For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Thursday, November 19, 2020 USDL-20-2138

Technical information: (202) 691-5606 • mfp@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/mfp

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov

MULTIFACTOR PRODUCTIVITY TRENDS IN MANUFACTURING - 2019

Manufacturing sector multifactor productivity declined 1.6 percent in 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor 

Statistics reported today. The multifactor productivity decline in 2019 reflected a 1.1-percent decrease in sectoral 

output and a 0.5-percent increase in combined inputs. The decrease in multifactor productivity followed a revised 

0.7-percent increase in 2018. (See chart 1, table A.) 

Multifactor productivity is calculated by dividing an index of real sectoral output by an index of combined units 

of labor input, capital services, and intermediate inputs. Multifactor productivity annual measures differ from BLS 

quarterly labor productivity or output per hour measures because the former also includes information on capital 

services, shifts in the composition of the workforce, and intermediate inputs. 

Durable manufacturing sector multifactor productivity decreased 1.3 percent in 2019. The decline reflected a 

0.6-percent decrease in sectoral output and a 0.7-percent increase in combined inputs. Nondurable 

manufacturing sector multifactor productivity decreased 1.8 percent in 2019. The decline reflected a 1.5-percent 

decrease in sectoral output and a 0.3-percent increase in combined inputs. (See table C, table 2.) 

Chart 1. Multifactor productivity in the manufacturing, durable manufacturing, and nondurable 

manufacturing sectors, 1987-2019

Annual percent change 

Among the 19 manufacturing industries, 16 experienced declines in multifactor productivity growth in 2019. The 

largest declines in multifactor productivity were in the chemical products, the furniture and related products, and 

the apparel and leather and applied products industries. The primary metals products industry showed the largest 

gains in multifactor productivity. Sectoral output declined in 16 industries in 2019, the most industries that 

experienced a decline in sectoral output since 2009. (See chart 2, table 2.) 

-6

-4

-2

0

2

4

6

8

1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018

Manufacturing Durable manufacturing Nondurable manufacturing
- 2 - 

Chart 2. Manufacturing industry trends in multifactor productivity (MFP), sectoral output, and combined 

inputs, 2019 

Chart 3 displays the contributions of three-digit manufacturing industries to manufacturing sector multifactor 

productivity. Contributions take into account the relative importance of each industry to the manufacturing sector 

multifactor productivity. Chemical products made the largest negative contribution to manufacturing multifactor 

productivity. Petroleum and coal products was the largest offset to the manufacturing multifactor productivity 

decline in 2019. 

Chart 3. Contributions of manufacturing industries to manufacturing sector multifactor productivity, 2019 
- 3 - 

Trends in the manufacturing sector 

Manufacturing sectoral output declined in 2019 with an annual decrease of 1.1 percent compared to the 2.3-

percent increase in 2018. Combined inputs increased 0.5 percent, less than the 1.5-percent increase as 2018. (See 

table 1.) 

Over the longer term, multifactor productivity in the manufacturing sector grew at an average annual rate of 0.7 

percent from 1987 to 2019 with sectoral output increasing at an average annual rate of 1.5 percent, faster than the 

0.8-percent average annual rate of increase in combined inputs. During the same period, labor productivity grew 

at an average annual rate of 2.5 percent. (See table A.) Of the 2.5-percent average annual increase in labor 

productivity, multifactor productivity contributed 0.7 percentage points which represents about 30 percent of the 

growth in the 1987-2019 period. Capital intensity contributed 0.8 percentage points, intermediate inputs intensity 

contributed 0.8 percentage points, and labor composition contributed 0.2 percentage points to the increase in labor 

productivity. (See table B.) 

For the more recent 2007-19 period, multifactor productivity declined at a 0.3-percent average annual rate 

compared to an increase of 1.7 percent during the 2000-07 period. (See table A.) Sectoral output decreased at a 

0.3-percent average annual rate and combined inputs increased 0.1 percent over the 2007-19 period. 

Revised measures 

Annual rates of multifactor productivity and related series were revised historically for all three sectors. (See table 

D.) The most notable revisions are in the latest business cycle and are due to the release of 2019 GDP by Industry 

data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Revisions prior to the 2007-18 business cycle are small and due to 

revised hours data from BLS and improved estimates of underlying GDP-by-Industry components. Note: the 2018 

Annual Survey of Manufactures was incorporated into all three sectors’ measures in July 2020.

Over the 2007-18 period, multifactor productivity in the manufacturing sector was revised up 0.1 percentage 

points to a decline of 0.2 percent. The upward revision was due to a 0.1-percentage point downward revision to 

combined inputs. Sectoral output was unchanged.

In 2018, multifactor productivity in the manufacturing sector was revised down 0.1 percentage points to an 

increase of 0.7 percent. In durable manufacturing, multifactor productivity was revised down 0.6 percentage 

points, driven by a 0.5-percent upward revision in combined inputs. In nondurable manufacturing, multifactor 

productivity was revised up 0.4 percentage points, due to an upward revision of 0.3 percentage points to sectoral 

output and a downward revision of 0.2 percentage points to combined inputs. (See table D.)
- 4 - 

Table A. Productivity, sectoral output, and inputs in the manufacturing sector for selected periods, 1987-

2019

Average annual growth

 1987-

2019

1987-

1990

1990-

2000

2000-

2007

2007-

2019

2018-

2019

Productivity

 Multifactor productivity1 0.7 0.4 1.5 1.7 -0.3 -1.6

 Labor productivity2 2.5 1.8 3.9 4.4 0.4 -1.1

 Output per unit of capital services -0.8 -0.8 0.2 -0.3 -2.0 -2.8

Sectoral Output 1.5 1.8 3.8 1.2 -0.3 -1.1

Inputs

 Combined inputs3 0.8 1.4 2.3 -0.5 0.1 0.5

 Labor input4

 -0.4 0.4 0.6 -2.4 -0.2 0.1

 Hours -0.9 0.0 -0.1 -3.1 -0.6 0.0

 Labor composition5 0.5 0.4 0.7 0.7 0.4 0.1

 Capital services 2.3 2.7 3.5 1.5 1.8 1.7

 Energy -2.2 -1.0 3.6 -5.4 -5.3 -8.7

 Materials 1.3 0.4 4.2 0.5 -0.5 0.2

 Purchased business services 0.4 4.5 0.7 -0.4 -0.4 1.0

1 Output per combined units of labor input, capital services, energy, materials, and purchased business services.

2 Output per hour worked.

3 The growth rate of each input is weighted by its share of current dollar costs.

4 Hours at work by age, education, and gender group are weighted by each group’s share of total wages.

5 Ratio of labor input to hours.
- 5 - 

 

 1 Output per hour worked. 

 2 Capital intensity multiplied by capital's share of current dollar costs. 

 3 Information processing equipment per hour multiplied by its share of current dollar costs. 

 4 Research and development per hour multiplied by its share of current dollar costs. 

 5 Software and artistic originals per hour multiplied by their share of current dollar costs.

 6 Intermediate inputs per hour multiplied by intermediate inputs’ share of current dollar costs.

 7 Energy per hour multiplied by energy’s share of current dollar costs. 

 8 Materials per hour multiplied by materials’ share of current dollar costs.

 9 Purchased business services per hour multiplied by purchased business services’ share of current dollar costs. 

10 Labor composition multiplied by labor’s share of current dollar costs.

 11 Output per combined units of labor input, capital services, energy, materials, and purchased business services.

Table B. Labor productivity and contributions of capital intensity, intermediate inputs intensity, labor 

composition, and multifactor productivity to labor productivity in the manufacturing sector for selected 

periods, 1987-2019

Average annual growth/percentage point

1987-

2019

1987-

1990

1990-

2000

2000-

2007

2007-

2019

2018-

2019

Labor productivity1 2.5 1.8 3.9 4.4 0.4 -1.1

 Contribution of capital intensity2 0.7 0.5 0.7 1.0 0.6 0.5

 Information processing 

 equipment intensity3 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0

 Research and 

 development intensity4 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.3 0.3

 All other intellectual 

 property products intensity5 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

 All other capital services 

 intensity 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.5 0.2 0.1

 Contribution of intermediate 

 inputs intensity6 0.8 0.8 1.4 1.4 0.0 0.0

 Energy intensity7 0.0 0.0 0.1 -0.1 -0.1 -0.1

 Materials intensity8 0.6 0.1 1.2 1.0 0.1 0.1

 Purchased business 

 services intensity9 0.2 0.7 0.1 0.4 0.0 0.1

 Contribution of labor 

 composition10 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.0

 Multifactor productivity11 0.7 0.4 1.5 1.7 -0.3 -1.6
- 6 - 

Table C. Multifactor productivity and related measures in the total, durable and nondurable manufacturing 

sectors, for selected periods, 1987-2019 

Average annual growth

1987-

2019

1987-

1990

1990-

2000

2000-

2007

2007-

2019

2018-

2019

Manufacturing

 Multifactor productivity1  0.7 0.4 1.5 1.7 -0.3 -1.6

 Labor productivity 2.5 1.8 3.9 4.4 0.4 -1.1

 Sectoral output 1.5 1.8 3.8 1.2 -0.3 -1.1

 Combined inputs2 0.8 1.4 2.3 -0.5 0.1 0.5

 Capital services 2.3 2.7 3.5 1.5 1.8 1.7

Labor input3-0.4 0.4 0.6 -2.4 -0.2 0.1

Energy -2.2 -1.0 3.6 -5.4 -5.3 -8.7

Materials 1.3 0.4 4.2 0.5 -0.5 0.2

Purchased business

services

0.4 4.5 0.7 -0.4 -0.4 1.0

Durable Manufacturing

Multifactor productivity1 1.4 0.9 2.2 2.5 0.2 -1.3

Labor productivity 2.9 2.1 5.2 4.5 0.4 -0.8

Sectoral output 2.0 1.9 5.5 1.3 -0.3 -0.6

Combined inputs2 0.7 1.0 3.2 -1.2 -0.5 0.7

Capital services 2.2 2.5 4.0 1.1 1.3 1.5

Labor Input3-0.4 0.2 0.9 -2.4 -0.4 0.1

Energy -3.7 -2.9 2.5 -5.7 -7.6 -12.4

Materials 1.5 0.8 6.7 -1.2 -1.0 1.3

Purchased business 

services

0.2 2.2 1.6 0.0 -1.3 0.4

Nondurable Manufacturing

Multifactor productivity1  -0.1 -0.2 0.3 0.6 -0.7 -1.8

Labor productivity 1.7 1.3 2.3 3.8 0.2 -1.1

Sectoral output 0.7 1.7 1.6 0.6 -0.3 -1.5

Combined inputs2 0.7 1.9 1.3 0.0 0.4 0.3

Capital services 2.4 2.8 3.1 1.8 2.2 2.0

Labor input3-0.4 0.7 0.1 -2.4 0.0 0.0

Energy -1.1 1.1 4.7 -5.3 -3.9 -6.0

Materials 0.6 0.6 1.4 1.0 -0.3 -1.0

Purchased business 

services

0.7 7.4 -0.2 -1.2 0.8 2.6

1 Output per combined units of hours, capital services, energy, materials, and purchased business services. 

 2 The growth rate of each input is weighted by its share of current dollar costs. 

 3 Hours at work by age, education, and gender group, weighted by each group’s share of total wages. 
- 7 - 

Table D. Difference between revised and previous multifactor productivity and related measures, for 

selected periods 1987-2018 

Average annual growth

1987-

2018

1987-

1990

1990-

2000

2000-

2007

2007-

2018

2016-

2017

2017-

2018

Manufacturing

 Multifactor productivity1  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.5 -0.1

 Labor productivity 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1

 Sectoral output 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1

 Combined inputs2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -0.1 -0.4 0.1

 Capital services 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1

Labor input3 0.0 -0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Energy 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 -0.2 -12.6

Materials 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -0.1 0.2 0.8

Purchased business

services

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -0.1 -4.7 1.0

Durable Manufacturing

Multifactor productivity1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 -0.6

Labor productivity 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 -0.1

Sectoral output 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -0.1 0.1 -0.1

Combined inputs2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -0.1 -0.9 0.5

Capital services 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -0.2

Labor input3 0.0 -0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -0.1

Energy 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.2 -16.0

Materials 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -0.2 -2.4 3.1

Purchased business 

services

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 -3.4 -1.2

Nondurable Manufacturing

Multifactor productivity1  0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 -0.1 0.4

Labor productivity 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2

Sectoral output 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.3

Combined inputs2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 -0.2

Capital services 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2

Labor input3-0.1 -0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Energy 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 -4.1 -10.5

Materials 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 1.9 -0.8

Purchased business 

services

-0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 -0.3 -6.1 3.1

1 Output per combined units of hours, capital services, energy, materials, and purchased business services. 

 2 The growth rate of each input is weighted by its share of current dollar costs. 

 3 Hours at work by age, education, and gender group, weighted by each group’s share of total wages. 
- 8 - 

Technical Notes 

BLS includes a measure of the effects of changes in the composition of the work force for manufacturing sectors 

and industries. Labor input in manufacturing sectors and NAICS industry groups is obtained by chained 

superlative Tornqvist aggregation of the hours at work, classified by age, education, and gender with weights 

determined by each group’s share of total wages. The labor composition index estimates the effect of shifts in the 

age, education, and gender composition of the work force on hours worked. 

Capital Services 

Capital services are the services derived from the stock of physical assets and intellectual property assets. There 

are 90 asset types for fixed business equipment, structures, inventories, land, and intellectual property products. 

The aggregate capital services measures are obtained by Tornqvist aggregation of the capital stocks for each asset 

type within each of the nineteen manufacturing NAICS industry groupings using estimated rental prices for each 

asset type. Each rental price reflects the nominal rate of return to all assets within the industry and rates of 

economic depreciation and revaluation for the specific asset; rental prices are adjusted for the effects of taxes. 

Data on investment for fixed assets are obtained from BEA. Data on inventories are estimated using data from 

BEA and additional information from IRS Corporation Income Returns. Data for land in the farm sector are 

obtained from USDA. Nonfarm industry detail for land is based on IRS book value data. Current-dollar valueadded data, obtained from BEA, are used in estimating capital rental prices. 

Labor Input 

Labor input in manufacturing sectors and industries is obtained by chained superlative Tornqvist aggregation of 

the hours at work, classified by age, education, and gender with weights determined by each group’s share of total 

wages. The labor composition index estimates the effect of shifts in the age, education, and gender composition of 

the work force on hours worked. Hours at work data reflect Productivity and Costs data as of the September 3, 

2020 “Productivity and Costs” news release (USDL-20-1649). The growth rate of labor composition is defined as 

the difference between the growth rate of weighted labor input and the growth rate of the hours. 

The growth rate of labor composition in manufacturing may be underestimated due to limitations in the source 

data. The education proxy does not include training certifications and licensing. The proxy only includes number 

of years of schooling. 

Additional information concerning data sources and methods of measuring labor composition can be found in 

“Changes in the Composition of Labor for BLS Multifactor Productivity Measures, 2014” 

(www.bls.gov/mfp/mprlabor.pdf). 

Intermediate Inputs 

In manufacturing, intermediate inputs consist of energy, materials, and purchased business services, and represent 

a large share of production costs. Research has shown that substitution among inputs, including intermediate 

inputs, affects productivity change. Therefore, it is important to account for intermediate inputs in productivity 

measures at the industry level. In contrast, the more aggregate productivity measures compare "value-added" 

output with two classes of inputs, capital and labor. Because of these differences in concepts and methodology, 

productivity change in manufacturing cannot be directly compared with changes in private business or private 

nonfarm business. 

Data on intermediate inputs are obtained from BEA based on BEA annual input-output tables. Tornqvist indexes 

of each of these three input classes are derived at the three-digit NAICS level and then aggregated to the 

manufacturing sectors. Materials inputs are adjusted to exclude transactions between establishments within the 

same sector. 
- 9 - 

Combined Inputs 

The five input indexes (capital services, labor, energy, materials, and purchased business services) are combined 

using chained superlative Tornqvist aggregation, applying weights that represent each component's share of total 

costs. Total costs are defined as the current dollar value of manufacturing sectoral output. Most taxes on 

production and imports, such as excise taxes, are excluded from costs; however, property and motor vehicle taxes 

remain in total costs. 

Capital Intensity 

Capital intensity is the ratio of capital services to hours worked in the production process. The higher the capital 

to hours ratio, the more capital intensive the production process is. 

In a production process, profit maximizing/cost-minimizing firms adjust the factor proportions of capital and 

labor if the price of one factor falls relative to the price of the other factor; there would be a tendency for the firms 

to substitute the less expensive factor for the more expensive one. In the short run, changes in hours worked are 

more variable than changes in capital services. Changes in hours worked in business cycles can result in volatility 

of the capital intensity ratio over short periods of time. In the long run an increase in wages relative to the price of 

capital will induce the firm to substitute capital for labor, resulting in an increase in capital intensity. 

Rising labor costs are, in fact, an incentive for firms to introduce automated production processes. 

Industry estimates of capital to hours ratios can be obtained at http://www.bls.gov/mfp/mprdload.htm. 

Sectoral Output 

The output concept used for multifactor productivity in manufacturing is “sectoral output”. Sectoral output equals 

gross output (sales, receipts, and other operating income, plus commodity taxes plus changes in inventories), 

excluding transactions between establishments within the same sector. In contrast, the output concept used for 

private business and private nonfarm business is “real value-added”. Real value-added output in private business 

equals gross domestic product less general government, government enterprises, private households (including the 

rental value of owner-occupied real estate), and non-profit institutions. Real value-added output excludes 

intermediate transactions between businesses. 

The output index for manufacturing is constructed using a chained superlative index (Tornqvist) of three-digit 

NAICS industry outputs. Industry output is measured as sectoral output, the total value of goods and services 

leaving the industry. The indexes of industry output are calculated with the Tornqvist index formula. This index 

formula aggregates the growth rates of the various industry outputs between two periods, using their relative 

shares in industry value of production averaged over the two periods as weights. 

Manufacturing industry output measures for 2018 and earlier years are constructed primarily using data from the 

economic censuses and annual surveys of the U.S. Census Bureau together with data on price changes primarily 

from BLS. These measures have been revised due to new and revised data from the Bureau of Economic 

Analysis, used in part to construct intra-industry transactions. Manufacturing industry output for 2019 is estimated 

based on historical relationships between BLS sectoral output, BLS price indexes, and data on industrial 

production from the Federal Reserve Board. 
- 10 - 

Multifactor Productivity 

The manufacturing multifactor productivity measures describe the relationship between output in real terms and 

the inputs involved in its production. Multifactor productivity measures are not intended to capture the specific 

contributions of labor, capital, or intermediate inputs. Rather, they are designed to measure the joint influences on 

economic growth of technological change, efficiency improvements, returns to scale, reallocation of resources and 

other factors of economic growth, allowing for the effects of capital, labor, and intermediate inputs. The 

multifactor productivity indexes are derived by dividing an output index by an index of the combined inputs of 

labor, capital services, energy, non-energy materials, and purchased business services. 

Other information 

Comprehensive tables containing more detailed data than that which is published in this press release are 

available upon request at 202-691-5606 or at www.bls.gov/mfp/mprdload.htm. Industry specific contributions to 

output are available at www.bls.gov/mfp/contributions-to-output.htm. 

More detailed information on methods, limitations, and data sources of capital and labor are provided in BLS 

Bulletin 2178 (September 1983), Trends in Multifactor Productivity, 1948-81 and on the BLS Multifactor 

Productivity website under the title “Technical Information About the BLS Multifactor Productivity Measures” 

for Major Sectors and 18 NAICS 3-digit Manufacturing Industries at www.bls.gov/mfp/mprtech.pdf. 

General information is available on the BLS Multifactor Productivity website at www.bls.gov/mfp/mprover.htm. 

Additional data not contained in the release can be obtained in print or at www.bls.gov/mfp. A number of 

comprehensive tables set up as zip files can be obtained at www.bls.gov/mfp/mprdload.htm. Methods for 

measuring manufacturing multifactor productivity are discussed in the July 1995 issue of the Monthly Labor 

Review, "Measurement of productivity growth in U.S. manufacturing”. See www.bls.gov/mfp/mprgul95.pdf. 
- 11 - 

Table 1. Manufacturing sector: productivity and related measures for the 1987-2019 period 

Annual percent change from previous year

Productivity Inputs

Output 

per unit Purchased

Labor of capital Multifactor Sectoral Capital business Combined

Productivity1 services Productivity2 Output Labor3 Services Energy Materials services Inputs4

1988 2.0 1.8 2.3 4.2 2.4 2.3 0.6 -1.5 6.3 1.8

1989 0.0 -1.4 -1.2 1.2 1.6 2.7 -0.2 1.5 6.0 2.4

1990 3.5 -2.8 0.0 0.0 -2.8 3.0 -3.2 1.1 1.3 0.0

1991 1.8 -4.2 -0.2 -1.8 -2.9 2.5 -6.9 -0.8 -3.8 -1.6

1992 5.2 1.6 1.8 4.1 -0.1 2.4 -3.1 5.5 2.7 2.2

1993 2.5 1.3 1.0 3.7 2.1 2.4 -4.0 8.0 -2.8 2.7

1994 3.0 2.7 1.3 5.6 3.3 2.8 -1.4 9.2 0.5 4.2

1995 3.7 0.6 1.5 4.3 1.2 3.7 0.0 5.8 -0.2 2.8

1996 3.9 -0.4 0.9 3.9 0.6 4.3 -3.1 6.0 0.8 2.9

1997 4.9 2.0 1.8 6.9 2.6 4.8 2.0 6.8 7.4 5.0

1998 4.5 -0.2 0.9 4.8 0.9 5.0 0.4 6.1 4.8 3.9

1999 5.6 0.1 2.2 4.1 -0.9 4.0 44.7 1.0 1.0 1.9

2000 3.7 -0.9 3.3 2.5 -0.5 3.5 16.7 -4.8 -2.4 -0.7

2001 2.3 -6.7 -1.6 -4.4 -6.0 2.4 16.1 -7.9 1.7 -2.8

2002 8.3 -0.7 2.5 0.8 -6.0 1.5 -33.7 9.5 -5.2 -1.6

2003 6.5 0.4 4.9 1.3 -4.0 0.9 -17.2 -7.5 1.5 -3.4

2004 2.7 1.7 2.7 2.2 0.1 0.5 0.3 5.7 -13.9 -0.5

2005 5.1 2.8 0.8 4.0 -0.7 1.2 18.2 5.3 7.3 3.2

2006 1.0 0.1 2.4 1.6 0.9 1.5 -19.1 -4.1 5.1 -0.7

2007 4.6 0.7 0.6 3.0 -0.8 2.3 10.6 4.4 2.3 2.4

2008 -0.5 -7.5 0.1 -4.5 -2.8 3.2 5.1 -6.7 -16.8 -4.6

2009 1.2 -13.2 -3.7 -12.0 -12.0 1.4 -26.6 -12.9 -2.4 -8.6

2010 6.3 5.5 4.1 6.5 0.8 0.9 -3.1 4.5 3.8 2.3

2011 0.9 1.5 -0.5 2.8 1.9 1.3 10.0 7.5 -3.8 3.3

2012 -0.9 -0.2 -1.6 1.3 2.6 1.5 1.3 3.8 4.4 3.0

2013 1.1 -0.1 -0.1 1.9 0.9 2.1 3.6 3.1 0.2 2.0

2014 -0.4 -1.1 1.1 1.2 1.7 2.2 -8.1 -1.6 -0.6 0.0

2015 -1.8 -2.9 -0.8 -0.9 1.0 2.0 -11.5 0.2 -6.0 -0.2

2016 -0.4 -2.1 -2.3 -0.1 0.7 2.0 -3.0 3.6 3.0 2.2

2017 -0.1 -0.9 0.8 0.7 1.0 1.6 -3.5 -7.3 13.2 -0.1

2018

2019

0.3

-1.1

0.7

-2.8

0.7

-1.6

2.3

-1.1

2.1

0.1

1.6

1.7

-13.0

-8.7

1.5

0.2

2.5

1.0

1.5

0.5

1 Output per hour worked. 

2 Output per combined units of labor input, capital services, energy, materials, and purchased business services. 

3 Hours at work by age, education, and gender group, weighted by each group’s share of total wages. 

4 The growth rate of each input is weighted by its share of current dollar costs. 

Source: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) develops productivity measures using output data published by the Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce, and 

modified by BLS. Compensation and hours data are from the BLS. Capital measures are based on data supplied by the BEA, U.S. Department of Commerce. See Technical 

Notes in this release. 
- 12 - 

Table 2. Multifactor productivity measures for manufacturing industries in selected periods, 1987-2019 

Average annual growth 

Source: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) develops productivity measures using output data published by the Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce, 

and modified by BLS. Compensation and hours data are from the BLS. Capital measures are based on data supplied by the BEA, U.S. Department of Commerce. See 

Technical Notes in this release.

Manufacturing

1987- 2019 1987-1990 1990- 2000 2000-2007 2007-2019 2018-2019

0.7 0.4 1.5 1.7 -0.3 -1.6

Nondurable manufacturing -0.1 -0.2 0.3 0.6 -0.7 -1.8

Food, beverage, and tobacco products -0.2 -0.4 -0.3 0.7 -0.6 -0.8

Textile mills and textile product mills 0.5 1.3 0.9 0.5 0.0 -1.9

Apparel, leather, and allied products -0.3 0.8 -0.4 -1.4 0.1 -4.1

Paper products 0.1 -0.7 0.1 0.8 -0.2 -1.9

Printing and related support activities 0.5 0.3 -0.3 2.5 0.2 -2.7

Petroleum and coal products 0.7 -0.8 2.5 -0.1 -0.2 2.6

Chemical products -0.8 -0.6 -0.5 0.9 -2.1 -5.2

Plastics and rubber products 0.5 0.5 1.2 0.5 -0.2 -2.1

Durable manufacturing 1.4 0.9 2.2 2.5 0.2 -1.3

Wood products -0.2 0.1 -1.7 0.9 0.3 0.1

Nonmetallic mineral products 0.3 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.3 -0.7

Primary metals 0.6 -0.4 0.9 0.6 0.7 4.1

Fabricated metal products -0.1 -0.5 0.2 0.6 -0.6 -1.6

Machinery -0.1 1.6 -1.2 1.6 -0.4 -1.9

Computer and electronic products 6.0 4.7 10.7 6.5 2.3 -0.3

Electrical equipment, appliances, and 

components

0.2 0.1 -0.5 1.5 0.0 -1.2

Motor vehicles, bodies and trailers, 

and parts

Other transportation equipment

0.2

-0.2

-1.0

-2.0

0.2

-1.0

1.9

1.4

-0.6

0.0

-3.0

-1.0

Furniture and related products -0.1 -0.8 0.2 -0.1 -0.3 -4.3

Miscellaneous manufacturing 0.9 3.9 0.3 1.5 0.2 -0.6