Industrial Directory Reports Alaska Manufacturing Jobs up 1.3 %
EVANSTON, Ill., May 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial employment in Alaska increased 1.3% over the past twelve months according to the 2011 Alaska Manufacturers Directory, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Alaska gained 434 industrial jobs from April 2010 to April 2011.
Manufacturers' News reports Alaska is home to 916 manufacturers employing 33,491 workers.
"The recovery is gaining momentum in Alaska and across the US," says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. "Alaska's manufacturing is faring well due to worldwide demand for petroleum and coal products, as well as its stronghold in the seafood industry."
Bright spots for the state included the openings of wood pellet plant Superior Pellet Fuels near Fairbanks and the state's first biodiesel plant, Alaska Waste, which began production in Anchorage in June. In addition, the Obama Administration recently announced the opening of Alaska's national petroleum reserve to new drilling, which will likely be an employment boost for the state.
According to MNI, Alaska's largest industrial sectors fared the best over the past twelve months. Food products manufacturing accounts for the most industrial employment in the state with 10,992 jobs, up 3.2% over the year. Oil and gas extraction ranks second at 8,636 jobs, with no significant change reported over the twelve-month period. Petroleum and coal products account for 3,832 jobs, up 2.9%.
Losses for the state included lumber/wood, down 12.4%; industrial machinery and equipment, down 7.3%; electronics, down 6.4% and fabricated metals, down 2.8%. Employment remained steady in all remaining sectors.
Facilities closing down included the ConocoPhillips Kenai liquefied natural gas plant, which will stop production in August due to the loss of supply contracts with Tokyo Gas and TEPCO. Alaska's largest trading partner is Japan, with the recent disaster there likely to affect Alaska's exports in the short term.
The Directory reports over half of the state's industrial jobs are located in South Central Alaska. Jobs in Anchorage, the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island represent 19,973 jobs, up a half percent in the past 12 months. The Aleutian Islands represent 4,399 of the state's industrial jobs, with no significant change reported, while Fairbanks North Star is home to 2,048 jobs, up 10% over the year. The oil-rich North Slope region is home to 1,439 jobs, down 2.9% over the year.
Detailed profiles of Alaska's 916 manufacturers and 227 industrial distributors can be found in the 2011 Alaska Manufacturers Directory, available in print for $71 and on CD-ROM from $81. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), names and titles of 3,172 key executives, product(s) manufactured, annual sales, number of employees, and more. Visitors to http://www.mnileads.com may generate custom company selections using thirteen different criteria, including area or zip code, county, SIC, sales volume, number of employees, and more. Information is also available on Facebook and Twitter.
Manufacturers' News, Inc., publisher of manufacturers' directories since 1912, compiles and produces manufacturing guides, statistics and databases for all 50 states. For more information, contact Manufacturers' News, Inc., 1633 Central St., Evanston, IL, 60201, 847-864-7000, FAX 847-332-1100.
SOURCE Manufacturers' News, Inc.
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