Alaska and U.S. manufacturing employment.

• Author: Davidson, Paul
• Position: ALASKA TRENDS

Manufacturing is defined in the North American Industry Classification System as the mechanical, physical, or chemical transformation of materials into new products. The scale of the manufacturing sector ranges from large industrial factories to small in-house bakeries. The latest data shows an unemployment rate of 7.3 percent for the manufacturing sector as of August. Roughly 69 percent of Alaska's manufacturing sector consists of fish processing. Manufacturing employment in Alaska makes up approximately 3.7 percent of the state's yearly employment; this ratio is 58.67 percent less than that of the greater United States during the same period.

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The chart shows seasonally adjusted manufacturing employment for the U.S. in millions, and Alaska in thousands, from 1939 to 2011. U.S, manufacturing boomed during WWII and shows significant flux over the dataset. The last decade shows the largest decline in manufacturing on this record. Manufacturing employment in Alaska shows an earlier decline than the greater U.S. with less decline and some increases over the past few years.

Indicator Units Period GENERAL Personal Income--Alaska US $ 1st Q12 Personal Income--United US $ 1st Q12 States Consumer Prices--Anchorage 1982-1984=100 1st Q12 Consumer Prices--United 1982-1984=100 1st Q12 States Bankruptcies Alaska Total Number Filed July Anchorage Total Number Filed July Fairbanks Total Number Filed July EMPLOYMENT Alaska Thousands July Anchorage & Mat--Su Thousands July Fairbanks Thousands July Southeast Thousands July Gulf Coast Thousands July Sectorial Distribution-- Alaska Total Nonfarm Thousands July Goods Producing Thousands July Services Providing Thousands July Mining and Logging Thousands July Mining Thousands July Oil & Gas Thousands July Construction Thousands July Manufacturing Thousands July Seafood Processing Thousands July Trade/Transportation/ Thousands July Utilities WholesaleTrade Thousands July Retail Trade Thousands July Food &Beverage Stores Thousands July General Merchandise Stores Thousands July Trans/Warehouse/Utilities Thousands July Air Transportation Thousands July Information Thousands July Telecommunications Thousands July Financial Activities Thousands July Professional & Thousands July Business Services Educational & Thousands July Health Services Health Care Thousands July Leisure &Hospitality Thousands July Accommodation Thousands July Food Services & Thousands July Drinking Places Other Services Thousands...