Industrial Directory Reports Vermont Manufacturing Jobs Declined 1.4%

EVANSTON, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Industrial employment in Vermont declined 1.4% over the past year according to the 2013 Vermont Manufacturers Register, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers’ News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Vermont manufacturers saw a loss of 634 jobs between December 2012 and December 2013.

“However, the state’s educated workforce and abundant natural resources continue to be a draw for new business.”

The industrial directory reports Vermont is now home to 1,415 manufacturing companies employing 42,921 workers.

“Manufacturers in Vermont have yet to fully recover from the recession, and the state’s large debt burden combined with uncertainty over the fiscal cliff and sequester has put a damper on hiring,” says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. “However, the state’s educated workforce and abundant natural resources continue to be a draw for new business.”

According to the industrial guide, electronics manufacturing is Vermont’s largest sector by manufacturing employment with 7,052 jobs, down 8% over the year. Second-ranked food products account for 5,218 manufacturing jobs, up 1.4% over the twelve-month period. Industrial machinery and equipment saw a 1% increase in employment, and ranks third at 3,738 jobs.

Industrial sectors reporting losses over the year included textiles/apparel, down 4.2%; furniture/fixtures, down 4.1%; paper products, down 3.1%; instruments/related products, down 1.4%, due partially to layoffs at NRG Systems in Hinesburg. Gains were reported in primary metals, up 7.8%; lumber/wood, up 3.4%; fabricated metals, up 2.5%; and transportation equipment, up 1.5%.

Manufacturing companies that announced openings in Vermont included Germany-based Menck Window Systems, which plans to establish a window and door factory in Newport. In addition, several manufacturers operating in Vermont announced expansions over the year including SemiProbe in Winooski; Weidman Electrical Technology in St. Johnsbury; and Green Mountain Coffee, which plans to expand all three of its locations.

According to the industrial directory, Essex Junction remains the state’s top city for industrial employment, with 31 manufacturing companies employing 6,007 workers, down 7% over the past twelve months. Second-ranked Burlington accounts for 2,781 jobs, up 1.2%. Industrial employment in Brattleboro increased 5.4%, with the third-ranked city now home to 1,727 jobs. Saint Albans saw a 2.3% decrease in manufacturing employment, and is home to 1,484 jobs, while fifth-ranked Rutland accounts for 1,424 jobs, with no significant change reported.

Detailed profiles of Vermont’s 1,415 manufacturing companies can be found in the 2013 Vermont Manufacturers Register^® available in print for $82, or available online through MNI’s industrial database subscription service. Users may generate custom profiles of manufacturers using a variety of criteria, including region, SIC, sales volume, number of employees, and more. Each business profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information, 4,851 executives by name and title, product(s) manufactured, and more.

Manufacturers’ News, Inc. is the nation’s oldest and largest publisher of state industrial directories and manufacturers databases. For 101 years the company has identified, researched and profiled manufacturing companies. MNI employs an 85-person editorial staff to scour business registrations, trade journals, financial reports, and many other sources to pinpoint every manufacturing establishment in the U.S. Each manufacturer is contacted throughout the year to update their profiles, including their employee counts. For more information, contact Manufacturers’ News, Inc., 1633 Central St., Evanston, IL, 60201, 847-864-7000, http://www.manufacturersnews.com