Ohio is now home to 21,634 manufacturing companies employing 1,151,311 workers compared to the 21,727 plants and 1,183,648 workers reported a year earlier, according to Manufacturers' News, which has been conducting the annual census since 1983.
The five-year trend shows industrial employment in the Buckeye State down by more than 100,000 jobs. Since 2000, Ohio has lost over 840 plants in a state where manufacturing accounts for 20 percent of its economy, reports the yearly survey. Despite the decline, Ohio still ranks as the 3rd largest industrial state behind California and Texas.
"Manufacturing capacity utilization is at a four- year high, and production continues to climb," said Tom Dubin, president of Manufacturers' News. "Unfortunately, this hasn't translated into increased employment, as manufacturing companies are finding other ways to increase efficiency and trim costs through technology and outsourcing."
The greatest number of Ohio's manufacturing companies are concentrated in the five counties that house Ohio's largest cities, reports the Directory. Forty percent of Ohio's manufacturing plants are located in Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Franklin, Summit and Montgomery counties.
Within these counties, the cities of Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Akron and Dayton contain 27 percent of Ohio's manufacturing establishments. MNI data reports these cities have demonstrated severe losses in plants over the past 12 months and over a five-year period. Cleveland lost 39 plants in 2005, and 220 plants since 2001. Columbus lost 10 plants this year and 32 over a five-year span.
Fifty-six percent of Ohio's manufacturers fall within five of the 26 types of industries listed in the 2006 industrial guide. Industrial machinery and equipment tops the list with 4,609 manufacturers and accounts for 20 percent of the statewide total. Metal fabricating ranks as the second largest industrial sector with 2,883 plants statewide, while printing and publishing firms with 2,260 related plants rank third.
Fourth-ranked rubber and plastic products have 1,409 such firms listed in the new edition. The stone, glass and concrete industries rank fifth with 1,133 plants.
According the Ohio Manufacturers Directory, Ohio has seen most of its industrial sectors drop in the number of plants over the past 12 months. The sharpest decreases were seen in Ohio's largest industries. Metal fabricating, industrial machinery and equipment, and rubber and plastic products lost over 100 plants in 2005. MNI's five-year analysis reveals these same industries lost a total of 417 plants since 2001.
