Vol. 12, Issue 2 February 2012
Looking up in 2012
By Rob Baxter
Stifling government regulations. A lack of skilled workers. The uncertainty of U.S. health care and the still unpredictable U.S and global economies.
These are just some of the serious issues facing industry leaders and manufacturers across the U.S. as they work to maintain what they have, grow, and/or in some cases, add jobs as a new year dawns.
Despite a steady drop in the overall number of people employed in manufacturing over the last decade across the Stateline Area, industry leaders here are cautiously optimistic 2012 will be a good year for at least some local manufacturers and industries. While most company executives that StatelineBusiness spoke with don't plan to add jobs, many saw some positive trends in 2011 they believe -- or at least hope -- will continue in 2012.
John Perino, vice president of investor relations at Regal Beloit's corporate headquarters in Beloit, said the American manufacturing sector remains strong and still represents the largest manufacturing base in the world.
Perino, like Tino Oldani, president and CEO of Ingersoll Machine Tools in Rockford, point to diversification in industrial markets at the local, national and global levels as they share local success stories.
"You have to measure yourself with everyone else around the world," Oldani said. "You need to be better than your competition. I think we are successful because we offer better quality (machines and products) than our competitors. As a result, we put our customers in a position to be more productive and more successful."
Perino believes companies supplying or working in food processing, agriculture, and oil and gas production, to name a few, as well as a handful of other industrial and commercial applications should remain fairly strong in 2012. Meanwhile, any major rebound in residential and commercial construction appears unlikely, according to experts StatelineBusiness talked with recently.
Oldani points to Ingersoll's diversified European markets for its surging business in 2011, a trend that he expects to continue in 2012. The company produces large machines for automated fiber placement and metal cutting applications.
"The majority of our customers are in Germany, Italy, Belgium, Portugal and China," Oldani said, as he talked about the company's plans to add or fill 30-plus jobs. "We are very fortunate. It allows us to better handle the ups and downs of the domestic and manufacturing markets."
For StatelineBusiness
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