Quarterly employment growth in Wholesale Trade slowed adding only 1131 employees, down from the growth of the last two quarters where employment rose more than 1500. With 1131 new employees, the percent gain over last quarter was 1.1%. Increases were divided between Durable Goods (50) up 527 employees and Nondurable Goods (51) up 605. Electronic Parts & Equipment (5065) within Durable Goods generated the bulk of the gain adding 477 employees. Expansions by one company in their telephone service center accounted for the majority of the growth. Misc Durable Goods (509) dropped 69 employees. Losses were seasonal and exclusive to Sporting & Recreation Goods & Supplies (5091). Lumber & Other Construction Materials (503) declined by 54 over last quarter. Half of the decline was the result of over-reporting by a company in third quarter and the other half from seasonal cutbacks.
Growth in Nondurable Goods occurred mainly in Drug, Drug Proprietaries & Druggist Sundries (512) up 239 and Groceries & Related Products (514) up 256. Expansions by a major distributor accounted for most of the increase indrug and sundries distribution. Growth in groceries primarily occurred in Fresh Fruits & Vegetables (5148) due to end-of-season packing and Groceries & Related Products Not Elsewhere Classified (5149) due to multiple expansions and a couple of new firms.
ANNUAL
Since fourth quarter a year ago employment in Wholesale Trade grew 4.4% adding 4411 employees. Durable Goods saw the lion’s share of growth adding 3609 employees. Electrical Goods (506) had the largest increase, up 1284, due to expansions in the wholesale distribution of items such as satellite dishes and telephone equipment. Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (504) showed the next largest increase, up 984, due to expansions related to the sales of computer and peripheral equipment.
Nondurable Goods added 802 employees. The opening of a major distribution center dealing in Drug, Drug Proprietaries & Druggists Sundries (5122) contributed a large majority of the employment growth in this sector of Wholesale Trade.
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