Industrial employment in North Carolina fell 5 percent over the past 12 months according to the 2009 North Carolina Manufacturers Register, a compilation of state industry published annually by Manufacturers' News Inc. MNI reports North Carolina lost 32,721 industrial jobs from January 2008 to January 2009, double the job loss MNI reported for the state over the 2007-2008 period.
Manufacturers' News reports North Carolina is home to 11,405 manufacturers employing 633,516 workers. MNI reported a loss of 2 percent in North Carolina's industrial jobs for 2007, a 1.3 percent loss in 2006 and a half percent loss in 2005, according to earlier MNI reports.
"As with the entire nation, weakening demand continues to hit many of North Carolina's core sectors, while the faltering housing market has affected industries such as wood products, furniture and building products," says Tom Dubin, president of the Evanston, Ill.-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912.
North Carolina manufacturers such as Hickory Hill Furniture and A.O. Smith Electrical Products were among the many companies to close locations in response to the dive in the housing market.
According to MNI, North Carolina's largest industrial sector by employment remains textiles and apparel, with 77,787 of the state's jobs, although employment in this sector is down 12.6 percent over last year. Closures in the textiles/apparel sector in North Carolina included Gold Toe/Moretz, Hanesbrand and Swift Galey. Industrial machinery and equipment ranks second with 66,224 jobs, down 1.1 percent in 2008, while third-ranked food products manufacturing represents 57,595 of the state's jobs, down 7.1 percent over the past 12 months, following the closure of a Pilgrim's Pride chicken processing plant in Siler City, among others.
Job losses were seen across all sectors in 2008 and included: instruments and related products down 12.7 percent; furniture/fixtures down 9.6 percent; lumber/wood down 7 percent; electronics down 6.7 percent; transportation equipment down 4.7 percent; rubber and miscellaneous plastics down 3.4 percent; chemicals and allied products down 2.1 percent; and primary metals down 1.5 percent. Employment in the paper and allied products sector was up 1 percent, or 219 jobs, over the year, according to MNI.
Bright spots in the North Carolina manufacturing picture include the opening of a Shutterfly facility in Charlotte, and an opening of a Uniboard location in Moncure.
According to MNI, the Northwest portion of the state accounts for 282,599 of the state's jobs, or 45 percent of the North Carolina's industrial employment, down 4.9 percent over the year. The Northeast region represents 155,505 of the state's industrial jobs, down 4.5 percent over the past twelve months. The Southwest is home to 122,500 of the state's workers, down 6.3 percent in 2008, while North Carolina's Southeast region saw employment drop 3.6 percent and currently accounts for 72,912 of the state's industrial jobs.
Charlotte is home to the most industrial jobs in North Carolina, accounting for 44,769 jobs, down a half percent over the year. Greensboro accounts for 30,849 jobs, down another half percent. Industrial jobs in Research Triangle Park have dropped 1.8 percent over the year with the region accounting for 23,167 jobs. Fourth-ranked Winston-Salem accounts for 18,891 of the state's jobs, down 4.5 percent, while High Point is home to 16,895 industrial workers, with employment up 2.1 percent.
