Leadership

A coalition of more than 20 organizations, including the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) and major employers across the state, is urging Sens. Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted to support nearly $9 million in FY27 Congressionally Directed Spending requests aimed at strengthening Ohio’s manufacturing workforce pipeline.

In a joint letter, manufacturers said workforce availability remains one of the most significant constraints on growth in Ohio manufacturing, particularly in production and technician roles. The letter backs two OMA proposals: $3 million to implement the Ohio Manufacturing Workforce Blueprint and $5.92 million to expand Ohio Manufacturing WorkAdvance, a model designed to connect more Ohioans to manufacturing careers while helping employers fill critical jobs.

“Ohio cannot outcompete other states if manufacturers do not have the people to grow,” said Lindsey Short, managing director of energy and advocacy services for the OMA. “These requests are about building a workforce system that matches the scale of the opportunity and gives employers a real shot at filling the jobs they have right now.”

Signers include OMA; AMG Vanadium; Ariel Corporation; The Belden Brick Company; Cenovus Energy; French Oil Mill Machinery Company; American Honda Motor Company; Humtown Products; Mar-Bal, Inc.; The Marzetti Company; Mechanical Rubber; Pentaflex Inc.; Phillips Tube Group; PPG; PRO-TEC Coating Company; The Sherwin-Williams Company; Starr Manufacturing, Inc.; Staub Manufacturing Solutions; William Sopko & Sons Co., Inc.; Summitville Tiles, Inc.; and Zaclon. 4/16/2026

Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) member Whirlpool Corp. plans to invest $60 million to expand its manufacturing footprint in northwest Ohio, adding a factory in Perrysburg that could create roughly 100 to 150 jobs in the coming years.

The project will support production of washer and dryer components and strengthen Whirlpool’s long-standing manufacturing presence in the region. The company already operates major appliance manufacturing facilities nearby, including its large washer plant in Clyde.

“Manufacturers invest where they can compete and succeed,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “Whirlpool’s continued investment in Ohio reflects the strength of our manufacturing workforce, supply chains and communities that support making things here.”

The expansion reinforces northwest Ohio’s role as a key hub for appliance manufacturing and highlights the continued momentum of manufacturing investment across the state. 4/13/2026

Following discussion with the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) board of directors, OMA has joined Ohioans to Protect Public Services, a broad-based statewide coalition urging caution around proposals to eliminate local property taxes without a plan to replace the revenue.

The coalition includes more than 65 business, public safety, labor and community organizations, including the Associated General Contractors of Ohio; Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association; Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police; Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities; Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters; Ohio Realtors; and the Ohio State Building & Construction Trades Council.

Coalition members say Ohioans are right to expect serious conversations about property tax reform, but eliminating property taxes outright without a credible replacement plan would create major uncertainty for the services, schools and local systems that communities and employers depend on.

“Ohioans have every right to expect a real conversation about property tax reform,” said Ryan Augsburger, president of the OMA. “What they should not accept is a proposal to eliminate a major funding source with no serious plan for what replaces it.” 4/16/2026

As Ohio’s data center boom drives tougher questions about energy demand, grid strain and who gets stuck with the bill, the Columbus Metropolitan Club will host a forum on one of the state’s most consequential policy fights.

Ryan Augsburger, president of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA), will join a panel for “Ohio’s Data Center Debate” alongside leaders from The Ohio State University, Columbus City Council and the Statehouse News Bureau. The public discussion will examine how rapid digital infrastructure growth is driving tougher questions about energy demand, grid planning, customer costs and the policies shaping who bears the risk.

“This is the debate Ohio cannot afford to get wrong,” said Lindsey Short, OMA managing director of energy and advocacy services. “Big claims are driving big decisions, and the public deserves to know whether the numbers behind them are real.”

The forum will take place Wednesday, April 22, from noon to 1 p.m. at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, 300 W. Broad St., Columbus. Register now to attend this important discussion. 4/10/2026

Mark Lamoncha, Ohio Manufacturers’ Assocation (OMA) board member and president and CEO of Humtown Products, has been named the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Ohio Small Business Person of the Year, an honor that reflects the strength of Ohio manufacturing leadership.

Lamoncha helped grow Humtown from a Columbiana pattern shop into North America’s leading producer of 3D sand cores and molds. The SBA cited his innovation and long-term vision in announcing the award.

“Mark Lamoncha represents the best of Ohio manufacturing,” OMA President Ryan Augsburger said. “He is an innovator, a builder and a relentless advocate for what is possible when Ohio companies lead with vision, grit and ingenuity. This recognition is well deserved, and Ohio is stronger because of leaders like Mark.”

Lamoncha said the award reflects the work of Humtown’s team and the support of its partners and community. He now advances to national competition, with the national winner to be announced May 4 in Washington. 4/7/2026

U.S. manufacturing delivered an encouraging jolt in March, adding 15,000 jobs after revised February figures showed a smaller-than-initially-reported loss of 6,000. The first February estimate had shown a decline of 12,000 jobs, making March’s gain look even more like a rebound. The latest numbers also mark a sharp year-over-year turnaround. In March 2025, manufacturers lost 5,000 jobs, meaning this year’s March result represents a 400% swing in the right direction, according to Federal Reserve Economic Data. Transportation equipment and fabricated metal products helped drive the gains, while the broader U.S. labor market also added jobs in March.

“This is the kind of report that puts real wind at manufacturers’ backs,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “It shows this industry is still building, still hiring and still creating opportunity. That is great news for workers, great news for communities and a strong reminder that manufacturing remains one of the brightest spots in the American economy.” 4/6/2026

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) Board of Directors met earlier this week to set direction for the year ahead, reviewing association priorities, receiving updates on advocacy, workforce services, legal and operational matters, and adopting the proposed 2026 budget. Prior to the meeting, board members toured Textron Systems, where they had the opportunity to see advanced manufacturing and defense production up close.

The conversation reflected both the demands facing manufacturers and the work OMA is doing to respond. Board members pointed to the importance of a competitive tax and regulatory environment, reliable and affordable energy, a strong pipeline of skilled workers and an association strategy grounded in the real needs of manufacturers across the state. The meeting reinforced OMA’s focus on pairing strong advocacy with practical services that help manufacturers solve problems, strengthen their workforce and stay competitive.

“Ohio manufacturers are not standing still,” said Ryan Augsburger, OMA president. “They are adapting, leading and pushing forward, and OMA is committed to backing them with strong advocacy and practical support where it matters most.”

Augsburger said the board’s visit to Textron Systems underscored that message, offering a close-up look at the innovation, precision and industrial strength driving American manufacturing.

“We are grateful to Textron Systems for welcoming our board and giving us a firsthand look at the kind of advanced manufacturing and innovation that continues to strengthen American industry,” Augsburger said. 3/31/2026

Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) member Vertiv is expanding in Ohio, with plans to add 500 jobs at its Ironton manufacturing plant by 2029 as the company grows domestic production of power and cooling equipment. The broader effort includes an approximately $50 million investment across Ironton and Vertiv’s Westerville headquarters campus, with up to 730 jobs planned statewide through 2029. Vertiv said the investment will strengthen U.S. production capacity for technologies used in digital infrastructure and advanced computing environments, with the Ironton project expected to be operational in the second quarter of 2027.

“Vertiv’s expansion is another strong signal that Ohio remains a place where advanced manufacturing, skilled talent and long-term investment come together,” said Ryan Augsburger, president of the OMA. 3/31/2026

A Summit County jury on Tuesday failed to reach a verdict in the corruption trial of former FirstEnergy executives Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling, prolonging one of Ohio’s biggest public corruption cases. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said the state will retry the case, calling the outcome a setback but not the end of the pursuit of justice. Prosecutors alleged the executives helped arrange a $4.3 million payment to former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Sam Randazzo as part of the wider House Bill 6 bribery scandal. Ohio Manufacturers’ Association President Ryan Augsburger said the association welcomes Yost’s decision to retry the case.

“We are encouraged Attorney General Dave Yost has made clear this case will be retried,” Augsburger said. “A case of this magnitude cannot simply be left unresolved. The public deserves answers.” 3/31/2026

U.S. manufacturing added momentum in March, with stronger output and healthier order books pointing to a firmer start to spring. S&P Global’s final U.S. Manufacturing PMI climbed to 52.3, up from 51.6 in February, extending the current expansion streak to eight months. The survey found output growth accelerated and new orders rose at the fastest pace since October, suggesting manufacturers carried more traction into the spring than they had earlier in the year.

“That is the kind of report manufacturers like to see with their morning coffee,” said Ryan Augsburger, president of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association. “More output, more orders and more momentum is always welcome.” 4/1/2026

Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) President Ryan Augsburger is warning that Ohio should not let speculative data center demand and utility profit incentives drive billion-dollar energy decisions. In a guest column for The Columbus Dispatch, Augsburger argues that utilities have every reason to exaggerate demand because they profit on how much they spend to build, not on how much electricity ultimately moves through the wires.

The column points to an AEP earnings-call admission that should stop lawmakers in their tracks. During the company’s second-quarter 2025 call, an executive told investors that under AEP’s commercial-load protections, “it doesn’t really matter to us financially whether that load is actually coming online or not.”

“That is the whole scam in one sentence,” said Lindsey Short, OMA managing director of energy and advocacy services. “If the utility gets paid either way, customers are the ones carrying the risk. Ohio should not be forced to bankroll massive grid buildouts based on speculative load, inflated forecasts and a business model that rewards overbuilding.” 3/24/2026

PJM Executive Vice President Asim Haque came to the Senate Energy Committee on Tuesday warning of “historic load growth” and pushing lawmakers toward more market intervention, more infrastructure spending and, ultimately, higher costs for customers.

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) said the issue is not whether some new load is coming. It is whether grid insiders are turning speculation into system planning and handing customers the bill.

PJM’s own presentation made the point. The grid operator said it now plans to require demonstrated financial commitment for near-term large loads, identify duplicative requests, add third-party review and give state regulators a chance to weigh in before those projections are folded into the forecast. That is not a sign the old process was sound. It is an admission it was not.

OMA’s February analysis showed why that matters. The report found AEP Ohio’s data center tariff could inflate PJM large-load forecasts by more than 40% per data center, helping turn speculation into system planning. It also cited PJM’s Independent Market Monitor, which found forecasts of unbuilt data centers drove $21.3 billion in capacity costs over three years, compared with just $1.8 billion tied to built data centers.

“Ohio manufacturers have heard this script before: big claims, big urgency and then a bigger bill,” said Ryan Augsburger, president of OMA. “If Asim Haque wants lawmakers to treat this as a historic crisis, he ought to welcome historic scrutiny. Forecasts are not demand, and Ohio customers should not be forced to finance billion-dollar grid buildouts based on speculative, inflated or duplicate load projections.” 3/24/2026

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association’s (OMA) 2026 Election Guide will be published at the end of summer, giving advertisers a strong opportunity to reach Ohio’s manufacturing leaders and decision-makers as attention turns to the races, districts and political dynamics that will shape the state’s next General Assembly and congressional delegation.

The guide will feature profiles of candidates for state legislative and congressional seats, demographic and economic snapshots of every Ohio legislative district, updated political indices and commentary from House and Senate Republican and Democratic caucuses. It also will include profiles of candidates for the Supreme Court of Ohio and Ohio’s Courts of Appeals, making it a practical resource for readers tracking the people and issues driving Ohio politics.

Advertisers should reserve space by April 17, with ad files due by May 15. Reach out to Nate Mays, director of member services for OMA, for more information.

“The Election Guide is where Ohio politics stops being noise and starts becoming useful,” said Ryan Augsburger, president of OMA. “It is smart, practical and built for people who would rather see the map than listen to the spin.” 3/27/2026

SSP is marking its 100th anniversary year, celebrating a century of American-made manufacturing in Twinsburg. The family-owned company, an Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) member since 1989, has built a reputation for quality, safety and long-term investment, with all products made in one U.S. facility and a public centennial celebration planned for September. “SSP’s 100th anniversary is a testament to the kind of excellence, discipline and staying power that define Ohio manufacturing,” said Ryan Augsburger, OMA president. 3/27/2026

Ohio manufacturers got an early warning Thursday as the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) Government Affairs Committee examined the political and policy fights already driving the rest of 2026.

Members heard updates from OMA’s public policy team and counsel, along with remarks from Senate President Pro Tempore Bill Reineke and veteran pollster Robert Blizzard (right), who offered insight into the election cycle, Statehouse dynamics and the issues most likely to drive action in the months ahead.

The conversation centered on protecting Ohio’s competitive energy markets, the growing threat posed by a ballot initiative to abolish property taxes and the legislative risks and opportunities that could affect manufacturers’ costs, investment decisions and long-term competitiveness. The meeting underscored a broader point for members: in an election year, political movement can turn into policy consequences fast.

“Statehouse fights have a way of starting as smoke and turning into fire fast,” said James Lee, managing director of public policy services for OMA. “OMA’s job is to spot the heat early and make sure manufacturers are ready.” 3/19/2026

AEP can spin this however it wants, but the bottom line is simple: Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) staff found the company’s load forecasts were significantly overstated, and AEP accepted corrected numbers. That is a major validation of what the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) has been warning for months as utilities push new policies and rate structures tied to projected data center growth.

In reviewing AEP Ohio’s proposed Basic Transmission Cost Rider rates, PUCO staff found the utility overstated load growth across several general service classes and counted projected data center demand more than once, including in classes where hyperscale data centers do not belong. OMA said the findings show why utility forecasts cannot be treated as gospel when they can trigger real costs for other customers.

“AEP can spin this however it wants, but the bottom line is simple: staff found the forecasts were significantly overstated and AEP accepted corrected numbers,” OMA President Ryan Augsburger said. 3/17/2026

A new quarterly survey from the National Association of Manufacturers suggests the sector remains broadly optimistic, with manufacturers reporting a stronger business climate even as trade and cost pressures continue to weigh on the outlook.

According to the survey, 46.6% of manufacturers said they are benefiting from the Trump administration’s regulatory reform measures. Just 33.19% cited an unfavorable business climate as a top concern, the smallest share since the association’s first-quarter 2020 survey.

Overall, 75.3% of respondents said they felt somewhat or very positive about their company’s outlook for 2026, up 5.4 percentage points from the fourth quarter of 2025. Trade uncertainty remained the top concern at 70.6%, followed by rising health care and insurance costs at 69.8% and rising raw material and other input costs at 57.5%. The survey also found improved expectations for sales, production, employment and capital spending over the next 12 months.

“Manufacturers are showing real confidence in the business climate, and that matters,” said Ryan Augsburger, president of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association. “The opportunity now is to build on that momentum with policies that support investment, growth and competitiveness.” 3/18/2026

In a year when political theater can quickly become public policy, Ohio manufacturers have every reason to pay attention. OMA’s first scheduled Government Affairs Committee meeting of the year on Thursday, March 19, will give members an early read on the campaigns, policy fights and public decisions that could have real consequences for employers across the state.

Ohio Senate President Pro Tempore Bill Reineke will share Senate priorities for the remainder of the legislative session and provide updates on key Senate races. Members also will receive exclusive political and polling analysis from nationally recognized pollster Robert Blizzard, along with a policy and legal outlook from OMA leadership and the chief counsel at Bricker Graydon Wyatt.

Members may attend in person at OMA’s offices or virtually via Zoom. The business meeting runs from 10 a.m. to noon, followed by a networking lunch provided by OMA from noon to 1 p.m.

“Manufacturers cannot afford to be spectators in a year like this,” said James Lee, managing director of public policy services for the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association. “The decisions coming out of Columbus and the political forces building toward November will shape the business climate, compliance landscape and competitive position of Ohio employers. This meeting is about giving manufacturers the intelligence they need before those decisions are made.”

Registration is open now for members who want an early read on the political and policy developments shaping Ohio’s business climate. 3/13/2026

Gov. Mike DeWine used Tuesday’s State of the State address to argue that Ohio is gaining ground, pointing to workforce development, career tech expansion and private-sector investment as signs the state is moving in the right direction. The speech focused on jobs, talent and opportunity, casting Ohio as a place where employers can grow and workers can succeed.

But on one of the issues most likely to determine whether that growth is affordable and reliable, the speech went quiet. DeWine did not meaningfully address energy policy, electric rates, grid reliability or utility regulation. Outside of brief environmental references, he offered little on the energy cost and reliability challenges facing employers.

“Ohio has real economic momentum, but long-term competitiveness will depend on energy policy that serves the broader economy, not just utility balance sheets,” said Ryan Augsburger, president of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association. 3/10/2026

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) on Tuesday welcomed a delegation from Dresden, Germany, for a discussion on workforce development, apprenticeship models and industrial innovation.

Held in partnership with the Columbus-Dresden Sister City program, the meeting brought together OMA member manufacturers, representatives from the Ohio Department of Higher Education, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, and JobsOhio for a roundtable on how manufacturers in the United States and Germany are approaching technical training, technology integration and energy challenges. The discussion highlighted shared priorities around building stronger talent pipelines, supporting advanced industries and improving long-term competitiveness.

“Ohio manufacturers compete in a global economy, and there is real value in learning how other leading industrial regions are developing talent and advancing innovation,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “Bringing together manufacturers, education leaders and workforce partners for conversations like this helps sharpen Ohio’s competitive edge.” 3/10/2026