A survey of more than 300 small- and medium-sized Northeast Ohio manufacturers shows a mix of optimism and concern about the regional economy.
The business-climate poll was conducted by the manufacturing advocate organization Magnet. CEO Ethan Karp says nearly 60 percent of the respondents reported optimism and expect to expand. He believes a lot of that confidence stems from the election of President Trump and business owners’ perception of what his proposed polices will mean for them.
But he says more than half of the respondents are nervous about the three particular issues.
“We can now say definitively that over 60 percent of manufacturers are extremely concerned with health care, over 60 percent of them were also concerned with attracting and retaining workers, followed very closely by government policies and regulations.”
Karp says the survey results will be used to help guide government policy makers on manufacturing issues.
