Industrial Directory Reports New Mexico Manufacturing Jobs Remained Steady Over Year

EVANSTON, Ill., March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial employment in New Mexico remained steady over the past twelve months according to the 2011 New Mexico Manufacturers Register, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports New Mexico lost just 401 industrial jobs between January 2010 and January 2011, much smaller than the 3,472 jobs MNI reported lost over the 2009-2010 survey period.

Manufacturers' News reports New Mexico is now home to 2,072 manufacturers employing 54,236 workers.

"New Mexico's industrial sectors continue to be 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 definitely have slowed, and the state's investments in green technologies continue to help the recovery take hold."

Bright spots for the state include the planned openings of JBC International's plastic recycling plant in Chaparral; Ramah Navaho Foods' meat processing plant in Gallup; and NRG Energy's Roadrunner Solar Electric Facility. Plants reporting expansions include General Mills near Jefferson; cheese maker Leprino Foods in Roswell; and Array Technologies, Inc. in Albuquerque.

According to MNI, the transportation equipment sector saw the worst decline in employment, down 29%, following the closure of the GE Aviation plant in Albuquerque.

MNI reports New Mexico's largest industrial sectors saw the biggest gains in employment or remained steady, with electronics manufacturing ranking first with 7,928 jobs – virtually unchanged from a year ago. Oil and gas extraction ranks second with 7,580 jobs, up 10.3%, while third-ranked food products manufacturing accounts for 5,796 jobs, up 4% over the year. Chemicals manufacturing saw a 4.8% gain and employment in industrial machinery and equipment remained steady over the year.

Industrial sectors that lost jobs over the year included rubber/plastics down 9.7%; lumber/wood down 9.6%; primary metals down 8.2%; furniture/fixtures down 7.2%; and stone/clay/glass down 4.5%, following the closure of American Gypsum in Bernalillo.

Northwest New Mexico accounts for the largest share of the state's industrial employment with 35,251 jobs, down 1.1% over the year. Southeast New Mexico accounts for 10,151 jobs, up 1.3%, while Southwest New Mexico is home to 5,051, up a half percent. Northeast New Mexico accounts for 3,783 jobs, up 2.8% over the past twelve months.

Albuquerque remains the state's top city by industrial employment with 18,732 manufacturing jobs, down 4% over the year. Rio Rancho accounts for 6,328 jobs, down 1.3%. Farmington saw employment increase 6.7% and is currently home to 4,809 industrial workers, while Hobbs saw a 4.4% rise in employment, and accounts for 3,014 manufacturing jobs. Carlsbad accounts for 2,178 jobs, up 6.5% over the past twelve months.  

Detailed profiles of New Mexico's 2,072 manufacturers and 412 industrial distributors can be found in the 2011 New Mexico Manufacturers Register, available in print for $84 and on CD-ROM from $112. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), 6,831 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.

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. Information is also available on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Manufacturers' News, Inc.