Elkhart County has long been a bellwether for the broader U.S. economy. When RV production and sales thrive here, it often signals strength nationwide. On Tuesday, local business leaders gathered at the Lerner Theatre for the annual economic update from the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce.
Tom Jalics, chief market strategist for Fifth Third Bank, spoke about the national economy and its potential impact on the local community. He emphasized that, despite some concerns around tariffs and legislation, the economy remains strong.
"Overall the economy is on really solid footing with a very low unemployment rate, consumer spending that looks wonderful, and there's low debt for consumers, and there's low debt for businesses," Jalics said.
He also discussed the potential benefits of long-term policies aimed at bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. and the impact on Elkhart County:
"If this long-term investment in manufacturing brings supply chains from China and overseas back home, it's going to really benefit this community because you have to know how to do it here," he said.
Levon Johnson, president of the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce, focused on the local RV industry, noting the sector is adjusting to recent highs and lows in production:
"It's not going to be 600,000 RVs. That's not the long term goal for any of those companies and how do you adjust to that and make sure that you've got the right workforce that's stable," Johnson said.
For now, Elkhart County’s RV industry is in a period of adjustment, with companies closely monitoring production levels and workforce needs over the coming months.
