Leadership

Lightweighting Webinar Coming Up July 24

Lightweighting is of increasing importance to many manufacturing industries and their workforces. This webinar, with subject matter experts from Swagelok Company, Case Western Reserve University and Heil Consulting, will cover lightweighting drivers, the advent of additive manufacturing technologies and advanced materials used in lightweighting.

The 60-minute webinar is offered at no charge to members on Tuesday, July 24 at 10:00 a.m. Read more about the session. Register here. 6/26/2018

Changing the Image of Manufacturing

Manufacturing Day addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is — and what it isn’t.

By working together during and after MFG DAY, manufacturers will begin to address the skilled labor shortage they face, connect with future generations, take charge of the public image of manufacturing, and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry.

According to MFG DAY:

– The average tenure of workers in the manufacturing industry is highest among all private sector industries at 9.1 years.

– Modern manufacturing also has one of the lowest employee turnover rates among all private-sector jobs at 2.3 percent.

– The average manufacturing worker in the U.S. earns almost $20,000 more than the average employee working in other industries.

Resources for your event are here. 6/28/2018

NAM Survey Pegs Manufacturer Optimism at Record High

According to the National Association of Manufacturers’ (NAM) second quarter 2018 outlook survey of 568 small-, medium-, and large-manufacturers, manufacturers in America are experiencing record optimism. Achieving levels not seen in the past 20 years of the survey, 95.1% of manufacturers currently have a positive outlook for their business, including 95.8% for mid-size manufacturers.

Other highlights from the Q2 NAM survey include:

• All-time highs for projected employment growth and capital spending;
• Projected wage growth registered its fastest pace in 17 years; and
• Projected sales growth kept pace at its second-highest reading in survey history.

Read the results here. 6/21/2018

OMA Testifies in Support of Bill to Prohibit Local Fees on Auxiliary Containers

This week, OMA’s Rob Brundrett, Director, Public Policy Services testified in support of House Bill 625 (Lang-R-West Chester, Lipps-R-Franklin) before the House Economic Development, Commerce and Labor Committee. This bill prohibits a local government from imposing a tax or a fee on auxiliary containers (e.g. plastic bags or foam containers).

Brundrett testified: “… the OMA routinely advocates mitigating locally-imposed restrictions or taxes. In many cases these types of regulations are most appropriately adopted at the federal government level so as to not disadvantage businesses in one state over businesses in another state.

“… the OMA favors House Bill 625 to ensure that taxes, fees or regulations on paper and paper-based (or other) packaging be adopted uniformly and not via a cumbersome patchwork of different local regulations and taxes that would disadvantage Ohio as a place to manufacture.” 6/20/2018

Manufacturers Need Rail Freight Reform Now!

Public policies that govern transportation industries need to be responsive to the needs of Ohio manufacturers. “Unfortunately, America’s freight rail system is stuck in the past, operating under a set of regulations that serve the interests of the railroad companies but derail everyone else,” said OMA’s Ryan Augsburger, Vice President & Managing Director, Public Policy Services, in a guest column.

The column makes the case for Congress to act to confirm the three nominees so that the Surface Transportation Board can get back to work and enact meaningful improvements to rail regulations. 6/21/2018

House Seats New Member

This week the House seated Rep. Shane Wilkin (R-Hillsboro) to represent the 91^st House District. He was appointed to replace former Speaker Cliff Rosenberger after winning the Republican primary in that district in May.

Rep. Wilkin is a former Highland County Commissioner. 6/21/2018

DeWine Visits with OMA Board of Directors

Attorney General Mike DeWine, the Republican candidate for governor, visited with the OMA board of directors this week. General DeWine discussed issues of importance to Ohio manufacturers and the state’s economy. Two key areas of focus were tackling the state’s opioid crisis and addressing the critical workforce shortages across the state. 6/14/2018

2018 Campaign: Cordray and Brown Hold Early Advantage

With fewer than five months until the November election – and even fewer with early voting – a pair of recent credible polls show Democrat Rich Cordray edging Republican Mike DeWine in the race for Ohio governor. And, in the U.S. Senate contest incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown has a healthy lead over Republican Jim Renacci.

The polls also measured Ohioan’s approval ratings of President Trump, Governor Kasich and U.S. Senator Rob Portman.

Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll said: “The closeness between Richard Cordray and Attorney General Mike DeWine should not be surprising, since this race for governor is a re-run of the race between the two men in 2010 for the attorney general’s job that DeWine won by 1 percentage point. Now, Cordray and DeWine split the key independent vote and get roughly the same share of their party bases.”

Another poll released this week this one by Suffolk University and the Cincinnati Enquirer showed Cordray leads DeWine 43% to 36%. That poll pegs Sherrod Brown with a 16% lead over Renacci. “The composition of the electorate will be different in the midterm than it was in the 2016 election, when Donald Trump won Ohio,” said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Research Center. “Without Trump on the ballot, some of his supporters will stay away. But the anti-Trump voters are intensely focused, and that could benefit the Democrats on the ballot.” 6/14/2018

Your MFG DAY 2018 Planning Tools

While MFG DAY 2018 is October 5, it might be a good time for a team to start a plan. All the resources you need can be found on the MFG DAY website. Your event can be on any day this year (it doesn’t have to be on October 5, 2018). You can also choose to close your event to the public if you need to.

1. DECIDE ON THE TYPE OF EVENT YOU’LL HOST.

The classic MFG DAY event is a manufacturer’s plant tour. Here are some options to help you decide on the type of event that best works for you.

2. REGISTER YOUR EVENT.

Register your event here. If you need some help, this blog post has tips for how to complete the process in five minutes or less.

3. USE THE EVENT TOOLKIT TO PLAN YOUR EVENT.

Essential reading for all MFG DAY hosts, this toolkit is full of advice and templates for creating successful events and getting all the right people to attend. 6/14/2018

Ohio’s Speaker is Rep. Ryan Smith

Rep. Ryan Smith (R-Bidwell) was elected Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives on Wednesday. After ten deadlocked ballots, Smith was elected by a plurality in the eleventh round. Supreme Court Justice Pat Fischer was on hand to immediately administer the oath of office.

With the Speaker vacancy now filled, the House is returning to the peoples’ business of considering legislation. In the first session under the new Speaker, the House acted on 17 pieces of backlogged legislation.

In his inaugural address, Speaker Smith called on members to “put our divisions aside and honor our commitments to serve the people of Ohio.” He also encouraged members to treat each other with dignity and respect.

You can watch the historic and unprecedented House session on the Ohio Channel. Rep. Bob Cupp (R-Lima) eloquently nominated Smith highlighting his leadership ability, noting that he helped to deliver two balanced state budgets as chairman of the powerful House Finance Committee. Cupp praised Smith for being respectful, inclusive, decisive, and candid.

The former Supreme Court of Ohio Justice and veteran legislator also commented: “Weeks of orchestrated rumor, fabricated innuendo and unfounded speculation have done nothing to change what experience has shown – that Ryan Smith is an honorable man.” 6/7/2018