New NEMA Program is Key to Bolstering U.S. Manufacturing Amid Trade, Supply Chain Challenges

America’s electrical manufacturing sector is at a pivotal moment, as the industry navigates supply chain challenges, evolving trade policies, and a new political landscape in Washington. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and its members across the electroindustry are laser focused on meeting this moment, as NEMA members contribute 1% of U.S. GDP, provide nearly 460,000 American jobs, and have invested $185 billion in the past eight years to expand domestic manufacturing.

This dynamic environment brings new opportunities and new uncertainties. To successfully revitalize American manufacturing, trade policy must be aligned with domestic industrial goals. We must ensure incentives, regulations, and implementation strategies are coordinated and mutually reinforcing. As the second largest importer and exporter of manufactured goods, NEMA’s members play a key role in expanding the U.S. manufacturing base and rely on a certain and predictable business environment to continue to manufacture in America and compete globally.

In particular, the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) is designed to promote domestic manufacturing by establishing strict domestic content requirements for products and materials used in federally funded infrastructure projects. While well-intended, BABA implementation has been complex and challenging, not just for the electroindustry, but across the manufacturing sector. There is also a significant gap between the guidance made available to implement BABA and what steps manufacturers need to take to be compliant.

To help manufacturers navigate the complexity of federal sourcing requirements, NEMA launched the Make It American program — a first-of-its-kind initiative that provides a clear, standardized pathway for BABA compliance. By turning complex mandates into actionable standards, the program offers third-party certification and trusted guidance that bring clarity, consistency, and credibility to compliance efforts.

Make It American strengthens critical supply chains, supports U.S. manufacturing, and helps companies maintain a competitive edge in federally funded markets. Through this program, NEMA certifies compliant products and facilities, helping government agencies, customers, and partners easily identify products that meet domestic content requirements with confidence.

This new certification builds upon NEMA’s Make It American Process Standard, which outlines a clear and applicable supply chain evaluation framework specific to BABA for all company types. In addition, companies may certify specific products to NEMA’s BABA product specifications, currently available for low-voltage power distribution equipment (LVDE) and wire and cable with more to come.

NEMA is actively developing the next phase of BABA product specifications, including a new standard for high and medium-voltage distribution equipment such as switchgear and transformers. These components are essential to delivering reliable power across the U.S., yet persistent production challenges have made it difficult to meet rising demand. Expected in summer 2025, NEMA’s new BABA product specification will support efforts to address the national transformer shortage by providing clear guidance for domestic manufacturing. This specification will help U.S. manufacturers produce BABA-conforming transformers with confidence, accelerating market access while strengthening America’s energy infrastructure.

Companies that meet NEMA’s process or product certification requirements receive certification marks to demonstrate their transparency in offering BABA-compliant products to market. Eaton, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Southwire, and TESCO Metering are among the first NEMA member companies to achieve the process certification. In addition, Siemens, Southwire, and TESCO have earned product certifications.

Revitalizing American manufacturing requires trade policy and industrial strategy to move in concert. Incentives, regulations, and implementation must be aligned and mutually reinforcing to create an environment where domestic industry can thrive. If trade policy is going to drive domestic content requirements and reshoring efforts, the U.S. must be ready to meet that demand. NEMA’s Make It American program is a blueprint for this needed alignment.

Read more about NEMA’s Make It American program here.