Rubber Product Manufacturers NAICS 3262

Jan 30, 2026 - Manufacturing Job Losses

• The US manufacturing sector logged seven consecutive months (April-November) of job losses following President Trump’s April 2025 “Liberation Day” tariffs, which were intended to boost domestic production and hiring, MSN reported in January. In an interview with CNN, Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, acknowledged the decline, but argued that new factory groundbreakings, about 30 since September, would generate jobs in 2026. Others note that manufacturing workers continue to face layoffs despite pro‑manufacturing rhetoric, calling the trend economic deterioration rather than renewal. Data cited by CNN reinforces the concern: industries dependent on manual labor cut jobs throughout 2025, with Bureau of Labor Statistics figures showing sustained losses across traditional blue‑collar sectors. The decline in employment by rubber products manufacturers has been accelerating, falling 9.6% over the past three years and by 5.7% over the past decade, per the BLS.
• GE Appliances’ decision to invest $150 million in US suppliers as part of a broader reshoring push aims to strengthen its domestic supply chain, reduce dependence on overseas components, and shorten lead times. For suppliers, the investment provides new capital for equipment upgrades, automation, and capacity expansion, helping them meet GE’s higher volume and quality requirements. It also stabilizes order flows by giving suppliers longer-term commitments tied to US appliance production growth. However, the initiative raises performance expectations: suppliers will face stricter delivery, quality, and transparency standards, along with pressure to adopt more advanced manufacturing processes. Some will benefit from closer integration with GE’s engineering and procurement teams, while others may need to modernize rapidly or risk being replaced. Overall, the move enhances opportunities for US-based parts, materials, and tooling companies but increases competitive and technological pressures across GE’s supplier base.

• In mid-November, the market for EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber saw a modest price uptick, ChemAnalyst reports. The uptick in price for this type of synthetic rubber was driven by more consistent downstream buying (especially distributors stocking up for US winter production cycles), disciplined supply management in Asia, and relatively stable feedstock costs. With EPDM rubber prices rising, manufacturers using it for seals, gaskets, automotive parts, insulation, roofing membranes, and more may face higher material costs, which may compress margins or prompt price increases for finished goods. The price rise suggests stronger near-term demand from end users (construction, industrial, automotive), which could support higher production volumes despite cost pressure.
• Producer prices for rubber products manufacturers hit another record high in November, rising 3.3% compared to a year ago, after posting a flat previous November-versus-November annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Employment by the industry shrank 4.3% year over year in November, while the average industry wage at plastics and rubber products manufacturers rose 4.3% YoY in December to a new high of $26.20 per hour, BLS data show. Employment and wages at makers of rubber products have been trending steeply in opposite directions, with employment falling relatively steadily since the end of 2022 and wages reaching new heights.