, and distribution. Without a robust network, new businesses struggle to gain credibility and secure the partnerships necessary to survive.

Growth: Building a Scalable Network Before You Need It
As businesses expand, they require more than just customers. They need suppliers, subcontractors, logistics providers, and service partners to offload non-core activities and maintain quality. Unfortunately, many manufacturers wait until they land a major contract to build these relationships — often realizing too late that they don’t have the necessary infrastructure to fulfill demand.

A study by Deloitte found that 79% of companies with high-performing supply chains achieve revenue growth greater than the industry average, compared to only 8% of those with less optimized networks. Manufacturers that proactively cultivate a network of reliable material suppliers, service providers, and distribution channels are better positioned to seize growth opportunities when they arise.

Exit: Ensuring Business Continuity Instead of Liquidation
For many business owners, an exit strategy is an afterthought. When the time comes to retire or move on, all too often, the only option is to close up shop and auction off equipment. The result? Decades of expertise, reputation, and market positioning disappear overnight.

But what if manufacturers had pre-existing relationships with up-and-coming businesses or larger firms looking to expand? A proactive network enables business continuity by facilitating sales, mergers, or acquisitions instead of dissolution. According to IBISWorld, over 34,000 U.S. manufacturing businesses shut down annually, often because owners lack a succession plan or a buyer network. Strengthening connections with potential successors could turn these closures into opportunities for growth within the industry.

Noramark: Strengthening American Manufacturing Through Trusted Connections
Despite the clear importance of a robust network, too many manufacturers leave their relationship-building to chance. Noramark is changing that by creating an invite-only, high-trust network designed for manufacturers at every stage of their business journey.

We provide tools to streamline network development, vet partners, and ensure businesses have the right connections when they need them. By fostering trusted relationships early and maintaining them through growth and transition, we empower American manufacturers to remain competitive, resilient, and positioned for long-term success.

The future of American industry depends on strong networks. Let’s build them together.

Wow! This is looking really cool. Love the new discussions tab.

It's a mix of both.
We see a lot of operators who are scaling up by purchasing existing businesses as a means of expansion.
They are typically mission driven and want to slow the bleeding.
Every time a shop closes in the US we lose an entire generation of knowledge.

this is interesting and related

As global trade dynamics shift and new U.S. tariffs reshape the cost structure of imports, businesses are taking a fresh look at where and how they manufacture. While China and other Asian countries have traditionally been viewed as low-cost options, today’s landscape marked by rising tariffs, geopolitical tension, and supply chain disruption reveals that American manufacturing often provides a superior overall value when total cost, risk, and agility are considered.

Labor Costs: More Than Just Hourly Wages
While labor costs in Asia remain lower on paper, the savings are increasingly offset by factors like productivity, training, automation and shipping time. According to 2021 data from Statista, China’s average manufacturing labor cost was $5.51 per hour, still significantly less than the U.S. but American workers consistently deliver higher output per hour due to advanced skills, automation, and more robust infrastructure. With growing demand for precision and speed in production, quality-adjusted labor costs in the U.S. are more competitive than ever.

Tariffs and Trade Tensions: The New Cost Frontier
In 2025, the United States implemented a new round of tariffs targeting critical sectors like semiconductors, EV components, and industrial machinery. These measures are designed to bolster domestic industry and reduce dependence on geopolitical rivals and have made importing many goods from China and other low-cost regions substantially more expensive.

Even previously minor cost differences are now compounded by duties ranging from 10% to 30% or more, changing the calculus for manufacturers. These tariffs not only increase the landed cost of goods but also create uncertainty, making long-term planning and pricing unpredictable.

Quality, Compliance, and Reliability
Manufacturing in the U.S. reduces quality control headaches. American facilities must adhere to stringent environmental, safety, and labor standards, leading to more reliable and compliant products. Deloitte’s research found that U.S. factories produced 30% fewer defects compared to their Chinese counterparts, a meaningful advantage in industries like medical, defense, aerospace, and electronics.

Quality assurance in domestic manufacturing also minimizes the risk of product recalls, regulatory penalties, and lost customer trust costs that often go unaccounted for in overseas sourcing models.

Shipping, Lead Times, and Supply Chain Agility
In a world of volatile freight prices and congested ports, distance matters. Shipping a container from East Asia to the U.S. West Coast still takes 3-6 weeks and can cost $6,000-$10,000 or more per container, depending on capacity and fuel prices. With 2025's tightening tariffs and inspections at U.S. ports, delays are more frequent and expensive.

In contrast, domestic or nearshore production (e.g., U.S., Mexico, or Canada) cuts weeks from delivery timelines, lowers freight costs, and ensures a higher degree of control over logistics. This agility is crucial for businesses that need to respond quickly to market shifts, inventory changes, or customer feedback.

Inventory and Cash Flow Optimization
Offshore manufacturing often requires large, infrequent orders to justify long transit times and customs complexity. This ties up working capital in inventory and increases the risk of overstock, obsolescence, or damage during shipping.

Nearshoring enables smaller, more frequent orders that match real-time demand. This reduces warehouse costs, improves responsiveness, and frees up cash for growth, hiring, or R&D. In a high-interest-rate environment, optimizing working capital is no longer optional, it's a requirement.

Hidden Costs and Strategic Risk
Beyond tariffs and freight, overseas sourcing introduces risks often ignored in spreadsheet analyses:

IP Theft: Asia remains a hotspot for unauthorized replication of designs, products, and processes. U.S. firms lose hundreds of billions annually to intellectual property theft.

Political Risk: Escalating tensions between the U.S. and China including sanctions, export bans, and cyber threats can cripple supply chains overnight.

Complexity: Time zone differences, language barriers, and cultural gaps make problem-solving slower and coordination harder especially in crisis situations.

Case Studies: Companies Moving Closer to Home
Leading U.S. firms are acting decisively. Intel’s $20 billion investment in Arizona is just one example of reshoring for security and speed. Mattel has rerouted production to Mexico, improving lead times and responsiveness. Countless small and mid-sized manufacturers are quietly following suit, positioning themselves closer to customers and critical infrastructure.

The Strategic Advantage of Reshoring in 2025
Nearshoring and reshoring are no longer just patriotic choices they’re smart business moves. A Boston Consulting Group study found that companies reshoring to the U.S. saw:

**20% lower total supply chain costs

30% higher delivery reliability

Significant improvement in brand trust and customer loyalty

Conclusion: The Tariff-Era Cost Equation**
The 2025 tariff landscape has redrawn the cost map for global production. While Asia may still offer lower headline labor costs, the full picture tells a different story. Tariffs, logistics, compliance, and strategic risk tip the scales in favor of domestic and nearshore production.

American manufacturing now offers a unique blend of quality, agility, and economic resilience especially for companies focused on long-term value and customer trust. Businesses that recognize and act on this shift will not only save money they’ll build smarter, stronger supply chains that are built to last.

@George_Bain what a great intro!
And I have seen you at work so I know you are serious.
We are happy to see you here.

I'm going to https://www.pmts.com/ in Cleveland in a couple weeks.
Anyone else planning to be there?
I can only be there for a couple hours on weds morning.