We are advocates for Tennessee manufacturers.

The Tennessee Manufacturers Association faithfully advocates for manufacturing companies through lobbyists located in Nashville at the heart of where legislation is passed. We support bills that help you protect and care for your employees best through workforce development and education.

We fight for fair business taxation of products to equip your business with the ability to profit in today’s growing economy. As representatives of the interests of our state’s job creators, we strive to maintain a statewide coalition of manufacturers that speak collectively on matters of interest.

We help manufacturers be profitable and competitive.

The strategic priorities of the Tennessee Manufacturers Association are:

Labor

Adapt to the changing needs of the modern manufacturing workforce and the changing attitudes individuals have toward their work.

• Promote 21st-century workplace ideas to incentivize employees to remain in the manufacturing sector, such as options of compensatory time off and other flexible work arrangements.
• Maintain collaborative approaches with employers to address workplace safety needs, equal employment opportunities and a diverse workplace.
• Oppose legislation that hampers employer work and leave arrangement flexibility.
• Support changes to make background checks easier and more efficient.

Workforce Development

Build a system that delivers a sustainable pipeline of skilled manufacturing talent.

• Promote the use of industry-recognized credentials awarded at the secondary and postsecondary levels.
• Support efforts to better articulate credit transfers from high schools to community colleges and from community colleges to four-year institutions.
• Endorse the Work Ethic Diploma
• Support Aptitude vs interest based tests in middle school to promote manufacturing careers.
• Remove disincentives and create incentives for employers to provide work-based learning opportunities to 16 and 17 year olds.

Workers Comp, Healthcare & Insurance Costs

Keeping manufacturers competitive as Healthcare, pharmacy and worker’s compensation costs continue to increase.

• Provide group purchasing of healthcare, pharmacy and other ancillary benefits, decreasing cost of insurance and fees for members to provide health coverage to employees.
• Provide low-cost options for employer-sponsored wellness programs.

Transportation, Infrastructure & Energy

Robustly fund infrastructure as a high priority reducing threats to manufacturers due to congestion and deteriorating road conditions.  Provide for a reliable and cost-effective electric grid that ensures manufacturers can access energy when they need it, even as policies and markets change.

• Address long-term funding challenges and support a user-fee approach to funding infrastructure while preparing for an eventual transition to a next-generation way to fund transportation investment.
• Support Broadband to rural areas.
• Leading edge aviation system ensuring safety and efficiency

Environmental Compliance & Regulations

Manufacturers demonstrate a commitment to protecting the environment through greater sustainability, increased energy efficiency and reduced emissions.

• Reform and modernize out-of-date laws and regulations so that these policies can better address 21st century environmental challenges while minimizing costs and burdens.

Research, Innovation & Technology

Adopt policies that will attract and retain investment in activities that drive innovation.

• Include cybersecurity policies that draw on the best industry practices.
• Foster the growth of connected technology across all manufacturing industry segments.
• Enhance the R&D incentive so that manufacturers can continue to innovate successfully across all industrial sectors.

State Regulations & Taxes

Tort claims and related litigation costs divert resources away from investments in human capital, new equipment and other opportunities for manufacturers to grow and complete.  Encourage increased capital investment to achieve sustainable economic growth by reducing tax rates for companies of all sizes no matter how they are organized.

• Support proposals to reduce tax burden on manufacturers.