Labor productivity -defined as output per hour -increased 4.3 percent in wholesale trade in 2006, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. From 1987 to 2006, labor productivity increased at the following average annual rate: 3.5 percent.
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2005-2006 Change in Wholesale Trade
Output per hour grew 4.3 percent, as output increased 6.6 percent and hours advanced 2.2 percent.&nbsp ; Labor productivity rose 5.1 percent in durable merchant wholesalers and increased 2.7 percent in nondurable merchant wholesalers.

Labor productivity rose in 15 of the 19 detailed wholesale trade industries in 2006, as output grew in 17 industries while hours fell in four. The largest increases in productivity -13 percent and 11.8 percent – occurred in motor vehicles and parts wholesalers, and farm product raw materials wholesalers, respectively.

Unit labor costs declined in seven of the 19 detailed industries, but grew 0.5 percent in wholesale trade overall.
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Long-Term Trends
Output per hour increased 3.5 percent per year, on average, between 1987 and 2006.&nbsp ; Output grew 4.2 percent per year and hours rose 0.7 percent per year.&nbsp ;

At the subsector level, productivity advanced 5.6 percent per year in durable merchant wholesale trade, and increased 1.3 percent per year, on average, in nondurable merchant wholesale trade.

Labor productivity increased in 17 of the 19 detailed industries.&nbsp ; Commercial equipment wholesalers and electric goods wholesalers, had the largest average annual increases in labor productivity of 15.6 percent and 9.1 percent per year, respectively.&nbsp ; Output grew in all but one industry, while hours decreased in six industries.&nbsp ;

Unit labor costs increased in all but three of the wholesale trade industries over the period, and rose 0.7 percent per year.

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