The number of manufacturing jobs in Hawaii fell for the fifth year in a row in 2010, but the rate of decline slowed, according to a new report.

The state lost 255 manufacturing jobs, a 1.1 percent drop from 2009, according to Manufacturers’ News Inc., an industry publishing company and data provider. The 2010 decline compared with a drop of 754 jobs, or 3 percent, in 2009.

"Hawaii’s industrial sectors continue to be affected by the recession," said Tom Dubin, president of the Evanston, Ill.-based company. "However, we’re definitely seeing fewer job losses than we did a year ago and the state’s strong exports and investments in green technologies are helping the recovery along," he said in a news release.

The local data were published in the company’s annual Hawaii Manufacturers Directory. Hawaii is home to 1,200 manufacturers employing 21,922 workers, according to Manufacturers’ News.

Employment in publishing fell by 11.4 percent, or 450 jobs, to 3,527 positions. The report said the combination of The Honolulu Advertiser and Honolulu Star-Bulletin into the Honolulu Star-Advertiser led to a loss of jobs in publishing.

The number of jobs in Hawaii’s largest manufacturing industry, food products, was unchanged at 7,318 positions. Jobs in the textiles/apparel industry fell by 6.6 percent to 1,842 jobs.

Oahu, which accounts for about 75 percent of the state’s manufacturing jobs, saw a 1.5 percent drop in industrial employment. On the Big Island the number of manufacturing jobs was little changed at 2,515. Maui experienced a 2.7 percent decline to 2,063 jobs, while manufacturing jobs on Kauai fell by 3.8 percent to 567.