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Report gives Ohio an ‘A’ in manufacturing

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By Thomas Gnau, Staff Writer 11:38 AM Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Ohio earned an “A” in encouraging manufacturing business in a study by Ball State University’s Center for Business and Economic Research, released Monday.

The center reviewed several areas, including manufacturing and logistics health, human capital, cost of benefits, global position and diversification of industries, state level productivity and innovation, tax climate and venture capital activities.

The report gave Ohio the following grades:

Manufacturing: A

Logistics: A

Human Capital: C

Benefit Costs: D

Global Reach: A

Productivity/Innovation: C-

Tax Climate: D-

Diversification: B-

Venture Capital: C

Michael Hicks, director of the center, said U.S. manufacturing is “clearly rebounding from the recession, but the effects of the rebound are highly varied. Manufacturing production will almost certainly have a record year in 2011 and again 2012, but employment nationwide will be highly varied across states.”

In an interview Monday with the Dayton Daily News, Hicks said he would give Ohio an overall single grade of C+. He said Ohio’s tax structure hurts the state.

In a statement accompanying the report, Hick said one in 50 U.S. manufacturing jobs were lost in the recent recession.

“Prior to the recession, business location and expansion decisions were almost wholly driven by the availability of skilled workers,” he said. “Today, that is far less a short term consideration, and tax rates, and concern about future tax increases due to high pension costs and other factors dominate business decisions to relocate.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2390 or tgnau@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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