Industrial Directory Reports Massachusetts Industrial Employment Remained Steady Over The Past Year

EVANSTON, Ill., Sept. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial employment in Massachusetts declined slightly over the past twelve months according to the 2013 Massachusetts Manufacturers Register^®, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. Manufacturers' News reports Massachusetts lost 942 industrial jobs or less than one percent between August 2011 and August 2012.

Manufacturers' News reports Massachusetts is now home to 8,509 manufacturers employing 362,968 workers.

"Unfortunately the increase in productivity and output do not necessarily translate into employment gains," says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. "Automation and technology have allowed manufacturers to operate with fewer workers."

Bright spots for the state include the opening of ThermoFisher Scientific's new medical device manufacturing plant in Tewksbury; the establishment of the Kringle Candle Company's new candlemaking facility in Bernardston; the expansion of Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics' solar film plant in Worcester; and the opening of a TigerPress printing facility in Longmeadow.

MNI reports the state's three largest sectors by employment added or retained jobs over the year. Industrial machinery and equipment is Massachusetts' top sector by industrial employment with 47,825 jobs, up 2.5% over the year. Electronics/electrical equipment ranks as the state's second-largest industrial sector by employment with 47,738 manufacturing jobs, virtually unchanged from a year ago. Third-ranked instruments and related products accounts for 46,466 industrial jobs, up 2.3%. Additional gains were seen in transportation equipment, up 3.5%; primary metals, up 1.2%; and furniture/fixtures, up 1%.

Industrial sectors that lost jobs over the past year included printing/publishing, down 4.8%, following the closure of Saltus Press in Worcester, among others. Paper products declined 4%, due partially to the closure of Noarampac's box plant in Leominster. Employment in textiles/apparel declined 3.2%; fabricated metals fell 2.5%; stone/clay/glass fell 1.8%; and rubber/plastics declined 1%. 

Manufacturers' News reports Central Massachusetts accounts for the most manufacturing employment in the state with 159,835 jobs, up 1.5% over the past year. The Northeast region accounts for the second most at 106,429 jobs, down 1.4%. The Southeast region is home to 52,078 industrial workers, down 1.2%, while Western Massachusetts is home to 44,626, down 2.4%.

MNI's city data shows Boston remains Massachusetts' top city for manufacturing employment, home to 11,469 jobs, with no significant change over the year. Second-ranked Andover accounts for 11,366 jobs, virtually unchanged from a year ago. Waltham is home to 10,239 industrial jobs, up 2.1% over the year, while industrial employment in Framingham increased 2.6% over the survey year, and is currently home to 8,301 manufacturing jobs. Worcester is home to 8,231, down 1%.

Detailed profiles of Massachusetts' 8,509 manufacturers and 1,068 distributors can be found in the 2013 Massachusetts Manufacturers Register^®, available in print for $141, 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), 28,109 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 state business registrations, 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.