Kentucky lost 11,942 manufacturing jobs and 6 plants over the past 12 months according to the 2006 Kentucky Manufacturers Register, a manufacturers' guide published annually by Manufacturers' News Inc. of Evanston, Ill.
The Blue Grass State is now home to 6,195 manufacturers employing 330,272
workers compared to the 6,201 plants and 342,214 workers reported a year earlier.
Kentucky enjoyed a net gain of 273 plants over the past 5 years but in the same time period lost 26,381 manufacturing jobs, according to Manufacturers' News, which has been conducting the yearly census since 1983.
According to Tom Dubin, president and CEO of Manufacturers' News, these numbers reflect a growing U.S. trend in which greater efficiencies in manufacturing due to technological advancements and increases in labor productivity have diminished the need for a large workforce: "Manufacturing capacity utilization is at a four-year high, and production continues to climb," said Dubin. "Unfortunately, this hasn't translated into increased employment, as companies are finding ways to increase efficiency and trim costs through technology and outsourcing."
Louisville remains Kentucky's industrial leader, housing 1,178 plants, or 19 percent of Kentucky's manufacturers as reported in the new edition. Kentucky's second largest city, Lexington, accounts for 390 of Kentucky's 6,195 plants.
According to the 2006 edition, 35 percent of Kentucky's manufacturing plants are located in the five counties that house some of the state's largest cities. Jefferson, Fayette, Boone, Kenton, and Warren counties account for 2,168 plants.
Within these counties, the cities of Louisville, Lexington, Florence, Erlanger and Bowling Green account for 1,909 plants, or 31 percent, of Kentucky's manufacturers.
Fifty-two percent of Kentucky's manufacturers fall within five of the 26 types of industries listed in the 2006 Register. Industrial machinery and equipment tops the list with 834 manufacturers. Printing and publishing ranks as the second-largest industrial sector with 695 plants statewide, while lumber and wood products rank third with 626 plants. Fourth-ranked metal fabricating has 600 such firms listed in the new edition. The stone, glass and concrete industries rank fifth with 442 plants.
Detailed information on all of Kentucky's 6,195 manufacturing companies can be found in the 2006 Kentucky Manufacturers Register.
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