U.S. Plants Coming Online to Create More than 62,000 Jobs in 2013

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The unemployment situation in the U.S. remains a hot button topic, even as most of the political conversation has shifted to the looming "fiscal cliff" and its potential solutions. Once that issue is put to bed, unemployment will again take center stage as both political parties attempt to garner support for their solutions. The unemployment rate has been decreasing each month, but not at a very rapid pace, and additional governmental legislation probably will be required to get it back down to pre-recession levels. However, outside of all of that maneuvering, companies are hiring each and every month as new plants, facilities that have been under construction, are coming online and beginning production operations. Looking ahead to 2013, Industrial Info is currently tracking 760 plants that are in the planning, engineering or construction stage of development that will create more than 62,000 jobs in the U.S. once they come online in the next 12 months.

Click on the image at the right for a chart detailing new U.S. plants and that are scheduled to begin operations in 2013 and their projected employment.

The Great Lakes region of the country stands out as the most prolific creator of jobs in the coming year, while it ranks second in the total number of plants expected to begin operations. The region is expected to create close to 12,000 jobs as 111 plants complete construction activities and open their doors for production. The Southwest region will have the most new plants begin operations, 150, but will create significantly fewer jobs initially, just more than 3,600. The Mid-Atlantic region has a much smaller number of plants scheduled to begin production, only 59, but will create 11,193 jobs through the year, the second-largest number.

A significant number of plants also will be starting manufacturing operations in other regions. The West Coast will see 94 new plants start production, which will create another 6,200 jobs, while the Rocky Mountains will contribute 87 new plants and 6,100 jobs. The Southeast region, another region that has seen significant planned spending, will add 83 plants and just more than 9,700 jobs. The Northeast is the last of the 6,000-plus job creators with 61 new plants coming online, while two regions, the Midwest and New England, will each add more than 3,000 jobs.

Four industries are poised to begin operations on the majority of the plants coming online in the next 12 months. The Oil & Gas Transmission Industry will lead the way with 138 plants, followed by the Food & Beverage Industry with 128 plants, the Power Industry with 121 plants and the Industrial Manufacturing Industry with an even 100 plants. The Pharmaceuticals & Biotech Industry will contribute 74 plants, while the Metals & Minerals Industry will add 66. Three industries will see just more than 30 new plants begin operations in 2013: Oil & Gas Production, Alternative Fuels and Chemical Processing.

The largest number of jobs will be created in the Industrial Manufacturing Industry, which is expected to hire in excess of 25,000 new workers in 2013. The Food & Beverage and Pharmaceuticals & Biotech industries, combined, will almost equal the Industrial Manufacturing Industry's expected hiring, with 13,000 jobs up for grabs in Food & Beverage and another 12,000 jobs available in Pharmaceuticals & Biotech. The Metals & Minerals Industry is expected to see over 3,600 new jobs within its plants, while the Power, Alternative Fuels and Chemical Processing industries will each exceed 1,000 new jobs for the year.

While these jobs figures are certainly preliminary, they are more likely to grow, then fall, as 2013 develops. Additional plants will be scheduled to come online and begin operations and as long as there is not another full-blown recession. There is certainly a chance these industries will create close to 100,000 jobs by the end of 2013.

The key to driving down the unemployment rate will be how much hiring is done outside of new plants beginning operations. Companies have determined that they can do more with less after the recession and are reluctant to over hire in the coming months. However, the private goods-producing companies are where the country looks for increases in jobs numbers each and every month. Hopefully, 2013 will see increased hiring at the existing plants as well as those just coming online, and the unemployment rate will continue its decline, eventually reaching those vaunted pre-recession numbers.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.