Industrial Directory Reports Alabama Manufacturing Employment Remained Steady Over Year

EVANSTON, Ill., May 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Alabama's industrial employment picture brightened over the past twelve months, according to the 2011 Alabama Manufacturers Register^®, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Alabama lost just 1,017 industrial jobs or less than one percent from March 2010 to March 2011, a marked improvement from the 6.8% loss MNI reported for the 2009-2010 survey period.  

Manufacturers' News reports Alabama is now home to 5,644 manufacturers employing 304,831 workers.

"Alabama's industrial sectors are still affected by the housing bust and the recession, "says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. "However, losses have slowed considerably, and the state's favorable business environment in addition to its investments in innovative technologies and stronghold in the auto sector are helping the recovery take hold."

Bright spots for the state included the opening of ThyssenKrupp Steel's new factory in Calvert; G.E. Aviation's new plant in Auburn; Illinois-based Coskata's plans to open an ethanol plant in Greene County; and Raytheon's expected opening of a missile-production facility in Huntsville. Gulf Coast Agricultural and Seafood Co-Op is expected to open a seafood waste processing facility in Bayou La Batre and Korean steel company Poscos has opened a new automotive steel cutting plant in McCalla. Companies seeing expansions included Honda's facility in Lincoln and Kia's plant on the Alabama/Georgia border.  

MNI reports food products manufacturing remains the state's largest industrial sector by employment, with 36,493 jobs, virtually unchanged from a year ago. Transportation equipment accounts for 35,171 industrial jobs, with no significant change reported. Third-ranked fabricated metals represents 26,166 of the state's manufacturing jobs, down 4.4%.  

According to MNI, sectors that lost jobs over the past twelve months included stone/clay/glass down 7.5%, due partially to the closure of Walter Coke's fiber plant in Birmingham. Lumber/wood fell 5.3%, following the closure of cabinet maker Sawco, among others. Chemicals/allied products declined 4.8% and rubber/plastics were down 3%. Gains were seen in industrial machinery and equipment, up 8.1% and printing/publishing up 3.8%.

MNI reports Northeast Alabama accounts for the most industrial employment in the state, with 163,943 industrial jobs, down 1.7% over twelve months. Southeast Alabama accounts for 55,780 industrial jobs, up 1.4%. The Northwest region of the state is home to 46,999 industrial workers, up 1.7%, while the Southwest is home to 38,109, with no significant change reported.  

Birmingham remains the state's top city by industrial employment with 31,850 manufacturing jobs, down 3.4% over the year. Huntsville saw employment decrease 2.5% and is currently home to 28,531 industrial workers. Montgomery accounts for 13,979 industrial jobs, up 4.4%, while Mobile is home to 12,386, down 7.6%. Fifth-ranked Decatur accounts for 10,115 jobs, down 2.5% over the past twelve months.  

Detailed profiles of Alabama's 5,644 manufacturers and 970 industrial distributors can be found in the 2011 Alabama Manufacturers Register^®, available in print for $107 and on CD-ROM from $172. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), 21,308 executives by name and title, product(s) manufactured, annual sales, number of employees, and more. Visitors to mnileads.com may generate custom profiles of manufacturers using thirteen different criteria, including area or zip code, county, SIC, sales volume, number of employees, and more. Information is also available on Facebook and Twitter.

Manufacturers' News, Inc., publisher of manufacturers' directories since 1912, compiles and produces manufacturing guides, statistics and databases for all 50 states. MNI also maintains IndustryNet.com, an industrial search engine designed specifically for locating manufacturers and suppliers nationwide. For more information, contact Manufacturers' News, Inc., 1633 Central St., Evanston, IL, 60201, 847-864-7000, FAX 847-332-1100.  

SOURCE Manufacturers' News, Inc.