Leadership

On Wednesday, industry leaders from across the state met in Columbus for the Ohio Manufacturers’ Leadership Forum to network, learn, and discuss the strength of Ohio’s manufacturing industry.

Former Youngstown State University President and Ohio State football Head Coach Jim Tressel and renowned political commentator Jonah Goldberg keynoted the forum.

“As you think about the long-standing tradition of Ohio manufacturing, the question you all are asking is ,’How do we protect it?’,” said Tressel. “With tradition comes the responsibility to protect it, and the only way we protect that legacy is to know that it’s going to take all of us. We are going to have to learn and rely on each other.”

Goldberg offered a detailed analysis of the 2024 election cycle, with an in-depth discussion of America’s political landscape, key swing states, and commentary on Tuesday’s debate between presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. 9/11/2024

During the Ohio Manufacturers’ Leadership Forum, OMA members and staff recognized two outstanding members for their leadership, advocacy, and service to Ohio’s manufacturing industry.

Tim Ling from Plaskolite was awarded the William A. Babington, Jr. Memorial Award in recognition of outstanding volunteer service on behalf of Ohio manufacturers, particularly in the energy and environment committees.

Frank Mehwald, owner of Atlantic Tool and Die, was awarded the Dan French Legacy Award in recognition of his 32 years of service as an OMA Board Member.

Congratulations to Tim and Frank, and thank you for your leadership and advocacy for Ohio manufacturing! 9/11/2024

Honda is undergoing a major transformation, dubbed its “Second Founding,” to adapt to the shift toward electric and hybrid vehicles.

The company is retooling three Ohio plants, known as the Honda EV Hub, to simultaneously produce internal combustion, hybrid, and electric vehicles, enhancing production flexibility and sustainability. By investing $700 million in these facilities and a $3.5 billion joint battery venture with LG, Honda aims to meet its goal of 100% electric and fuel cell vehicle sales by 2040. 9/5/2024

A recent article from NPR explored the complexities behind grocery inflation and whether corporate greed is to blame.

While food prices have surged over 25% since 2020, higher than general inflation, data paints a nuanced picture. Companies have passed on increased costs from supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and global events like the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Although some profit margins have grown, they explain only a small part of rising prices. Economists suggest other factors, such as consumer spending habits and the shift toward more profitable private-label goods, may also be at play. Manufacturers, particularly those producing private-label products, may benefit from these shifts as they command higher profitability compared to brand-name items. 9/5/2024

The latest three polls of the Ohio Senate race have incumbent Senator Sherrod Brown leading by five points over Republican challenger Bernie Moreno.

Polls from Rasmussen, Fabrizio, and Remington Research all show Brown at +5, +4, and +6, respectively. However, both Rasmussen and Fabrizio have former President Donald Trump with a +8.5 lead over Vice President Kamala Harris, revealing a potential “red wave” that may boost Moreno.

The Ohio Senate race is currently the most expensive in terms of advertising spending in the country, clocking in at $200 million of ad bookings as of June.

If the total spending were divided by the roughly 6 million Ohioans who voted in the 2020 presidential election, the cost per voter would be $33. 9/4/2024

In an unprecedented move, President Biden’s administration has signaled it would block Nippon Steel’s $15 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel, citing national security concerns, even though Japan is one of the U.S. government’s closest allies.

Reuters News has reported, “Nippon’s planned acquisition of the U.S. steelmaker faces opposition from Democrats and Republicans, with Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris saying on Monday she wants U.S. Steel to remain American owned and operated. Her Republican rival Donald Trump has pledged to block the deal if elected.” 9/5/2024

A federal judge last week blocked Ohio’s ban on foreign nationals and green card holders contributing to ballot campaigns.

The District Court ruled that the Ohio law, which was set to take effect last Sunday, violated the First Amendment rights of non-U.S. citizens living here legally.

Attorney General Dave Yost this week signaled that he disagreed with the ruling and has requested a stay. 9/4/2024

The Ohio House of Representatives this week released its schedule for the remainder of the year with only four definite session dates, Gongwer reports.

Representatives will return to Columbus on Nov. 20, with the remaining three dates running until Dec. 18. The Ohio Senate will resume its committee work on Sep. 19, with the first session commencing on Nov. 19. 9/4/2024

The 2024 Ohio Manufacturers’ Energy Conference is an event by manufacturers for manufacturers!

Manufacturers are interested in learning from other manufacturers about their experiences in managing energy and implementing energy-saving projects.

That is why the Ohio Manufacturers’ Energy Conference, on September 19 at the Quest Conference Center in Westerville, features peer-to-peer presentations on topics ranging from energy efficiency to reliability to on-site generation. These are just a few of the manufacturers you’ll hear from:

• Jim Brumeister, Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer, Libbey, Inc.
• Ryan Kremer, Industrial Engineer/Energy Coordinator, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Timothy Ling, P.E., Corporate Environmental Director, Plaskolite, LLC

8/27/2024

The Canadian Industrial Relations Board on Saturday ordered Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City to resume operations Monday, preventing further labor disruption through a work stoppage or lockout.

This may not end the turmoil, however, as the Teamsters plan to appeal the order in federal court.

The OMA recently highlighted the impact a Canadian railway strike would have on Ohio manufacturers, which exports $20 billion of manufactured goods to Canada annually. 8/24/2024

Time is running out to register for the 2024 Ohio Manufacturers’ Leadership Forum! This event will provide leadership insights alongside a detailed analysis of the current political landscape.

Make sure to register for these other optional OMA events happening around the Leadership Forum, including the welcome reception and dinner, and the OMA’s Government Affairs Committee meeting.

Sponsorship packages are also available. Please contact Nate Mays for more information. 8/19/2024

A recent poll from Rasmussen Reports shows incumbent Senator Sherrod Brown leading Republican challenger Bernie Moreno by five points.

The poll of 1,267 likely voters in Ohio, conducted from August 13 to August 17, has Brown with 47 percent of the vote against Moreno’s 42 percent.

The Rasmussen Ohio poll closely matches one previously conducted by ActiVote between July 20 and August 12, which showed Brown with a five-point lead.

For an in-depth look at all of Ohio’s races, read the OMA’s 2024 Ohio Election Guide. 8/19/2024

This week, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced that Dayton has been selected as the site of Ohio’s second innovation hub.

The hub will focus on making Dayton a global leader in the research and development of digital transformation technologies by bringing together government, academia, and private sector industry partners.

This is the second innovation hub to receive funding, with the Northwest Ohio Glass Innovation Hub being announced in Perrysburg last month.

The Ohio Innovation Hubs Program was a key priority for the OMA in last year’s state budget. 8/19/2024

Since the CHIPS Act was passed in 2022, nearly 40 percent of the projects that have received funding from the federal government are currently delayed, according to the Financial Times.

Of projects that are worth more than $100m, a total of $84b have been delayed from two months to several years, with some paused indefinitely.

This is largely due to deteriorating market conditions, slowing demand, and a lack of policy certainty in a high-stakes election year, according to the companies delaying projects. 8/12/2024

Ohio is 12 weeks away from the November election, and the 2024 Ohio Election Guide is now available online!

Every major election cycle, the OMA produces this valuable publication detailing candidate information on all 99 Ohio House races, 17 Ohio Senate seats, and 15 congressional seats. It also contains information on Ohio’s Senate race and major judicial races.

Hard copies of the guide will be available around Aug. 30 for $30 each. Reserve your copy now by emailing the OMA. 8/7/2024

This week, Governor Mike DeWine held a press conference where he officially opposed the redistricting ballot measure that will appear before voters this November, saying the amendment would cause Ohio to have “gerrymandering in the extreme”.

DeWine, who has favored of changing how Ohio’s maps are drawn, suggested that lawmakers adopt Iowa’s redistricting model, where the state’s nonpartisan legislative service commission draws districts that lawmakers then approve. 7/31/2024

The OMA joined trade associations nationwide to oppose provisions in the federal National Defense Authorization Act that would require defense contractors to comply with right-to-repair policies by providing unlimited access to repair materials and information, compromising sensitive trade secrets. The provision would impose burdensome requirements, mandate pricing controls, and discourage companies from participating in the defense industrial base, all without clear benefits to national security.

The OMA has historically opposed similar legislation at the state level including Senate Bill 73 would impose similar requirements on the entire manufacturing sector. Read the OMA’s testimony. 7/30/2024

On Sunday, President Joe Biden officially dropped out of the 2024 Presidential Race following a disastrous debate performance that only further called into question his fitness for office.

Biden followed his announcement by personally endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, making the 59-year-old the heir-apparent for the Democratic nomination. Harris has already surpassed the threshold of committed delegates needed to secure the nomination at the Democratic National Convention, which will take place next month. 7/22/2024

The effort to change how Ohio’s state and congressional maps are drawn was certified to appear on the November ballot this week by state officials.

The amendment would replace Ohio’s current map drawing process with a 15-member citizen’s panel made up of equal parts Republicans, Democrats, and political independents. Elected officials, party operatives and lobbyists, and their immediate family members, would be barred from serving on the new commission. 7/23/2024

This week, the government relations team at the OMA was promoted with new, elevated responsibilities.

Lindsey Short was promoted to Managing Director for Advocacy and Energy Services and will direct advocacy efforts for OMA priority issues including energy policy, workforce development, and civil justice.

James Lee was promoted to Managing Director for Public Policy Services. He will direct the Association’s policy committee program and coordinate day-to-day lobbying activity across the range of OMA legislative and regulatory priorities. 7/15/2024