KQED's Forum Bay Area Manufacturing: A Thing of the Past or the Future?
Sep 22, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Kate Gordon, CEO of California Forward and former energy policy official, dives into place-based development strategies alongside Mathew Bogoshian, Executive Director of AMCC, who sheds light on rebuilding manufacturing capacity and workforce ecosystems. Adhiti Bandlamudi, a KQED reporter, offers insight into local reactions to California Forever's ambitious plan for a new manufacturing town in Solano County. The conversation explores the evolution of manufacturing, environmental concerns, and the promise of regional economic revitalization.
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Offshoring Hollowed Out Supply Chains
- The U.S. shifted toward a knowledge economy and offshored much manufacturing over decades, hollowing out facilities and supply chains.
- COVID exposed supply chain fragility and spurred policy moves to reshore critical production for resilience.
Manufacturing Needs Local Ecosystems
- Manufacturing is intensely local and needs a regional ecosystem to thrive, not only federal policy support.
- Key ecosystem elements include workforce, supply chains, research links, trade, infrastructure and capital access.
California Forever's Solano Manufacturing Pitch
- California Forever proposed a new city with a large industrial zone and later pitched a huge advanced manufacturing site called Solano Foundry.
- They announced interest from companies like Hadrian and Serve Robotics but lack binding commitments.
