In the past year, industrial employment in Nebraska grew 1.4 percent to account for a gain of 1,696 industrial jobs, according to the 2013 Nebraska Manufacturers Register, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News Inc. in Evanston, Ill. 

MNI also finds that Nebraska now houses 2,849 manufacturers employing 121,774 workers.

"Nebraska continues to see its manufacturing sector improve," says Tom Dubin, president of MNI. "The state's business-friendly environment and abundant natural resources have been a draw for a variety of enterprises."

Among Nebraska's largest industrial sectors that gained jobs are food products manufacturing with 37,680 jobs at 1.5 percent, industrial machinery and equipment with 12,547 jobs at 2.2 percent, and printing and publishing with 9,818 jobs at 3.9 percent, MNI finds. Other sectors that reported gains are lumber and wood at 6.9 percent, primary metals at 6 percent, electronics at 2.8 percent and chemicals at 1.4 percent. Sectors that experienced losses are stone, clay and glass at minus 4.7 percent and fabricated metals at minus 3.7 percent. All other sectors held steady.

According to MNI, Southeast Nebraska has the largest share of the state's industrial employment with 85,040 jobs, a 1.4 percent increase, while Northeast Nebraska employs 26,267 industrial jobs, up 1 percent. Southwest Nebraska comes in at third with 7,688, up 3.3 percent, and Northwest Nebraska has 2,779 industrial jobs for no significant change.  

Of the top cities for Nebraska manufacturing employment are Omaha with 34,323 jobs, a 2.6 increase and Lincoln 17,518 jobs, down 0.5 percent, MNI reveals. Grand Island follows with 8,053 industrial jobs, down 0.5 percent, and Columbus comes in at the No. 4 spot with 5,058 industrial jobs for no significant change. Dakota City is fifth with 3,670 jobs, which is also nearly unchanged.