The country's top foreign trade official told a gathering at a Baltimore County electronics components and design company Friday about gains in U.S. manufacturing jobs, and agreements being negotiated that would open two-thirds of the globe to free trade.
U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman's appearance at Zentech Manufacturing Inc. in Woodlawn was part of Maryland's celebration of National Manufacturing Day, first organized by several industry groups in 2012.
Across Maryland, state and local officials and business leaders conducted factory tours and gave speeches, all to highlight the significance and promise of manufacturing jobs in Maryland, which made up about 3.5 percent of total state employment in August. Froman told the gathering at Zentech that Maryland companies would stand to benefit from trade agreements now being negotiated with Europe and Asia. He added that the U.S. for the past four years has been adding about 12,000 manufacturing jobs a month, reversing years of job losses.