Tennessee Industrial Jobs Down 12.6% Over Twenty-Four Months

EVANSTON, Ill., Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- /Manufacturers' News, Inc./ -- Industrial employment in Tennessee fell 12.6% over the past twenty-four months according to the 2010 Tennessee Manufacturers Register, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Tennessee lost 56,647 manufacturing jobs over the past two years, with 15,110 jobs lost between September 2007 and September 2008 and 41,537 industrial jobs from 2008 to September of this year.

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Manufacturers' News reports Tennessee is now home to 7,711 manufacturers employing 403,030 workers, compared to a high of 547,494 industrial workers recorded by MNI in 2001. Manufacturing jobs have declined steadily in the state since 2001, dropping 144,464 jobs or 26.4%. The loss of nearly 41,537 manufacturing jobs over the past year marks the sharpest decline MNI has ever reported in the twelve years it has been tracking the state's industry.

"As with the entire nation, the recession continues to hit Tennessee's core sectors, while the faltering housing market has affected industries such as wood products, furniture and building products," says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912.

Employment in the furniture/fixtures sector saw the sharpest decline, down 20.8% over the past twenty-four months, following the closures of New Generations and Berkline/Benchcraft, LLC, among others. Employment in lumber/wood saw a 19.5% drop.

Tennessee's top manufacturing sector remains transportation equipment with 43,959 jobs, down 20.6% over the past 24 months, due partially to the closure of truck assembly plant Peterbilt Motors and layoffs at Nissan's Smyrna facility. Second-ranked industrial machinery and equipment employs 43,317 workers, down 13.6%, while fabricated metals manufacturing employs the third-most in the state with 42,417 workers, down 12.6% over the past two years.

Most other sectors in Tennessee lost jobs within the past twenty-four months and included rubber/plastics, down 20.4%; textiles/apparel down 16.1%; electronics down 15.4%; stone/clay/glass down 9.6%; food products down 9.3%; primary metals down 8.8%; paper products down 6.1% and printing/publishing down 4%.

Despite the losses, some bright spots have emerged recently including the opening of tire manufacturer Carlisle Tire & Wheel in Jackson, the opening of furniture manufacturer BJS East, Inc. in Dandridge, and the expansion of refrigeration equipment maker Delfield Company in Covington.

According to the industrial directory, Northeast Tennessee accounts for the largest share of Tennessee's industrial employment with 119,480 manufacturing jobs, down 12.8% over the past twenty-four months. Southeast Tennessee ranks second at 108,343 manufacturing jobs, down 14.6% over two years. Southwest Tennessee is home to 88,430 industrial jobs, down 9.8%, while the Northwest is home to 86,777 jobs, down 11.2%.

MNI's city data shows Memphis is Tennessee's top city for manufacturing employment, with 40,552 jobs, up a half percent over the past twenty-four months. Nashville ranks second with 29,432 jobs, down 5% over two years. Chattanooga is home to 19,565 industrial jobs, down 12.2%, while Knoxville accounts for 16,928 jobs, down 15.8% over the past twenty-four months. Morristown industrial jobs dropped 10.7%, with the city currently home to 11,292 jobs.

Detailed profiles of Tennessee's 7,711 manufacturers and 1,277 industrial distributors can be found in the 2010 Tennessee Manufacturers Register, available in print for $115 and on CD-ROM from $195. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), 27,838 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.