Employment in Wholesale Trade grew 0.2% over last quarter adding 244. Sector activity was very strong with Durable Goods (50) adding 1019 employees and Nondurable Goods (51) losing 775. Within Durable Goods, Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (504) reported the bulk of the employment gain up 710 employees. Better than half of the increase occurred in the wholesale of computer and peripheral equipment, a result of yearlong expansions.
Most sectors of Nondurable Goods fell over the quarter except for Drug, Drug Proprietaries & Druggists sundries (512) up 146 employees and Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (513) up 4. The largest quarterly loss occurred in Groceries & Related Products (514) down 327 employees. Seasonal loses due to the completion of produce packing operations and SIC changes mainly to manufacturing for a number of establishments in Groceries & Related Products Not Elsewhere Classified (514) accounted for most of the loss. Farm Products Raw Materials (515) lost 133 employees. Increased staffing by many grain elevators in fourth quarter was curtailed this quarter.
ANNUAL
Wholesale Trade grew 5.1% adding 4853 employees over a year ago. Durable Goods (50) added 3988 employees and Nondurable Goods added 866. Growth in Durable Goods was strongest in Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (504) due to yearlong expansions in computer and peripheral equipment wholesaling and expansions in Electrical Goods (506) which contains electronic parts. Both subsectors added better than 1000 employees. Misc Durable Goods (509) was the only subsector to decline. About half of the loss was associated with SIC changes and the other half the result of cutbacks and layoffs.
Nondurable Goods reported its strongest gain in Drugs, Drug Proprietaries & Druggist Sundries (512) up 380 employees. Expansions in this subsector occurred through- out the year but were enhanced by the addition of about 150 from SIC changes from Misc Nondurables (519). Groceries & Related Products (514) generated the second largest gain up 236 employees due to yearlong expansions. Despite the movement of about 150 from Misc Nondurables (519) this subsector added 200 employees primarily during second and third quarter of 1996.
1996 SIC CHANGES
Reclassification caused this industry to lose approximately 458 employees and quarterly payroll of $719,837.
Colorado Employment and Wages (ES202) First Quarter 1997
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