FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jennifer Ratcliff
Manufacturers’ News, Inc.1633 Central St.
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 864-9440 ext. 241
jratcliff [at] manufacturersnews.com
EVANSTON, IL –
North Dakota’s manufacturing employment dropped a half percent and the number of manufacturers fell 3.4% over the past 12 months according to the 2008
North Dakota Manufacturers Register, an industrial directory published annually by
Manufacturers’ News, Inc. (
MNI) Evanston, IL.
MNI (http://
www.manufacturersnews.com) reports
North Dakota lost 44 manufacturers and 256 related jobs since May 2006--the first net loss the state has seen in several years.
MNI data indicates
North Dakota’s industrial employment surged between June 2002 and May 2006, gaining a net 5,089 jobs and 90 plants over this period. The 2006-2007 decline marks the first year the state posted a net loss. Small manufacturers accounted for much of the factory losses with 62% of out-of-business companies employing 5 or fewer employees. Employment losses were due in part to larger companies moving out-of-state, with four manufacturers moving to
Minnesota and one to
Iowa. 124 jobs were lost as a result.
“
North Dakota’s slight employment loss may be a sign that gains from the past few years are leveling off, but is not necessarily a harbinger of steep losses ahead,” said Tom Dubin, President of
MNI. “
North Dakota’s stronghold in the agricultural sectors and its favorable business climate should help the state retain most of the jobs it has gained.”
Manufacturers’ News reports
North Dakota is home to 1,249 manufacturers employing 36,162 workers.
MNI surveys both large and small manufacturers, including small start-up companies with just a few employees.
MNI reports the industrial machinery and equipment sector accounts for the most manufacturing jobs with 7,424 or 20% of
North Dakota’s industrial employment, down 225 jobs, or 3% from May 2006, with 55% of these workers employed in farm machinery manufacturing. 16% or 204 of
North Dakota manufacturers produce industrial machinery, down 9 companies or 4.2% from last year. The food sector accounts for another 5,977
North Dakota industrial jobs or 16.5% of the state, up 66 jobs, or 1.1% from a year ago, with 10% employed in meatpacking.
Southeast
North Dakota accounts for the largest share of the state’s manufacturing jobs, with 22,546 or 62% of the state’s industrial employment, and is the only region to post a net loss, down 2.2% from May 2006. Northeast
North Dakota has the 2nd most at 6,096 jobs or 17%, up 3%. The Southwest accounts for 11.5% of the state’s jobs, up a half percent since last May while the Northwest employs 3,350, up 1.8% over last year.
MNI’s regional analysis shows
North Dakota ranks 48th in the nation for manufacturing plants, and 46th for jobs, ranking last in the Midwest for both, just behind
South Dakota. Previous reports by
MNI showed
South Dakota’ manufacturing employment increased 3% in 2006 while
Iowa’s rose 2.6%. The Great Lakes region saw sharp losses in 2006 with
Illinois,
Michigan and
Indiana losing a combined 7.4% employment.
Fargo is
North Dakota’s top industrial employer accounting for 26% of the state’s manufacturing employment or 9,341 jobs, down 1.6%, and is home to 184 plants—8 fewer than a year ago. Bismark is the state’s second largest industrial employer, accounting for 3,096 manufacturing jobs or 8.6% of the state, down 1.7%. Grand Forks ranks 3rd with 2,818 jobs, while Wells Fargo and Wahpeton rank fourth and fifth with 2,116 and 1,916 jobs, respectively.
Detailed profiles of
North Dakota’s 1,249 manufacturers and 195 industrial distributors can be found in the 2008
North Dakota Manufacturers Register, available in print for $69 and on CD-ROM from $79. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), names and titles of 3,690 key executives, product(s) manufactured, annual sales, number of employees, and more. Visitors to http://
www.mnileads.com may generate custom company selections 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. For more information, contact
Manufacturers’ News, Inc., 1633 Central St., Evanston, IL, 60201, 847-864-7000, FAX 847-332-1100.
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