“Shutdown? What Shutdown?” seems to be attitude among manufacturers in the land of brats and beer.

Surveys of purchasing managers in Chicago and Milwaukee show factory activity was strong in October.

The Chicago business barometer jumped 10.2 points to 65.9, the highest reading since March 2011. The Milwaukee purchasing managers’ index increased to 57.1, the best since June 2012.

In Chicago, respondents said the activity jump was linked to inventory replenishment and increased customer demand (new orders are at highest level in 9 years). In Milwaukee, new orders and production were up strongly.

While the gains, especially in Chicago, may overstate the strength in the factory sector, the solid readings in the Midwest open the door for the national Institute for Supply Management’s PMI report, scheduled for Friday, to beat expectations for slightly slower growth in October.