Pennsylvania's manufacturing employment dropped 2.3 percent over the past 12 months, according to the 2008 Pennsylvania Manufacturers Register, an industrial guide published annually by Manufacturers' News Inc. MNI reports Pennsylvania lost 21,449 manufacturing jobs and 303 manufacturers since May 2006.
MNI reports the Pennsylvania's losses are partially due to small manufacturers shutting down. Forty-eight percent of Pennsylvania manufacturers ceasing operations over the past year employed five or fewer workers. MNI also identified 18 companies employing 316 that moved operations out of state over the past 12 months, with eight of these of these moving to New Jersey, and three to New York.
"Pennsylvania's job losses echo those seen across the Mid-Atlantic as manufacturers continue to cut costs through technology and outsourcing," said Tom Dubin, president of the Evanston, Ill.-based publishing company. "Today's manufacturing requires fewer employees due to automation and technology; instead of four assembly line workers, now you may have just one controlling the manufacturing process through a computer."
Manufacturers' News reports Pennsylvania is home to 19,454 manufacturers employing 902,111 workers. MNI surveys both large and small manufacturers, including small start-up companies with just a few employees.
Companies manufacturing industrial machinery and equipment account for the most industry in Pennsylvania, representing 104,791 manufacturing jobs or 11.6 percent of the state, and 17 percent of its plants. Companies producing fabricated metal products represent another 10.5 percent of the state's manufacturing employment, or 95,027 jobs.
The food sector accounts for another 86,568 jobs, or 9.6 percent of the state, and is down 6,563 jobs (7 percent) since May 2006. Food sectors posting the sharpest drops include canned fruits and vegetables, down 1,745 jobs over the past 12 months, and prepared meat products, down 1,521.
Subsectors adding jobs over the past year include blast furnaces and steel mills, up 2,792 jobs; turbine sets, up 1,010; and petroleum products, up 888.
MNI's regional analysis shows Pennsylvania ranks sixth in the nation for manufacturing plants, and fifth for jobs, and accounts for 29 percent of the Mid-Atlantic's industrial employment and plants. Pennsylvania's losses reflect those seen throughout the Mid-Atlantic with New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Virginia all posting manufacturing losses according to earlier MNI reports.
Southeast Pennsylvania accounts for the largest share of the region's manufacturing jobs, with 384,750 jobs (46.6 percent) of the state's industrial employment, down 1.3 percent from May 2006. Southwest Pennsylvania accounts for 200,346 jobs (22.2 percent), down 1.6 percent from last year, while Mid-East Pennsylvania accounts for 132,197 jobs, with no significant change reported over the past year. Northwest Pennsylvania represents 13.2 percent of the state's employment, or 119,804 jobs, down 2.8 percent over one year. The Northeast accounts for 65,014 jobs and is down 1.9 percent.
Philadelphia is Pennsylvania's top industrial employer, accounting for 6 percent of the state's manufacturing employment, or 54,452 jobs, and is home to 1,167 plants. MNI reports Philadelphia ranks among the top 50 cities in the U.S. by manufacturing employment, at 19th in the nation for number of manufacturing jobs and 20th for related plants. Pittsburgh is home to another 940 companies employing 37,504 workers. York ranks third in the state with 26,867 workers and 357 plants, while fourth-ranked Erie is home to 394 plants employing 23,346. Allentown accounts for 20,574 of the state's jobs and 298 plants.
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