New York State Must Build on Manufacturing Momentum
Randy Wolken, President & CEO
Members of MACNY’s Government Relations team (Randy Wolken, Bill Brower, and Courtney Kless) were in Albany Tuesday for Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2026 State of the State Address. The message was clear: New York must lean into a future defined by competitiveness, affordability, workforce readiness, and modern infrastructure. For manufacturers across Central New York and beyond, this direction matters not only in policy terms but also in practical, daily realities—whether a company can expand, hire, manage costs, and remain globally competitive in an increasingly intense industrial landscape.
I was encouraged by Governor Hochul’s commitment to SEQR (State Environmental Quality Review) and regulatory reform, both of which are critical to keeping New York manufacturers competitive globally. In the manufacturing world, regulatory timelines and complexity are not abstract concepts; they are measurable factors that determine whether investment happens in New York or elsewhere. SEQR plays a vital role in environmental stewardship, but modernizing SEQR and improving regulatory predictability can help ensure that the process supports both responsible development and economic growth. Reform in this area sends a strong signal: New York wants projects built, expansions launched, and innovation accelerated without unnecessary delays that can discourage investment.
This is especially important now, as national reshoring dynamics, federal investment, and supply chain resilience are creating new opportunities for U.S. manufacturing. New York has a chance to win a larger share of those opportunities—but only if it can deliver a business environment where timelines are reliable, projects are feasible, and outdated processes don’t undermine competitiveness. Speed to investment is key to our long-term success!
Equally significant in the Governor’s address was her continued focus on workforce development, a priority that manufacturers strongly support because the workforce challenge remains the number one barrier to growth. Workforce development is much more than a general talking point; it is a strategic economic necessity. New York’s manufacturers are not simply looking for labor—they are looking for skilled talent: machinists, technicians, engineers, quality professionals, maintenance specialists, welders, and next-generation leaders who can support high-performance work systems.
MACNY’s member companies have already shown they are ready to invest in talent pipelines through registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, career-readiness efforts, and deeper partnerships with schools and training institutions. With sustained state commitment, those programs can scale, modernize, and align even more directly with the needs of advanced manufacturing. This creates a positive cycle: more talent enables more investment, which creates more career opportunities, which strengthens communities and keeps young people in the region.
Perhaps one of the most forward-looking elements of Governor Hochul’s agenda is the “expanded investment in new nuclear energy.” That focus is increasingly central to New York’s economic strategy. The reality is simple: advanced manufacturing requires abundant, reliable, affordable energy. The most sophisticated manufacturing facilities—including semiconductor, aerospace, defense, medical device, and precision components industries—can’t run on uncertainty. They rely on steady baseload power, with minimal disruption and manageable cost. Nuclear energy, especially in its next-generation forms, offers New York an opportunity to strengthen energy reliability while supporting sustainability goals. It positions the state not just to meet environmental targets, but to attract and retain the industries of the future.
Just as important, nuclear investment supports a broader ecosystem: construction trades, engineering firms, operations careers, and long-term technical employment. In that sense, energy policy becomes jobs policy, and manufacturing policy becomes community prosperity.
Governor Hochul also addressed one of the most pressing issues shaping New York’s economic climate: affordability. The Governor’s pledge to make New York more affordable—across housing, auto insurance, childcare, and energy—will directly benefit our members and their employees. It’s vitally important that this happens. Manufacturers understand better than most that affordability affects everything: workforce stability, turnover, hiring success, and even morale. When employees struggle with housing costs or childcare availability, employers experience the ripple effects through absenteeism, turnover, and lost productivity.
A comprehensive affordability agenda is therefore pro-worker and pro-business. It strengthens household stability and improves the conditions that allow people to commit to long-term careers. It also helps employers remain competitive in recruiting and retention, especially as companies across the country compete for a limited supply of skilled labor.
Taken together, these priorities paint a hopeful picture for 2026. Regulatory modernization supports investment. Workforce development supports growth. Nuclear energy supports reliability and competitiveness. Affordability strengthens families and stabilizes the workforce. For MACNY members, this is the kind of integrated approach that matters—a strategy that recognizes manufacturing as a cornerstone of New York’s economy and a pathway to long-term community prosperity.
It’s my hope that this year’s State of the State message signals momentum. I believe it can reflect an understanding that New York can be a national leader not only in innovation, but also in execution, by removing barriers, strengthening talent pipelines, and building the economic foundations required for advanced manufacturing success. MACNY’s presence in Albany underscores the importance of ensuring the voice of manufacturing remains central as these priorities move from vision to action.