After Fiscal Deal, Small Companies Push for Manufacturing Growth

With a fiscal deal in place for now, small-business owners are trying to forge ahead with growth strategies—despite headwinds.

Marlin Steel Wire Products, for example, forecasts a 20 percent increase in business this year. "We're plowing ahead. We're going to be growing this year," said Drew Greenblatt, president of the manufacturer based in Baltimore, Md.

But the growth plans will come "with some headwinds," said Greenblatt on CNBC's "Street Signs" on Friday. "This is not because Washington is cooperating," he said.

Marlin Steel employs about 32 workers and manufactures wire baskets, forms and custom stainless steel products.

The manufacturing sector created 25,000 jobs in December, according to the latest jobs report. (Read more: Economy Adds 155,000 New Jobs; Rate Holds at 7.8 Percent)

Vickers Engineering, based in New Troy, Mich., also forecasts growth this year.

"This question is how further could we go and the government isn't helping the way they're handling small-business entrepreneurs and the tax code," said Matt Tyler, chief executive of Vickers Engineering. They employ about 180 workers and produce precision machining and fabrication products.

(Read more: 2013 Small-Business Trends to Watch)

While a deal was signed this week to avert a so-called "fiscal cliff," issues such as the nation's long-term debt remained unresolved. In contrast to Vickers Engineering and Marlin Steel, other small-business owners have been saying for some time that uncertainty about federal policies has prompted them to hold back on capital investment and job creation on Main Street — traditional drivers of economic growth.

— Written by CNBC's Heesun Wee. Follow her on Twitter @heesunwee