Booming Technical Industries in Arkansas: Where to Train, Where to Work
By Arkansas Next staff on Tuesday, September 3, 2019
MANUFACTURING
154,774
Arkansans employed in manufacturing.
1,977
The estimated number of jobs Arkansas’ manufacturing industry added between 2017-2019.
15%
The percentage of Arkansas’ total earnings that come from the manufacturing industry.
Top 15 Manufacturing Companies with the Most Arkansas Employees
1. Tyson Foods
24,500
2. Simmons Foods, Inc. & Affiliates
4,400
3. George’s Inc.
4,200
4. Peco Foods Inc.
2,500
5. Georgia-Pacific LLC
2,310
6. ABB
2,300
7. O.K. Industries Inc.
2,215
8. Nucor Corp. (Nucor-Yamato Steel)
1,900
9. Conagra Brands
1,750
10. Cooper Tire & Rubber Inc.
1,735
11. McKee Foods Corp.
1,650
12. Butterball LLC
1,621
13. Lennox International Inc.
1,580
14. Pilgrim’s Pride Corp.
1,470
15. Riceland Foods Inc.
1,406
CONSTRUCTION
Construction is considered the fastest-growing super sector in the state — with an estimated 2,327 new jobs added between 2017-2019.
52,700
Arkansans employed in construction.
10 Largest Commercial Contractors in Arkansas
Ranked by 2018 Revenue
1. VCC, Little Rock
2. Nabholz Construction Corp., Conway
3. Baldwin & Shell Construction Co., Little Rock
4. CDI Contractors LLC, Little Rock
5. C.R. Crawford Construction LLC, Fayetteville
6., Clark Contractors LLC, Little Rock
7. Flintco LLC, Springdale
8. Bailey Construction, Little Rock
9. Kinco Constructors LLC, Little Rock
10. Huffman & Co., Little Rock
BIG YEAR!
In the first half of 2019, the construction super sector grew 6.3%.
ENERGY, UTILITIES
& TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Top 3 Arkansas Electric/Utility Companies by Number of Employees
1. Entergy Arkansas Inc.
2,791
2. Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas
2,269*
3. Southwestern Electric Power Co.
352
*Reflects employee totals at 17 co-ops statewide
NOTABLE JOB!
Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers
What they do: Install and repair telecommunications cable, including fiber optics.
What they make: $56,520 average annual wage in Arkansas.
380
Annual projected job openings for telecommunications/fiber optics line and equipment installers.
15%
Projected employment growth by 2026 for computer user support specialists and audio and video equipment technicians in Arkansas — trades that only require a high school diploma and training certificate.
TRANSPORTATION
Heavy- and medium-duty truck drivers have the fifth most job openings among all careers in Arkansas.
6,860
Trucking industry jobs in Arkansas. That’s 1 in 12 jobs in the state!
$4 billion
Trucking industry wages that support Arkansas families annually.
4,850
Trucking companies located in Arkansas (primarily small, locally-owned businesses).
$46,112
Average annual trucking industry salary in Arkansas.
Top 15 Transportation Companies with the Most Arkansas Employees*
1. UPS Freight
434,000
2. FedEx Freight
40,000
3. YRC Worldwide Inc.
32,000
4. J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc.
27,670
5. XPO Logistics
21,000
6. ArcBest
13,000
7. P.A.M. Transport Inc.
2,409
8. USA Truck Inc.
2,273
9. Maverick USA Inc.
2,056
10. Southern Refrigerated Transport Inc.
1,052
11. Rich Logistics
845
12. Oakley Trucking Inc.
800
13. CalArk International Inc.
761
14. Hines Trucking Inc.
273
15. Dancor Transit Inc.
165
*Reflects total company employees, including those in Arkansas.
86.8%
of Arkansas communities depend on trucks to move their goods
Sources: Arkansas Business; Arkansas Department of Workforce Services; Arkansas Labor Market Report, April 2019; Arkansas Trucking Association, U.S. Department of Labor
