Hawaii Gained Manufacturing Jobs Over Past Year

EVANSTON, Ill., Feb. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial employment in Hawaii increased by a half percent over the past twelve months according to the 2012 Hawaii Manufacturers Directory®, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Hawaii gained 139 industrial jobs between December 2010 and December 2011, the first time that the company recorded a gain in Hawaii's manufacturing employment since it began reporting on the state's industrial employment in 2007.

Manufacturers' News reports Hawaii is now home to 1,185 manufacturers employing 21,943 workers.

"The recovery is gaining momentum in Hawaii 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 paired with its investments in green technologies have been a draw for a variety of enterprises."

Bright spots for the state include the expansion of Cyanotech's production facility in Kona, and the opening of Big Island Carbon's $40 million facility in Kawaihae, which will process macadamia nut shells into carbon. 

Food products remains the state's largest industrial sector by employment with 7,343 jobs, with no significant change reported over the year.  Printing/publishing ranks second with 3,381 jobs, down 3.3%. Third-ranked textiles/apparel accounts for 1,784 jobs, down 3.1% over the past twelve months.

Industrial sectors that gained jobs included transportation equipment, up 13.9%; chemicals/allied products, up 13.4%; paper products, up 7.1%; stone/clay/glass, up 3.8%; primary metals, up 3.5%; and furniture/fixtures, up 3.4%. Losses were seen in industrial machinery and equipment, down 8.6%; petroleum products down 7.1%; instruments/related products, down 3.8%; and fabricated metals, down 2.7%. 

Oahu is home to the most industrial employment in Hawaii, accounting for 16,711 jobs, with no significant change reported. The Big Island accounts for 2,527 jobs, virtually unchanged from a year ago. Maui is home to 2,088 manufacturing jobs, up 1%, while Kauai accounts for 617, up 8.8% over the year.

Honolulu is home to 11,401 industrial jobs, up a half percent over the year. Kapolei accounts for 2,325 jobs, down 2.8%, while Waipahu saw employment increase 2.3% and is currently home to 1,058 industrial workers. Aiea accounts for 1,015 manufacturing jobs, down 7.1% over the past twelve months. Puunene jobs were down 2.1%, with the fifth-ranked city accounting for 924 industrial jobs. 

Detailed profiles of Hawaii's 1,185 manufacturers and 440 distributors can be found in the 2012 Hawaii Manufacturers Directory®, available in print for $78, 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), 3,984 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.