Global Workforce Challenges for the Mold Making and Engineering Industry

Davide Masato () and Sun Kyoung Kim ()
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Davide Masato: Department of Plastics Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA
Sun Kyoung Kim: Department of Mechanical System Design Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul 01811, Republic of Korea

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-28

Abstract: The mold industry faces unprecedented challenges in the current global economic and social landscape, including increasing environmental concerns and the need for sustainable solutions. To address these challenges, the plastics tooling industry needs to face critical issues associated with the shortage of skilled labor and disruptions to global supply chains. This work reviews and analyzes the global workforce challenges and their relationship to sustainable economic and environmental growth. The characteristics and challenges of the mold-making and engineering industries are assessed and critically discussed. New technologies, such as data-driven automation in design and manufacturing, are discussed, considering their current and future impact on employment in the industry. Ultimately, the paper argues that the mold industry must address these workforce challenges to promote sustainable and continued growth. Indeed, workforce and technology development are the key drivers for the sustainable growth of the mold-making industry, as they support the timely and cost-effective manufacturing of numerous essential plastic products. The industry stakeholders should work on structural solutions to foster a more conducive environment to produce plastic molds.

Keywords: mold; workforce challenges; sustainability; circular economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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