Utah Manufacturing Jobs Declined 4% According To Industrial Directory

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



EVANSTON, Ill, October 6th, 2009 /Manufacturers’ News, Inc./-- Industrial employment in Utah fell 4% over the past twelve months according to the 2010 Utah Manufacturers Directory, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers’ News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Utah lost 6,526 industrial jobs and 156 manufacturers between August 2008 and August 2009, the sharpest decline MNI has ever reported in the seventeen years it has been tracking the state’s industry.

Manufacturers’ News reports Utah is now home to 3,986 manufacturers employing 157,375 workers.

“As with the entire nation, the recession continues to affect Utah’s industrial sectors,” says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. “However, the state’s strong exports and favorable business climate should help lay the groundwork for recovery.”

Transportation equipment suffered the worst drop in employment, down 15.4% following layoffs at auto supplier Autoliv and Atwood Mobile Products, among others.

Utah’s largest sectors fared better with employment in food products manufacturing steady over the year, currently the state’s top sector at 18,434 jobs. Employment in industrial machinery and equipment fell 4.3%, with the sector currently employing 15,630. Third-ranked chemical manufacturing accounts for 13,666 jobs, down 2.4% over the past twelve months.

Most other industrial sectors in Utah lost jobs within the past year and included printing and publishing, down 14%; stone/clay/glass down 11.8%; rubber/plastics down 8.5%; lumber/wood down 7.5%; primary metals down 6.6%; fabricated metal products down 5.6%; furniture/fixtures down 2.3% and textiles/apparel down 1.8%. Employment remained steady in paper products, electronics and instruments/related products, according to MNI.

Bright spots for the state include the opening of a Procter & Gamble facility in Box Elder County, which will manufacture paper towels and bathroom tissue. In addition, exports of goods produced in Utah have still risen significantly. According to government data, the increase in Utah’s exports over a four-year period was the 8th highest in the nation—rising 118% from 2004-2008.

Manufacturers’ News reports Central Utah saw the largest drop in employment percentage-wise, down 17.8% over the year with the region currently accounting for 5,267 jobs. Manufacturing employment declined 3.6% in Northern Utah, with the region currently home to 144,735 jobs or 92% of the state. Employment remained steady in Southern Utah, currently home to 7,373 industrial jobs.

MNI’s city data shows Salt Lake City is Utah’s top city for manufacturing employment, home to 50,332 jobs, down 7.5% over the year. Second-ranked Ogden accounts for 14,766 jobs, with employment down 7.8%. Industrial employment in Logan remained steady over the year and is currently home to 8,958 industrial workers. Clearfield accounts for 5,990 industrial jobs, down 5.8% over the year while Provo accounts for 5,592 jobs, down 3.1%.

Detailed profiles of Utah’s 3,986 manufacturers and 609 industrial distributors can be found in the 2010 Utah Manufacturers Directory, available in print for $96 and on CD-ROM from $218. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), 13,277 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.