Report: Oregon's green manufacturing sector looks strong

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A new report out from the state's "Green Jobs Economist" Charlie Johnson found that employees who work for companies in Oregon that manufacture green products are faring better than those working in the private-sector.

Part of a 12-month series Johnson is working on about green jobs in Oregon, the manufacturing report studied 44 Oregon companies and found that employees working for green product manufacturers — ranging from solar companies to food processors — earned higher wages compared to other businesses. Within the green sector, 53 percent of those employed earned at least $20 per hour, compared to 36 percent of all private employees.

In a blog post about the study, Oregon Workforce & Economic Information pointed out that the green manufacturing companies are also adding jobs. Companies in the study had 1,921 on the payroll at the end of 2009, up 55 percent from the fourth quarter of 2004. While some of the job growth came from new companies, the majority of it came from existing firms expanding.