DENVER - Industrial employment in Colorado fell 3.8 percent during the past 12 months, according to the 2010 Colorado Manufacturers Directory, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News Inc. based in Evanston, Ill.

MNI reports Colorado lost 7,958 industrial jobs and 230 manufacturers between May 2008 and May 2009, the sharpest decline MNI has ever reported in the nine years it has been tracking the state's industry. MNI reports Colorado is home to 6,933 manufacturers employing 203,386 workers.

Employment in the lumber and wood sector saw the worst drop in employment, down 16.1 percent in 2008, and the furniture/fixtures sector saw an 11.6 percent decline.

MNI reports employment in electronics manufacturing was down 10.7 percent over the year, following layoffs at semiconductor manufacturer Atmel Corp. and solar component maker Advanced Energy Co. The electronics sector is currently the state's top sector by industrial employment, accounting for 21,326 jobs.

Food products ranks second in the state with 21,022 jobs, down 4.7 percent over the year, partially due to layoffs at Longmont's Butterball plant. Third-ranked printing and publishing represents 20,323 of the state's jobs, down 6 percent over the year.

Bright spots for the state include the opening of solar module manufacturer Ascent Solar in Thornton and the planned opening of two new Vestas plants, which will produce blades and components for wind turbines. This is in addition to the opening of another Vestas plant last year in Windsor.

Other sectors that lost jobs over the year include chemicals, down 13 percent; paper products down 7.9 percent; primary metals down 5.2 percent; transportation equipment down 4.9 percent; industrial machinery and equipment down 1.6 percent and fabricated metals down 1.2 percent.