Industrial employment statewide fell 6.4 percent over the past 24 months according to the 2010 Massachusetts Manufacturers Register, an industrial directory published annually by Illinos-based Manufacturers’ News Inc.

Workers in the state lost 25,496 industrial jobs over the past 24 months with 13,374 industrial jobs lost between July 2007 and July 2008 and 12,122 jobs from 2008 to July of this year, the report shows.

Manufacturers’ News reports the state is now home to 9,131 manufacturers employing 372,757 workers.

"As with the entire nation, the recession continues to affect Massachusetts’ core sectors," says Tom Dubin, president of Manufacturers’ News Inc., which has been surveying industry since 1912. "However, the state’s educated workforce and its stronghold in emerging biotech fields should help lay the groundwork for recovery."

Bright spots for the state include the opening of Millipore Corp.’s bioprocess manufacturing facility in Danvers, which will employ an expected 120 workers before the end of the year, and the establishment of Dublin, Ireland-based medical device maker Realtime Technologies’ North American headquarters in Cambridge.

Western Massachusetts saw the largest drop in employment, down 6.2 percent over the past 12 months with the region currently accounting for 47,032 of the state’s industrial jobs.

Manufacturing employment declined 4.4 percent in northeastern Massachusetts, with the region currently home to 113,440 jobs, while Central Massachusetts suffered a 1.7 percent drop and is currently home to 156,703 jobs.

Employment in southeastern Massachusetts saw a half percent decline, and currently accounts for 55,582 of the state’s jobs, Manufacturers’ News reports.