Top Takeaways

• Despite rising costs, strong infrastructure and smarter efficiency strategies are helping the U.S. close the global competitiveness gap, though there’s still significant work ahead to remain globally competitive. 
• Leaders boost performance by inspiring and involving employees in decisions rather than trying to externally motivate them. 
• Companies are shifting from simply replacing workers to actively retaining and engaging talent to stay competitive in a tight labor market. 

During the 2026 Detroit Auto Show, President and Chief Executive Officer of Neapco Holdings, Ken Hopkins, and the President of Huf North America, Greg MacLean, led an insightful conversation on how suppliers find certainty in times of economic uncertainty. With President of the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association Original Equipment Suppliers, Collin Shaw, moderating the conversation, the panel also addressed the workforce gap manufacturers are seeing.

With the U.S. pushing more aggressively on issues related to manufacturing, from reshoring to industrial policy to costs and skills, suppliers are consistently asked whether the U.S. is competitive today in manufacturing. And if so, what makes U.S. manufacturing competitive?

Specifically in the hood space, MacLean expressed that U.S. manufacturing has come a long way, but it doesn’t mean there haven’t been challenges in the raw material space.

“When you look at everything in the model,” MacLean said. “The working capital associated with shipping parts around the world, the shipping costs, the dunnage, and the potential supply chain issues, it all adds up. When you look at that full model, we’re getting very close in the U.S. to being globally competitive.”

Offering a different perspective, Hopkins explained that, with high labor costs, benefits accelerating in cost, energy middling, and materials costs rising due to tariffs, the U.S. is not globally competitive and is not a place people think to invest in. However, Hopkins shared that the U.S. has a strong, reliable infrastructure and low transportation costs that benefit U.S. customers, demonstrating the U.S.’s competitiveness.

“Whether it’s tariffs or other things that prohibit you from importing cheaply, you can be competitive with other people in North America or in the U.S. And then once you have that level playing field, you have to get smart and start attacking those costs,” Hopkins expressed.

How? “You start attacking those costs by implementing automation, strategizing how to get more efficient with manufacturing, and figuring out how to reduce your working capital.”

Whose job is it to motivate the team? This question often sparks debate among leaders and managers. Rather than making his team feel victimized in the decision-making process, Hopkins stressed the importance of involving them. By actively engaging his team in decisions, he fosters a sense of ownership and empowerment, which can further enhance intrinsic motivation.

“I don’t think it’s my job to motivate my team,” Hopkins said. “I think it’s my job to inspire my team and give them a chance. But motivation really has to come from within.”

Along the same lines, MacLean explained how communication has been a key motivator across Huf North America. Open and transparent communication helps to build trust and clarity within teams.

Providing an example of how MacLean and his team demonstrate this, he said, “We have a coffee talk. It’s a half hour of always letting the teams know what’s happening and what’s going on because there’s been so much change and instability. You want to get ahead of that. You don’t want the rumor mill to get going.”

It’s important to understand which jobs people want versus what’s needed, and how companies retain talent rather than “watch it walk out the door.” When comparing the appeal of industrial engineering roles to that of a data analyst, MacLean points out a stark difference.

“We do have some openings. These are engineering roles, industrial engineering roles, and they’ve been out there for a while,” MacLean said. “[But] when we submitted a data analyst [opening], we had 800 applicants. So you can see the workforce is willing to, but they don’t want to get their hands dirty.”

Beyond the ongoing challenge of filling hourly and skilled trades positions, Hopkins reminds us of a strategic shift in workforce management. Companies are recognizing that simply replacing lost employees is no longer a sustainable approach in today’s tight labor market.

“Instead of trying to find a new person after you lose a person, we’re trying to retain the person that would have gone out anyway,” Hopkins said.

You may wonder how companies like Neapco are putting these retention strategies into practice. Hopkins explained that one key approach is fostering a sense of belonging and engagement among employees, giving people a genuine voice and opportunities to participate in decisions that affect their work.