Tennessee Industrial Jobs Down 12.6% Over Twenty-Four Months

EVANSTON, Ill., Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- /Manufacturers' News, Inc./ --
Industrial employment in Tennessee fell 12.6% over the past twenty-four months
according to the 2010 Tennessee Manufacturers Register, an industrial
directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL.
MNI reports Tennessee lost 56,647 manufacturing jobs over the past two years,
with 15,110 jobs lost between September 2007 and September 2008 and 41,537
industrial jobs from 2008 to September of this year.

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Manufacturers' News reports Tennessee is now home to 7,711 manufacturers
employing 403,030 workers, compared to a high of 547,494 industrial workers
recorded by MNI in 2001. Manufacturing jobs have declined steadily in the
state since 2001, dropping 144,464 jobs or 26.4%. The loss of nearly 41,537
manufacturing jobs over the past year marks the sharpest decline MNI has ever
reported in the twelve years it has been tracking the state's industry.

"As with the entire nation, the recession continues to hit Tennessee'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 furniture/fixtures sector saw the sharpest decline, down
20.8% over the past twenty-four months, following the closures of New
Generations and Berkline/Benchcraft, LLC, among others. Employment in
lumber/wood saw a 19.5% drop.

Tennessee's top manufacturing sector remains transportation equipment with
43,959 jobs, down 20.6% over the past 24 months, due partially to the closure
of truck assembly plant Peterbilt Motors and layoffs at Nissan's Smyrna
facility. Second-ranked industrial machinery and equipment employs 43,317
workers, down 13.6%, while fabricated metals manufacturing employs the
third-most in the state with 42,417 workers, down 12.6% over the past two
years.

Most other sectors in Tennessee lost jobs within the past twenty-four months
and included rubber/plastics, down 20.4%; textiles/apparel down 16.1%;
electronics down 15.4%; stone/clay/glass down 9.6%; food products down 9.3%;
primary metals down 8.8%; paper products down 6.1% and printing/publishing
down 4%.

Despite the losses, some bright spots have emerged recently including the
opening of tire manufacturer Carlisle Tire & Wheel in Jackson, the opening of
furniture manufacturer BJS East, Inc. in Dandridge, and the expansion of
refrigeration equipment maker Delfield Company in Covington.

According to the industrial directory, Northeast Tennessee accounts for the
largest share of Tennessee's industrial employment with 119,480 manufacturing
jobs, down 12.8% over the past twenty-four months. Southeast Tennessee ranks
second at 108,343 manufacturing jobs, down 14.6% over two years. Southwest
Tennessee is home to 88,430 industrial jobs, down 9.8%, while the Northwest is
home to 86,777 jobs, down 11.2%.

MNI's city data shows Memphis is Tennessee's top city for manufacturing
employment, with 40,552 jobs, up a half percent over the past twenty-four
months. Nashville ranks second with 29,432 jobs, down 5% over two years.
Chattanooga is home to 19,565 industrial jobs, down 12.2%, while Knoxville
accounts for 16,928 jobs, down 15.8% over the past twenty-four months.
Morristown industrial jobs dropped 10.7%, with the city currently home to
11,292 jobs.

Detailed profiles of Tennessee's 7,711 manufacturers and 1,277 industrial
distributors can be found in the 2010 Tennessee Manufacturers Register,
available in print for $115 and on CD-ROM from $195. Each profile provides up
to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), 27,838
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