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Manufacturing Jobs Uptick: Trump May Be the Key

Manufacturing jobs in the Bay Area are seeing an uptick, and at least one Silicon Valley company believes a Trump administration could be the key to bringing lost jobs back home.

From robotics to 3-D printing to new ways to get around, manufacturing is hot again in Silicon Valley.

"We're seeing that there's gonna be a need for greater manufacturing capabilities," said Peter Leroe-Munoz of the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group.

BriteLab CEO Robert Deneve added, "I think the new administration will go a long way to achieve that."

Executives and workers at the recently opened BriteLab manufacturing facility in San Jose are optimistic that indeed the new president could be the change the economy needs to spur local job growth. The company just opened the 55,000 square-foot facility to make tech products for companies such as Tesla and Cisco.

"We reached out to prior administrations, and it didn't quite get traction," Deneve said. "We think because this is a business focus, maybe a new way of looking at things, that our voices will be heard."

The bulk of tech manufacturing jobs have been located outside of the country for years. Companies like BriteLab are now working to bring them back, and Silicon Valley is looking to benefit.

"We're looking forward as an organization working with the president-elect and other leaders to increase the opportunities for manufacturing jobs here," Leroe-Munoz said.

Companies have said one of the biggest reasons they're building products in the U.S. again is security. Intellectual property, they say, is safer when things are built close to home.

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