Manufacturing jobs in Tennessee grew by 1 percent during the past year as the state now claims 7,150 manufacturers with 377,662 workers, according to the 2013 Tennessee Manufacturers Register, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News Inc. in Evanston, Ill.
The directory shows that Tennessee added 3,368 jobs between September 2011 and September 2012.
"Tennessee continues to see its manufacturing sector improve," says Tom Dubin, president of MNI. "Its business-friendly environment and solid infrastructure have made it easier for manufacturers to do business, drawing major companies to the state."
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Of Tennessee's three largest sectors by industrial jobs, each experienced a rise in employment over the year, MNI finds. With a 10.8 percent job growth, transportation equipment is now Tennessee's largest industrial sector by employment with 44,358 jobs, followed by industrial machinery and equipment with 42,179 jobs, marking a 1.5 percent increase. Fabricated metals come in at No. 3 with 40,820 industrial jobs, a 2.4 percent growth.
Other sectors that report gained jobs are instruments and related products at 3.4 percent and stone, clay and glass at 1.5 percent, MNI reports. Meanwhile, sectors with losses include furniture and fixtures at minus 7.7 percent, lumber and wood at minus 4.9 percent, printing and publishing at minus 2.8 percent, textiles and apparel at minus 2 percent, and chemicals at minus 1.4 percent.
Southeast Tennessee is home to Tennessee's largest industrial employment area with 113,098 jobs, up 4.9 percent, while Northeast Tennessee comes in second with 106,377 jobs for no significant change, MNI finds. Southwest Tennessee is next in size with 81,924 industrial jobs, representing a 1.2 percent decline, and Northwest Tennessee accounts for 76,263 jobs, a 1 percent drop.
Memphis continues to hold as Tennessee's top city for manufacturing employment with 37,585 jobs, falling 1.6 percent, MNI reveals. Next is Nashville with 27,685 jobs, and Chattanooga follows with 24,251 jobs, up 8.6 percent. Fourth-ranked Knoxville keeps stable with 15,030 jobs, and Smyrna is home to 9,131 jobs, a 6.7 percent increase.
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