Defense Contractor, Pet Food Maker: Same Concerns

Monday, March 12, 2012

Businesses share thoughts on health care and exports with congressman

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-6 Ohio, received similar feedback from two Mahoning Valley manufacturers Friday on health care reform, exports and the role of government in promoting business as the freshman Republican made a swing through the northern part of his district.

Mikel Williams, CEO of DDi Corp., North Jackson, and Matthew Golladay, vice president of Blackwood Pet Food, Lisbon, told Johnson they’re worried about providing adequate health care to employees as the nation’s health care reform act reaches full steam.

Both employers told the congressman the reforms are hurting more than helping their companies. They both also requested that Johnson take an active role in making sure their companies get the best deal when export control laws and regulations are revised.

“We would like the congressman to be understanding of the fact that as [new regulations develop], they accomplish both the goals of opening the foreign markets to our American manufacturing community,” and protecting the circuit board industry from “unfair offshore competition,” Williams said.

DDi, a California-based circuit board printing company with a plant in North Jackson, contracts with the U.S Department of Defense and some commercial companies to provide circuit boards for a variety of applications. Williams worries about the technology used in America’s defense systems could get into the wrong hands and be stolen by foreign competitors.

Golladay wants trade laws that will open up more avenues for Blackwood to export its pet food. From the company’s plant in Lisbon, Blackwood makes, packages and ships all sorts of pet food throughout the world.

“There’s a lot of media coverage of the bad economy, but there’s a lot of great stories out there. A lot of people we do business with are doing well. As often as you hear terrible things about business and economy and jobs, there are things happening that are very positive,” Golladay said.

“You can do well in any part of the country but you need help from the government and the banks and so on to grow, and the government needs to decide not to get in your way and keep you from moving forward.”

No matter who’s in office, Golladay wants the government to think about jobs first. “With the right set of circumstances – the government can help that or hurt that – you can grow a business,” he said.

Businesses are poised, ready to expand and work, Johnson responded.

“Every place we visit, we talk about the regulatory burden and the bureaucratic red tape in Washington that’s got a stranglehold on America’s businesses from the price of gas to the cost of health care,” the congressman said.

“We need an administration that believes in the private sector, not in growing big government, and that’s what I’m hearing from the businesses out here.”