KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — The latest survey of local business leaders suggest they are optimistic about the future, at least when it comes to the economy, but Dr. Brian Long says they aren’t optimistic enough to actually expand production.
Rather the sentiment on the factory floor is that most plants reaching full capacity, difficulty in finding qualified workers and sales topping out in the auto and furniture industries, that this may be about as good as it gets.
He says the optimism may have more to do with the cut in corporate income taxes they hope will be sought by the Trump administration.
That may help stockholders but it won’t create jobs.
Dr. Long surveys purchasing managers and other executives at dozens of manufacturers in the Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo markets to come up with his monthly reports, which are combined with similar surveys done all over the nation to produce a monthly index.
