Manufacturers Directory Reports Texas Industrial Jobs Remained Steady Over Past Year

EVANSTON, Ill., May 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial employment in Texas remained steady over the past twelve months according to the 2011 Texas Manufacturers Register®, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Texas lost just 7,174 industrial jobs or less than one percent between April 2010 and April 2011, much smaller than the 34,000 jobs MNI reported the state lost over the 2009-2010 survey period.

Manufacturers' News reports Texas is now home to 22,803 manufacturers employing 1,164,658 workers.

"The recovery is gaining momentum in Texas and across the U.S.," says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. "Texas manufacturing is faring well due to its stronghold in a variety of industries and its favorable business climate, which has been a draw for many companies to relocate."

Bright spots for the state include the recent announcement that GE plans to open a new locomotive plant in Fort Worth, which will provide more than 500 manufacturing jobs. Other companies opening facilities in the state include Pratt Industries, which started up a box plant in Fort Worth and plans to hire 140 workers; Global Leading Foods, which opened a processing facility in the Dallas/Fort Worth area; Caliber Biotherapeutics, which recently opened a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Bryan; and Caterpillar, which opened a work tool production plant in Waco.

MNI reports the state's largest industrial sectors fared the best. Industrial machinery and equipment remains Texas' largest manufacturing sector by employment with 165,167 of the state's jobs, up 2.7% over the year. Fabricated metal ranks second with 117,887 industrial jobs, with no significant change reported over the year. Third-ranked food products manufacturing accounts for 108,267 industrial jobs, with employment virtually unchanged over the past twelve months.

MNI reports sectors that lost jobs over the past year included lumber/wood down 6.9%, following Armstrong World Industry's closure of its flooring plant in Center, among others; printing/publishing down 5.9%; stone/clay/glass down 3.8%; primary metals, also down 3.8%; and electronics down 2%, following the closure of National Semiconductor, among others. Employment remained steady in chemicals, transportation equipment, textiles/apparel and paper products. Gains were seen in oil & gas exploration, up 7.7%; rubber/plastics up 2.2% and petroleum products up 1.7%.

MNI reports Southeast Texas accounts for the most industrial employment in the state with 470,308 jobs, up 2% over the past twelve months. Northeast Texas accounts for the second most with 416,927 manufacturing jobs, down 1.9%, while third-ranked East Central Texas is home to 94,661, down 3.3%. Southwest Texas accounts for 88,977 manufacturing jobs, down 3%, and Northwest Texas accounts for 47,453, down 3%. The West Central region of the state is home to 46,332 industrial jobs, 2.8% fewer than last year.

Houston remains the state's and the nation's top city by industrial employment with 231,659 manufacturing jobs, up 2.6% over the year. Dallas saw employment decrease 1.7% and is currently home to 77,236 industrial workers. Fort Worth accounts for 66,570 industrial jobs, up 1%, while San Antonio accounts for 51,177, down 1.2% over the year. Fifth-ranked Austin saw jobs increase 1% and currently accounts for 41,950 industrial jobs.

Detailed profiles of Texas' 22,803 manufacturers and 2,736 industrial distributors can be found in the 2011 Texas Manufacturers Register®, available in print for $209 and on CD-ROM from $195. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), 74,318 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.