Iowa manufacturers are feeling cautiously optimistic about the economy, according to the results of the latest ABI Quarterly Iowa Business Survey. Of the ABI board members surveyed, 43% said they expect sales to expand over the next quarter, while 33% expect sales to remain the same. Conducted in early June, the survey included 30 ABI board members. Of those surveyed, 63% said they expect the number of employees in their business to stay the same, while 13% expect that number to grow, and 23% expect employment to decrease. “Hiring is less of a focus right now,” said ABI President Mike Ralston. “Employers are busy managing HR issues — from furloughs to figuring out when to bring back remote workers.” Approximately half of ABI’s 1,500 member companies are manufacturers. The association represents nearly every industry in Iowa. Regarding capital expenditures, 60% said they planned to put money into their businesses in the third quarter, up slightly from 56% anticipated in the previous quarter. “Even with the pandemic, ABI members expect to have a good third quarter,” Ralston said. “These are stronger numbers than I expected by far.”