Washington State Gained Manufacturing Jobs for a Fourth Straight Year, Raising Employment to Pre-Recession Level

May 14, 2015 | By Business Wire News

EVANSTON, Ill.

Manufacturers’ News, Inc./– Manufacturing employment increased in Washington State for a fourth straight year, reports the 2015 Washington Manufacturers Directory ^®, an industrial database and directory published by Manufacturers’ News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. According to data collected by MNI, Washington manufacturers added 2,827 jobs from February 2014 to February 2015, an increase of 1%.

Manufacturers’ News reports industrial employment in the Evergreen State has climbed 6.3% since February of 2011, overtaking the nation’s 5.8% rate of growth over this four-year time frame. Manufacturing employment now stands at pre-recession levels in Washington, with 6,661 manufacturers employing 313,509 workers.

“Washington’s industrial base has achieved a remarkable turnaround following the recession’s steep losses,” says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. “With its educated workforce, diverse economy, and stronghold in aerospace and tech, the state has become an ideal location for innovative enterprises and traditional industries alike.”

According to Manufacturers’ News, employment gains were led by the transportation equipment sector, which climbed 2.4% over the year, and 9.2% over the past four years, ranking first in the state for industrial employment with 52,890 jobs.

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Employment gains were reported across most other industrial sectors in Washington, says MNI, with employment in textiles/apparel up 3.7%; fabricated metals up 2%; chemicals up 1.6%; paper products up 1.4%; electronics, up 1.3% and industrial machinery, up 1%.

Seattle manufacturing employment climbed 3.3% over the year, and rose 14% since February 2011. The city ranks first in the state for industrial jobs, with 916 companies employing 44,281. Jobs climbed 2.6% in Kent and 1.1% in Vancouver.

Established in 1912, Manufacturers’ News, Inc. is the nation’s oldest and largest publisher of industrial information. MNI offers a variety of tailored solutions to help customers connect with 430,000 manufacturers and suppliers. MNI’s industrial database subscription service EZ Select allows users to tap into a live interactive database of manufacturers, while its industrial search engine IndustryNet connects buyers and suppliers and allows users to view profiles and obtain competitive quotes. For more information, contact Manufacturers’ News, Inc. 847-864-7000. http://www.manufacturersnews.com