According to the National Association of Manufacturers’ third-quarter outlook survey, 92.5% of respondents said they were either very positive or somewhat positive about the times ahead.  

The association said that survey respondents generally have been upbeat since the end of 2016, with 92.6% of respondents on average reporting optimism. 

“Tax reform and regulatory relief have spurred strong manufacturing growth, and manufacturers are now investing in our communities, hiring more Americans, and raising wages and benefits,” said association president and chief executive Jay Timmons.  “Amid all this good news, it is no surprise that manufacturers in 2018 are more optimistic than they have ever been in the history of our survey.”

More results from the third-quarter survey can be found here.