Employers

Dallas-Fort Worth has evolved from a commoditiesbased economy to a high-tech and telecommunications hub and a regional and national headquarters city. The numerous international, regional and subsidiary headquarters in the Metroplex employ over 5 percent of the work force. The metro area has attracted several large employers, but smaller employers are an important source of jobs.

Overcapacity in the telecommunications and high-tech industries has negatively impacted the region. During the recent downturn, thousands of jobs were cut from firms in these sectors, including EDS and Ericsson. Based in Dallas, Texas Instruments (TI) is one of the primary employers of high-tech workers. TI recently announced plans to construct a $3.3 billion semiconductor plant in Richardson, which is expected to add 1,000 employees to TI’s payroll. The company employs over 10,000 workers in the metro area.

AMR Corp., parent of American Airlines, is one of the Metroplex’s largest employers. The company is encountering difficulties resulting from high fuel prices and terrorism anxieties, but structural changes to labor union agreements will allow it to remain out of bankruptcy in the near term.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, based in Fort Worth, anchors the defense-related manufacturing sector. The company has been increasing payrolls in response to higher defense spending. Other major defense firms, including Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., are also expected to benefit from government contracts.