Although Minnesota lost 2,283 industrial jobs since October 2005, this is only a one-half percent decline and is actually a slight improvement over the 4,045 jobs lost in the previous 12 months, according to the 2007 Minnesota Manufacturers Register, an industrial guide published by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI).
Minnesota now has 522,390 workers at 11,297 plants, the report indicates.
MNI's statistics indicate that Minnesota lost 4.6% of its manufacturing jobs following the downturn of 2001.
According to Tom Dubin, MNI's president,"This year's half percent loss may signify better days ahead for the North Star State. Minnesota remains a leader in the food products industry and continues to meet the demand in exports from America's heartland."
MNI's regional study shows Minnesota ranks 13th in the nation and 6th in the Midwest by number of manufacturing jobs and accounts for 10% of the Midwest's industrial employment.
Among the top U.S. manufacturing cities, Minneapolis ranks fifth in the Midwest and 11th in the U.S. with 70,477 factory jobs, according to MNI statistics. St. Paul has 50,749 manufacturing jobs, making it 11th in the Midwest.
MNI reports that Minneapolis/St. Paul, with a combined 121,226 manufacturing jobs, makes the area second in the ten-state Midwest region fifth 5th in the nation for industrial employment.
General Mills, with 3,200 employees, is Minneapolis' biggest employer, The MNI's 2007 Register shows. Other major Minneapolis employers include Fastentech, Inc. with 1,600 employees, and Bae Systems and Honeywell International each with 1,400 workers.
Commercial printing, with 27,927 jobs, is Minnesota's largest industry by employment; plastic products is next with 22, 295 jobs, followed by surgical and medical instruments with 17,428 jobs, according to MNI's report.