95.3 / 88.5 FM Grand Rapids and 95.3 FM Muskegon
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

West Michigan economy begins slow climb from recession

Brian G. Long portrait
gvsu.edu

The economy is in a recession. However, there are indications in the May Supply Management Research survey that a slow recovery is underway in West Michigan.

The West Michigan economy is slowly reopening after businesses were ordered closed back in March disrupting the spread of coronavirus.

“We’re starting to dig ourselves out of a very deep hole. So, we can’t expect miracles overnight. But it’s gratifying at least to say that we’ve probably reach the bottom and are at least starting to recover.”

Brian Long is Director of Supply Management Research in the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University.

“This one does not appear the kind of a recovery that is going to jump right up and away like previous recoveries that we’ve had. However, I do expect better numbers next month, it’s just that we are not probably going to be back to positive until we get to, at least, mid or late summer.”

The surveys indexes are all negative, from new orders to production to purchasing but moving in a positive direction.

“In the past what we’ve always had is one of those Vs where we jump up as soon as the recovery begins because of pent-up demand, but then we have to turnaround and assess the damage. And right now, we don’t know what the damage is going to be.”

Unemployment statewide is at a historic high. Long says the range in all 83 counties is between 14.5 percent to 41.2 percent. Ottawa County is at 21.2 percent. Kent County registered 21.6 percent. Allegan comes in at 22.8 and Muskegon 29.3 percent.

Long says he’s keeping close watch of shaken supply chains. Which industrial businesses survive? He explains we won’t know until the late part of summer.

I’m Patrick Center.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.