EVANSTON, Ill., Dec. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial employment in Wyoming increased 1.2% over the past year, according to the 2013 Wyoming Manufacturers Directory^®, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Wyoming gained 640 manufacturing jobs from October 2011 to October 2012.

Manufacturers' News reports Wyoming is now home to 1,200 manufacturers employing 33,463 workers.

"Wyoming has perhaps the nation's most favorable tax structure for businesses, and has enjoyed an energy boom in recent years," says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. "The state's significant oil, gas and coal extracting industries have led the way in the creation of new jobs."

Bright spots for the state included the opening of Ridgeline Energy Services' new storage systems manufacturing plant in Deaver, and the proposed expansion of a J.R. Simplot fertilizer facility in Rock Springs. 

MNI reports Wyoming's largest industrial sectors by employment all reported gains over the year. Oil and gas extraction accounts for the most industrial employment in the state with 10,219 jobs, up 6.3% over the year. Coal mining ranks second and accounts for 6,431 jobs, up a half percent. Third-ranked industrial machinery and equipment represents 3,707 of the state's jobs, up 4.2% over the past twelve months.

Other industrial sectors that gained jobs included stone/clay/glass, up 5.1% and electronics, up 4%. Losses were seen in rubber/plastics, down 18%, due partially to closure of Jeld-Wen Inc.'s location in Cheyenne. Printing/publishing declined 8%; fabricated metals fell 7%; textiles/apparel fell 6.5%; and lumber/wood dropped 5.3%.

According to MNI, Gillette remains Wyoming's top city for manufacturing employment, with 6,058 jobs, up 1.5% over the year. Casper ranks second with 4,276 jobs, down a half percent. Employment remained steady in Wright, with the third-ranked city currently accounting for 3,237 industrial jobs. Rock Springs accounts for 2,663 industrial jobs, with no significant change reported, while Green River is home to 2,481 manufacturing jobs, up 1.4% over the past twelve months. 

Detailed profiles of Wyoming's 1,200 manufacturers and 175 distributors can be found in the 2013 Wyoming Manufacturers Directory^®, available in print for $78, 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), 4,248 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. http://www.manufacturersnews.com/. Information is also available on Facebook and Twitter.      

SOURCE Manufacturers' News, Inc.