There are certainly different takes on the current state of American manufacturing, depending on what parameters you choose to look through. The problem is that many of these measuring sticks provide a contradictory idea of what is going on in the industry.

A recent article from Cerasis attempted to examine the entire marketplace. The biggest takeaway from the article is the sector is confusing.

"From the rapid decline of new orders and the ISM's PMI, to the talks of reshoring as a reality to bring more manufacturing to the U.S., all to the dispute and 'weirdness' of how all of these various indexes are really capturing the true outlook on the renaissance (or perhaps volatility) of American manufacturing," the article reads. "In short, the current state of American Manufacturing is just plain….CONFUSING!"

The best takeaway from article comes from the conclusion. It mentions that despite all the data, opinions, thoughts and hopes, organizations need to constantly work toward improving the landscape. This can happen by keeping your head down, working smart and hard and using common sense. On top of that, organizations need to make decisions based on long term impact, mitigating risk and staying effective.

The article adds that in 2014, the focus needs to be on investments in operations improvement and technology. This could mean hiring the right talent to manage the process or deploying a software solution that can improve overall operations. Regardless, organizations should partner with a business management software provider to help improve overall operations.

When it comes to the manufacturing industry, there is no shortage of challenges that can cause organizations to stumble. However, after falling on hard times because of the economic downturn, the market has experienced strong growth, according to a recent Motley Fool article.

"After a remarkable recovery from the depths of the recession, the manufacturing sector continues to thrive in America," the article reads. "Recent data shows that the U.S. trade deficit sank to its lowest level in four years in November. Meanwhile, industrial stocks have climbed 183% over the past five years, and experts believe that manufacturing will fully recover to pre-recession levels by the end of 2014."

The article goes on to talk about several major challenges that will be a factor in the manufacturing industry in 2014. Many of these are continuations of things that are already affecting the market. These include:

• Rise of reshoring in the U.S.
• Natural gas revolution
• 3D printing boom
• Debut of the industrial internet
• Lingering "skills gap"
• U.S. trade deficit
• High-tech materials like carbon fiber

These areas will not cause splashed overnight, but instead be a series of ripples that will be felt in many different ways. Regardless, it is something that should not be ignored by businesses.

Companies should use this as motivation to upgrade their operations and make sure they are ready for any changes that could be coming down the pipeline. One way to do this is through the use of manufacturing business software and ERP solutions, which can improve efficiency and provide better insight into overall operations.

The manufacturing world is at an interesting cross road. Technology is improving how companies operate, but it also has some thinking that a career in this field is a dead end. However, the industry is trying to change that opinion.

A recent article from the January 2014 issue of Metalforming Magazine profiled Manufacturing Day. The second annual nationwide event took place on October 4. The goal is to open the doors and spread the word of what manufacturing is all about and promote a career in this field to students and others. It is a great opportunity to bring in the younger generation and inform them that the industry isn't going anywhere.

Created by the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), on the day members design plant tours and informational sessions to address misperceptions about manufacturing. The article features an interview with PMA President Bill Gaskin.

"Manufacturing Day is important for PMA member companies because it allows them to raise awareness in their communities about 21st century manufacturing," Gaskin said. "Our members showed off their modern facilities that utilize computers, robots and automation. We know that counteracting outdated misperceptions with the reality of today's high tech manufacturing is the best way to address challenges like the skills gap that threaten the American manufacturing sector's growth."

While automation is playing a larger role in manufacturing, there are still important roles that need to be filled by individuals who understand not only the industry but also how to manage manufacturing ERP software that is becoming a more crucial piece of overall operations.

Companies are obviously bought or absorbed into larger companies for all sorts of reasons, but there are some deals that carry with them an immediate benefit, whether or not this is the overriding one. As always, your ERP manufacturing software can help you put these changes into perspective, especially when the change is poised to bring with it a brand new side to your business.

One incredibly high-profile deal that is inescapable in the news right now is the recent move Google made to buy Boston Dynamics, a well-known robotics firm, for an undisclosed sum. While speculation is running wild about the various uses, good or "evil," that any Googlebots might have, another concern is what this does to a business that now needs to manufacture more complex products without losing any of its previous productivity.

It all depends, of course, on how the company decides to use these newfound abilities, and whether they do so to their complete advantage. The more they decide to capitalize on robots, the more services they could perhaps open up.

Forbes writer Robert Hof mentioned that there's a sense of freedom in whatever Google decides to do next.

"Whether robots or self-driving cars or wearable computers become significant businesses for Google is less important than the fact that today, it's willing to spend the big bucks to push forward in these seemingly unrelated areas," Hof writes. "One of them may well turn out to evolve into something that helps Google's current business or redefines it in a coherent, profitable way. But we can't know yet."

Even though we can't, this can serve as a model for how manufacturing inventory management software can help update a business' image of what it has at its disposal.

Different types of companies seem to be at different levels of professionalism when it comes to managing supply chains correctly. According to a report derived from multiple sources and featured in a recent Forbes article, many industries, including consumer package goods and medical device manufacturers, have seen a sluggish pace of growth since the dawn of the new millennium.

This comes up in an article in which writer Lora Cecere describes the problems that businesses have to deal with in their use of supply chains, as well as the use of inventory management software to make these processes stick. Even though she alleges that "more than 80 percent" of companies are using these networks, she also claims that a lot of these networks are not being used to their full potential.

"One of the reasons that corporate performance is failing is that the supply chain has become a function," she writes. "In a functional organization, the definition of a supply chain as yet another function becomes a problem, not a part of the solution."

This means that companies need to start matching the different "links" in this chain so that they sync up to each other and give companies the chance to work alongside skilled consultants to do so.

Using your supply chain in the best way possible might mean reconsidering it altogether, and the fresh look that an outside provider could help you jar your thinking and look at the cold, hard information that can come out of your business.