Optimism has increased among Milwaukee-area manufacturers going into the second half of the year, according to a survey conducted by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce
Manufacturing growth was solid from mid-2010 to mid-2013, but the past 12 months were less positive, with fewer manufacturing jobs and shorter workweek length, said Bret Mayborne, economic research director at MMAC.
At the mid-year point, manufacturers have become more optimistic about the rest of the year.
“Per quarterly outlook surveys conducted by the MMAC, local manufacturers started out 2014’s first quarter noticeably less optimistic than non-manufacturers on real sales, profit and employment expectations. Survey expectations have changed in the past six months,” Mayborne said. “As we enter 2014’s third quarter, survey results now indicate manufacturers are equally optimistic toward future prospects on sales and profits and somewhat more optimistic on third-quarter employment levels. These results suggest that a better manufacturing trend may be on the near-term horizon.”
Read about the outlook for a variety of area industries in the annual Mid-Year Economic Forecast issue of BizTimes Milwaukee, out today.