Industrial employment in Alaska grew by 1.8 percent as it gained 634 industrial jobs between April 2011 and April 2012, according to the 2012 Alaska Manufacturers Directory, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News Inc. in Evanston, Ill.

This now makes Alaska home to 927 manufacturers with 34,125 workers, MNI finds.

"Alaska's manufacturing sector continues to thrive," says Tom Dubin, president of MNI. "Its stronghold in the petroleum and seafood industries has helped boost exports and increase employment levels."

Among the top spots in Alaska for employment are the opening of Bear Creek Winery's new bottling plant in Homer; North Pacific Seafood's acquisition of Red Salmon Cannery and the following expansion of its salmon production; and the expansion of seafood processing plants Bering Pacific Seafoods and Atka Pride Seafoods. According to the most recent Census Bureau report, Alaska's 2011 exports hit a record-high value level at $5.2 billion.

MNI also finds that Alaska's largest industrial sectors performed the best over the year. Food products represents Alaska’s biggest industrial employment sector with 11,289 jobs, up 2.7 percent over the year while oil and gas extraction come in next with 9,062 jobs, an increase of 4.9 percent over the last 12 months. Petroleum and coal products are the next biggest industrial with with 3,811 jobs, up 1.2 percent.

Alaska’s losses are in fabricated metals at minues 8.6 percent, lumber and wood at minus 9.5 percent, textiles and apparel at minus 5.5 percent, and printing and publishing at minus 3.5 percent. In all remaining sectors, employment kept steady.

South Central Alaska accounts for more than half of the industrial jobs, MNI finds, while employment in Anchorage, the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island employ 20,516 jobs, a 2.7 percent increase in the past 12 months. The Aleutian Islands has 4,412 of Alaska’s industrial jobs, representing no significant change, and Fairbanks North Star employs 1,978 jobs, a 3.4 percent decline over the year. The North Slope region, which is known for its oil, has 1,453 jobs, a 1 percent increase from last year.

Instant Insights /

Alaska manufacturing jobs up 1.8 percent

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