US Sheds 23,000 Jobs in July as Manufacturing Scrutinizes Its Own Foundations

A Week of Reckoning for the Industrial Base

The manufacturing sector had no shortage of material to digest this month.

The headline economic figure was stark: the US Labor Department reported 23,000 jobs lost in July, an unexpected contraction even as manufacturing itself reported slight growth. For plant leaders watching workforce pipelines, that divergence is worth noting — the broader labor market softened while factory employment held its ground.

PPG Bets on Ohio

On the strategy front, PPG is expanding its Ohio plant as part of a broader automotive strategy. The move comes as the sector navigates significant change, something Alisha Bellezza, SVP of Automotive and Packaging, acknowledged directly:

"We're certainly watching a dramatic transformation unfold in front of us."

Europe's 20% Ambition

Across the Atlantic, US manufacturers have a regulatory development to track. Europe's Industrial Accelerator Act aims to lift manufacturing to 20% of EU GDP by 2035 — a target with direct implications for transatlantic competitiveness, supply chain planning, and any US operation with European exposure.

Deals, Disruptions, and Leadership Moves

IndustryWeek editors also examined a cluster of shorter items worth an engineer's attention:

• Prysmian has made a $3.8 billion acquisition.
• Cyber attacks on water infrastructure have raised fresh questions about operational technology security beyond the factory fence.
• Siemens has announced a leadership change.
• GM made an investment framed around peace of mind for its customers.

Elsewhere in the sector, Jabil is pursuing ambitious emissions reductions, and RAPID + TCT 2026 recently took place, drawing attention across the additive manufacturing community. Recast City featured in a podcast discussion on building a better small manufacturers ecosystem.

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