Manufacturers Increase Vigilance In Wake Of Sept. 11

ByJohn S. McClenahen Although a majority consider themselves unlikely targets for terrorist attacks, manufacturers in North America are stepping up security. Most common are developing new disaster contingency plans and increasing surveillance of facilities, reveals a survey from the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI, a Arlington, Va.-based policy research group. Significantly, an overwhelming majority of the 52 senior financial officers responding to the survey indicate the new measures are having little impact on operating costs. Just 4% of the alliance's member firms in the sample say new security measures will raise operating costs 1% to 3%. The rest put the increased costs at less than 1%.