A recent get together of manufacturers held at the Valley Forge Casino Resort projected optimism and a positive future but emphasized the lack of skilled workers, writes Jane M. Von Bergen for Philly.com.

The event, sponsored by the Manufacturing Alliance of Bucks and Montgomery Counties, was attended by around 80 manufacturers. One of the key topics was the results of the annual survey of 101 regional manufacturers from Philadelphia and the surrounding counties.

The results of the survey were presented by Michael A. Coakley, a public accountant who leads the manufacturing practice for Horsham’s Kreischer Miller.

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According to the survey, the majority of manufacturers expect to grow both revenues and payroll this year.  However, this increase in profitability would not be driven by new business, but by improved methodology together with the increased use of modern automated equipment.

However, despite the emphasis on automation, manufacturers are still finding the lack of skilled workers troubling. Around 41 percent of those surveyed cited that factor as the key obstacle to growth.

In an effort to combat this issue, the Manufacturing Alliance recently sponsored a video contest among middle-school students in the hopes of gaining their interest in a manufacturing industry career.

Read more about the survey results at Philly.com by clicking here.

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