John Patterson was wearing two hats Thursday, but they fit together perfectly.
As chairman of JCB North America, Patterson has helped the world’s third largest construction equipment manufacturer through a recession that proved devastating to the industry, and it’s come out on the other end stronger and poised for growth.
As this year’s chairman of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, a North American trade association 1,000 members strong, Patterson preached the gospel of infrastructure as his company helped launch AEM’s 2015 “I Make America” campaign.
“The AEM represents a huge industry in North America,” Patterson told a gathering of local officials, AEM members and JCB employees during a presentation in the company auditorium. “It has distinguished itself by giving a voice to those of us in the manufacturing and construction industries, addressing important issues, sending messages to government, promoting the creation of good paying jobs.
“We’re proud to kick off the fifth year of AEM’s ‘I Make America’ campaign,” he said.
“Those of us who make the equipment to build our bridges and highways are keenly aware of the need for a well-funded, sustainable transportation bill,” he said. “We need a long-term bill that will allow us to plan the improvements to our infrastructure.”
In addition to a highway bill, the AEM advocates for trade agreements that will create a level playing field in the U.S.
“We need to revamp our tax structures and bring back the Export/Import Bank,” he said, adding that companies cannot plan investment without a long-term vision and clarity of policy.”
“At JCB, we help build America by producing the machinery that helps build the roads and bridges we’ve all come to rely upon. We enable American farmers to grow record crops to help feed this nation and other parts of the world. And we are privileged to help keep our U.S. Armed Forces safe as they defend our freedom abroad,” Patterson said, referring to JCB’s High Mobility Engineer Excavator, an armored, high-speed construction vehicle that has been proven to save lives in combat.
Dennis Slater, president of AEM, said the success of JCB and other AEM companies depends on everyone getting behind pro-manufacturing policies.
“We founded ‘I Make America’ five years ago to recognize those companies that make the products that make commerce possible. Since that time, we’ve built a grassroots campaign that is 40,000 people strong and growing,” he said.
JCB president and CEO Arjun Mirdha told the employees gathered in the auditorium that they were at the core of JCB’s success.
“The equipment you build helps power the economy every day,” he said. “This is something you can be very proud of.”
After the presentation, AEM members and area officials were given a tour of the JCB facilities.