Indiana manufacturers, while “upbeat and bullish on investment,” have real concerns about rising energy and regulatory costs, along with finding enough skilled workers. That's according to the latest Kelley School of Business survey which shows nearly 80 percent of respondents answered either “stable” or “healthy” to describe their financial performance, and 20 percent said they hope to open a new manufacturing facility in Indiana over the next two years. That's more than double the response from last year. But while there is widespread optimism, there are concerns about tax, regulatory and energy costs – especially rising health care costs and electricity prices. Even more worrisome, nearly 90 percent of manufacturers say they are experiencing an immediate shortage of skilled production workers, with 65 percent describing the shortage as “moderate” or “serious.”
