State of Manufacturing®
The comprehensive annual survey of Minnesota’s manufacturing economy.

2020 Survey Presentation
Watch the complete recorded presentation of the 2020 State of Manufacturing survey results.
(0:00-2:45) Introduction by Tom Whelan
(2:45-9:50) Welcome by Bob Kill
(9:50-36:50) Survey results by Rob Autry
(36:50-1:20:00) Manufacturing panel moderated by Tom Whelan

2020 Survey Results
The takeaway: COVID uncertainties cloud manufacturers’ outlook.
The COVID-19 pandemic has cast a long shadow over Minnesota’s manufacturers, triggering the deepest plunge in manufacturers’ expectations for their companies since the Great Recession of 2009, according to the 2020 edition of Enterprise Minnesota’s State of Manufacturing® survey. A record low number of companies expect increased revenues in 2020; the number of executives who fear recession has increased seven-fold, and confidence in the business climate has sunk to half of what it was in 2018.
“The effects of the 2020 COVID economy have hit all areas of manufacturing differently. Some manufacturers are struggling to keep up with skyrocketing demand, while others are struggling to keep solvent. Once reliable supply chains have for some become unstable and unresponsive,” said Bob Kill, president & CEO of Enterprise Minnesota. “But one major takeaway from this year’s survey is that manufacturers continue to be resilient problem-solvers with a get-it-done attitude. They continue to adapt to changing demands and have worked very hard to not cut employee compensation.”
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The 2020 State of Manufacturing® presentation from November 5 was recorded and will be available soon.
Pollster’s Analysis
Overall, seventy percent of manufacturers say the COVID-19 pandemic has had a “major” (35%) or “modest” (35%) impact on their businesses. The impact appears to be felt less in the western half of the state. Despite this, manufacturers continue to have confidence in their companies’ long-term resilience, as they have shown in all the years of the poll. There was a significant increase in the number of manufacturers who fear recession, however (36%, up from just 5% the year earlier).

Survey Deck
Highlight slides of the 2020 State of Manufacturing® survey deck are below. To view the complete slide deck, please click here.
Focus Group responses
11 focus group interviews were conducted in coordination with the 2020 survey. These focus groups give us detailed insights into what manufacturing executives are seeing in their businesses. To read more about focus group responses, click here.
For complete focus group transcripts, visit our Research Page.
Bob Kill, president & CEO of Enterprise Minnesota is available for comment and interview regarding the 2020 State of Manufacturing® survey data. If you would like to schedule an interview, please contact Robert Lodge (rlodge@enterpriseminnesota.org).
The State of Manufacturing survey is made possible through the support of our generous partners. If you are interested in being a part of the State of Manufacturing survey, please contact us.
The State of Manufacturing survey is conducted by Meeting Street Insights and is underwritten by Enterprise Minnesota.
Complete 2020 survey cross tabulations, focus group transcripts and analysis can be found on our Research Page.