Area Development
In its Return of Manufacturing Investment report, the MPI Group finds that the downturn of 2009 drastically changed investment habits of midmarket manufacturers. These businesses saw capital and budgets shrink, labor reductions, and stalled growth plans. The paper examines how these measures will affect the ability of businesses to grow in 2011 and beyond.

During the period of the recession, some manufacturers used the opportunity to examine and reorganize their finances and stabilize processes and facilities. These business owners asked themselves tough questions, such as:

• Were we as productive as possible prior to the recession?

• Were our systems fully leveraged then?

• How will two years of tight budgets and aging technologies affect reliability and effectiveness of future operations?

To read more about the effects of the recession on future growth, please see MPI Group's full report.