Leadership

OMA’s Government Affairs Committee Meets June 1

To update members on the latest Statehouse actions and Ohio developments impacting manufacturers, the OMA’s Government Affairs Committee will hold its Q2 meeting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 1. Register here if you haven’t already.

Members may attend in person at the OMA’s Columbus office or via Zoom. For those attending in person, there will be a networking lunch provided from noon until 1 p.m. 5/25/2022

Intel Continues to Seek Potential Ohio Suppliers

As noted in the OMA’s recent “Retooling Ohio” publications, Intel’s Licking County project is expected to attract at least 30 to 40 supplier companies, while supporting more than 140 Intel suppliers already in the state.

Now Intel is looking to grow its supply chain. In its search for non-construction businesses to support the project, the company has posted this supplier intake form on its “Intel in Ohio” page. 5/23/2022

Nearly $6B in Ohio Unemployment Overpayments Since Start of COVID-19

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has identified nearly $6 billion in unemployment overpayments made over the course of the pandemic. The agency says the overpayments are attributable to both fraudulent and non-fraudulent activity in both the traditional unemployment program (100% funded by Ohio employers) and the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program. See this chart for details.

Ohio has paid more than $24 billion in jobless benefits to more than 2.4 million claimants since the start of COVID-19. 5/23/2022

Automotive Industry Outlook, Summer 2022

OMA Connections Partner RSM has just published its latest automotive industry outlook, which focuses on the sector’s continued efforts to automate via robotics. “Whether robotic investments are made to solve labor challenges or expand capacity, they should also support the broader and longer-term business strategy,” RSM writes. 5/24/2022

Your Existing Data Can Generate Valuable Insights

To help manufacturers navigate current economic challenges, OMA Connections Partner CliftonLarsonAllen offers new insight on how data transformation can provide businesses actionable insights to drive daily decision-making. “Data analytics can leverage technology, technical knowledge, and business process knowledge to turn your data into a goldmine,” the firm writes. 5/23/2022

A Look at Ohio’s Broadband Expansion

The DeWine-Husted administration recently announced new broadband expansion projects aimed at making affordable, high-speed internet available to nearly 100,000 households. The funding was made possible by last year’s House Bill 2.

BroadbandOhio, a division of the Ohio Department of Development, has published this map highlighting areas of the state that will be covered by new broadband projects. 5/18/2022

Ohio’s Economic Barometer

Here are some key economic indicators for the Buckeye State, taken from a variety of sources:

• Ohio’s unemployment rate as of March was 4.1%, but initial filings have expanded in recent weeks. (Here is Ohio’s county jobless rate ranking and county map.)
• There are nearly 260,000 job openings across Ohio, according to Ohio Means Jobs. More than 26,500 of those openings are tied to manufacturing.
• Ohio’s March labor force participation rate was 61.9%, compared to around 64% in mid-2019.
• As of Q4 2021, Ohio’s manufacturing GDP stood at more than $124 billion — another record high.
• As of March, there were roughly 677,200 manufacturing jobs statewide, compared to 664,200 a year earlier.
• The average weekly hours of production for Ohio manufacturing employees was 40.4 as of March, while the average hourly earnings for all Ohio manufacturing employees stood at $29.14.

The Back-to-Normal Index, compiled by Moody’s Analytics and CNN Business, shows Ohio’s economy at 96% of its pre-pandemic level. Only five states are at their pre-COVID-19 levels. 5/18/2022

Biden’s Visit to the Buckeye State Highlights 3D Printing

On May 6, President Joe Biden visited Hamilton, Ohio to announce that five major manufacturers — GE Aviation, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Siemens Energy — are boosting their reliance on small and mid-sized U.S. firms for 3D printing.

During his tour of United Performance Metals, the president urged Congress to approve a stalled competition and innovation bill, which includes funding to spur more domestic production of semiconductors, including at Ohio’s forthcoming Intel plant. (The OMA has co-signed this letter spearheaded by the National Association of Manufacturers in support of the legislation’s supply chain provisions.)

Watch Biden’s plant tour and full remarks. 5/10/2022

Steve Dackin Is Ohio’s New State Superintendent

On May 10, the State Board of Education voted to select Steve Dackin, former vice president of the board, as the next state superintendent. “This is a win for manufacturers that need the K-12 education system to up its game to prepare Ohio’s next generation for the workforce,” said Ryan Augsburger, OMA president.

Mr. Dackin most recently served as Columbus State Community College’s superintendent of school and community partnerships. He succeeds former State Superintendent Paolo DeMaria, who retired last fall. 5/10/2022

Study: Ohio a Leader in Lower Cost of Living

Ohio offers the nation’s fifth-lowest cost of living, according to a recent study by financial website Credit Karma. The study considered 11 relevant categories, including expenditures like transportation, groceries, health care, rent, mortgage payments, and property and sales taxes. Ohio came in No. 1 for lowest grocery costs and No. 8 for lowest housing expenses. 5/10/2022