Southern California small to medium-size manufacturers reported on saving and retaining a total of 4,000 manufacturing jobs this past year, as a result of implementing production improvements recommended through consulting services provided by California Manufacturing Technology Consulting. The manufacturing job retention and growth shows an encouraging picture of California manufacturers' ability to be successful. Survey results are from over 500 companies receiving services for the time period of December 2007 through November 2008. Turner Marketing, an independent third party, compiled the survey results, under the Federal Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program.
Manufacturing jobs are basic contributors to the economic health of California, with over 14 percent of workers employed in manufacturing in more than 40,000 small manufacturers in Southern California. Because manufacturing pays 33 percent more than the service sector, a significant 21 percent of total wages earned in California come from manufacturing. Manufacturing jobs are an economic bellwether for the economy and a mainstay for middle class growth, since every manufacturing job creates between four and nine additional jobs for the economy (source: U.S. Department of Labor statistics).
"Southern California manufacturers are showing a desire to meet competition head-on and embrace new production and management strategies which are resulting in greater sales and bottom-line improvement. Staying ahead of the game by adapting advanced techniques is crucial for these manufacturers to remain in business in California and provide high-paying manufacturing jobs," said David Braunstein, president and CEO of CMTC.
The impact data was compiled by the market research firm Turner Marketing for the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). CMTC is an affiliate of NIST MEP, a network of more than 60 centers across the country that provide assistance to manufacturers.
About the CMTC
A private, non-profit corporation, California Manufacturing Technology Consulting was established in 1992 to provide high value consulting services to California's high tech and traditional small and medium-size manufacturers to increase their competitive advantage through improved methods of management and manufacturing. CMTC provides consulting services in the practice areas of Strategic Business, Lean Enterprise, Information Technology, Energy Services, Quality, Distribution and Supply Chain Management. CMTC covers Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, Orange County, Ventura/Santa Barbara County, the San Fernando/San Gabriel Valley, the San Joaquin Valley and San Diego/Imperial County. For more information, visit www.cmtc.com.
