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Widespread declines in manufacturing labor productivity in 2018

May 02, 2019

Labor productivity (output per hour) declines were widespread among manufacturing industries in 2018, with decreases in 67 of the 86 industries studied. Of the 4 industries in the mining sector, 2 posted productivity gains in 2018, led by a 12.1-percent increase in the oil and gas extraction industry. In mining, except oil and gas extraction, productivity declined 3.5 percent.

  Productivity (output per hour) indexes in mining industries (1987 = 100)
Year Mining Oil and gas extraction Mining, except oil and gas Coal mining Metal ore mining Nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying

1987

100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

1988

102.3 100.4 106.8 109.7 105.3 102.2

1989

101.7 94.1 109.7 115.0 104.2 101.6

1990

99.4 93.8 114.8 117.5 111.1 106.5

1991

101.0 96.5 116.5 119.7 115.9 104.4

1992

111.4 101.1 126.8 130.4 128.3 113.0

1993

113.4 105.6 130.7 139.5 138.8 110.9

1994

116.2 109.2 135.4 144.8 141.9 115.7

1995

120.0 119.0 136.6 152.0 133.2 116.9

1996

118.6 121.3 139.0 162.3 129.6 116.1

1997

115.9 123.2 143.7 170.4 135.6 118.0

1998

119.9 124.7 151.3 178.4 145.8 125.1

1999

129.3 133.2 154.9 187.0 151.3 126.5

2000

129.5 145.8 157.7 197.3 163.8 124.0

2001

126.7 150.4 164.3 196.4 180.2 130.9

2002

134.6 156.3 167.6 193.8 190.4 136.2

2003

136.4 161.4 170.9 198.0 189.4 141.1

2004

124.9 140.9 173.0 196.3 180.2 148.2

2005

111.0 135.2 165.5 183.9 170.3 145.3

2006

99.9 124.7 158.5 168.8 155.2 145.9

2007

92.0 121.1 147.1 170.4 128.8 130.2

2008

89.8 113.2 145.6 160.6 121.1 132.1

2009

102.0 118.0 141.2 149.9 129.5 126.0

2010

98.9 124.8 143.1 148.1 133.0 127.7

2011

87.7 108.6 137.1 140.9 112.7 130.7

2012

88.0 102.3 137.0 140.3 104.3 136.8

2013

95.8 116.4 145.5 150.8 113.0 142.8

2014

100.9 130.9 148.5 153.4 114.6 148.9

2015

118.7 143.8 149.0 158.2 115.1 146.9

2016

140.7 160.1 153.1 173.3 127.2 139.8

2017

145.8 218.6 158.2 176.5 129.7 147.9

2018

148.9 244.9 152.6 167.9 115.0 151.4

Nondurable manufacturing had widespread productivity declines in 2018. Productivity fell 7.8 percent in petroleum and coal products and 7.2 percent in beverages and tobacco products.

  Productivity (output per hour) indexes in nondurable manufacturing industries (1987 = 100)
Year Food Beverages and tobacco products Textile mills Textile product mills Apparel Leather and allied products Paper Printing and related support activities Petroleum and coal products Petroleum and coal products Output Petroleum and coal products Hours worked Chemicals Plastics and rubber products

1987

100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

1988

101.1 104.8 100.5 99.6 100.6 98.9 101.8 97.2 103.3 102.3 99.0 100.7 100.8

1989

101.4 109.4 104.4 99.6 96.6 98.8 101.8 96.2 106.5 102.7 96.5 101.3 101.9

1990

101.0 114.5 105.0 98.3 101.5 100.6 102.3 98.2 106.6 103.5 97.1 101.5 105.1

1991

102.8 114.9 106.3 97.3 103.0 98.6 104.4 97.8 105.7 103.0 97.4 101.1 106.5

1992

106.3 121.4 111.6 100.6 105.9 111.6 107.0 103.1 111.4 105.1 94.4 102.0 110.6

1993

107.7 116.4 115.4 101.8 110.6 109.8 108.4 100.6 117.1 108.9 93.0 103.8 112.6

1994

106.4 127.4 122.2 102.0 116.3 106.0 111.0 98.7 118.6 109.6 92.5 109.2 115.1

1995

108.5 134.0 125.1 104.6 123.1 107.7 112.1 99.5 127.3 111.8 87.8 109.7 116.6

1996

105.6 132.0 128.6 104.9 131.4 114.6 110.5 101.6 130.6 115.0 88.0 110.6 120.1

1997

108.4 130.3 136.5 111.9 136.1 131.2 111.8 101.3 139.7 119.1 85.3 116.5 124.9

1998

112.4 129.3 140.0 111.4 136.6 137.2 113.8 102.5 142.7 121.2 84.9 114.9 128.5

1999

115.2 116.2 146.0 115.8 147.7 139.2 115.8 105.3 149.3 120.0 80.4 118.6 134.3

2000

117.1 117.1 148.1 123.2 156.3 144.6 120.3 108.1 161.2 121.3 75.2 121.9 138.1

2001

118.1 118.3 154.2 119.5 152.3 149.2 123.3 109.1 158.9 120.1 75.6 120.9 140.4

2002

124.1 108.9 170.7 122.0 136.5 106.2 134.6 114.2 166.2 121.2 72.9 130.9 153.1

2003

126.3 121.8 191.9 125.7 144.3 115.2 141.1 113.9 170.1 122.7 72.1 135.4 158.3

2004

127.0 125.6 196.9 141.9 134.5 144.3 146.5 118.1 178.2 126.1 70.8 142.5 162.0

2005

135.0 133.7 214.5 149.3 137.6 143.1 147.0 123.7 175.2 126.4 72.1 151.4 165.9

2006

133.2 125.6 214.6 137.5 133.4 145.7 148.5 126.7 169.6 126.6 74.7 151.5 164.7

2007

130.1 123.4 219.4 122.0 92.9 140.1 153.8 132.3 175.3 127.3 72.6 166.4 163.5

2008

128.6 120.8 219.1 120.8 79.6 148.9 151.4 133.8 169.5 128.2 75.6 154.1 155.4

2009

132.0 133.0 221.6 108.7 74.2 137.7 150.8 127.1 179.1 126.1 70.4 144.6 155.0

2010

131.6 129.0 239.3 114.7 77.9 151.2 153.4 132.5 188.8 131.3 69.5 153.2 163.5

2011

130.3 118.6 234.7 122.7 78.4 158.3 157.5 138.3 191.6 133.6 69.7 153.3 162.0

2012

127.6 121.6 226.9 117.4 82.5 119.4 167.5 141.4 171.1 132.4 77.3 151.8 166.3

2013

129.5 111.6 249.2 123.1 82.8 126.1 168.0 143.1 182.3 136.2 74.7 152.7 164.9

2014

130.2 108.1 244.2 134.1 82.2 137.0 165.6 139.1 185.3 139.5 75.3 150.7 162.0

2015

129.1 107.7 224.8 128.2 80.8 128.6 165.7 137.7 192.2 140.0 72.9 149.1 160.7

2016

127.8 96.9 234.1 121.5 85.4 133.0 165.8 143.4 194.2 142.0 73.1 151.7 161.2

2017

124.4 88.2 244.7 116.6 83.7 131.7 167.5 144.4 195.5 142.7 73.0 148.4 154.6

2018

120.6 81.9 236.3 117.5 84.9 132.1 163.3 147.3 180.3 138.0 76.5 146.4 149.5

In durable goods manufacturing in 2018, productivity fell 4.7 percent in transportation equipment and 4.6 percent in wood products.

  Productivity (output per hour) indexes in durable manufacturing industries (1987 = 100)
Year Wood products Nonmetallic mineral products Primary metals Fabricated metal products Machinery Computer and electronic products Electrical equipment and appliances Transportation equipment Furniture and related products Miscellaneous manufacturing

1987

100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

1988

99.1 99.1 104.8 101.3 104.2 108.4 101.6 101.7 97.8 102.3

1989

98.6 97.7 103.0 98.6 106.5 110.9 99.9 103.5 97.8 101.8

1990

101.7 99.7 105.6 99.5 107.0 123.4 102.2 103.7 100.2 105.7

1991

102.7 98.3 106.2 99.3 104.1 136.1 101.6 103.4 99.2 107.3

1992

104.8 103.3 112.2 105.1 106.2 157.1 110.5 112.1 103.7 108.6

1993

101.2 104.8 117.7 106.3 110.5 174.9 117.2 116.2 105.3 110.9

1994

99.1 104.1 120.9 110.4 115.3 203.7 121.9 117.7 105.5 112.2

1995

100.7 105.4 120.6 112.5 118.6 257.1 125.6 117.3 108.1 117.5

1996

102.7 110.0 125.0 115.3 121.4 305.2 129.5 118.7 111.0 121.9

1997

103.2 112.1 128.0 116.3 124.5 360.5 134.0 126.0 117.8 120.1

1998

103.7 117.0 131.9 117.6 127.8 432.1 139.6 136.6 121.1 127.6

1999

104.7 117.5 134.1 119.5 129.0 539.1 143.1 145.4 120.6 132.9

2000

105.2 115.6 130.9 121.2 136.7 648.8 151.0 137.9 121.2 142.2

2001

106.5 112.5 129.8 121.1 133.2 662.3 149.0 142.4 121.2 143.2

2002

115.8 118.5 145.9 127.5 143.9 700.2 153.0 158.6 131.5 154.0

2003

118.1 126.9 152.4 131.6 154.9 808.0 158.7 170.2 134.8 163.9

2004

118.0 125.2 166.5 130.1 156.6 904.7 168.9 169.8 137.8 162.5

2005

123.5 133.4 168.9 134.5 166.4 966.5 177.6 177.4 144.7 176.3

2006

128.4 131.6 167.1 137.2 171.3 1038.8 178.9 178.5 148.0 180.6

2007

130.3 133.2 179.8 140.7 173.9 1132.5 183.3 194.1 147.6 180.2

2008

129.2 126.6 183.3 143.1 170.8 1162.4 176.5 186.6 152.1 182.9

2009

127.3 116.5 171.9 131.1 160.8 1096.0 166.4 178.4 135.5 182.5

2010

133.3 122.9 195.8 137.3 175.2 1208.8 174.0 206.1 145.5 195.1

2011

134.4 126.2 187.7 138.7 183.2 1280.0 181.2 207.1 146.4 189.3

2012

137.4 128.7 189.7 136.3 189.6 1217.2 178.3 212.0 154.2 179.5

2013

135.1 133.9 199.1 134.6 183.4 1227.2 174.2 217.4 153.1 182.9

2014

134.6 132.9 198.2 134.6 181.0 1202.8 179.8 225.4 147.2 176.9

2015

138.1 131.3 192.8 131.0 170.0 1194.2 174.7 223.0 155.7 172.7

2016

138.2 131.2 199.0 130.2 161.6 1170.2 172.0 212.9 154.8 170.4

2017

137.3 127.0 205.7 129.5 166.2 1168.0 164.1 203.7 150.0 169.1

2018

131.0 123.2 199.7 127.7 166.2 1161.1 162.0 194.0 146.6 165.9

These data are from the Labor Productivity and Costs program. Data are preliminary and may be revised. To learn more, see "Productivity and Costs by Industry: Manufacturing and Mining Industries — 2018." To learn more about labor productivity, see Productivity 101. We also have new charts related to this news release.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Widespread declines in manufacturing labor productivity in 2018 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2019/widespread-declines-in-manufacturing-labor-productivity-in-2018.htm (visited March 29, 2024).

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