Arizona Industrial Jobs Remained Steady Over Past Year

EVANSTON, Ill., May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial employment in Arizona remained steady over the past twelve months according to the 2012 Arizona Manufacturers Directory®, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Arizona lost 1,159 industrial jobs or about a half percent between March 2011 and March 2012.

Manufacturers' News reports Arizona is now home to 5,267 manufacturers employing 214,360 workers.

"The recovery is gaining momentum in Arizona and across the U.S.," says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. "The state's abundant natural resources, friendly business environment and educated workforce has been a draw for a variety of enterprises, particularly in "green" sectors."

Bright spots for the state included Magna International's plans to open a photovoltaic components plant in Phoenix; the opening of Suntech's solar panel plant in Goodyear and its addition of a third shift; the opening of a Dunn-Edwards LEED-certified paint production facility and the expansion of Algae Biosciences' Holbrook facility.

MNI reports transportation equipment remains the state's largest sector by employment with 31,339 jobs, up 1.9% over the past year. Industrial machinery and equipment ranks second with 26,265 jobs, down 1.5%, while third-ranked fabricated metals accounts for 25,101 jobs, up 1.5% over the past year.

According to MNI, sectors that gained jobs over the past twelve months included chemicals/allied products, up 10.7%; primary metals up 6.8%; and electronics, up 1.7%. Losses were seen mostly in sectors relating to housing, with stone/clay/glass down 7.5%; furniture/fixtures, down 7.2%; and lumber/wood, down 6.5%. In addition, employment in printing/publishing declined 5.7% and paper products fell 2.5%.

Losses for the state included the closure of an Otis Elevator location in Nogales; and layoffs at Microsemi in Scottsdale and at ON Semiconductor's Phoenix location.

Phoenix remains the state's top city by industrial employment with 71,905 manufacturing jobs, down 3.8% over the year. Tucson saw employment increase 2.1% and is currently home to 30,820 industrial workers. Chandler accounts for 23,199, up 3.7% while Tempe accounts for 18,322 of the state's jobs, down 3%. Fifth-ranked Scottsdale accounts for 12,296 jobs, down 2.1% over the past twelve months. 

Detailed profiles of Arizona's 5,267 manufacturers and 1,035 distributors can be found in the 2012 Arizona Manufacturers Directory®, available in print for $112, or available online through MNI's subscription-based service at www.ezselect.com. Users may generate custom profiles of manufacturers using a variety of criteria, including area or zip code, county, SIC, sales volume, number of employees, and more. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), 17,988 executives by name and title, product(s) manufactured, annual sales, and number of employees. MNI also maintains IndustryNet.com, an industrial search engine designed specifically for locating manufacturers and suppliers nationwide, and has recently launched an expansion and relocation guide for manufacturers.

Manufacturers' News, Inc. is the nation's oldest and largest publisher of state manufacturers directories. For 100 years the company has identified, researched and profiled manufacturing establishments. MNI employs an 85-person editorial staff to scour yellow pages, trade journals, financial reports, and many other sources to pinpoint every manufacturing establishment in the U.S. Each manufacturer is contacted throughout the year to update their profiles, including their employee counts. For more information, contact Manufacturers' News, Inc., 1633 Central St., Evanston, IL, 60201, 847-864-7000, FAX 847-332-1100. www.manufacturersnews.com. Information is also available on Facebook and Twitter.  

SOURCE Manufacturers' News, Inc.