Leadership

Early Voting Underway for Ohio’s Aug. 2 Primary

Early voting has begun for Ohio’s Aug. 2 special primary for state legislative races. Manufacturers and their employees can see the full schedule for early voting, as well as locations for early in-person voting. Voters can find their Ohio House and Ohio Senate districts using this tool. 7/7/2022

Ohio Manufacturing Captures National Spotlight

City Journal magazine — published by the Manhattan Institute, a free-market think tank — has examined Ohio’s role in the resurgence of U.S. manufacturing. The article says, “If America recovers its manufacturing mojo, this is the region where it will happen.”

The publication points out that Ohio is seeing new manufacturing facilities going up in numbers second only to Texas. On a per-capita basis, new capital projects are going up in Ohio at a rate nearly 14 times that of California, a Hoover Institution study finds.

The story credits several factors for the Buckeye State’s manufacturing momentum, including its work ethic, economic development leadership, career-technical education, and emerging technology. 6/29/2022

Report: Manufacturing Activity Slowed Significantly in June

The S&P Global Flash U.S. Manufacturing PMI declined from 57 in May to 52.4 in June, the lowest reading since July 2020. According to Chad Moutray, chief economist for the National Association of Manufacturers, both new orders and output contracted in June for the first time in two years.

OMA Connections Partner RSM says its U.S. Manufacturing Outlook Index also declined, as the firm estimates there’s a 45% probability of a recession over the next 12 months.

Meanwhile, despite inflation concerns, two-thirds of small businesses expect to increase their revenue over the next year and 43% percent plan to hire more staff, according to a U.S. Chamber survey. Another survey finds 70% of U.S.-based manufacturers are planning reshoring or nearshoring projects due to global supply challenges. 6/29/2022

DeWine Signs Bill to Invest $500M in Appalachia

On June 28, Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 377, providing $500 million in funding for Appalachian funding initiatives, including workforce development. The development fund for 32 Appalachian counties was proposed by Gov. DeWine in his 2022 State of the State Address. Read the governor’s press release, as well as this bill summary. 6/29/2022

At a Glance: Population Growth and Decline in U.S. Counties

This infographic, published by Visual Capitalist, shows a decade of population trends across U.S. counties between 2010 and 2020. The site published another map showing population changes by percentages. In Ohio, Franklin County saw the largest population increase, while Cuyahoga County saw the greatest decrease. 6/29/2022

Brian Huprich, Ian Kalinosky Elected to OMA Board

On June 21, the OMA’s annual meeting and Q2 board of directors’ meeting was held at the OMA’s headquarters in Columbus. Board members were briefed on legislative and legal developments that could impact Ohio manufacturers, and members discussed challenges and opportunities facing the industry.

During the meeting, the following individuals were elected to serve on the OMA board:

• Brian Huprich, chief financial officer, Ariel Corp., Mt. Vernon; and
• Ian Kalinosky, president specialty retail, KDC/ONE (Knowlton Development Corp.), New Albany.

The OMA board is currently comprised of 27 Ohio manufacturing leaders, representing manufacturers of all sizes and sectors within the industry and from all regions of the state. Board members will meet again Sept. 20. 6/19/2022

Early Voting for Ohio’s Special Primary Begins July 6

Ohio’s Aug. 2 special primary for state legislative races is quickly approaching. Manufacturers and their employees should note that the voter registration deadline for new voters — and those who’ve changed addresses — is July 5. Early voting begins July 6. See the full 2022 election calendar, as well as the new state legislative districts. 6/22/2022

Ohio Business Shows Support for Supreme Court Justices

Ohio’s five largest business groups — including the OMA — gathered June 23 at Taylor-Winfield Technologies in Youngstown to show their support for the campaigns of three Supreme Court of Ohio candidates. The groups’ political action committees are endorsing Justice Sharon Kennedy for chief justice, as well as Justices Pat DeWine and Pat Fischer for re-election.

The Court can and does have a tremendous impact on the business climate in Ohio. OMA’s Political Action Committee (OMA-PAC) has expressed support for Kennedy, praising her for “not legislating from the bench,” while commending DeWine and Fischer for demonstrating fairness, impartiality, and judicial restraint, which benefit Ohio’s manufacturing competitiveness.

The event was organized by Rachael Carl, managing director of the OMA’s public policy services. Here’s media coverage, as well as the OMA-PAC’s endorsement announcement from earlier this year. 6/23/2022

Webinars: Boosting Manufacturing Competitiveness

OMA Connections Partner Plante Moran is producing a five-part webinar series to help manufacturers address current challenges through improved data, operations, and technology. Three of the webinars are ready to watch on demand. You can also register for Plante Moran’s July 19 webinar, which will focus on using Industry 4.0 to realize value creation and competitive advantages. 6/20/2022

NAM Blasts WTO Decision on COVID-19 Products

The World Trade Organization has lifted intellectual property protections to allow developing countries to produce and export COVID-19 vaccines. The move was criticized by the pharmaceutical industry as well as the National Association of Manufacturers, which expressed disappointment that the U.S. “would join other countries to give away manufacturers’ innovations to our commercial rivals.” 6/20/2022