Leadership

Ohio No. 3 in ‘Prosperity Cup’ Ranking

Site Selection has ranked Ohio third in the U.S. in its 2023 “Prosperity Cup” comparison. The annual study examines 10 criteria measuring states’ competitiveness in economic development, including new projects, expansions, and job creation. Ohio improved from No. 7 in last year’s study. Here’s what JobsOhio had to say about the results. 5/18/2023

Ohio Spotlighted for Affordability, Once Again

Ohio is well represented in U.S. News & World Report’s new ranking of nation’s best 25 affordable communities. Youngstown came in at No. 2, with a cost of living that requires just over 20% of the median household income. Also making the publication’s top 25 were Toledo (No. 21) and Dayton (No. 22). 5/16/2023

Reducing U.S. Manufacturers’ Dependency on China

Ethan Karp, president and CEO of OMA Connections Partner MAGNET — the Manufacturing Extension Partnership serving northeast Ohio — recently authored this editorial for IndustryWeek on ways U.S. manufacturers can become less dependent on China. Karp notes that the U.S currently depends on China for 90% of its antibiotics and many raw materials. 5/8/2023

Voters to Decide on 60% Constitutional Amendment Plan; Special Election Set for August

On a 62-37 vote, the Ohio House this week agreed with the Senate to let voters decide the fate of a plan to require a 60% voter-approval standard for proposed amendments to Ohio’s constitution. (Under current law, only a simple majority is required.) See this summary of Senate Joint Resolution 2.

Ohio election officials must now prepare for a special Aug. 8 election.

Republican proponents call the measure needed election reform that will limit out-of-state activists, noting that the Ohio Constitution has been amended 172 times (opposed to 27 times for the U.S. Constitution). Opponents, primarily Democrats, say the measure is undemocratic and will erode the ability of Ohioans to make their voices heard.

Only Florida, Illinois, New Hampshire, and Colorado require more than simple-majority approval for constitutional amendments. However, Ohio is one of just 18 states that allow citizen-initiated constitutional amendments. 5/10/2023

Ohio Revives ‘Heart of It All’ Marketing Slogan

The state this week revived its iconic marketing slogan, “Ohio, The Heart of It All” — used between 1984 and 2001.

The DeWine-Husted administration collected this feedback regarding the slogan change. OMA President Ryan Augsburger said: “The time is right for a refresh of Ohio’s marketing slogan. Fueled largely by our state’s manufacturing boom, Ohio is capturing the attention of business leaders, site selectors, and investors nationwide and around the world.” 5/10/2023

Ohio’s Jobs Total Now Exceeds Pre-COVID-19 Levels

Ohio has recovered all of its private-sector job losses suffered during the pandemic, according to this report from JobsOhio. Ohio manufacturers have added more than 108,000 jobs since the COVID-19 employment low in April 2020. 5/8/2023

Ohio a Leader in Manufacturing-Related Shipments

The U.S. Census Bureau has published this interactive map showing Ohio is No. 3 in the nation for total manufacturing value of industry shipments, based on 2021 data. At $322 billion in manufacturing value, the Buckeye State trails only California and Texas in this category. 5/8/2023

Saluting Ohio’s Small Manufacturers

This has been National Small Business Week, which recognizes the economic contributions and impact of small firms. See this snapshot of Ohio’s small business community.

As of 2020, the most recent year available, there were more than 13,000 Ohio manufacturing businesses with fewer than 500 employees — the federal definition of a small business. Small manufacturers comprise the vast majority of the OMA’s membership.

The OMA salutes Ohio’s small manufacturers — in every area of the industry — for making the Buckeye State the powerhouse of manufacturing! 5/4/2023

JobsOhio: Balance Needed to Grow Auto Sector

The New York Times recently ran a front-page story examining Ohio’s automotive sector and the state’s success in attracting investments related to electric vehicles. Read the Times’ story, which notes that Ohio is the No. 2 state for auto manufacturing and No. 1 for internal combustion engine production.

JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef writes that the state’s continued leadership in the industry “requires a delicate balance of support for traditional motors and systems,” while investing in workforce development “to sustain next-generation auto technologies and manufacturing.” 5/2/2023

U.S. Manufacturing Slowdown Continued in April

The U.S. manufacturing sector contracted again in April, marking the sixth consecutive monthly decline in activity. In this analysis, OMA Connections Partner Plante Moran writes that weakness in the sector continues to point to heightened risk of recession in the near term. Check out Plante Moran’s latest publication on leading through change in midmarket manufacturing. 5/3/2023