In the wake of lay offs in big factories around Wisconsin, many companies are investing heavily in their manufacturing, according to a new report by the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership. The annual survey the WMEP , who works with small to midsized manufactures, reports a positive trend which includes many companies are investing where as last years cost cutting was more the case.
Mike Klonsinski, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership, says businesses creating new products and expanding to overseas consumers.
"I think Wisconsin manufacturing is still showing that they can compete in a world economy and in fact win."
The non-profit chief says one challenge is finding enough skilled workers with a looming retiring workforce. He says WMEP is seeing "creative ways" and "new technologies" to address the upcoming skill shortages.
WMEP says among the nearly 200 companies surveyed, 81 million dollars was invested in manufacturing including new plant and equipment.