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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 December 05, 2024).

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