Manufacturing in Minnesota is headed in the right direction.

That positive outlook was captured in the annual joint survey by DEED and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.

The Minnesota Manufacturing Business Conditions Survey of 262 manufacturing operations found 90 percent expecting production levels to increase or stay the same in 2017.

Eighty-six percent of respondents expect orders to increase or stay the same in 2017, and 89 percent expect exports to increase or stay the same.

Among other findings:

• 91 percent expect employment levels to increase or stay the same.
• 80 percent expect profits to increase or stay the same.
• 93 percent expect productivity to improve or stay the same.
• 82 percent expect investments in facilities and equipment to increase or stay the same.
• 92 percent expect prices to increase or stay the same.

Manufacturers also have a positive outlook for the state of Minnesota economy: 86 percent expect it to grow or stay the same in 2017 and 87 percent expect statewide employment to increase or stay the same.

Manufacturing accounts for more than 315,000 jobs in Minnesota, according to DEED’s Labor Market Information Office.

For the complete press release.

Manufacturing Hours and Earnings

While manufacturers may have a rosy outlook on the industry, data from the Minnesota Economic Indicators in October showed adjusted manufacturing hours nosedived by an hour in October to 40.3 hours per week. This one-hour drop was the largest since April 2015. Additionally, average weekly manufacturing earnings slumped to $807.59, the lowest paycheck in nearly four years.