Jobs Slowly Returning to Great Lakes Region in 2010

---

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Tens of thousands of jobs have been lost in the Great Lakes region of the United States since the recession began in December 2007. Even before the recession officially began to take its toll on the country, jobs were being lost in the region because of the sluggish automotive sector. However, once the recession hit, the job losses multiplied. The total and complete collapse of the automotive sector could not have come at a worse time for a region that relied on the sector for the bulk of its employment. After many months of struggling to stop the hemorrhaging, the region is now poised to begin the long road to jobs recovery heading into 2010.

The much heralded stimulus bill that was passed earlier this year promised to create thousands of new jobs across the country. However, it has not lived up to its high expectations up to this point. Industry, as a whole, has been forced to re-examine itself, taking a close, careful look at its own businesses and making tough decisions about what production will remain and where cuts can be made.

With its reliance on the automotive sector, the Great Lakes region was in a more difficult position than most regions of the country. Literally thousands of plants in the region were linked to the automotive sector, and as that sector began its abysmal decline, these plants began to lay off workers and, in many cases, eventually close completely.

Now, most of the industry in the region has reached a tenuous balance point. The jobs that need to be cut have been cut, and the plants that need to be closed have been closed. The number of bankruptcies has begun to decline, and as the overall economy begins to show signs of recovery and stability, industry is beginning to plan for expansion and job additions once again.

Looking ahead into 2010, more than 100 industrial plants are currently scheduled to open their doors and begin operations during the coming year. This will represent just over 9,700 new jobs for the region. While this is nowhere near the number of jobs that have been lost over the past two years, it is a good start for a region that continues to suffer economically.

Click on image at right for a breakdown by state of the number of new plants and employment opportunities in the U.S. Great Lakes region in 2010.

The Power Industry leads in terms of new plants, with 29 plants scheduled to start operations. The Industrial Manufacturing Industry is coming up fast with an additional 21 plants. More than 5,000 of the 9,700 new jobs in the region will be created in these two industries, with the Industrial Manufacturing Industry bringing 4,800 jobs to the region.

The Metals & Minerals Industry is a distant third in total new plants for the region with 12 new plants, which will bring about 2,100 new jobs. The Pharmaceuticals & Biotech Industry will contribute an additional 14 new plants and almost 900 new jobs, while the Food & Beverage Industry will add 11 new plants and 1,200 new jobs.

Overall, the total number of new plants and corresponding new jobs currently scheduled to come to the Great Lakes region in 2010 is just a drop in the bucket compared to what the region has lost in the past two-plus years. However, it is a good starting point and as the year progresses, more new plants and jobs will come to the region if the economy continues to improve. It will take a number of years for the region to regain all that it has lost, but it has to begin somewhere and this is a good time for a rebirth.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy related markets. For more than 26 years, Industrial Info has provided plant and project opportunity databases, market forecasts, high resolution maps, and daily industry news.