West Michigan Economy “Modestly Negative, but Stable,” Says GVSU Economist

KALAMAZOO, MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Jan. 09, 2024) – It was a typical December in manufacturing for West Michigan firms.

So says Dr. Brian Long, Director of Supply Management Research with the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University, after his monthly survey of purchasing managers in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo.

New orders, production, employment and finished goods inventory indices in his West Michigan Current Business Trends report released this week were slightly improved, but were still in negative territory, reflecting trends seen nationally in those categories. Key takeaways that Dr. Long noticed were that the economy remains modestly negative, but not yet in the recession range; the national industrial economy continues to soften, and both commodity pricing and lead times have stabilized.

An online link to the Seidman College’s Supply Chain Management page, which includes this full report, is here.