For a third straight year, Virginia gained manufacturing jobs, reports the 2015 Virginia Manufacturers Directory^®, an industrial database and directory published by Manufacturers’ News, Inc. (MNI). According to data collected by MNI, Virginia manufacturers added 4,114 jobs or 1.2%, from December 2013 to December 2014, running ahead of the 1% gain MNI reported for the state over the 2012-2013 survey period.

Manufacturers’ News reports Virginia is now home to 6,252 manufacturers employing 338,073 workers.

“Following years of losses stemming from the housing crisis and recession, investment in Virginia’s industrial sector has picked up speed and employment has increased accordingly,” says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. “Along with its diverse economy, educated workforce and investments in tech and innovation, the state is among the most business-friendly in the U.S.”

Manufacturers’ News reports gains were led by the transportation equipment industry, which posted an increase of 1.5% and ranks as the state’s top sector for industrial employment with 43,169 jobs. Transportation equipment jobs have risen 25% in Virginia over the past five years, according to MNI.

Other industrial sectors adding jobs in Virginia included lumber/wood, up 6.1%; fabricated metals, up 3%; printing and publishing up 2.5%; electronics, up 1.6%; and rubber/plastics, up 1.3%.

Employment losses were reported in furniture/fixtures, down 6.9% and primary metals, down 4.2%.

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MNI reports Newport News ranks first in the state for industrial employment with 28,283 jobs, with no significant change reported over the year. Manufacturing employment rose 3.4% in Norfolk; 1.1% in Lynchburg; and declined 5.3% in Roanoke.

Established in 1912, Manufacturers’ News, Inc. is the nation’s oldest and largest publisher of industrial information. MNI offers a variety of tailored solutions to help customers connect with 430,000 manufacturers and suppliers. MNI’s industrial database subscription service EZ Select allows users to tap into a live interactive database of manufacturers, while its industrial search engine IndustryNet connects buyers and suppliers and allows users to view profiles and obtain competitive quotes. For more information, contact Manufacturers’ News, Inc. 847-864-7000. http://www.manufacturersnews.com