'TOP 60' COMPANIES EMPLOYE 33,000

Cape Girardeau ranks 12th among Missouri cities in manufacturing facilities.

The 80-plus plants in the city provide employment to 3,500 workers. Add the county, and the manufacturing employment numbers double, as more than 130 Cape Girardeau County plants provide employment to more than 7,000 people, with more than a third of them at two plants -- Procter & Gamble Paper Products north of Cape Girardeau and Lee-Rowan Co. at Jackson.

Those figures top the list of 14 Southeast Missouri counties, where more than 550 manufacturing companies employ more than 33,000 workers.

P&G, which manufactures disposable diapers, paper towels and feminine hygiene products, employs about 1,700. P&G has the largest payroll in Southeast Missouri, topping $50 million a year. The company, which has more than 2 million square feet (50 acres) under roof, heads the Top 60 employer list for 2000, compiled by the Southeast Missourian.

Lee-Rowan, which makes plastic-coated wire closet accessories and organizers, provides employment for about 1,000 people, and is third on the latest list. The Jackson facility became the largest Lee-Rowan manufacturing facility in the nation when it moved a previous facility from Memphis to Southeast Missouri.

Noranda Aluminum, situated about 55 miles south of Cape Girardeau along Interstate 55 near Marston, employs between 1,150 and 1,200 people and ranks behind P&G on the Top 60 list.

Two large Perry County employers are among the Top 10 -- Gilster-Mary Lee Co., which operates three plants in the Perryville area, and TG Missouri. Gilster-Mary Lee, headquartered in Chester, Ill., which employs more than 2,400 workers overall, employs about 950 at operations in Perryville and McBride, Mo., where the company manufactures and packages cake mixes, cereals and popcorn. TG-Missouri, which manufactures auto parts, has expanded to about 900 employees.

Other big names among the Top 10 employers of Southeast Missouri include Plastene Supply of Portageville, Thorngate Ltd. of Cape Girardeau and Arvin Automotive of Dexter, Mississippi Lime of Ste. Genevieve and Emerson Electric Co. of Kennett.

In compiling top employers in Cape Girardeau County, The Southeast Missourian business editor consulted the Directory of Manufacturing and Basic Industry for Missouri, the Directory for Southeast Missouri Region, and made personal contact with a number of firms and chambers of commerce.

"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."

Procter & Gamble's latest expansion, a $350 million project, has already added about 300 to 350 jobs to its work force, and BioKyowa in Nash Road Industrial Park will add as many as 70 new workers this year.

Employment is also up at Thorngate, Dana Corp. and M&W Packaging U.S., Inc.

"The area has had a few hits this year," said Mehner, in reference to closing announcements by Florsheim Shoe at Cape Girardeau, Supervalu in Scott City and Columbia Sportswear in Chaffee. There have also were some closings in the Sikeston and Farmington areas last year.

Mehner said the chamber would continue to work with existing industry on expansions and with the Cape Girardeau Area Recruitment Group in attracting new industry and businesses.

Following are the Top 60 manufacturing employers in the Southeast Missouri area.

The Top 10

1. P&G Paper Products Co., Cape Girardeau, manufacturer of disposable diapers, paper towels and feminine hygiene products, 1,700.

2. Noranda Aluminum Inc., Marston, producer of aluminum for sale throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico, 1,250.

3. Lee-Rowan Co., Jackson, manufacturer of closet organizer items, 1,000.

4. Plastene Supply, Portageville, manufacturer of plastic products, 1,000.

5. Gilster-Mary Lee Co., Perryville and McBride, manufacture and package cake mixes, stuffing mixes, hot cocoa drink mix and popcorn, 910.

6. TG Missouri of Perryville, manufacturer of parts for Toyota Motors and for domestic automakers, 900.

7. Mississippi Lime Co., Ste. Genevieve, manufacturer of crushed stone and high calcium lime, 900.

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

9. Hudson Foods, Dexter, poultry processing, 850.

10. Emerson Electric Co., Kennett, manufacturer of electric motors, coils and other electrical products, 700.

The Next 10

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

12. Rowe Furniture Manufacturing, Poplar Bluff, 750.

13. Arvin Automotive, Dexter, manufacturer of mufflers and tail pipes, 565.

14. Trinity Marine, Caruthersville, barge manufacturing, 450.

15. Heartland Industries (VIP), Cape Girardeau, Perryville, Marble Hill and Fruitland, 450. The company hires the handicapped and assembles, packages and mails car parts, comics, hangers and others products.

16. Iron Mountain Forge, St. Genevieve, playground equipment, 400.

17. Dana Corp., Cape Girardeau, manufacturer of components for center section of driving axles for vehicles, 360.

13. Park Hills Glass Co., Park Hills, manufacturer of glass pharmaceutical and cosmetic containers, 360.

18. Gates Rubber, Poplar Bluff, 360.

19. Cape America, Fredericktown, 350.

20. M&W Packaging U.S., Inc., 300.

21 to 30

21. Good Humor Ice Cream, Sikeston, 300.

22. HAVCO Wood Products, Cape Girardeau, laminated oak flooring, usually about 220.

23. Elder Manufacturing, Kennett, boys and girls clothing, 260.

24. Concord Publishing, printing, including Southeast Missourian, Cape Girardeau, 250.

25. Smiley Container, Poplar Bluff, makes boxes for major candy brands, 250.

26. Blair Industries, Scott City, audio and videocassettes, 250.

27. Spartech Cos., Cape Girardeau, includes Spartech Alchem Plastics, 130, and Spartech Resin Exchange, 100.

28. 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 230.

29. Biltwell Co. Inc., Farmington, manufacturer of men's clothing, 210.

30. Solar Press, Perryville, 210.

31 to 40

31. Essex Co., Sikeston, 200.

32. Quality Packaging, Perryville, 200.

33. Paramount Headware, Marble Hill, 220.

34. Lone Star Industries, Cape Girardeau, cement and masonry manufacturer, 180.

35. De-Sta-Co., Charleston, 180.

36. Rapco, Jackson, 170.

37. Parker Hannifin Corp., Kennett, rubber hoses, 165.

38. Red Wing Shoes, 150.

39. Missouri Industries, Dexter, shoes, 140.

40. Gates Rubber, Charleston, 140.

41 to 50

41. Tetrapak Materials, Sikeston, 130.

42. UARCO, Kennett, manufacture of forms, 130.

43. Paramount Cap, Dexter, 125.

44. ACF Industries, Jackson, railroad cars, 130.

45. Tower Rock Stone, crushed stone, Ste. Genevieve, 125.

46. Wahlco D.W. Tool, Inc., Jackson, 120.

47. Horizon Music Mfg. Co., Cape Girardeau, 120.

48. Ceramo Co. Inc., Jackson, 80.

49. Miss Elaine, St. Genevieve, women's lounge and sleepwear, 110.

50. U.S. Poly Enterprises, insulation for coolers, Dexter, 110.

51 to 60

51. Bunny Bread (Lewis) Bakery, Sikeston, 105.

52. NPS Corp., Perryville, 100.

53. Burch Foods, Sikeston, 100.

54. ACF Industries, Jackson, 100.

55. Madison County Pallet Co., Fredericktown, 100.

56. Heritage Homes Mfg., Sikeston, 100.

57. Benee's Toys, Ste. Genevieve, 100.

58. BioKyowa Inc., Cape Girardeau, 100;

59. General Signs, Cape Girardeau, 90.

60. American Railroad Inc., Kennett, 90.