(Grant Thornton LLP: Chicago) -- Senior management at U.S. manufacturing companies is once again optimistic, according to a November survey by Grant Thornton LLP. Nearly half (49%) believe the U.S. economy will improve during the next six months, and the same amount (49%) say they plan to increase staff during the same period.

Manufacturing leaders are also optimistic about their own businesses, with 81 percent feeling optimistic about their companies’ growth during the next six months.

“This is consistent with what manufacturers are telling us as we are out in the marketplace talking with them,” says Wally Gruenes, Grant Thornton’s national managing partner for Consumer and Industrial Products. “Despite reduced staffing levels and stricter customer mandates, manufacturers have improved their performance during the past three years in areas such as production cycle time, on-time delivery rate, scrap and rework, quality, and warranty costs.”

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