Wholesalers are businesses that sell primarily to other businesses and institutions.
The 1992 sales total is an increase of 16 percent since 1987 for District of Columbia's wholesalers. Nationwide, wholesale sales rose an estimated 28 percent over the five-year period. Medical, dental, and hospital equipment and supplies wholesalers had the greatest percent increase, up 78 percent. Manufacturers' sales branches and sales offices were the largest wholesale channel in the District, accounting for 50 percent of total sales in 1992 compared with 40 percent in 1987. Manufacturers' sales branches and sales offices are maintained by manufacturing, refining, and mining companies for marketing their own products at wholesale.