EVANSTON, Ill., Nov. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial employment in Tennessee increased about one percent over the past year according to the 2013 Tennessee Manufacturers Register^®, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Tennessee gained 3,368 manufacturing jobs from September 2011 to September 2012.

Manufacturers' News reports Tennessee is now home to 7,150 manufacturers employing 377,662 workers.

"Tennessee continues to see its manufacturing sector improve," says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. "Its business-friendly environment and solid infrastructure have made it easier for manufacturers to do business, drawing major companies to the state."

In addition to the new Whirlpool plant that opened in Cleveland, several manufacturers operating in Tennessee have announced expansions including Volkswagen's plant in Chattanooga; Nissan's plant in Smyrna; Genesee A&B in Mouth Juliet; Magneti Marelli's automotive lighting plant in Pulaski; Mars Chocolate North America's plant in Cleveland; and AGRANA Fruit's yogurt plant in Centerville. 

MNI reports Tennessee's three largest sectors by industrial jobs all saw an increase in employment over the year. Following a 10.8% increase in jobs, transportation equipment has overtaken industrial machinery as the state's top industrial sector by employment, and currently accounts for 44,358 jobs. Second-ranked industrial machinery and equipment accounts for 42,179 jobs, up 1.5% over the year. Fabricated metals ranks third in the state with 40,820 industrial jobs, up 2.4% over the past twelve months. 

Other sectors that gained jobs included instruments/related products, up 3.4% and stone/clay/glass, up 1.5%. Losses were seen in furniture/fixtures, down 7.7%; lumber/wood, down 4.9%; printing/publishing, down 2.8%; textiles/apparel, down 2%; and chemicals, down 1.4%.

Industrial locations closing over the year included Cleo Inc.'s plant in Memphis; Philips Luminaries' facility in Sparta; Dalphis America LLC's location in Memphis; and a Sara Lee-Kern bakery in Knoxville. 

According to the industrial directory, Southeast Tennessee accounts for the largest share of the state's industrial employment with 113,098 manufacturing jobs, up 4.9% over the year. Northeast Tennessee ranks second with 106,377 manufacturing jobs, virtually unchanged over the past twelve months. Southwest Tennessee is home to 81,924 industrial jobs, down 1.2%, while the Northwest is home to 76,263 jobs, down 1%.

According to MNI, Memphis remains Tennessee's top city for manufacturing employment with 37,585 jobs, down 1.6% over the year. Employment remained steady in second-ranked Nashville, with the city currently home to 27,685 industrial jobs. Third-ranked Chattanooga accounts for 24,251 industrial jobs, up 8.6%, while industrial employment in Knoxville remained steady over the year with the fourth-ranked city home to 15,030 jobs. Smyrna accounts for 9,131 manufacturing jobs, up 6.7% over the past twelve months. 

Detailed profiles of Tennessee's 7,150 manufacturers and 1,309 distributors can be found in the 2013 Tennessee Manufacturers Register^®, available in print for $122, or available online through MNI's subscription-based service at www.ezselect.com. Users may generate custom profiles of manufacturers using a variety of criteria, including area or zip code, county, SIC, sales volume, number of employees, and more. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), 27,671 executives by name and title, product(s) manufactured, annual sales, and number of employees. MNI also maintains IndustryNet.com, an industrial search engine designed specifically for locating manufacturers and suppliers nationwide, and has recently launched an expansion and relocation guide for manufacturers.

Manufacturers' News, Inc. is the nation's oldest and largest publisher of state manufacturers directories.  For 100 years the company has identified, researched and profiled manufacturing establishments. MNI employs an 85-person editorial staff to scour state business registrations, trade journals, financial reports, and many other sources to pinpoint every manufacturing establishment in the U.S. Each manufacturer is contacted throughout the year to update their profiles, including their employee counts. For more information, contact Manufacturers' News, Inc., 1633 Central St., Evanston, IL, 60201, 847-864-7000, FAX 847-332-1100. www.manufacturersnews.com. Information is also available on Facebook and Twitter.      

SOURCE Manufacturers' News, Inc.