EVANSTON, Ill. -- Following several years of losses, industrial employment in Michigan increased by 1.6% over the past twelve months according to the 2012 Michigan Manufacturers Directory, an industrial directory published annually by
Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Michigan gained 10,252 industrial jobs between February 2011 and February 2012.
Manufacturers' News reports Michigan is now home to 14,286 manufacturers employing 638,336 workers.
"The recovery is gaining momentum in Michigan and across the U.S," says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. "Michigan's
1.6% employment gain across a variety of industrial sectors reflects the state's continued effort to promote an educated workforce and friendly business environment."
Bright spots for the state include the openings of auto-supplier Hirotec America's two plants in Chesterfield Township and Port Huron; the expansion of GM's casting plant in Saginaw; the opening of Plasan Carbon Composites in Walker; the planned expansion of Panasonic Automotive Systems in Farmington Hills; and Teijin Advanced Composites' expansion in Auburn Hills. Hearthside Food Solutions expanded its breakfast bar plant in Kentwood; Benteler Aluminum plans an expansion of its extrusion facility in Holland; and Meijer will expand the Holland-based dairy plant it acquired from Bareman's.
Transportation equipment manufacturing remains the state's largest industrial sector by employment with 125,746 jobs, up 1.7% over the year. Industrial machinery and equipment ranks second with 118,418 jobs, up 1.7%. Third-ranked fabricated metals accounts for 77,547 jobs, down 1.2% over the survey period.