Connecticut’s overall unemployment levels are down from a year ago, but the manufacturing industry lost 1,522 jobs in that time period according a just-published industrial catalog.
From May 2011-12, the industry saw employment drop .7 percent, according to the 2013 Connecticut Manufacturers Register.
"Connecticut still struggles with decreased demand and high business costs," says Tom Dubin, president of Manufacturers’ News, in a press release. "When choosing a location for a new plant, manufacturers look at labor and energy costs, as well as the tax and regulatory burdens. Connecticut often has not been competitive with other states in these areas."
The company looked at 22 states so far, and 70 percent have posted an improvement in manufacturing employment. Connecticut’s industrial workforce totals 201,758 workers and 5,492 different manufacturers.
The three largest segments of the industrial sector are transportation, industrial machinery and equipment and fabricated metals. All but transportation saw a decline in the past year.
Manufacturers’ News did point out several promising developments, such as the “planned establishment of Tronox Inc.'s global headquarters in Stamford; the expected expansion of Alexion Pharmaceuticals in Hartford; the recent merger announcement between Beacon Industries and TECT Power; the expansion of SolarChange LLC; and the opening of a biodiesel plant in Bridgeport.”
