Jim Kemp urges industrial knowledge transfer ahead of Manufacturing Day

Industrial PVF veteran James G. “Jim” Kemp is using Manufacturing Day to spotlight the need to pass practical industry knowledge to new workers. His warning comes as manufacturers and contractors face major staffing gaps, rising PVF demand and more complex global sourcing decisions.

Why it matters: - Manufacturers and industrial contractors are facing a widening skills gap. - Practical PVF knowledge affects how workers select materials, meet specifications and avoid costly mistakes. - Kemp argues that retiring workers can take decades of field experience with them unless companies transfer that knowledge now.

What happened: - Ahead of Manufacturing Day on Oct. 2, James G. “Jim” Kemp called for better transfer of practical knowledge to the next generation of manufacturing and industrial workers. - Manufacturing Day is a national workforce-development initiative organized by the Manufacturing Institute. - The initiative uses plant tours, classroom visits, career conversations and other events to introduce students and emerging workers to modern manufacturing careers. - Kemp is an industrial pipe, valves and fittings veteran who began working in PVF in 1973.

The details: - A joint study by the Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte estimates the United States could need as many as 3.8 million additional manufacturing workers between 2024 and 2033. - The same study says as many as 1.9 million of those jobs could remain unfilled if skills and applicant gaps persist. - Associated Builders and Contractors estimates the construction industry must attract 349,000 net new workers in 2026 to meet demand. - The organization’s chief economist says most of that demand will come from retirements, not construction growth. - Kemp started in a warehouse, moved into inside sales and later built his own customer base. - Kemp later founded and operated a PVF supply house serving industrial plants, contractors, engineers and wholesale distributors. - Kemp’s career has covered systems that move and control gases, liquids and steam in oil and gas, refining, food processing and pharmaceuticals. - Kemp published Introduction to Industrial PVF: Pipe, Valves, and Fittings in October 2025. - The book is written for newcomers and working professionals. - The book explains how pipe, valves and fittings work together. - The book also covers materials, standards, specifications and applications used to select PVF products. - Industrial Info Resources forecasts PVF component spending in U.S. and Canadian industrial projects will rise 8.3% in 2026. - The forecast rises from $42.1 billion in 2025 to more than $45.6 billion in 2026. - The projection includes about $35.7 billion for capital projects and $9.9 billion for maintenance, repair and operations. - Kemp says that level of investment requires people who understand pressure, temperature, standards and operating conditions. - Kemp says global sourcing makes specifications, documentation, quality requirements and supplier evaluation especially important. - Kemp says China is a major PVF manufacturing and supply source and brings its own challenges. - Kemp says buyers and suppliers need to know exactly what an application requires and whether a product meets those requirements. - KempPerspective.com combines practical PVF information, Kemp’s industry experience and Jim Kemp Consulting services. - The website is intended to help individuals and companies understand industrial pipe, valves and fittings. - The book is available through Amazon. - More information about the book and Jim Kemp Consulting is available at KempPerspective.com.

Between the lines: - Kemp’s message is not just about training new hires. - The bigger issue is succession inside specialized industrial jobs where mistakes can affect safety, specifications and supply decisions. - The PVF market outlook and the labor shortage reinforce each other. - More project spending can raise demand for workers just as retirements reduce the number of experienced people available to train them. - Global sourcing adds another layer of risk because product selection depends on technical fit, not just availability or price.

What's next: - Manufacturing Day events on Oct. 2 are likely to be used by employers, schools and industry groups to recruit and educate new workers. - Kemp is expected to continue using his book, consulting work and KempPerspective.com to share PVF fundamentals with newcomers and working professionals. - The industry’s next challenge is turning institutional knowledge into repeatable training before retirements widen the gap further.

The bottom line: - In PVF and manufacturing, experience is becoming a strategic asset that companies cannot afford to lose without replacing the knowledge behind it.