The Milwaukee Business News provided a series of equipment financing and leasing-related anecdotal stories to demonstrate how local Milwaukee-based manufacturers are coping with a sluggish and uncertain environment.

Milwaukee Business News quoted executives from the factory side and equipment finance providers from the local area to shed light on how equipment finance transactions are being used to support local businesses.

Tom Rude, first vice president of Equipment Finance at First Business was quoted as saying, “Despite uncertainty, there comes a point when companies need to make the investments in their business to stay current with technologies.”

Milwaukee Business News quoted Mike Cornell, senior vice president of Commercial Banking at Associated Bancorp, who noted that “manufacturers are not expanding with some deferring equipment replacement.”

According to the Milwaukee Business News, executives from Port Washington State Bank and Westbury Bank noted that borrowers are more cautious overall about equipment purchases, while a Westbury banker said, “most borrowers are seeking to reduce their debt loads.”