Florida's manufacturing employment dropped 1 percent over the last 12 months, according to the 2007 Florida Manufacturers Register.
The Register, a manufacturers directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, shows South and Central Florida lost 6,422 manufacturing jobs while north Florida gained 668. The net loss was 5,754 jobs since March 2006.
"This is a trend we've seen in other states," says MNI President Thomas Dubin. "Although manufacturing output is at record highs, industrial employment is stagnant or declining."
Dubin says that trend is partly the result of outsourcing, mergers and consolidation. But he also says the nature of today's manufacturing plays an important role.