GVSU survey: West Michigan economy maintains momentum

West Michigan's industrial economy continues to hold steady despite economic pressures facing many firms.

That's according to a monthly survey conducted by Grand Valley State University's Brian Long, director of supply management research at the Seidman College of Business.

"August marked our eighth consecutive month of favorable reports," Long said.

Long's research shows that key metrics remained strong in August, although purchasing managers and their firms are keeping a cautious eye on the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump's administration and disruptions to global shipping.

Despite those challenges, businesses remain confident about their economic trajectory, Long said.

"One good sign of our most recent survey in the industrial market is that both our short- and long-term measures of business confidence are still holding up," Long said. "In fact, our confidence so far in 2026 is noticeably better than it was in 2025."

While Long's new orders index remained flat in August, the production and employment indices rose, signaling continued strength in the industrial economy. Still, finding skilled workers remains a challenge for some West Michigan employers, Long said.

"Our local index of employment in the industrial market remains modestly positive, but several respondents continue to report personnel shortages for welders, CNC operators, technicians, as well as some of the professional engineering positions, such as mechanical and industrial engineers," Long said.

Here's a look at the key index results from Long's August survey of West Michigan purchasing managers:

• New orders index (business improvement): +30 vs. +30 in July
• Production index (output): +21 vs. +19 in July
• Employment index: +11 vs. +6 in July
• Lead times index: +36 vs. +28 in July

More information about the survey and an archive of past surveys are available on the Seidman College of Business website .