567 MANUFACTURERS EMPLOY 33,786 IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI; EXISTING BUSINESSES GENERATE UP TO 90 PERCENT OF NEW JOBS

Cape Girardeau ranks 11th among Missouri's 114 counties in manufacturing facilities.

The 132 Cape County plants provide employment to more than 7,000 people, with more than a third of them at two plants: Lee Rowan Co. at Jackson and Procter and Gamble Paper Products north of Cape Girardeau.

Those figures top the list of 14 Southeast Missouri counties, where a total of 567 companies employ 33,786 people in manufacturing.

Lee Rowan, which produces plastic-coated, wire, closet accessories and organizers for customers like Sears, Roebuck and Co., JCPenney and Lowes Companies Inc., provides employment for about 1,350. P&G, which manufactures disposable diapers and feminine hygiene products, employs about 1,325.

P&G has the largest payroll in Southeast Missouri, topping $50 million a year.

"Existing industry and businesses generate up to 90 percent of new jobs in Missouri," said John Mehner, president and chief executive officer of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. "You can look around our area and see evidence of that."

The local chamber started recognizing existing industries eight years ago with its Industry of the Year Award. Industries honored over the past seven years are General Sign, Lone Star Industries, P&G, Biokyowa, Concord Publishing Co., Dana Corp., Florsheim Shoe Co. and Spartech Corp.

Four years ago the chamber established a Small Business of the Year Award. Winners of the award: Advance Business Systems, Bluff City Beer, KBSI-TV and Ford Groves Motor Co.

Manufacturing and industry are big in Missouri. A total of 8,485 facilities provide employment to 461,632 employees statewide.

During 1995, the state gained 10 industries. More than 185 new facilities started operations, but as many a 175 closed or relocated to other states.

One notable manufacturer left Cape Girardeau. Tri-Con, a manufacturer of automobile seat covers here for more than 12 years, announced in November that it would close and move to the country of Mexico. The company, which employed about 175, ceased operations here Jan. 3.

Purolator Plant of Dexter, which manufactured automotive filters, closed its Dexter plant in September.

Lee-Rowan has mushroomed from a small operation of 25 people in 1964. The company has undergone 10 expansions at Jackson.

P&G opened in 1969 with 400 people in the manufacture of Pampers, a disposal diaper. The plant now has 1,304,758 square feet under roof and manufactures Pampers, Pampers Trainers and Luvs disposable diapers and Always, a feminine hygiene product.

Hudson Foods became Stoddard County's largest employer in 1995. Following a $22 million expansion project, the company doubled its employees, to 800.

TG (USA) Corp., of Perryville, a manufacturer of automotive airbag assembles, steering wheel assemblies and plastic interior and exterior parts, added a 125,000-square-foot warehouse. The company has boosted employment to 750.

Huffy Bike Co. has become one of the larger industries in St. Francois County. Huffy put a facility at Farmington in 1995, and now employs more than 500 people.

A big Perry County employer is Gilster-Mary Lee Co., which operates three plants in the Perryville area. The company, headquartered in Chester, Ill., manufactures and packages cake mixes, cereals and popcorn, and employs about 1,200 people at full strength.

Noranda Aluminum, situated about 55 miles south of Cape Girardeau along Interstate 55 near Marston, employs between 1,150 and 1,200 people.

Other big names among the Top 10 employers: Mississippi Lime Co. of Ste. Genevieve, with more than 800 workers; Plastene Supply of Portageville, Thorngate Ltd. of Cape Girardeau and Arvin Automotive of Dexter, each with more than 750; and Emerson Electric Co. of Kennett and TG-USA of Perryville, each with more than 650 workers.

There are other large employers in the Cape Girardeau area -- Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center, each with more than 1,400 employees, and Southeast Missouri State University, with about 1,000. But the focus of the Top 50 is on manufacturing, industry and product-related companies.

Top 60 employers and their work forces:

1. Lee-Rowen Co., Jackson, manufacturer of closet organizer items, 1,350.

2. P&G Paper Products Co., Cape Girardeau, manufacturer of disposable diapers and feminine hygiene products, 1,325.

3. Gilster-Mary Lee Co., Perryville and McBride, manufacture and packaging of cake mixes, stuffing mixes, hot cocoa drink mix and popcorn, 1,200.

4. Noranda Aluminum Inc., Marston, producer of aluminum for sale throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico, 1,170.

5. Briggs & Stratton, Poplar Bluff, producer of air-cooled gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment, 850.

6. Mississippi Lime Co., Ste. Genevieve, manufacturer of crushed stone and high calcium lime, 810.

7. Hudson Foods, Dexter, poultry processing, 800.

8. TG-USA of Perryville, manufacturer of parts for Toyota Motors and for domestic automakers, 750.

9. Thorngate Ltd., Cape Girardeau, manufacturer of sportswear, 750.

10. Arvin Automotive, Dexter, manufacturer of mufflers and tail pipes, 750

11. Plastene Supply, Portageville, manufacturer of plastic products, 745.

12. Emerson Electric Co., Kennett, manufacturer of electric motors, coils and other electrical products, 650.

13. Park Hills Glass Co., Park Hills, manufacturer of glass pharmaceutical and cosmetic containers, 620.

14. Heartland Industries (VIP), Cape Girardeau, Perryville, Marble Hill and Fruitland, 500. The company hires the handicapped and assembles, packages and mails car parts, comics, hangers and others products.

15. Florsheim Shoe, Cape Girardeau, manufacturer of shoes, 500.

16. Huffy Co., Farmington, manufacturer of bikes, 500.

17. Biltwell Co. Inc., Farmington, manufacturer of men's clothing, 425.

18. Trimfoot Co., manufacturer of infant and children's shoes, 400.

19. Sabreliner, Perryville, headquartered in St. Louis, is a diversified service, modification and manufacturing company for a variety of military and commercial aircraft. Employment depends on contracts and fluctuates from 45 to 300. Current employment, about 375.

20. Dana Corp., Cape Girardeau, manufacturer of components for center section of driving axles for vehicles, 320.

21. Rowe Furniture Manufacturing, Poplar Bluff, 315.

22. Good Humor -- Breyers Ice Cream, Sikeston, 308.

23. Gates Rubber, Poplar Bluff, 300.

24. Solar Press, Perryville, 275.

25. Blair Industries, Scott City, audio-video cassette albums, 255.

26. Spartech Companies, Cape Girardeau, 185. Includes Spartech Alchem Plastics, 125, and Spartech Resin Exchange, 60.

27. Paramount Headware, Marble Hill, 225.

28. National Lock, Sikeston, 225.

28. Cap America, Fredericktown, 220.

30. Super Value (previously Wetterau Co.), Scott City, 220.

31. Malone & Hyde, Sikeston, 220.

32. HAVCO Wood Products, Cape Girardeau, laminated oak flooring, usually about 200,

34. Concord Publishing, printing, including the Southeast Missourian, Cape Girardeau, 200.

35. Mildenberger & Willing, Cape Girardeau, 185.

36. Smiley Container Corp., Poplar Bluff, makes boxes for major candy brands, 180.

37. Lone Star Industries, Cape Girardeau, cement and masonry manufacturer, 170.

38, UARCO, Kennett, 170.

39. Triangle PWC Inc., Sikeston, 155.

40. Headrick Concrete, Sikeston, 150.

41. ACF Industries, Jackson, 130.

42. Missouri Industries, Dexter, 130.

43. RAPCO, Jackson, 125.

44. Tetrapak Materials, Sikeston, 120.

45. Henschell Manufacturing, Fredericktown, 110.

46. Miss Elaine Inc., Ste. Genevieve, 126.

47. General Sign, Cape Girardeau, 110.

48. Gates Rubber, Charleston, 105.

49. National Vinyl Products, Ste. Genevieve, 100.

50. Horizon Music Mfg. Co., Cape Girardeau, 100.

51. NPS Cor., Perryville, 95.

52. U.S. Poly Enterprise, Dexter, 95.

53. Tinnin Garment Co., Fredericktown, 95.

54. Biokyowa Inc., 95

55. Kan Tek Industries, New Madrid, 90.

56. Associates of Miraculous Medals, Perryville, 89.

57. East Perry Lumber, Frohna, 88.

58. NLC Inc., Jackson, 80.

59. Ceramo Co. Inc., Jackson, 75.

60. SEMO Molding, Cape Girardeau, 75.