The United States manufacturing sector accounts for ~12% of GDP value added.  The constant dollar value of that production is currently at the highest level in our nations history, and at a level 4.5 times higher than 1950. Manufacturing, like agriculture, has become more capital intensive and less reliant on human labor. Increasing capital requirements (and weak anti-trust as well as other drivers) have led to consolidation - the big get bigger and the little get out. Worker productivity is up, labor employment is down, the sectors share of the total economy is flat, but the amount of total production is at an all time high.