R.I.’s manufacturing sector braces for owner exits

Matthew McNulty

06/10/2026

LOOKING AHEAD: Josh Daly, left, co-founder of Local Return, says the retirement of manufacturers without a succession plan is a “huge economic development issue.” With him is Nancy Forster-Holt, clinical associate professor at the University of Rhode Island’s College of Business.  PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM

A wave of retiring business owners is about to reshape Rhode Island manufacturing, where 80% are approaching an exit without clear succession plans. At least, that’s according to data from Polaris MEP, a nonprofit adviser for many of Rhode Island’s manufacturers. At the center of the concern is a straightforward but high-stakes challenge. Many small

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