CT Manufacturing Jobs See Fewer Losses

Posted on July 20, 2009

Fewer manufacturing jobs in the State of Connecticut have been lost during recent years. This is good news for anyone who has, or is looking for, a CT manufacturing job.

Manufacturers’ News, Inc. has reported that Connecticut lost 1.3 percent of its manufacturing jobs from 2007 to 2008, a decrease from the 3 percent of jobs that were lost from 2006 to 2007. The state is home to 5,820 manufacturers that employ 221,973 workers.

“As with the entire nation, the recession continues to affect Connecticut’s industrial sector,” President Tom Dubin said. “However the state’s educated workforce and strong exports should help lay the groundwork for recovery.”

Connecticut’s transportation equipment sector currently accounts for 39,681 of the state’s jobs, making it the biggest industrial sector. However, the industry decreased by 3.7 percent during the year. Following it is fabricated metals manufacturing, which accounts for 29,614 jobs, a decrease of 3.1 percent during the year.

During the year, all of Connecticut’s industrial sectors saw a decrease, including primary metals by 12 percent; electronics by 8.7 percent; rubber and plastics by 8.2 percent; printing and publishing by 7.9 percent; furniture and fixtures by 7 percent; chemicals by 6.3 percent; stone, clay and glass by 5.8 percent; textiles and apparel by 3 percent; and lumber and wood by 2.9 percent.

Fairfield and New Haven counties account for 77 percent of the state’s manufacturing employment, or about 171,556 jobs. Stratford is the state’s top city for manufacturing employment with about 10,835 jobs.

It is thought Connecticut’s industrial industry could expand, as Jonal Laboratories, an elastometric component manufacturer, is planning to expand. On top of that, exports from the state increased by 79 percent from 2004 to 2008.