Industrial employment in New Mexico grew by approximately 0.5 percent over the last 12 months when 386 jobs were added between January 2011 and January 2012, according to the 2012 New Mexico Manufacturers Register, an annual industrial directory by Manufacturers' News Inc.

The report shows that 2,098 manufacturers operate in New Mexico and employ 55,313 workers.

"The recovery is gaining momentum in New Mexico and across the U.S," says Tom Dubin, president of MNI. "The state boasts an educated work force and green-tech focus paired with abundant natural resources."

Some growing employment opportunities named by the report include New Mexico’s largest solar power plant, built by Xcel Energy and Sun Edison in Carlsbad; the expansion of Leprino Foods' cheese plant in Roswell; Snap Green Industries’ new plastics recycling plant in Chaparral; and Joule Unlimited’s announcement of a new biofuels plant in Hobbs.

MNI also finds that New Mexico's largest industrial sectors experienced the biggest growth in employment with oil and gas extraction being the top concentration with 8,441 jobs, which is up 11.3 percent from last year. Electronics manufacturing faced the second most growth with 7,987 jobs, up 1 percent over the past twelve months, while food products accounts for 5,998 of the state's industrial jobs, marking a 3.3 percent increase. Among other industrial sectors that added jobs are transportation equipment at 6.2 percent and chemicals at 1 percent.

MNI reports that employment losses occurred in stone, clay and glass at 6.2 percent; primary metals at 6 percent; furniture and fixtures at 5.9 percent; textiles and apparel at 5 percent; printing and publishing at 3.2 percent; rubber and plastics at 2 percent; and fabricated metals at 1.9 percent. The lumber and wood sector experienced the largest drop in employment at 25 percent.

Northwest New Mexico has the largest part of the state's industrial employment with 35,467 jobs, a decline from 1.6 percent over the year while southeast New Mexico accounts for 10,861 jobs, up 7.5 percent. Southwest New Mexico accounts for 5,138 industrial jobs, up 2.6 percent, and northeast New Mexico has 3,847 jobs, up 1.6 percent over the past twelve months.

Instant Insights /

N.M. manufacturing jobs increase over past year

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