Oct. 6 - Manufacturers Honored During MN Manufacturers Week

ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, the Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association and the Minnesota Manufacturers Coalition are sponsoring Minnesota Manufacturers Week October 25-29 to recognize the importance of manufacturing to the state's economy.

A variety of local events around the state designed to recognize, celebrate and promote Minnesota manufacturing will be held during that week, including plant tours, speakers and educational events.

“It’s impossible to overstate the importance of manufacturing to Minnesota’s economic well being,” said DEED Commissioner Dan McElroy. “With nearly one in seven jobs tied to the industry, manufacturing is the backbone of our economy. Manufacturing is increasingly reliant on strong foreign sales.”

Here are facts about the manufacturing industry in Minnesota:

• Minnesota has 300,200 manufacturing jobs statewide or 14 percent of all private-sector jobs. Each manufacturing job supports another 1.3 jobs elsewhere in the economy through supplier purchases and employee spending. In all, manufacturing accounts for nearly 800,000 jobs or about 29 percent of all jobs in Minnesota. 
• Manufacturing contributes more than $30 billion to the state economy and represents 17 percent of the Minnesota's gross domestic product.
• Across the state, manufacturing accounts for between 6 percent and 18 percent of total employment, depending on the region.
• Manufacturing has the second-largest payroll of any business sector in the state, providing $16.1 billion in 2009 wages.
•  Manufacturing pays an average annual wage of $53,612 per employee, eclipsing construction, real estate, and agriculture.
• Most manufacturing jobs in Minnesota are concentrated in computer and electronic products, food manufacturing, fabricated metal products, and machinery.
• Manufacturing exports brought more than $14.6 billion into the Minnesota economy in 2009. 

For more information about manufacturing in Minnesota, fast facts, event-planning ideas and education, go to: http://tinyurl.com/MNManufacturersWeek.

DEED is the state’s principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about the agency and our services, visit us at www.PositivelyMinnesota.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PositivelyMN.

Upon request, the information in this news release is available in an alternative format such as Braille, large print, audiotape or computer disk.

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
Communications Office
Phone 651/259-7161 or 1-800-657-3858 ∙ TTY 1-800-657-3973
www.PositivelyMinnesota.com