With 2,756 new industrial jobs, industrial employment in Utah increased 1.7 percent in the last year, according to the 2013 Utah Manufacturers Directory, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News Inc. in Evanston, Ill.

After this bump, Utah now has 3,771 manufacturers with 161,121 workers, MNI reports.

"Utah continues to see its manufacturing sector improve," says Tom Dubin, president of MNI. "The state maintains a winning mix of favorable business conditions, including low taxes, an educated work force, access to capital and solid infrastructure."

MNI finds that food product manufacturing continues to rank as Utah’s largest industrial sector by employment with 18,791 jobs, followed by industrial machinery and equipment with 13,972 jobs, both of which represent no significant change. Next is chemicals manufacturing with 13,955 jobs, up 1.8 percent.

Among the sectors reporting employment gains are instruments and related products at 14.2 percent, electronics at 8.4 percent, rubber and plastics at 3.1 percent, petroleum and coal products at 2.5 percent, primary metals at 2.5 percent, and transportation equipment at 1.1 percent, MNI reports. However, sectors with fewer jobs include lumber and wood at minus 7.2 percent; printing and publishing at minus 3.6 percent; stone, clay and glass at minus 2.1 percent; and fabricated metals at minus 2.1 percent.

Northern Utah boosts the most manufacturing positions with 149,417 jobs, a 2 percent increase from last year, while Southern Utah employs 6,224 jobs for no significant change. Central Utah is home to 5,480 jobs, a 3.4 percent decline over the past year.

The most manufacturing positions are found in Salt Lake City with 51,883 jobs, up 1.5 percent over the year. Ogden comes in second with 14,383 jobs, a 1 percent gain. Logan ranks at third with 9,925 jobs, representing a 2.8 percent decline. Provo follows with 6,058 jobs, up 3.2 percent, and Clearfield comes in at the No. 5 spot with 5,920 jobs, a 2 percent uptick.

Instant Insights /

Utah manufacturing jobs up 1.7%

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