Tennessee manufacturing jobs fell 12.6 percent in the past two years. According to Tennessee Manufacturing Register, 56, 647 jobs were lost due to closures and layoffs.

Manufacture’s News Inc. (MNI) a Chicago based manufacturer’s directory publisher released a report on the industrial jobs in Tennessee. A total of 15, 110 jobs were lost between September 2007 and September 2008; 41, 537 jobs from September 2008 and September of this year.

According to the MNI report, currently Tennessee’s 7, 711 manufacturers employ 403, 030 workers compared to 547, 494 workers in 2001. There was a 26.4 percent decline amounting to 144, 464 job losses.

MNI reports this year’s 41,537 job losses is sharpest decline in the past twelve years.

The declining housing market contributed to considerable job losses.

Tom Dubin, President of the MNI, said, "As with the entire nation, the recession continues to hit Tennessee's core sectors, while the faltering housing market has affected industries such as wood products, furniture and building products.”

There was a 20.8 percent decline in the furniture and fixtures sectors in the past 24 months. Following the closures of New Generations Furniture and Berkline Benchcraft LLC., the lumber and wood saw sector witnessed a 19.5 drop in employment.

Due to the closure of Peterbilt Motors and layoffs at Nissan’s facility at Smyrna, Cummins and Dura layoffs, the transportation equipment sector is down by 20.6 percent.

While industrial machinery and equipment manufacturing sector fell by 13.6 percent, fabricated material manufacturing sector fell by 12.6 percent.

The other sectors experienced major job losses were rubber and plastics -20.4 percent; textile and apparel – 16.1 percent; stone, clay and glass – 9.6 percent.

Almost all major cities in Tennessee experienced the job losses except for Memphis.

Despite recession, Memphis witnessed a half percent rise in manufacturing jobs, while Nashville lost 5 percent, Knoxville lost 15.8 percent. While Chattanooga dropped 12.2 percent industrial jobs Morristown dropped 10.7 percent.

Upper Cumberland Manufacturing Job losses:

Exclusive to CookevilleTimes.com:

The Upper Cumberland region lost 2, 258 industrial jobs in the past 24 months. With 25,736 manufacturing jobs in 2007, this region’s industrial employment fell 8.8 percent reaching a total of 23,478 industrial jobs.

Putnam County is leading by 646 jobs losses followed by the Cumberland County with 611 job losses. Warren, Smith and Pickett lost 368, 200 and 140 jobs respectively.

Fentress County has the highest percentage of job losses, 64.4 percent followed by the Cumberland with 20.6 percent.

Source:  Tennessee Manufacturers Register - 2009 by Manufacturers’ New Inc, Evanston, IL.

Upper Cumberland region job change figures are exclusive to CookevilleTimes.com

Sumanth Garakarajula can be reached at Sumanth@Journalist.com or 347 767 6466.