American manufacturing appears poised for an economic comeback and boost in morale and one Ohio metal fabricator is giving President Trump the credit.
Staub Manufacturing Solutions welder Corey Adams said, “I don’t really know what you could credit that to right now besides who’s in office.”
In a video produced by the National Association of Manufacturers, the co-founder of the Dayton firm, Sandy Keplinger, added, “We’ve never had the support of of the government, of the president, until president Trump became president and now we feel like he has our back.”
Adams, Keplinger and her brother, Steve Staub, also a co-founder, will be guests in first lady Melania Trump’s box in the House chamber during Trump’s first State of the Union Address.
During a Roosevelt Room meeting last year, Staub sat next to Trump advisor Stephen Miller during which the president pushed his plan to promote manufacturing, a key element of his 2016 presidential campaign agenda. Trump also visited Staub’s factory.
Over the last year, manufacturing has seen gains and several firms, notably Chrysler, are planning to build new plants in the U.S.
Staub is just one part of that growth and the co-founders both said in the video that policy changes and a better economy have buoyed their firm. For example, Keplinger said that she has added 14 more workers to the company’s initial staff of 23. “That’s huge,” she said.
Noting that her firm a year ago had trouble making payroll and paying bills, she said of Trump and his policies, “He’s made a difference, and we appreciate that.”
Adams added that morale is up among workers who see more business coming in.
At NAM, other similar stories are rolling in.
“In welcoming NAM member manufacturers to the State of the Union, President Trump has once again demonstrated that manufacturing workers are at the center of his agenda and that manufacturers not only have a seat at the table in this administration, they have the best seats in the House,” said NAM President Jay Timmons.
“Manufacturing workers are seeing the same good news every day at other companies across America,” he said, adding, “They are the strength of our economy and our country, and it is tremendously encouraging to have a president who is eager to recognize their contributions to the state of our union with the whole nation watching.”
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
