Industrial Directory Reports Idaho Lost Fewer Manufacturing Jobs In 2010

Contact: Jennifer Ratcliff
Manufacturers’ News, Inc.
(847) 864-9440 ext. 241
jratcliff [at] manufacturersnews.com



EVANSTON, Ill, December 7th, 2010 /Manufacturers’ News, Inc./-- Industrial employment in Idaho fell 3.6% over the past twelve months according to the 2010 Idaho Manufacturers Directory, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers’ News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Idaho lost 2,813 industrial jobs and 29 manufacturers between October 2009 and October 2010, a much smaller decline than the 7,000-job loss MNI reported over the 2008-2009 survey period.

Manufacturers’ News reports Idaho is now home to 2,211 manufacturers employing 74,776 workers.

“Idaho’s industrial sector continue to be battered 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, we’re definitely seeing fewer job losses than we did a year ago and the state’s favorable business climate should help improve the outlook.”

Food products manufacturing remains the state’s largest industrial sector by employment with 15,773 jobs, down 3.3% over the year, due partially to layoffs at ConAgra’s plant in Twin Falls. Second-ranked industrial machinery and equipment accounts for 15,492, down just 1.1%, while lumber/wood saw a steep decline of 14.3%, following the closure of Welco Lumber Co. and layoffs at Weyerhaeuser, among others. Lumber and wood currently accounts for 9,109 Idaho industrial workers.

Most other industrial sectors in Idaho lost jobs within the past year and included transportation equipment, down 11.2%; textiles/apparel down 7.3%; paper products down 5.3%; printing/publishing down 3.1%; stone/clay/glass down 3% and fabricated metal down 1.7%. Employment in primary metals rose 5.3%; electronics climbed 1.4% and chemicals 1.1%. Jobs remained steady in the rubber/plastics sector.

Bright spots for the state include the opening of shower and tub manufacturer Best Bath’s new plant in Caldwell; the expansion of ON Semiconductor Corporation in Pocatello; the re-opening of XL Four Star Beef Inc. in Nampa; and the opening of Transform Solar, a joint venture of Micron Technology and Origin Energy to produce solar panels in Nampa.

Manufacturers’ News reports Northern Idaho saw the largest drop in employment, down 5.6% over the year, and is currently home to 14,622 industrial workers. Manufacturing employment declined 4.1% in Southwest Idaho, with the region currently home to 41,555 jobs. Industrial employment remained steady in Southeast Idaho, with the region accounting for 18,599 industrial jobs.

MNI’s city data shows Boise is Idaho’s top city for manufacturing employment, home to 21,467 jobs, down 3.4% over the year. Second-ranked Nampa accounts for 6,635 jobs, up 4.6% over the past twelve months. Industrial employment in Idaho Falls also rose over the year, up 1.4% and is currently home to 4,494 industrial workers. Lewiston accounts for 3,289 industrial jobs with no significant change over the year, while Pocatello accounts for 3,077 jobs, up 2.5% over the past twelve months.

Detailed profiles of Idaho’s 2,221 manufacturers and 364 industrial distributors can be found in the 2011 Idaho Manufacturers Directory, available in print for $84 and on CD-ROM from $113. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), 7,351 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.