Utah industrial jobs rose 2.3 percent over the past year, according to the 2017 Utah Manufacturers Directory, an industrial database and directory published by Manufacturers' News Inc. (MNI).
MNI reports Utah added 3,837 manufacturing jobs between September 2015 and September 2016, and is now home to 3,540 manufacturers employing 174,171 workers. Since September 2010, the state has added 23,812 jobs, a 16-percent increase.
"Utah boasts one of the most favorable regulatory climates in the nation, and its overall business costs are low," says Tom Dubin, MNI president. "This, combined with a skilled labor pool and abundance of shovel-ready sites, has helped the state recover all jobs lost during the recession – and then some. However, global competition and a strong dollar will continue to challenge growth in the years ahead."
Utah's chemicals industry was the star of this year's survey, adding more than 1,000 jobs. The industry ranked as the state's third largest by manufacturing employment with 17,083 workers. Food processing was the state's largest sector by employment with 19,454 jobs, followed by electronics with 17,375 workers.
Other manufacturing sectors gaining jobs included furniture/fixtures, transportation equipment, instruments/related products, lumber/wood, rubber/plastics, primary metals and paper products.
Several Utah plant openings were announced over the year, such as Universal Forest Products, which established a new plant in Magna; rail-car maker Stadler U.S., which plans to open a temporary manufacturing operation in the state; supplement maker 4Life, which opened a new facility in Vineyard; and arrow maker Gold Tip, which moved into a larger manufacturing facility in American Fork.
Gains were offset by losses in the state's industrial machinery sector, which reported a 4.1- percent decline. Employment also dropped in the fabricated metals industry.
Salt Lake City ranked first in the state for the number of manufacturing jobs with 55,673 workers. Second-ranked Ogden accounted for 14,438 jobs, while third-ranked Provo is home to 11,286 workers.
For more information, www.mni.net.
