washington business
Manufacturing, which fell out of favor during boom times, regained prominence recently
as the sector that led the economy out of recession.
A recent survey of 800 small- and medium-sized businesses and manufacturers shows
that employers hold a negative outlook for their future, largely because of government
regulation, uncertainty over issues in Washington, D.C. and the implementation of the
federal health care reform law.
Washington state employers echo many of those concerns.
A national survey of 800 small-business
owners, manufacturers and executives conducted earlier this year suggests the latter.
A majority of respondents in the survey
conducted by Public Opinion Strategies
on behalf of the National Association of
Manufacturers (NAM) and the National
Federation of Independent Business said the
national economy is in a worse position for
American small businesses and manufacturers than it was three years ago.
“The findings of this survey show that
manufacturers and other small businesses
have a starkly negative outlook for their future
— with good reason,” said Jay Timmons, president and CEO of NAM. “There is far too much
uncertainty, too many burdensome regulations and too few policymakers willing to put
aside their egos and fulfill their responsibilities to the American people.”
Following up on the national survey,
Washington Business caught up with the
leaders of some Washington-based manufacturers and asked them for their outlook.
Who: Richard Bogert
What: Founder, The Bogert Group
Where: Pasco
Makes: Diverse range of aviation,
military, marine, industrial and
commercial parts
washington business: Would you say
things in Washington state are going in the
right direction, or have they gotten off track?
richard bogert: We’ve been off track
for a long time, so it’s time to make a course
26 association of washington business
correction. Even if we were
on the right track, one of
my favorite quotes for Will
Rogers says, ‘Even if you’re
on the right track, you’ll
get run over if you just sit
there.’ So if the state’s got
some ideas, if agencies
have plans for doing something constructive, we’re
still going to get run over if
we just sit there and don’t
get them implemented.
wb: What would it take to
say the state is getting back
on the right track?
bogert: Well, one that
would give me some warm fuzzies, I guess,
is if the state acted like it cared about its
small businesses, and in particular its manufacturers. I don’t get that warm, fuzzy
feeling that they care about us any more
than looking at us like we’re the goose that
laid the golden egg.
wb: Compared to three years ago, do you
think that Washington is in a better or worse
position for small businesses and manufacturers, or is it about the same?
bogert: It feels like we’re being burdened
with more regulatory compliance, report
filings, etc., that are just non-productive,
non-value-added operations for us. It just
increases our operational cost, and there’s an
opportunity cost there, too. My sister is working, filling out forms and filing paperwork
with the state or the feds instead of working
on marketing or something else that is going
to propel us forward.
Who: Craig Dias
What: General manager,
Haskins Steel Company
Where: Spokane
Makes: Metal supplies for a broad
range of industries
wb: Compared to three years ago, do you
think Washington is in a better or worse
position for American small businesses and
manufacturers to succeed, in the same position, or doing about the same?
craig dias: I think if we can exclude reference to workers’ comp, which I think is
broken, and take that out of the equation, I
think we’re better off because the economy
is better. You can credit the Legislature for
whatever role they played in that, obviously
Boeing, and the trickle-down to aerospace