THE TWO NEGATIVE QUARTERS AND AN IMPORTANT COUNTY FOR PRESIDENT
TRUMP IN 2020, TO SEE WHAT THE
FEELING IS LIKE ON THE FACTORY
FLOORS.
FLOORS. >> WHEN WE LOOK AT THE AEROSPACE
AND THE AUTOMOTIVE AND DEFENSE,
IT’S ON THE RISE RIGHT NOW.
>> WITH OVER 400 WORKERS, RCO IS
ONE OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN
THIS SUBURBAN COUNTY ON THE
OUTSKIRTS OF DETROIT.
THE COMPANY MAKES PARTS FOR
PLANES AND CARS.
>> THEY’RE TURNING IT INTO AN --
IT’S SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT.
>> Reporter: RCO GENERAL MANAGER
SAYS BUSINESS IS GOOD.
>> YEAH, NO, WE’RE VERY
OPTIMISTIC HERE IN MICHIGAN.
>> Reporter: IT’S NOT WHAT YOU
MIGHT EXPECT TO HEAR.
THE HEADLINES AROUND U.S.
MANUFACTURING HAVE BEEN LESS
THAN CHEERFUL.
THAN CHEERFUL. IN SEPTEMBER, THE INSTITUTE FOR
SUPPLY MANAGEMENT MANUFACTURING
INDEX HIT THE LOWEST POINT SINCE
THE GREAT RECESSION.
THE FED SAYS MANUFACTURING
OUTPUT SHRANK OVER THE LAST TWO
QUARTERS BEFORE SLIGHTLY
REBOUNDING IN THE THIRD QUARTER.
>> WE ARE RESTORING THE GLORY OF
AMERICAN MANUFACTURING.
AMERICAN MANUFACTURING. >> Reporter: MANY ECONOMISTS
BLAME THE TARIFFS AND TRADE WAR
WITH CHINA FOR THE MANUFACTURING
SLUMP.
SLUMP. INDUSTRIAL STATES LIKE OHIO,
MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN WERE
CRITICAL TO TRUMP’S 2016 WIN.
AND NO PLACE IS MORE CRUCIAL
THAN McCOMB COUNTY.
UNLIKE THE REST OF MICHIGAN IT
HAS A MIX OF DEMOCRATS AND
REPUBLICANS.
REPUBLICANS. IN CLOSE CONTEST LIKE 2016, IT’S
THE STATE’S DECIDING VOTE.
THE LAST SEVEN PRESIDENTS AND
MICHIGAN GOVERNORS HAVE WON
McCOMB COUNTY.
McCOMB COUNTY. WHICH BRINGS US BACK TO RCO
ENGINEERING.
ENGINEERING. >> ECONOMISTS ARE POINTING OUT
THAT MANUFACTURING IS
CONTRACTING AND MANUFACTURING IS
SOMETHING THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP
TALKS A LOT ABOUT ON THE
CAMPAIGN TRAIL AND ALSO WHILE
HE’S BEEN IN OFFICE.
BUT HERE THERE’S STILL A LOT OF
SUPPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT’S TRUE FROM
THE PEOPLE YOU SPEAK TO IN THE
INDUSTRY?
INDUSTRY? >> IT’S VERY TRUE.
OBVIOUSLY, 20% OF MICHIGAN’S GDP
IS IN MANUFACTURING.
I BELIEVE THEY DO SUPPORT THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. >> Reporter: AND THE SENTIMENT
IS THE SAME OUT ON THE SHOP
FLOOR.
FLOOR. >> THE SUPPORT FOR TRUMP IS
VERY, VERY POSITIVE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPLIERS IN
THE TRI-COUNTY AREA AND OVER IN
THE WEST SIDE, GRAND RAPIDS AREA
WE DEAL WITH.
AND I MEAN, I’M OUT WITH THOSE
GUYS A LOT AND EVERYBODY IS
STILL VERY MUCH ON TO THIS.
WE ALSO SUPPORT THE NEGOTIATIONS
GOING ON THERE.
>> Reporter: JUST A FEW TOWNS
AWAY IN ANOTHER PART OF THE
COUNTY IS THIS CORPORATION.
IT’S A SMALLER OPERATION AND
ANYWHERE FROM 90 TO 120 WORKERS
MAKING AUTOMATION EQUIPMENT.
LIKE RCO, DIVERSIFICATION HAS
HELPED THEM.
HELPED THEM. >> WE’RE PRIMARILY AUTOMOTIVE.
30 PLUS YEARS OF BEING IN THE
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY BUT WE HAVE
SERVE MEDICAL, WE SERVE
AEROSPACE.
AEROSPACE. WE SERVE MILITARY.
>> WHAT IS BUSINESS LIKE FOR YOU
GUYS?
GUYS? >> SO BUSINESS -- I FEEL FOR THE
LAST TWO YEARS HAS BEEN STRONG.
>> SO WHAT I’M HEARING, PEOPLE
SUPPORT WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS
DOING.
DOING. >> I’M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
>> Reporter: ALL OF THIS BEGS
THE QUESTION, IF THE REST OF THE
ECONOMY IS TRENDING DOWN, WHY IS
THIS POLITICALLY CRITICAL
ECONOMY DOING SO WELL?
>> A LOT OF THE TIMES THE
ECONOMISTS ARE BEHIND THE PEOPLE
ON THE GROUND.
THEY’RE SMARTER THAN WE ARE.
THEY DEAL WITH IT IN REALTIME
TERMS.
TERMS. >> Reporter: DONALD GRIMES IS A
SENIOR RESEARCHER AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN’S
ECONOMIC GROWTH INSTITUTE.
HE SAYS MACOMB COUNTY’S PROBLEM
ISN’T A LACK OF CUSTOMERS FOR
THE PRODUCTS BUT A LOT -- LACK
OF EMPLOYEES TO MAKE THEM.
>> MANY MACOMB COUNTY IT’S
BETTER THAN THE NATIONAL
AGGREGATE.
AGGREGATE. MICHIGAN AND MACOMB HAS BEEN ON
A ROLL, THEY HAVE BEEN DOING
VERY WELL.
VERY WELL. I DON’T THINK WE’LL HAVE A
SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE TOO MANY
POTENTIAL WORKERS.
POTENTIAL WORKERS. WE’LL HAVE A SITUATION IN THE
NEXT 10 TO 15 YEARS WHERE WE