For 2013, Michigan manufacturers added 13,084 jobs from January 2013 to January 2014, representing a third straight year of gains.
According to the 2014 Michigan Manufacturers Directory, Detroit saw an increase in employment of 1.8%, the first in several years.
Other regions in Michigan that gained jobs were Auburn Hills, up 5.8%; Grand Rapids, up 4.5%; Sterling Heights, up 3.6%; and Warren, up 1.8%.
“Manufacturers in Michigan are making large strides, particularly in the all-important auto sector, and the high-tech manufacturing hub planned for the state should boost its reputation as a center for innovation” says Tom Dubin, president of Manufacturer's News, which has been surveying industry since 1912.
Michigan is now home to 14,194 manufacturers employing 662,635 workers.
Gains in jobs were led by transportation equipment which was up 2% in 2013. This sector ranks first in the state for industrial employment with 131,109 jobs.
Additional manufacturing sectors adding jobs in Michigan included chemicals, up 9.5%; stone/clay/glass, up 4%; paper products, up 2.3%; and industrial machinery and equipment, up 2.1%. Losses were reported in electronics, down 8.8%; rubber/plastics, down 5%; and printing/publishing, down 2.2%.