Manufacturing experienced a broad decline in employment with 213 four digit SIC’s experiencing a decline while only 173 recorded an increase. Employment in nineteen Manufacturing SIC’s were unchanged. The average wage in Manufacturing increased by 6.2 percent to $43,630. The stronger sectors within Manufacturing were related to the construction boom while the weaker sectors tended to be labor intensive and cost sensitive.
The largest sector within Manufacturing is Industrial and Commercial Machinery and Computer Equipment. The sector also recorded the greatest decline in employment with a drop of 2,113 jobs to 31,889. Most of the decline occurred in Electronic Computers, which was down from 7,727 to 6,134. Some of this decline was due to a reclassification into Instruments to Measure Electricity.
The second largest sector in Manufacturing is Printing, Publishing, and Allied Industries at 28,815 jobs. This was an increase of 1.0 percent. Declines in Printing were offset by gains in Newspapers, Greeting Cards, and Miscellaneous Publishing.
Food and Kindred Products employment continued last years’ slide with a decline of 1.0 percent to 25,009. Meat Products employment declined to 7,381 from 7,898. Malt Beverages employment declined for a seventh consecutive year to average 3,907. Malt Beverage employment was 4,036 in ‘98 and 5,674 in ‘92.
Lumber and Wood Products, Except Furniture employment continued to expand with an addition of 318 jobs to 6,352. The majority of the increase was in Millwork, Veneer, Plywood, and Structural Steel Members.
Furniture and Fixture employment increased to 5,886 from 5,642 in 1998 and 3,309 in 1992. The average wage was $30,702.
Chemicals and Allied Products employment increased by 7.4 percent to 5,313 jobs. The increase was due to an additional 384 jobs in Drugs. Drugs employment increased from 1,528 to 1,913 with an average annual wage of $52,704.
The two-digit Manufacturing SIC with the largest percentage and actual gain was Stone, Clay, Glass, and Concrete Products. The sector increased from 10,061 to 10,743. The largest increase within this sector was in Concrete, Gypsum, and Plaster products with an 11.8 percent increase to 5,488.
Electronic and other Electrical Equipment and Components, except Computer Equipment reversed a growth trend with a 4.2 percent decline to 20,206 jobs. The average wage increased from $44,262 to $51,598. Large declines occurred in Printed Circuit Boards down 592 to 2,529, Telephone and Telegraph Apparatus down 428 to 3,541, and Electronic Components, NEC down 299 to 2,168.
| 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | |
| Average Employment | 191,726 | 196,547 | 203,635 | 207,328 | 204,120 |
| Total Wages | $6,709,716,953 | $7,287,035,350 | $7,879,743,050 | $8,516,515,240 | $8,904,488,728 |
| Percent of Total Emp. | 10.57% | 10.49% | 10.42% | 10.21% | 9.70% |
| Percent of Total Wages | 13.64% | 13.64% | 13.42% | 13.00% | 12.37% |