Fifty-eight percent of Kentucky manufacturers surveyed for the recently conducted 2011 Annual Manufacturing Wage and Benefits Survey said they are planning to hire between one and 19 employees in 2012, up one percent from last year’s results.
The annual report is sponsored by the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet’s Department of Workforce Investment and the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM). The survey showed that the positions of manufacturing employees included in the survey made an annualized average salary of $48,609 in 2011 and that 98 percent of the companies that participated in the survey offer health insurance to their employees, while 89 percent of those cover family members as well. Questions about benefits showed that 68 percent of the companies provide nine or more paid holidays per year and 51 percent provide an annual bonus.
Fifty-four percent of Kentucky manufacturers surveyed are emphasizing education and training in green practices, such as reducing their energy use, making environmentally friendly products, reducing pollution, conserving natural resources and being more cost effective. New green products are being developed by 25 percent of the companies.
“This study represents data collected from 228 companies in Kentucky,” said Beth Brinly, commissioner of the Department of Workforce Investment. “It gives us a valuable snapshot of what is happening and shows that manufacturers looking to rebound from the recession are facing higher demand for greener products and seeking to save money by consuming less energy and re-using materials.”
The report was produced with information that was compiled from July – September 2011. Of the employers that participated, 48 percent said that they had fewer than 100 employees.
Companies were also asked about hiring temporary workers. About 67 percent of the employers currently use temporary staff, as compared to 69 percent in the last report, and 40 percent of the employers plan to maintain that level.
As of August 2011, the manufacturing sector employed approximately 214,700 people in Kentucky.
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