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Industrial employment in Alabama fell 4.5% over the past twelve months according to the 2009 Alabama Manufacturers Register, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Alabama lost 15,479 industrial jobs and 108 manufacturers between March 2008 and March 2009, the steepest loss MNI has ever reported for the state.Manufacturers' News reports Alabama is home to 6,057 manufacturers employing 329,904 workers. MNI profiles companies of all sizes including start-up companies with just a few employees. "As with the entire nation, weakening demand continues to hit many of Alabama's core sectors, particularly textiles, lumber and plastics," says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. Employment in the textiles/apparel sector saw the worst drop in employment, down 17% in 2008, following closures and layoffs at several plants such as Russell Corp, Coosa River Dyeing, Springs Global and Frontier Yarns, just to name a few. Although outsourcing is the main culprit, some textile plants dependent on the housing sector, such as floor-covering maker Shaw Industry, are suffering decreased demand for their products as the housing market continues to falter. Fewer jobs were lost in the state's top industrial sector, transportation equipment, with employment strengthened by the expansion of shipbuilder Austal USA in Mobile. MNI reports transportation equipment accounts for 39,444 of the state's jobs, down 2.2% over the year. The food products sector follows closely with 37,280 jobs, down 4.2%. Third-ranked fabricated metal products employs 29,565, down 1% over the year. Job losses were seen across all other sectors over the past twelve months and included rubber/plastics down 11%; primary metals down 9%; furniture/fixtures down 7%; lumber/wood down 6.5%; printing/publishing down 6%; chemicals down 5.9%; industrial machinery and equipment down 4.2%; and electronics, also down 4.2%. Manufacturers' News reports Southeast Alabama accounts for nearly half of the state's decline, losing 11% of its manufacturing employment or 7,313 jobs. The region is currently home to 59,099 industrial workers. Northwest Alabama lost 3,546 jobs over the year or 6.8% and currently accounts for 48,288 industrial jobs. Southwest Alabama is currently home to 43,947 jobs, down 6% over the past twelve months. Northeast Alabama lost the fewest jobs, down just one percent, and is currently home to 178,572 industrial workers, or 54% of the state.MNI's city data shows Birmingham is the state's top city for manufacturing employment, home to 37,198 jobs, down 5% over the year. Second-ranked Huntsville accounts for 30,754 jobs, with no significant change reported. Mobile is home to 14,738 jobs, with no change reported over the year, while Montgomery saw industrial employment decline 4.8% and currently accounts for 14,145 jobs. Fifth-ranked Decatur is home to 10,856 jobs, down 4.6%, according to MNI. Detailed profiles of Alabama's 6,057 manufacturers and 953 industrial distributors can be found in the 2009 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), 21,374 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. Source: Manufacturers' News, Inc, Evanston, Il, April 27, 2009.
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