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Illinois Manufacturing Jobs See 2.1 Percent Decrease

Posted on January 21, 2009

In part because of the slumping economy, Illinois manufacturing jobs have seen a decrease during the past year.

According to the 2009 Illinois Manufacturers Directory, Illinois’ manufacturing decreased by 2.1 percent during the past 12 months. From November 2007 to November 2008 the state lost 19,924 industrial jobs. The Directory is a compilation of state industry published each year by Manufacturers’ News Inc., an Evanston, Ill.-based company that has been surveying industry since 1912.

The State of Illinois is home to 20,788 manufacturers that employ 906,006 workers, according to an article by Reliable Plant, making the state fourth in the nation for number of manufacturing jobs.

“As with the entire nation, weakening demand continues to hit many of Illinois’ core sectors, while the faltering housing market has affected industries such as wood products, furniture and building products,” Tom Dubin, president of Manufacturer’s News Inc., said in the article.

Although the industry as a whole continues to decline, some companies in Illinois have managed to add manufacturing jobs. Jel Sert Company, a food products manufacturer in western Chicago, added jobs when it expanded. Siemens added positions when it built a second plant in Elgin to meet the growing demand for wind turbine gear drives.

According to the report:

  • Chicago is home to the most industrial jobs in Illinois, accounting for 124,075 jobs, a 3.7 percent decrease from last year. The city ranks as the nation’s third top manufacturing city for number of industrial jobs.
  • Northeastern Illinois accounts for 70 percent of the state’s manufacturing jobs, down 2.2 percent from last year, with 345,182 of these jobs located in Cook County
  • Northwest Illinois accounts for 87,530 manufacturing jobs, down 2.2 percent from last year
  • East and West Central Illinois account for a combined 122,473 manufacturing jobs, with East Central jobs down 1.6 percent from last year and employment in West Central Illinois down 1.1 percent
  • Southwest Illinois accounts for 38,527 manufacturing jobs, a 4.6 percent decrease from last year
  • Southeast Illinois accounts for 30,517 manufacturing jobs, a 3.5 percent increase from last year
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