Contact: Jennifer Ratcliff
Manufacturers’ News, Inc.
(847) 864-9440 ext. 241
jratcliff [at] manufacturersnews.com
EVANSTON, Ill, August 21st, 2009 /Manufacturers’ News, Inc./-- Industrial employment in Montana fell 5.6% over the past twelve months according to the 2010 Montana Manufacturers Directory, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers’ News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Montana lost 1,982 industrial jobs between July 2008 and July 2009, the sharpest decline MNI has ever reported in the seven years it has been tracking the state’s industry.
Manufacturers’ News reports Montana is now home to 2,064 manufacturers employing 32,073 workers.
“As with the entire nation, the recession continues to affect Montana’s industrial sectors,” says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. “However, Montana’s losses are not nearly as severe as other states due to its strong exports, and its bountiful natural resources should lay the groundwork for recovery.”
Bright spots for the state include the continued investment in “green” technologies including the launching of the NaturEner’s Glacier Wind Project, a 71-turbine wind farm, and the opening of research plant AE Biofuels in Butte. According to government data, the increase in Montana’s exports over a four-year period was the 3rd highest in the nation—rising 146% from 2004-2008.
Manufacturers associated with the housing industry saw large declines over the year with employment in lumber and wood down 12.3% following cutbacks and closings at several lumber products facilities, including Alpine Log Homes, Stimson Lumber Co., and Plum Creek Timber Company.
Despite the losses, lumber and wood products remains Montana’s top sector by industrial employment with 4,201 of the state’s jobs. Printing and publishing accounts for 3,198 jobs, down 5.5%, while third-ranked food products accounts for 3,036 jobs, down 1.5% over the past twelve months.
Most other industrial sectors in Montana lost jobs within the past year and included transportation equipment, down 11.4%; furniture/fixtures down 10%; electronics down 9.2%; primary metals down 8.7%; industrial machinery and equipment down 5.2% and stone/clay/glass down 4.4%. Employment in rubber/plastics manufacturing increased 3.3%, while texiles/apparel increased 1.5% over the year. Jobs were steady in the paper products and chemicals sectors, according to MNI.
Manufacturers’ News reports Northwest Montana accounts for the largest share of the state’s industrial employment with 13,158 jobs, down 6.8% over the year. Southeast Montana accounts for 9,089 industrial jobs, down 4.3%, while Southwest Montana accounts for 8,080, down the most at 6.9%. Manufacturing employment remained steady in Northeast Montana, with the region currently home to 1,746 jobs.
MNI’s city data shows Billings is Montana’s top city for manufacturing employment, home to 5,441 jobs, with employment up 1.1% over the year. Second-ranked Missoula accounts for 3,075 jobs, up 2.2%. Kalispell is home to 2,778 industrial jobs, down 9.4% over the year, while Bozeman accounts for 2,148 jobs, down 7.7%. Great Falls is home to 1,785, down 1.2%, according to MNI.
Detailed profiles of Montana’s 2,064 manufacturers and 329 industrial distributors can be found in the 2010 Montana Manufacturers Directory, available in print for $82 and on CD-ROM from $108. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), 5,589 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.
