O.C. Manufacturing Continues Growth

Orange County’s manufacturing sector continued to grow in the fourth quarter despite Asia’s financial crisis, a Chapman University study found. Chapman, which polled 110 purchasing managers in December on whether their companies were experiencing increases or decreases in production, employment, orders and inventories, said last quarter’s performance by county manufacturers was the best in nearly three years. Its composite index of the relative health of the manufacturing industry jumped to 65.3 in the fourth quarter from 57.0 in the third quarter. An index of more than 50 indicates growth. The fourth-quarter index was the highest since the first quarter of 1995, when it also measured 65.3. Chapman warned, however, that it expects the troubles in Asia to slow Orange County manufacturers’ growth this year.