The private sector job loss in Kansas shows no sign of abating soon, according to figures published Monday in a statewide report published  by Manufacturers News, a national industry publication.

According to the 2009 Kansas Manufacturers Directory, industrial employment in Kansas has dropped 3.2 percent in the last year. The decline translates to a loss of about 7,490 industrial jobs.

The state also lost 44 manufacturers between March 2008 and 2009, the first time the Manufacturers News has reported a loss for the state.

Although manufacturing has declined in the state, government jobs in Kansas have actually increased within the last year, as Kansas Liberty reported last week. Public sector employment grew by about 3,600 between March 2008 and March 2009; during that same time frame Kansas' private sector, including manufacturing, lost about 25,300 jobs.

The Directory reported a 1 percent gain in employment between 2005 and 2006, an increase of 2.1 percent between 2006 and 2007, and a 1.5 percent rise over the 2007-2008 survey period.

Kansas is home to 4,790 manufacturers employing 227,333 workers, according to the publisher.

"As with the entire nation, weakening demand continues to hit many of Kansas' core sectors," said Tom Dubin, president of Manufacturers News. "MNI had previously reported net increases in Kansas' industrial employment, but gains earned over the past few years have been largely erased by losses weathered by the state during the recession."

Most of the state's manufacturing positions come from the transportation equipment sector of the economy. This sector of the economy has suffered considerably as the state's two leading aircraft manufacturing companies — Boeing and Hawker Beechcraft — have made several layoffs since the economy's decline. Employment levels at the two companies are down about 6 percent.

According to the report, job losses were seen across most other sectors over the past 12 months and included rubber/plastics (down 7.8 percent); lumber/wood (down 6 percent); printing/publishing (down 4.2 percent); primary metals (down 3.5 percent); electronics (down 3.2 percent); stone/clay/glass (down 2.1 percent); paper products (down 1.9 percent); and chemicals (down 1.5 percent).

There was some good news in the report, however. Fabricated metal manufacturing saw employment increase 2.4 percent, "partially thanks to the expansion of Haas Metal Engineering in Topeka," said the report. Siemens Energy's plans to open a wind turbine equipment plant in Hutchinson and an increase in hiring at plastic bag manufacturer Envision were the report's other bright spots.

Southeast Kansas accounted for more than half of the state's decline, the report said, losing 4.1 percent of its manufacturing employment — some 4,743 jobs. Northeast Kansas lost 3,202 jobs over the year or 3.3 percent. Southwest Kansas  was down about the same amount over the past 12 months.

- This report was based on information supplied by Manufacturers News Inc.

Resources

• Kansas Liberty article

http://www.kansasliberty.com/liberty-update-archive/2009/18may/government-growth-adds-to-private-sector-burden/ 

• The 2009 Kansas Manufacturers Directory
• http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-18-2009/0005028122&EDATE=

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