While grand promises of reviving American manufacturing dominate headlines, the reality of building new factories is more like a slow-motion blockbuster. 🎬 From car plants to aluminum smelters, projects face a marathon of challenges—site selection battles, permit paperwork, and years of construction—before ever producing a single widget.
Financial Times analysis reveals most facilities take 3+ years to become operational. Economist Erin McLaughlin compares it to 'building a skyscraper while solving a Rubik’s Cube'—balancing complex logistics, global supply chains, and workforce training.
💡 Key hurdles:
🇺🇸 Months spent navigating local regulations
⏳ 12-18 months for advanced machinery delivery
🔌 Infrastructure upgrades slowing green energy projects
The gap between announcements and actual production could test the patience of investors and workers alike. As one industry insider quipped: 'You can’t TikTok-speedrun heavy industry.' 🚫⏩
