Industrial Guide Reports Florida Lost 30,000 Manufacturing Jobs

EVANSTON, Ill., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- /Manufacturers' News, Inc./ --
Industrial employment in Florida fell 5.3% over the past twelve months
according to the 2009 Florida Manufacturers Register, an industrial directory
published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI
reports Florida lost 30,340 industrial jobs and 665 manufacturers between
February 2008 and February 2009, the steepest loss MNI has ever reported for
the state.

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Manufacturers' News reports Florida is home to 15,860 manufacturers employing
543,283 workers. MNI profiles companies of all sizes including start-up
companies with just a few employees.

"As with the entire nation, weakening demand continues to hit many of
Florida's core sectors, while the faltering housing market has affected
industries such as wood products, furniture and building products," says Tom
Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been
surveying industry since 1912.

Employment in the lumber and wood sector saw the worst drop in employment,
down 15% in 2008, due partially to the closure of lumber mill West Fraser and
layoffs at Wayne Dalton, although one bright spot for the sector was seen in
the start-up of Green Core Earth Products, a manufacturer of energy-efficient
modular housing.

MNI reports printing/publishing is Florida's top sector by industrial
employment, with 57,581 jobs, down 6.4% over the year. The electronics sector
follows closely with 53,826 jobs, down 3.3%, in part due to the closure of
Hi-Stat Mfg. Co., a manufacturer of electrical components for commercial
trucks. Third-ranked fabricated metal products employs 50,522, down 5% over
the year.

Job losses were seen across all sectors over the past twelve months and
included rubber and plastics, down 10%; stone/clay and glass down 9.7%;
textiles/apparel down 7%; industrial machinery and equipment down 5.2%;
chemicals down 4%; food products down 3.5%; paper down 3.4% and transportation
equipment was down the least at 2.3%.

Manufacturers' News reports Central Florida accounts for over half of the
state's decline, losing 6.8% of its manufacturing employment or 17,967 jobs.
The region is currently home to 245,566 industrial workers or 45% of the
state. South Florida lost 10,176 jobs over the year or 5% and currently
accounts for 195,499 industrial jobs. Over a third of these jobs were lost in
Miami, which saw employment fall by 8.3% or 3,929 jobs.

The Northeast region of the state lost the fewest jobs, down just a half
percent, and is currently home to 69,403 industrial workers. Manufacturing
employment in the Panhandle dropped 5.4%, the region home to 32,815 jobs,
according to MNI.

MNI's city data shows Miami is the state's top city for manufacturing
employment, home to 43,575 jobs and 1,365 manufacturers, and ranks 11th among
the nation's cities for number of manufacturers and 29th for related jobs.

Second-ranked Jacksonville accounts for 43,273 jobs, with industrial
employment steady over the past twelve months. Industrial jobs in Orlando have
dropped 5.8%, with the city home to 35,220 jobs. Fourth-ranked Tampa accounts
for 31,938 of the state's jobs, down 3.7%, while Fort Lauderdale is home to
16,089 industrial workers, with no significant change reported over the year,
according to MNI.

Detailed profiles of Florida's 15,860 manufacturers and 1,912 industrial
distributors can be found in the 2009 Florida Manufacturers Register,
available in print for $182 and on CD-ROM from $266. Each profile provides up
to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), 47,018
executives by name and title, product(s) manufactured, annual sales, number of
employees, and more. Visitors to mnileads.com may generate custom profiles of
manufacturers using thirteen different criteria, including area or zip code,
county, SIC, sales volume, number of employees, and more.

Manufacturers' News, Inc., publisher of manufacturers' directories since 1912,
compiles and produces manufacturing guides, statistics and databases for all
50 states. MNI also maintains IndustryNet.com, an industrial search engine
designed specifically for locating manufacturers and suppliers nationwide. For
more information, contact Manufacturers' News, Inc., 1633 Central St.,
Evanston, IL, 60201, 847-864-7000, FAX 847-332-1100.

SOURCE Manufacturers' News, Inc.

Jennifer Ratcliff of Manufacturers' News, Inc., +1-847-864-9440, ext. 241,
jratcliff@manufacturersnews.com