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COVID-19: Manufacturing News and Resources

SME is monitoring COVID-19 as it evolves, paying close attention to the latest guidance provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Follow SME Media for up-to-date news and stories tracking the manufacturing industry and the response to COVID-19.

2020 COVID-19 Future Outlook Study Executive Summary

2020 COVID-19 Future Outlook Study Executive Summary

More News & Features

  • INDUSTRIES

    China Amplifies Taiwan President’s Opponents

    Michael McConnell April 17, 2026
    China is turning to social media to undermine the independent island’s current ruling party, Reuters said.
  • NEWS DESK

    Schneider Electric Unveils Next-Generation Agentic Manufacturing

    PRESS RELEASE: Schneider Electric April 17, 2026
    Schneider Electric, a global energy technology leader, will spotlight new milestones in its strategic collaboration with Microsoft at Hannover Messe, demonstrating how their combined technologies are enabling manufacturers to modernize operations, accelerate engineering, and strengthen resiliency.
  • MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING

    The Hidden Friction in Automation Integration

    Meaghan Ziemba, Contributing Editor April 16, 2026
    Manufacturers continue to invest in shop-floor automation, but the hardest part of the work rarely starts with choosing a robot, selecting end-of-arm tooling or approving a software platform. Trouble starts when a concept that makes perfect sense in planning is forced to live inside a real factory, where aging equipment, inconsistent inputs, disconnected data, undocumented workarounds and relentless production pressure all shape the outcome. Automation often enters a facility as the answer to a problem, yet implementation has a way of exposing everything that slowed down operations for years.
  • NEWS DESK

    Manufacturing Workers at Higher Risk of Injury

    Michael McConnell April 16, 2026
    Manufacturing remains one of the industries where workers—especially new workers—are more likely to suffer on-the-job injuries.
  • ADDITIVE

    Additive Manufacturing as a Strategic Link Between Defense and Energy

    Eartha Hopkins, Content Coordinator, America Makes April 15, 2026
    Global supply chains continue to face sustained strain, marked by extended lead times, rising costs and limited flexibility when disruptions occur. In the defense and energy sectors, where reliability and responsiveness are mission critical, these pressures pose serious operational risk. Equipment downtime, delayed repairs and constrained access to replacement parts can quickly ripple into readiness gaps or lost production.

SME UPDATE: CORONAVIRUS

Click here to read SME's communication on COVID-19.

COVID-19 Resources

Online Training
Keep manufacturing moving during this unique time with Tooling U-SME online training solutions.
Creators Respond Campaign
Manufacturers are mobilizing in response to COVID-19 through the Creators Respond campaign.
Stay informed on all of the latest manufacturing news and industry trends by subscribing to SME Media.
National Association of Manufacturing Resources
The National Association of Manufacturers is responding to COVID-19 with many helpful resources.
Tooling U-SME Mobile App
Download the Tooling U-SME app today and have manufacturing training on the go – anytime, anywhere.
U.S. Small Business Administration Relief Programs
The U.S. Small Business Administration is providing relief programs to help keep manufacturing on track.
U.S. Department of Labor
The Department of Labor has resources to help workers and employers address COVID-19.
CDC Resources
The CDC provides many helpful resources to businesses and employers in response to COVID-19.
Fun Things To Do
100 things to do while stuck inside due to a pandemic.

Help Fund Online Manufacturing Education

“Stay at home” mandates have upended the educational experience for high school students across the country. Learn how the SME Education Foundation is taking action to ensure that thousands of career and technical education students at high schools across the country have access to online manufacturing education.