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Industrial Directory Reports Louisiana Lost 3,300 Manufacturing Jobs, 101 Plants

Posted on: Thursday, 4 June 2009, 09:15 CDT

EVANSTON, Ill., June 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial employment in Louisiana fell 1.7% over the past twelve months according to the 2009 Louisiana Manufacturers Register, an industrial guide published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Louisiana lost 3,385 industrial jobs and 101 manufacturers between April 2008 and April 2009, the first loss MNI reported for Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina devastated the state's industrial sector in 2005.

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"As with the entire nation, weakening demand continues to hit many of Louisiana's core sectors," says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. "However, due to its stronghold in the oil and gas industry, Louisiana's losses are not nearly as severe as many other states."

MNI reports sectors related to the housing industry saw steep losses, with employment in furniture and fixtures down 14% and lumber down 5.7%. However, employment in the oil & gas industry saw a 24% increase, strengthened by the expansion of companies such as Dynamic Industries and the continuing development of the recently-discovered Haynesville Shale gas field. The oil/gas sector currently accounts for 17,884 of Louisiana's industrial jobs, according to MNI.

Manufacturers' News reports Louisiana is home 5,346 manufacturers employing 199,288 workers. MNI profiles companies of all sizes including start-up companies with just a few employees.

Chemicals and allied products remains the state's largest sector by employment with 25,159 of Louisiana's industrial jobs, down 4.1% over the year. The industrial machinery and equipment sector follows with 23,529 jobs, down a half percent. Third-ranked food products accounts for 18,993 workers, down 1% over the year.

Job losses were seen across most other sectors over the past twelve months and included paper/allied products, down 21.4%, following the closure of International Paper Co. in Bastrop and layoffs at Georgia-Pacific. Employment in primary metals fell 17%; textiles/apparel were down 7.7%; electronics down 6.3%; chemicals down 4.1%; transportation equipment down 3.2% and printing/publishing down 1.8%.

Sectors gaining jobs included rubber/plastics, up 1.1% and fabricated metals, up 1.7%.

Manufacturers' News reports Northwest Louisiana accounts for over half of the state's decline, losing 6.7% of its manufacturing employment or 2,173 jobs. The region is currently home to 53,842 industrial workers. Northeast Louisiana lost 6.1% of its industrial employment and currently accounts for 12,475 manufacturing jobs. The Southeast region saw employment decline 1% over the past twelve months and is currently home to 102,627 jobs.

Southwest Louisiana saw a net increase in manufacturing jobs, up 1.1% over the year, and accounts for 53,842 of the state' jobs.

MNI's city data shows Baton Rouge is the state's top city for manufacturing employment, currently home to 15,834 industrial workers, with no significant change reported over the past twelve months. New Orleans accounts for 11,457 jobs, down 9% over the year. Lafayette accounts for 10,204 manufacturing jobs, down 1.9%, while industrial employment in Shreveport dropped 14% with the fourth-ranked city home to 9,850 jobs. Fifth-ranked Houma saw employment increase 2.3% and is home to 8,840 industry jobs.

Detailed profiles of Louisiana's 5,346 manufacturers and 1,157 industrial distributors can be found in the 2009 Louisiana Manufacturers Register, available in print for $105 and on CD-ROM from $167. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), 18,211 executives by name and title, product(s) manufactured, annual sales, number of employees, and more. Visitors to mnileads.com may generate custom profiles of manufacturers using thirteen different criteria, including area or zip code, county, SIC, sales volume, number of employees, and more.

Manufacturers' News, Inc., publisher of manufacturers' directories since 1912, compiles and produces manufacturing guides, statistics and databases for all 50 states. MNI also maintains IndustryNet.com, an industrial search engine designed specifically for locating manufacturers and suppliers nationwide. For more information, contact Manufacturers' News, Inc., 1633 Central St., Evanston, IL, 60201, 847-864-7000, FAX 847-332-1100.

SOURCE Manufacturers' News, Inc.

Source: PR Newswire

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