GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The greater Grand Rapids economy has resumed
its modest recovery, according to a survey compiled by Brian G. Long,
director of Supply Management Research in the Seidman College of
Business at Grand Valley State
University.
The results come from a survey conducted the last two weeks of
December. The index of new orders — which tracks business improvement
— rose to +20 from +10. However, the production index eased to +14
from +16. Typical of the holiday season, activity in the purchasing
offices retreated to +0 from +10. The index of employment flipped
back to positive at +8, up from -5.
"Our statistics still depict slow but steady growth, even
though the pace of the recovery has slowed since the summer and early
fall of 2009," said Long. "We still only have one firm in
the office furniture business reporting significantly better business
conditions. The others are stable at the present level, which is not
bad given the overall economy. Overall, the mode is still cautiously
optimistic for the start of 2010."
The Institute for Supply Management, Greater Grand Rapids survey
is a monthly survey of business conditions that includes 45 purchasing
managers in the Greater Grand Rapids area and 25 in Kalamazoo. The
respondents are purchasing managers from the region's major industrial
manufacturers, distributors, and industrial service organizations. It
is patterned after a nationwide survey conduced by the Institute for
Supply Management. Each month, the respondents are asked to rate eight
factors as "same," "up" or "down." An
expanded version of this report and details of the methodology used to
compile it are available at www.gvsu.edu/scblogistics.
MEDIA NOTE: Call Brian J. Bowe at (616) 331-2221 or e-mail
[email protected] to arrange interviews with Long.
AUDIO CLIPS:
• Long says West Michigan economy is seeing slow but steady growth
(audio)
• Long says it
appears the economy is on the edge of taking off (audio)
• Long says the
automotive industry will continue to recover in 2010 because of
driving habits (audio)
•
Long says 2010 looks promising except for the housing market (audio)
