Economic Development
A RESOURCE PROFILE –
LABOR MARKET, INDUSTRY & STATISTICS
The Middlesboro and Pineville labor market area includes Bell County and the following additional counties in Kentucky: Clay, Harlan, Knox, Leslie, and Whitley; as well as Claiborne County, Tennessee, and Lee County, Virginia.
Total Available Labor 2007
Future Labor: Potential Becoming 18 Labor Years of Age
Total Unemployed Supply (2006-2009)
| Labor Market Area |
17,888 |
6,301 |
11,587 |
13,763 |
| Bell County |
2,490 |
784 |
1,706 |
1,569 |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics; Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.
Note: Total Available Labor = Unemployed + Potential Labor Supply.
Unemployed - people currently not employed, but actively seeking work.
Potential Labor – determined by the National labor force participation rate minus each county’s labor force participation rate. A county with a labor force participation rate deficit may have potential workers that are not officially in the labor force.
Future Labor - people becoming 18 years of age (not part of the total available labor statistics).
Population
| |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2007 |
| Labor Market Area |
243,384 |
243,160 |
243,874 |
243,881 |
245,595 |
| Middlesboro |
10,322 |
10,280 |
10,210 |
10,164 |
9,917 |
| Pineville |
2,054 |
2,038 |
2,019 |
2,014 |
1,980 |
| Bell County |
30,114 |
29,953 |
29,672 |
29,756 |
29,767
|
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census
Population Projections
| |
2010 |
2015 |
2020 |
2025 |
| Labor Market Area |
245,874 |
|
|
|
| Bell County |
29,656 |
28,907 |
28,118 |
27,337 |
Source: University of Louisville, Urban Studies Center, State Data Center.
Employment by Major Industry by Place of Work, 2007
| |
Bell County
|
|
Employment
|
Percent
|
|
All Industries
|
9,472
|
100.0
|
|
Hunting, Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing
|
26
|
0.3
|
|
Mining
|
960
|
10.1
|
|
Construction
|
129
|
1.4
|
|
Manufacturing
|
876
|
9.2
|
|
Trade, Transportation and Utilities
|
2,117
|
22.4
|
|
Financial Activities
|
383
|
4.0
|
|
Services
|
3,147
|
33.2
|
|
Public Administration
|
267
|
2.8
|
|
Information
|
84
|
0.9
|
Labor Force Characteristics of Residents, 2007
| |
Bell County |
Labor Market Area
|
| Civilian Labor Force |
9,525 |
91,236 |
| Employed |
8,741 |
84,935 |
| Unemployed |
784 |
6,301 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) |
8.2
|
6.9 |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Unemployment Rate (%) Progressive Chart
|
Year
|
Bell County
|
Labor Market Area
|
Kentucky
|
U.S.
|
|
2001
|
8.4
|
6.5
|
5.2
|
4.7
|
|
2002
|
8.7
|
7.5
|
5.7
|
5.8
|
|
2003
|
8.9
|
7.9
|
6.2
|
6.0
|
|
2004
|
7.3
|
6.6
|
5.5
|
5.5
|
|
2005
|
7.9
|
6.8
|
6.1
|
5.1
|
| 2007 |
8.2
|
6.9
|
5.5
|
4.6
|
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Work Force Commuting Patterns (2000)
| Workers commuting out of Bell County |
1,731 |
| Workers commuting into Bell County |
2,735 |
| Working and residing in Bell County |
7,085 |
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census Journey to Work and Migration Statistics Branch.
Per Capita Personal Income
| |
2004
|
2007
|
| Bell County |
$18,671 |
$20,837 |
| Kentucky |
$27,265 |
$29,729 |
| U.S. |
$33,050 |
$36,714 |
Source: U.S. Department of Economic Analysis, Regional Accounts Data, Local Area Personal Income.
Average Weekly Wages by Industry by Place of Work, 2007
|
|
Bell County
|
Kentucky (Statewide)
|
U.S.
|
Ohio
|
|
All Industries
|
$555
|
$702
|
$855
|
$768
|
|
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting
|
414
|
555
|
487
|
480
|
|
Mining
|
897
|
1096
|
1577
|
1136
|
|
Construction
|
615
|
761
|
897
|
854
|
|
Manufacturing
|
637
|
901
|
1030
|
989
|
|
Trade, Transportation, & Utilities
|
425
|
661
|
742
|
683
|
|
Information
|
591
|
749
|
1293
|
953
|
|
Financial Activities
|
698
|
927
|
1418
|
1023
|
|
Services
|
463
|
608
|
754
|
680
|
|
Public Administration
|
668
|
763
|
978
|
935
|
|
Other
|
178
|
856
|
857
|
639
|
| |
|
|
Indiana
|
Illinois
|
Tennessee
|
Virginia
|
|
All Industries
|
$722
|
$917
|
$752
|
$885
|
|
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting
|
539
|
554
|
521
|
507
|
|
Mining
|
1102
|
1155
|
1044
|
1051
|
|
Construction
|
861
|
1091
|
817
|
844
|
|
Manufacturing
|
984
|
1059
|
893
|
933
|
|
Trade, Transportation, & Utilities
|
640
|
804
|
730
|
695
|
|
Information
|
815
|
1191
|
989
|
1389
|
|
Financial Activities
|
911
|
1579
|
1088
|
1199
|
|
Services
|
605
|
810
|
663
|
859
|
|
Public Administration
|
728
|
1001
|
766
|
1209
|
|
Other
|
517
|
790
|
951
|
776
|
Note: The average weekly wage for each category includes salaries and wages of all persons working for that type of business. For example, the manufacturing category includes both production workers and administrative personnel. Domestic workers, railway workers, certain nonprofit corporations, majority of federal government workers, and self-employed workers are excluded. Wages for U.S. and surrounding states rounded to nearest dollar.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Labor Organizations in Bell County
United Food and Commercial Workers International, AFL-CIO, CLC
Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE)
United Steelworkers of America, AFL-CIO, CLC
Source: Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, Division of Research.
Bluegrass State Skills Corporation
The Bluegrass State Skills Corporation (BSSC) works with business and State educational institutions to establish training programs for specific companies and industries. BSSC offers two programs that support training of workers in Kentucky’s new and expanding industries as well as for upgrading the skills of workers in existing industries.
The Grant-in-Aid program allows companies to be reimbursed for 50% of their eligible costs for training Kentucky residents in job skills ranging from entry level to advanced – including pre employment training for prospective employees and retraining, occupational upgrade and skills upgrade of existing employees. BSSC funds can be used for curriculum development, instructor fees, instructional materials and the purchase of training equipment.
The Skills Training Investment Credit program allows existing companies to recover 50% of approved costs for occupational and skills upgrade training through personal and corporation income tax credits. Qualified expenses include instruction costs, administrative fees, supply and equipment costs, facility leasing, and employee wages while in training.
Largest Employers (*as of January 2007)
- Local Government—1,300 (City of Middlesboro, City of Pineville and Bell County)
- State Government (Kentucky)—475
- Wal-Mart—410
- Pineville Community Hospital – 350
- Cumberland Gap Provision -350
- Middlesboro ARH - 300
- Federal Government—170
- Dura-line - 170
- Middlesboro Coca Cola - 122
- Mountain Tarp - 91
Major Manufacturers
|
Firm
|
Product(s)
|
Employees
|
Year
Established
|
|
Middlesboro
|
|
B & C Machine Shop Inc
|
Machine shop, drilling, boring, cutting, general machining, lathe & mill work; arc, gas & MIG welding
|
7
|
1988
|
|
Bell Concrete Industries Inc
|
Pre-cast concrete; packaged cement-based mixes and landscaping products
|
18
|
1966
|
|
Concrete Products
|
Ready-mixed concrete
|
5
|
1991
|
|
Cumberland Gap Provision Company
|
Smoked ham & sausage processing
|
400
|
1979
|
|
Cumberland Trading Post
|
Weekly shopper; computer typesetting & printing
|
5
|
1975
|
|
Dura-Line Corp
|
Polyethylene plastic pipe; water, gas and telecommunications conduit
|
170
|
1971
|
|
Elmo Greer & Sons Inc
|
Crushed stone, limestone & asphalt; Construction; general contractors
|
15
|
1990
|
|
Ideal Print Shop
|
Commercial offset printing, computer typesetting, plastic & saddle stitch binding, textile & flat surface screen printing; promotional advertising
|
10
|
1980
|
|
J R Hoe & Sons Inc
|
Machine shop: drilling, boring, cutting, honing, arc & gas welding, structural steel fabricating, gray iron castings & coal preparation equipment
|
45*
|
1909
|
|
Kirby Steel Products Inc
|
Metal truck beds & bodies
|
3
|
1965
|
|
Logan Corp
|
Metals service center: steel cutting; custom metal fabricating
|
25
|
1991
|
|
Logan Corp
|
Machine shop; rotary drills; drill steel stems; CNC lathe & precision machining; mining products
|
8
|
1984
|
|
Martin Manufacturing Corp
|
Elastic webbing
|
4
|
1922
|
|
Middlesboro Coca-Cola Bottling
|
Carbonated soft drinks & bottling; Cumberland Gap Water
|
119
|
1904
|
|
Middlesboro Daily News
|
Newspaper publishing
|
35
|
1911
|
|
Mountain Tarp Inc
|
Vinyl tarps & awnings; automatic flip-tarp & sideroll systems
|
91
|
1987
|
|
Three States Printing Co
|
Offset printing & computer typesetting
|
5
|
1948
|
|
Yeary Auto Electric & Driveline
|
Automobile starters, alternators & driveshafts
|
4
|
1977
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pineville
|
|
Pineville Sun Courier
|
Newspaper publishing
|
3
|
1884
|
|
|
Source: Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development (06/25/2004).
Other Existing Industry
| Firm |
Product
|
Employees |
Date Estab.
|
|
Middlesboro:
|
|
|
|
| CBJ Plating & Machine |
Industrial chrome plating; hydraulic products; fabrication or rebuilding of mining machinery & construction equipment |
50 |
1993 |
| Highlander Ice Company |
Ice manufacturing, packaging & distribution |
5 |
1997 |
| First Place Trophies |
Trophy & plaque engraving, emblems & custom lettering; embroidery |
3 |
1987 |
| Green Construction |
Construction; general contractors |
35 |
1949 |
| J. M. Huber Corp/BLC |
Land Management |
4 |
1890 |
| KY Industrial Hydraulics |
Repair & fabrication of hydraulic equipment for mining & industry |
10
|
1990
|
| Loveday Pallet |
Wooden pallets |
2 |
1975 |
| McCoy Welding |
Mining equipment repair; machine shop; MIG, TIG, stick welding, line boring |
8
|
1996
|
| Sign’s Trucks & Accessories |
Vinyl lettered, screened, wooden & magnetic signs; banners, textile & flat surface screen printing; vehicle lettering; truck accessories |
1
|
1995
|
| Tri-State Concrete |
Ready-mixed concrete |
4 |
1986 |
| Weld-Tec Mobile |
Mobile welding; high pressure pipe aluminum, metal; Industrial Services, fabrication; welding |
1
|
1998
|
| World Wide Equipment |
Mack truck, sales, service and repair |
50 |
1968 |
| |
|
|
|
| Pineville: |
|
|
|
| Artcraft Signs, Inc. |
Sandblasted, painted & vinyl lettered signs; truck fleet lettering |
2
|
1988
|
| Brock Lumber Co. |
Lumber; mine timber |
10 |
1969 |
| Pineville Machine Shop |
General machining; welding: arc, gas & MIG welding |
2
|
1976
|
| V & M Materials |
Asphalt |
6 |
N/A |
| |
|
|
|
| Arjay: |
|
|
|
| J & S Sawmill |
Sawmill: logging, blocking, crating, dimension, hardwood, rough, softwood & veneer lumber and mill work |
13
|
1980
|
| |
|
|
|
| Stoney Fork: |
|
|
|
| E & E Hardwoods |
Hardwood lumber processing |
12 |
1991 |
Sources: Kentucky Directory of Manufacturers published by Harris InfoSource in cooperation with the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, Division of Research; Bell County Chamber of Commerce