Leadership

OMA Bets on the Bengals

In the buildup to the Super Bowl between the Bengals and Rams, OMA President Ryan Augsburger placed a friendly wager with his counterpart at the California Manufacturers & Technology Association, betting a giftbox of Cincinnati-style Skyline Chili.

Predicting a Bengals victory, Augsburger said: “The good news for Rams fans is that all Ohio-made foods and beverages are readily available and provide tremendous comfort to people going through difficult times — including a Super Bowl loss. Who Dey!” 2/10/2022

Report: Ohio a Leader in Reshoring

Fox Business recently reported that the supply chain disruption has provided momentum to reshoring efforts. The network cited an organization called The Reshoring Initiative, which estimated that more than 220,000 U.S. jobs were realized last year due to reshoring and foreign direct investment (FDI).

According to The Reshoring Initiative’s data, Ohio was the top reshoring state in the first half of 2021 with more than 12,400 reshored and FDI-related jobs. 2/3/2022

Census Shows Strength of Ohio Manufacturing

Ohio manufacturers shipped more than $286 billion in goods during 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent annual survey of manufacturers. In a comparison of all 50 states, this is the third-largest quantity in this category.

The Census Bureau’s interactive map also shows each state’s total cost of manufacturing materials; total number of manufacturing employees; total manufacturing payroll; and total annual wages for production workers. 1/31/2022

U.S. Manufacturers Record 20th Consecutive Month of Growth in ISM Survey

U.S. manufacturing slowed in January, according to the latest monthly report from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). However, as OMA Connections Partner RSM notes, January marked the 20th consecutive month of industry expansion in ISM’s survey, even as the measures of production and new orders fell to their lowest levels since mid-2020. 2/1/2022

Estimate: Chips Will Comprise 20% of Auto Components by 2030

Ohioans know the Buckeye State perennially ranks among the nation’s top states for manufacturing automobiles and auto components. Intel’s recent selection of Ohio for its new chip manufacturing site will help ensure our state remains a global leader in transportation equipment manufacturing.

Intel estimates that by 2030, more than 20% of the components going into a vehicle will be semiconductors — a five-fold increase from 2019. The increase in chip use is tied to the industry’s shift to electric and connected vehicles. 2/2/2022

DeWine Leads in Fundraising for Gubernatorial Race

With just 12 weeks until Ohio’s May 3 primary election, Gov. Mike DeWine has a sizeable cash advantage over his GOP primary opponents.

As reported by Gongwer News, Gov. DeWine has $9.2 million cash on hand, according to campaign finance disclosures. Jim Renacci reports $4.1 million on hand after he loaned his campaign $4.8 million and raised just $148,723. Joe Blystone has $214,312 on hand.

DeWine also has a significant financial advantage over the two Democrats running for governor. Former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley has $1.8 million on hand; former Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley has $1.9 million. 2/1/2022

OMA Connections Directory Offers Subject-Matter Expertise

One of the benefits of OMA membership is gaining access to experts in areas of importance to manufacturers through the OMA Connections Program. Use the OMA’s Connections Directory to locate experts in more than two dozen categories. The entities listed in the directory are all OMA members. Check it out. 2/2/2022

Manufacturers Salute the Bengals

The OMA salutes the Cincinnati Bengals for capturing the AFC championship and earning their way to the Super Bowl, set for Feb. 13. As patient Bengals fans know all too well, this will be the organization’s first Super Bowl appearance since January 1989 — and the franchise’s third Super Bowl appearance in its 53 NFL seasons. Ohio football fans can savor this moment. Who Dey!

Also, here’s guidance from OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips on how employers can avoid Super Bowl-related issues at the workplace. 2/3/2022

Farewell and Thank You, Rob Brundrett!

Rob Brundrett, the OMA’s managing director of public policy services, will conclude his OMA service next week.

For nearly a decade, Rob has been a dependable advocate for manufacturers at the Statehouse. He has worked closely with manufacturing leaders within the OMA’s standing policy committees and the association’s board of directors.

“Rob has been a key ingredient to the OMA’s success and we are grateful for his contributions,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “It has been a pleasure to have worked alongside him. We wish Rob all the best as he departs the OMA to serve as president of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association.” 2/3/2022

Intel Project Is a Game Changer for Ohio

Ohio was the center of national attention last week as Intel announced it had selected the Buckeye State as the site for what is expected to be the world’s largest computer chip-making complex. (Here’s the recorded announcement, if you missed it.)

The company plans to invest between $20 billion and $100 billion to build multiple state-of-the-art factories in Licking County in the coming years. The first phase of the project will generate an estimated 20,000 jobs overall, while adding $2.8 billion to Ohio’s annual gross state product.

The Columbus Dispatch published this account of how the deal came together. It highlights the persistence demonstrated by Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, JobsOhio, and local leaders. (Listen to Lt. Gov. Husted’s interview with 610 AM for more insight.)

In its statement, the OMA called the Intel project a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” — adding that Ohio is “where world-class manufacturers go to reshore American manufacturing.” 1/24/2022