Growth in the reported employment and wages in the Wholesale Trade Division slowed considerably due to large SIC reclassifications. However, employment still increased by 2,173 jobs. The average wage increased by 7.5 percent to $43,226.

Employment within Durable Goods increased by 286 jobs to 65,032 on an annual average basis. The average wage was $46,688. The largest gain was in the lucrative Computers, Peripherals & Software sector which added 309 jobs to average 8,162. The average wage within Computers, Peripherals & Software increased by $7,502 to $78,068.

Increased employment within Lumber and Other Construction Materials has shown increases similar to employment in Construction over the last several years. The sector only increased by 2.4 percent to 5,935 with Lumber, Plywood, and Millwork expanding by 114 jobs to 3,251 and Brick, Stone, & Related Materials rising by 90 jobs to 1,041 over the year. Since 1992, the sector has increased by 68 percent with Lumber, Plywood, and Millwork rising by 93.4 percent and Brick, Stone, & Related Materials rising by 145.1 percent. In a related sector, Furniture and Home Furnishings employment increased by 151 to 2,763.

Hardware, and Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies reported a widespread increase. Hardware increased by 165 jobs to 1,835, Plumbing & Hydronic Heating Supplies increased by 102 jobs to 2,246 and Refrigeration Equipment and Supplies increased by 47 to 438. Warm Air Heating & Air-Conditioning employment has only increased by 24 jobs over the last four years to 1,026.

Machinery, Equipment and Supplies employment increased by 485 jobs to 11,630. The largest increase was in Industrial Machinery and Equipment, which increased by 225 jobs to 4,594.

In aggregate, Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies remained steady, increasing by only 0.4 percent to 16,609 jobs. Within the sector, Office equipment employment declined by 245 jobs to 3,436 and Computers, Peripherals & Software increasing by 309 jobs to 8,162 as previously mentioned.

Non-Durable Goods employment increased by 5.0 percent to 40,079. The average wage rose 6.0 percent to $37,612. Groceries and Related Products increased by 805 jobs to 13,167, but the average wage increased by a meager $623 to $35,784.

The fastest growing sector within Non-Durable goods is Beer, Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages with a growth rate of 15.9 percent over the year. Beer and Ales wholesaling employment increased by 97 jobs 1,556. Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage employment increased by 27.8 percent to 1,443.