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