- 11 April 2008 -
Michigan Industrial Jobs Fall by 5.3%
Over Past 12 Months

Industrial employment in Michigan dropped 5.3% over the past 12 months, according to the 2008 Michigan Manufacturers Directory, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc., (MNI) of Evanston, Ill. MNI reports Michigan lost 43,087 industrial jobs in 2007—the largest 12-month job loss MNI has reported for any state over the past two years.

Losses were seen across most manufacturing sectors, with the auto industry taking the biggest hit. MNI reports 65% of the state's losses were seen in the auto sector, down 28,176, or 13.4%, over the past 12 months. Layoffs and plant closings by the big-three automakers contributed to the losses, as well as job cuts by those who supply them.

MNI reports employment gains were still seen by some auto suppliers, such as Martinrea Industries, a manufacturer of metal forming and fluid management systems, which opened a new facility in Manchester, and TRMI, Inc., a manufacturer of automotive switches, which is scheduled to expand its workforce through 2009. Spartan Chassis, which began supplying the military with chassis components for MRAP vehicles in 2005, increased its Charlotte, Mich., workforce by 904 employees and purchased two plants between December 2005 and late February 2008.

Industrial machinery and equipment is the state's second-largest sector, with 174,968 industrial jobs—down 6,579 jobs over the past year. Fabricated metal products account for 102,661 industrial jobs, down 3,205, or 3%. Other sectors losing employment include food products, down 2.3%; chemicals and allied products, down 10%; textiles and apparel, down 8.2%; rubber and miscellaneous plastics, down 5.3%; and primary metals, down 4% after Federal-Mogul closed its St. John's plant.

According to MNI, the majority of Michigan's losses were suffered by its Southeast region, which represents 60% of the state's industrial employment, or 466,575, down 32,731 jobs, or 6.6%, in 2007. Southwest Michigan accounts for 231,564 jobs, down 8,847, or 3.7% over the past year. Northwest Michigan is home to 37,353 jobs, down 1,007, or 2.6%, while the Northeast represents 22,032 of the state's jobs, down just 206. The Upper Peninsula, home to 16,344 workers, lost 298 industrial jobs in 2007.

Despite the losses, Michigan still holds its rank as the seventh-largest state for number of manufacturing jobs in the U.S. and is ranked eighth in terms of the number of manufacturers. Manufacturers' News reports Michigan is home to 15,975 manufacturers employing 773,869 workers.

Detailed profiles of Michigan's 15,975 manufacturers and 1,292 industrial distributors can be found in the 2008 Michigan Manufacturers Directory, available in print for $175 and on CD-ROM for $244. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, Web address, e-mail), names and titles of 44,303 key executives, product(s) manufactured, annual sales, number of employees, and more. Visitors to www.mnileads.com may generate custom company selections using 13 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.

Source: Michigan Manufacturers Directory, Manufacturers’ News