Georgia's manufacturing employment dropped 2.2% over the past 12 months according to the 2008 Georgia Manufacturers Register, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Georgia lost 12,771
manufacturing jobs and 256 manufacturers since April 2006.
    
    "Georgia's job losses echo those seen all across the Southeast as manufacturers, particularly those in the textile industries, continue to be lured by cheaper labor costs overseas," said Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying US industry since 1912. "Also, in today's manufacturing fewer employees are needed due to automation and technology; instead of four assembly line workers, now you may have just one controlling the manufacturing process through a computer."
   
MNI reports the textile/apparel industries account for 87,000 or 15% of Georgia's industrial jobs, down 6,604 jobs, or 7% from April 2006 and down 46 manufacturers or 4% over the same time. Major textile plant closings over the past 12 months include Rabun Apparel, Inc. in Rabun Gap, and a weaving plant in Hartwell. A combined 1,200 jobs were lost as a result.
   
The food sector accounts for 72,000 Georgia industrial jobs or 13% of the state, with 43% of those workers employed in poultry slaughtering and processing, up 5% from last year. The lumber and wood sector represents another 34,000 jobs or 6% of the state, and is down 2.6% from 12 months ago. Sectors showing increased employment include radio & TV communications equipment, up 2,120 jobs, commercial printing, up 1,341 jobs and surgical/medical instruments, up 796.
   
Printing and publishing accounts for the most Georgia manufacturers, with 1,624 companies listed in the new edition, up 2.6% from a year ago. Industrial machinery and equipment accounts for 1,405 manufacturers, down 2.9% over the past year, while third-ranked metal fabricating represents 1,125 plants, with no significant change reported.
   
Manufacturers' News reports Georgia is home to 11,596 manufacturers employing 569,608 workers. MNI surveys both large and small manufacturers, including small start-up companies with just a few employees.
   
Northwest Georgia accounts for the largest share of the state's manufacturing jobs, with 339,337 jobs or 60% of the state's industrial employment, down 1.7% from April 2006. Northeast Georgia has the 2nd most at 87,176 jobs or 15.3%, down 4.7%, while South Central Georgia accounts for 59,025 jobs, down 2.8% since last April. The Southeast accounts for 7.8% of the state's jobs and the Southwest 7.6%, with both regions down 3.7% and 6.8%, respectively.
   
MNI's regional analysis shows Georgia ranks 12th in the nation for manufacturing plants, and 11th for jobs, and accounts for 16% of the Southeast's manufacturing. Georgia's losses reflect those seen in much of the Southeast with South Carolina losing 2.8% of its manufacturing employment, Alabama 2%, North Carolina, 1.3% and Florida 1%, according to earlier reports from MNI.
   
Atlanta is Georgia's top industrial employer accounting for 10.5% of the state's manufacturing employment or 60,080 jobs, and is home to 1,070 plants. MNI reports Atlanta ranks among the top 50 cities in the US by manufacturing employment, ranking 18th in the nation and 4th in the Southeast by number of industrial jobs. Dalton is the state's second largest industrial employer, accounting for 33,954 manufacturing jobs or 6% of the state. Norcross ranks 3rd with 16,847 jobs, while Marietta and Alpharetta rank fourth and fifth with 16,886 and 15,382 jobs, respectively.
   
Detailed profiles of Georgia's 11,596 manufacturers and 1,082 industrial distributors can be found in the 2008 Georgia Manufacturers Register, available in print for $135 and on CD-ROM from $205. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), names and titles of 34,587 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.
   
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.