T hey are also decimating one of Americas most important in

dustries: I T services.

American workers continue to be replaced by cheaper for

(Continued on page 10)

dreds of joint venture agreements with Chinese

firms, providing them with entry into American

markets. E ntire equipment supply chains have

T he number of manufacturing

plants in the United States dropped

precipitously between 2009 and

2010, according to the Census B ureau. T here were 345,613 factories

in the first quarter of 2010, a decline of 8,012 from the same period

in 2009. Over the past decade, the

United States has lost 53,224 factories, a 13 percent decline from

398,837 factories in 2000, according

to the Quarterly Census of E mployment and Wages. V irtually all of the

factories lost employed more than

five workers, with the largest losses

among the largest factories.

T he number of manufacturing

plants with 1,000 or more employees declined from 946 in 2009 to

876 in 2010, a loss of 70 major factories. Since 2001, the country has

lost 603 factories employing more

than 1,000 workers, a 41 percent

drop. T he number of workers at

large factories has declined from

3,134,248 in 2001 to 1,836,222 in

2010.

T he number of factories with between 500 and 1,000 employees declined from 1,972 in 2009 to 1,799

in 2010, a loss of 173 factories. Over

the past 10 years, the number of

factories with between 500 and 999

employees has plunged from 3,198

to 1,799, a loss of 1,399 factories, a

decline of 44 percent. T he number

of workers in these factories has declined from 2,186,081 in 2001 to

1,231,194 in 2010.

T he number of factories with between 250 and 499 employees fell

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      

(Continued on page four)
2 Wednesday, Jan

from 5,187 in 2009 to 4,826 in 2010, a decline of 361. In

2001, there were 7,636 factories employing between 250

and 499 workers, a 37 percent decline over 10 years with

the net loss of 2,810 factories. The number of employees

working at these factories has declined from 2,642,170 in

2001 to 1,655,802 in 2010.

The number of factories with between 100 and 249

employees declined by 922, from 16,627 in 2009 to

15,705 in 2010. In 2001, there were 22,490 factories employing between 100 and 249 workers, a decline of 6,785

factories, or 30 percent over 10 years. The number of

workers at these factories has declined from 3,482,268 in

2001 to 2,371,373 in 2010.

The number of factories with between 50 and 99 employees declined by 1,218, from 22,752 in 2009 to 21,534

in 2010. Since 2001, there has been a decline of 7,099 factories with between 50 to 99 workers, from 28,633, or 25

percent. The number of workers in these factories has declined from 2,018,512 in 2001 to 1,490,781 in 2010.

The number of factories with between 20 and 49 employees declined from 48,545 in 2009 to 46,264 in 2010,

a loss of 2,281. Since 2001, there has been a decline of

12,678 factories employing between 20 and 49 workers,

or 22 percent, from 58,942 to 46,264. The number of

workers in these factories has declined from 1,839,077 in

2001 to 1,428,360 in 2010.

The number of factories with between 10 and 19 employees declined from 52,049 in 2009 to 49,596 in 2010,

a drop of 2,453. In 2001, there were 60,267 factories employing between 10 and 19 workers, a decline of 10,671

or 18 percent. The number of workers in these factories

has declined from 828,111 in 2001 to 676,459 in 2010.

The number of factories with between five and nine

employees declined from 59,845 in 2009 to 57,880, a decline of 1,965. In 2001, there were 67,510 factories employing between five and nine employees, a loss of 9,630

factories or 14 percent. The number of workers at these

factories declined from 453,241 in 2001 to 384,111 in

2010.

The number of factories with fewer than five employees increased during the first quarter of 2010, to 147,133,

up from 145,720 in 2009. In 2001, there were 148,682

factories employing fewer than five employees, a decline

of 1,549 or 1 percent. The number of employees working

at these firms has declined from 296,325 in 2009, to

236,606 in 2010. The average size of these firms is 1.6

employees.

The total number of manufacturing employees in the

United States has declined from 16,893,907 in 2001 to

11,670,000 in December 2010, a loss of 5,223,907, or 31

percent.

The data series is located at the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census for Employment and Wages database: http://www.bls.gov/cew/.

In the second box “On This Page,” click “QCEW Databases.”

Click on the green icon “One Screen Data Search.”

No. 1 box, scroll down and click on “U.S. Total.”

No. 2 box, click “U.S. Total.” 

No. 3 box, scroll to “Manufacturing” and click on it.

No. 4 box, click “Private.” 

No. 5 box, click “All Establishment Sizes.” 

No. 6 box, click the number of establishments.

No. 7 box, “Get Data.”

U.S. Loses Factories...(From page one)