• Manufacturing is the process of turning raw materials or parts into finished products using tools, human labor, machinery and chemical processing.

  • Manufacturing is an integral part of the economy.
  • Prior to the Industrial Revolution, most products were made by hand using human labor and basic tools.
  • The Industrial Revolution led to mass production, assembly line production, and the use of mechanization to produce more goods at a lower cost.
  • Financial analysts review the ISM manufacturing report monthly as a potential early indicator of the state of the economy and where the stock market might be heading.