Why is it so difficult to manufacture a zombie slaying tool in the US?
Manufacturing may be experiencing a rebound, but that doesn't mean that it's easy to manufacture your products in the US. Just ask Marvin Weinberger. His Kickstarter campaign raised $123,310 from 1,302 people to help fund production of a multipurpose tool, Lil Trucker, which is perfect for surviving the zombie apocalypse. That's where the fairytale ended and the harsh reality of small-scale manufacturing began.
According to Diane Mastrull for Philly.com: "The Kickstarter total was nearly five times the $25,000 goal, rendering serial entrepreneur Weinberger 'blown away' and giddy about the sales prospects for his all-in-one gadget once it hit the retail market.
Until, that is, he got a taste of the manufacturing landscape when it comes to serving startups with relatively small orders.
'This has been a perennial problem for most startups in America,' said Weinberger, 62, who did not want to compromise on his commitment to make the tool in the United States. 'Most of the manufacturers who survived have tended to hunker down and become very specialized, and aren’t looking to participate in projects where the upside is speculative.'"
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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