EVANSTON, Ill., Dec. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial employment in Minnesota was little changed over the past year with the state posting a slight gain, according to the 2013 Minnesota Manufacturers Register^®, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Minnesota gained 1,321 manufacturing jobs over the past year, or less than one percent, from October 2011 to October 2012.

Manufacturers' News reports Minnesota is now home to 9,611 manufacturers employing 454,368 workers.

"Minnesota 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 educated workforce and solid infrastructure have made it easier for manufacturers to expand."

Several manufacturers operating in Minnesota announced expansions over the year including Polaris, which expanded its Wyoming R&D plant; countertop maker Cambria in LeSuer; SICK, Inc. in Minneapolis; Quality Ingredients Corp in Burnsville; Jackson-based Agco Corp.; and a TSE facility, also located in Jackson. In addition, previously shuttered Faribault Woolen Mills reopened its blanket mill in Faribault; German manufacturer Geringhoff plans to open its first U.S. facility in St. Cloud; and Australian carp processor K&C Fisheries will open its first U.S. plant in Wabasha.

MNI reports industrial machinery and equipment remains Minnesota's largest industrial sector by employment with 68,785 jobs, virtually unchanged from a year ago. Second-ranked food products accounts for 66,408 jobs, with no significant change reported. Third-ranked printing/publishing represents 44,820 of the state's jobs, down 1%.

Minnesota industries that gained jobs over the survey period included furniture/fixtures, up 4.1%; rubber/plastics, up 3.1%; fabricated metals, up 1.2%; chemicals, up 1%; and primary metals, up 1%. Losses were seen in paper products, down 4%; lumber/wood, down 3.8%; textiles/apparel, down 1.5%; and electronics, down 1%.

Industrial locations announcing closures included Ford's 86-year-old Twin Cities Assembly Plant and Verso Paper's location in Sartell.

According to the industrial directory, East Central Minnesota accounts for the largest share of the state's industrial employment with 232,738 manufacturing jobs, down a half percent over the year. Southeast Minnesota ranks second at 110,601 manufacturing jobs, up about one percent over the survey period. The West Central region is home to 39,307 industrial jobs, up 1.1%, while the Southwest is home to 35,059 jobs, with no significant change reported. Northeast Minnesota accounts for 19,786 industrial jobs, up 2.5%, while the Northwest is home to 16,877, up 1.7% over the past twelve months.

According to MNI, Minneapolis remains the state's top city for manufacturing employment, with 54,976 jobs, down 1.9% over the year. St Paul ranks second with 40,776 jobs, down 2.4%. Eden Prairie saw jobs increase 3.7%, with the third-ranked city now home to 12,908 industrial jobs. Fourth-ranked Eagan accounts for 11,757 jobs, with no significant change reported, while Bloomington accounts for 10,740 jobs, up 2.1%.

Detailed profiles of Minnesota's 9,611 manufacturers and 1,253 distributors can be found in the 2013 Minnesota Manufacturers Register^®, available in print for $145, 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), 33,615 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.