February 2020 Volume 2

MEMBERS SPEAK

significant capital investment in infrastructure for North America to take advantage of digital age advancements. These investments are difficult when markets are contracted and profits are damaged by external and internal economic threats. Time to Talk It is time to talk now, among friends and allies, about exactly how the world is changing. That means talking about how North American forgers, as a key strategic industry, can take active steps to position ourselves with lawmakers. We need to work with our lawmakers so everyone understands how strategically vital the forging industry is to achieving all of these integrated goals. North America’s manufacturing capacity is not only good for the economy and prosperity, it is part of the big picture--the system that keeps our shared continent and societies, safe, free, and competitive. With an integrated strategy, all the players—in our respective sovereign governments, in the private sector, and our closest international democratic allies—can count on us to stay engaged in the 21st century global competition to secure our freedom in our shared future. As members of the FIA, we should lead this effort. Some of you may not be convinced in the urgency of this call to action. After all, some tensions have eased and there has beenprogress in some areas. There is a new North American trade agreement and the first steps toward reconciling trade issues between the United States and China are being made as the two countries have reached a phase one agreement. Yet even with these steps forward, we should expect this decade’s events to be convulsive. If history is any teacher, we are likely to continue through a cycle of tariffs, trade threats and destabilizing shifts in longstanding relationships over the next ten years.

North America’s forging industry has a special opportunity to make a difference. More than others, our industry is positioned to help advance the prosperity, safety, and security of the continent we all share, as we collectively serve so many supply chains of the critical infrastructure sectors so vital to our collective wellbeing. The forging industry literally creates and provides the tools to protect, grow and improve our way of life. Our industry is at the center of the strategy we need to keep our economies strong and our societies safe and healthy. We achieve more and do it better when we work together toward our common goals. ■

Robert Dimitrieff is President of Patriot Forge Co. and an FIA Board Director

FIA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2020 63