EVANSTON, Ill.--March 18, 2013: Industrial employment in Hawaii was virtually unchanged over the past twelve months according to the 2013 Hawaii Manufacturers Directory, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports Hawaii gained 20 industrial jobs between December 2011 and December 2012, adding to the half-percent gain MNI reported for the state over the 2010-2011 survey period.
“Hawaii continues to see its manufacturing sector improve”
Manufacturers' News reports Hawaii is now home to 1,164 manufacturers employing 21,512 workers. Honolulu accounts for over half of the state's industrial employment with 11,102 industrial jobs, up one percent over the year.
The industrial directory reports several other Hawaii cities posted gains in manufacturing employment including Kapolei, which saw an increase of 1.6%, and is currently home to 2,317 industrial workers. Aiea accounts for 1,076 manufacturing jobs, up 6% over the past twelve months, while Puunene's manufacturing employment was up 1%, with the city home to 933 industrial jobs.
"Hawaii 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. "Although the state's industrial sector still struggles with high business costs, its abundance of unique natural resources and investments in 'green' technology has been a draw for a variety of enterprises."
Bright spots for the state include the official opening of Big Island Biodiesel; and the expected opening of Hu Huona Bioenergy's biomass plant on the Big Island. In addition, Shrimp Improvement Systems plans to expand its operations into new facilities at Keahole Point; Ocean Vodka has opened a distillery on Maui; and snack maker Big Island Delights has expanded into the Oahu market.
Food products manufacturing accounts for a third of Hawaii's industrial employment, with 7,286 jobs, virtually unchanged from a year ago. Printing/publishing ranks second with 3,105 jobs, down 2.3%. Third-ranked textiles/apparel accounts for 1,769 jobs, with no significant change reported.
Industrial sectors that reported gains included paper products, up 13.3%; chemicals, up 5.2%; transportation equipment, up 4.6%; and electronics, up 4.1%. Losses were seen in industrial machinery and equipment, down 9.8%; instruments/related products down 6.4%; lumber/wood, down 5.7%; furniture/fixtures, down 3.8%; and primary metals, down 2.7%.
Oahu is home to the most industrial employment in Hawaii, accounting for 16,269 jobs, with no significant change reported. The Big Island accounts for 2,531 jobs, up 1.5%. Maui is home to 2,086 manufacturing jobs, up 1.1%, while Kauai accounts for 626, up 1.4% over the year.
Detailed profiles of Hawaii's 1,164 manufacturing companies and 435 distributors can be found in the 2013 Hawaii Manufacturers Directory available in print for $79, or available online through MNI's industrial database subscription service EZSelect.com. Users may generate custom profiles of manufacturers using a variety of criteria, including region, SIC, sales volume, number of employees, and more. Each business profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information, 3,989 executives by name and title, product(s) manufactured, and more.
Manufacturers' News, Inc. is the nation's oldest and largest publisher of state industrial directories and manufacturers databases. For 101 years the company has identified, researched and profiled manufacturing companies. MNI employs an 85-person editorial staff to scour 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.