Industrial employment in Central Florida fell 7.8 % over the past twelve months according to the 2010 Florida Manufacturers Register, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers’ News, Inc., (MNI). Central Florida which accounts for the most industrial employment in the state, lost more than 18,000 industrial jobs between February 2009 and February 2010 and currently accounts for 226,388 such jobs.
South Florida accounts for 183,855 industrial jobs, down 4.9%. The Northeast region of the state is home to 65,968 industrial workers, down 4.9%, while the Panhandle is home to 28,794, down 12.3%.
Jacksonville remains the state’s top city by industrial employment with 41,618 manufacturing jobs, down 3.8% over the year. Miami saw employment decrease 8% and is currently home to 40,095 industrial workers. Orlando accounts for 33,300 industrial jobs, down 5.5%, while Tampa accounts for 28,954 of the state’s jobs, down 9.3%. Fifth-ranked Fort Lauderdale accounts for 15,497 jobs, down 3.7% over the past twelve months.
For Florida as a whole, industrial employment fell 7% and the state lost 38,278 industrial jobs and 932 manufacturers between February 2009 and February 2010, states the MNI report.
According to MNI, Florida is now home to 14,928 manufacturers employing 505,005 workers.
The lumber and wood sector saw the worst decline in employment, down 16.8%. Furniture/fixtures declined 15.1%.
Electronics manufacturing has overtaken printing and publishing as the state’s largest industrial sector by employment, with 52,500 jobs, down 2.5% over the year. Printing and publishing ranks second after losing 11% of its employment, and now accounts for 51,252 industrial workers. Third-ranked fabricated metal accounts for 48,076 industrial jobs, down 4.9% over the year.
MNI reports other sectors that lost jobs over the past twelve months included transportation equipment down 14.7%; rubber/plastics down 10.4%; textiles/apparel down 10.3%; stone/clay/glass down 10.1%; paper products down 10%; primary metals down 8.9%; food products down 4.8% and industrial machinery down 4.2%.
Companies closing facilities over the year included Smithfield Foods, which recently shuttered its Plant City location, and WestPoint Home, which closed its bedding manufacturing plant in Chipley.
Bright spots for the state include the opening of water-efficient plumbing equipment manufacturer Coast Water Efficient Technologies, LLC, which recently moved its operations from Pomona, CA to Bay County Florida; the expansion of solar cell equipment manufacturer Mustang Vacuum Systems LLC in Manatee County; the expansion of Guardian Manufacturing in Brevard County; and the expansion of CoreRx Pharmaceuticals in Tampa.
