/EINPresswire.com/ -- EVANSTON, IL--(Marketwired - December 14, 2016) - Manufacturers' News, Inc. -- Arkansas lost industrial jobs over the past year, reports the 2017 Arkansas Manufacturers Register^®, an industrial database and directory published by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. According to MNI's database of manufacturers, Arkansas lost 2,937 jobs between September 2015 and September 2016, a 1.4% decline.

Arkansas' 5,278 manufacturers employ 203,307 in the state, reports MNI.

"Although Arkansas' labor costs are among the most competitive in the nation, finding skilled workers remains a challenge -- a deterrent to many new businesses. In addition, plummeting oil prices have affected the state's oil/gas extraction industry, which until recently had been a small, but steady growth sector," says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. "However, Arkansas' stronghold in the food processing sector combined with a business-friendly environment have helped to keep losses at bay."

Manufacturing job losses in Arkansas were led by the state's industrial machinery sector, which dropped by 1,200 jobs or 7.5%, and ranks third in the state for number of factory jobs, employing 14,738.

For the full report on Arkansas manufacturing, including a regional analysis, click here or visit http://www.mni.net/news/.

Food processing remains the state's top sector by number of industrial jobs, employing 49,318, up a half percent over the year. Jobs in the second-ranked fabricated metals industry were up 3.8% to 15,742.

Arkansas' industrial job losses were seen across a broad range of sectors, including oil/gas extraction, down 16%; stone/clay/glass, down 6.6%; furniture/fixtures, down 6.3%; electronics, down 5.5%; printing/publishing, down 3.5%; chemicals, down 2.4% and rubber/plastics, down 1.8%.

City data collected by MNI shows Springdale ranks first in the state for number of manufacturing jobs, with 13,394 workers, down 1.5% over the past year. Little Rock is a close second, with 12,225 jobs, down 1.1%.

Established in 1912, MNI is the nation's oldest and largest compiler of industrial information, offering tailored solutions to help customers connect with 430,000 manufacturers and suppliers. MNI's industrial marketplace IndustryNet: http://www.industrynet.com is a one-stop resource that connects buyers with suppliers of 10,000 + products and services, and allows users to obtain competitive quotes, create and view company profiles, post company news releases, photos, videos, job openings, and more. MNI's subscription service EZ Select: http://www.ezselect.com provides access to MNI's live interactive database of manufacturers. For more information, contact MNI at 847-864-7000 or visit http://www.mni.net.

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