Increase in Manufacturing Jobs in Tennessee

Industrial jobs in the state of Tennessee have boosted nearly one percent in the last 12 months, states the 2013 Tennessee Manufacturers Register, which is reported every year by Manufacturers’ News, Inc.  They have found that 3,368 positions in manufacturing have been created in Tennessee from September of 2011 to this past September, according to the Rock Hill Herald.

The state now holds 7,150 manufacturing employees to go with 377,662 employees, says the Manufacturers’ News.

“Tennessee continues to see its manufacturing sector improve,” says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. “Its business-friendly environment and solid infrastructure have made it easier for manufacturers to do business, drawing major companies to the state.”

Along with the state-of-the-art Whirlpool plant that just launched in Cleveland, many other state manufacturers’ developments are off and running.  Some buildings that just expanded are Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Nissan of Smyrna, Genesee A&B of Mouth Juliet, Magneti Marelli’s car lighting building in Pulaski, the Mars Chocolate North America facility in Cleveland and Centerville’s AGRANA Fruit yogurt facility.

Manufacturer News, Inc. states that the state’s three biggest divisions of industrial positions all bumped in job creation over the last twelve months.  After a 10.8 percent rise in positions, the top industrial division now belongs to transportation equipment with a total of 44,358 positions.  Industrial machinery pulls in at second with 42,179 roles, a 1.5 percent rise over the last twelve months.  Third-ranked fabricated metals checks in at third in Tennessee with 40,820 gigs, a 2.4 percent upward trend over the last year.

Two divisions also so a slight tick upwards in jobs.  Instruments/related goods bumped 3.4 percent.  Stone/clay/glass rose 1.5 percent.

Several divisions oversaw losses.  Furniture/fixtures plummeted 7.7 percent.  Lumber/wood dipped 4.9 percent.  Printing/publishing fell 2.8 percent.  Textiles/apparel trended down 2 percent.  Chemicals saw a 1.4 percent loss.

Many locations have been forced to shut down their offices over the last twelve months.  Cleo Inc.’s facility in Memphis, Philips Luminaries’ building in Sparta, Dalphis America LLC’s spot in Memphis and the Sara Lee-Kern bakery in Knoxville all closed their doors.

MNI reports that the Southeastern part of the state makes up the biggest portion of Tennessee’s industrial jobs with 113,098 positions, a number boosted 4.9 percent over the last twelve months.  The Northeast is next with 106,377 positions, about the same last year.  Southwest Tennessee holds 81,924 manufacturing gigs, a 1.2 percent drop from last year.  The Northwest has 76,263 positions, a 1 percent drop-off.

Memphis is the top-ranked city for jobs with 37, 585 jobs.  Nashville was second with 27,685.  Chattanooga checked in at third with 24,251.  Knoxville was fourth with 15,030 and Smyrna handled the fifth spot with 9,131 positions.