facts & figures
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EMPLOYMENT: Down 1% in 1999
T
he chemical industry cal production workers slipped was unable to sustain the from a decade high of 603,000 Chemical employment slipped increases in employment in 1989 to 583,000 at the end of through 1999 in 1999 that it had in the previ1999. The loss of 20,000 jobs ous two years. According to hardly registers if calculated Millions of employees' the Department of Labor, emon an average annual percent1.05" ployment within the chemicals age basis. However, on an aband allied products sector desolute basis, the industry emclined 1% to an annual average ployed 3% fewer production / ^ •\ J* 1.04 of 1.035 million. Manufacturworkers in 1999 than it did in ing jobs also slipped in 1999; 1989. The decade low for prothey were down 2%. duction workers occurred in ^ ^ 1992 when there were only On a seasonally adjusted 1.03 567,000 employed. month-to-month basis, chemical industry employment startAlthough the average ed at 1.035 million at the beginnumber of production jobs ning of 1996, peaked in March declined 1% in 1999 comII ,1,1.11 1 1 1 1.1 I I I I I I I I I I I 1.02 at 1.037 million, dropped off to pared with the year earlier, 1996 1998 1999 1997 1.033 million in June, and rethree sectors added produca Seasonally adjusted employment in U.S. chemicals and allied products industry. mained at that level through the tion jobs in 1999: drugs, up Source: Department of Labor end of the year. In 1997, em5%; industrial organic chemiployment levels rose early in cals, up 3%; and soap, cleanthe year to 1.036 million, dropped in Au- but finished the year at 587,000 jobs, ers, and toilet goods, up 2%. gust then rose again to reach an annual close to the 1998 peak. The average length of the workweek high of 1.041 million at the end of the year. In 1999, the chemical industry em- decreased slightly to 43.0 hours in 1999 Employment levels rose through the ployed 39,000 fewer people than it did in from 43.2 hours in 1998. However, nearly beginning of 1998 and peaked at 1.044 mil- 1989 when employment levels were at half of the categories of production worklionfromMay through August But by the 1.074 million. Average annual industry ers put in more hours in 1999 than in 1998: end of the year, they dropped to 1.042 mil- employment peaked at 1.086 million plastic materials and synthetics; soap, cleaners, and toilet goods; and industrial lion. Employment sagged in 1999, start- jobs in 1990. ing at 1.041 million andfinishingdown On a percentage basis, the average an- organic chemicals. 11,000 at 1.030 million in December. Industrial employment of women rose nual decline over the past decade is bareChemical production jobs declined ly perceptible. In absolute terms, it marks during the past decade. Women made up more precipitously in 1996 than those of a 4% drop. By comparison, all manufactur- 30% of total chemical industry employment the industry overall. But as jobs declined ing lost 959,000 jobs over the decade, in 1989, but accounted for 32% in 1999. Combined employment at 21 major in the industry throughout 1999, produc- marking an average annual decline of 1% chemical companies rose 4.6% in 1999. tion jobs bucked the trend. Whereas but an absolute decline of 5%. 582,000 production workers kept busy in Average annual employment of chemi- Average sales per employee rose 1% from $310,800 in 1998 to the chemical industry be$314,800 in 1999. Sales per ginning in early 1996, only — — employee rose at an average 570,000 were still employed by Chemical production jobs recovered annual rate of 4.4% between December. Production jobs inlate in the year 1989 and 1999. creased slowly at the beginThis year's table includes ning of 1997 from a base of Thousands of employees3 some additions and deletions 569,000 employed in January 590 ~ compared with last year's tato 572,000 in August. But in ble. No longer included are September, the pace quick580 International Flavors & Fraened, and 575,000 producgrances, Morton Internationtion workers quickly grew to al, Nalco Chemical, and Witco. 581,000 by the end of the year. Morton was bought by Rohm By May and June of 1998, 570 and Haas, Nalco by Suez Lyonemployment of production naise, and Witco by Crompton workers peaked at 588,000 & Knowles—which became and then slowly dropped off to 560 1999 1997 1996 1998 Crompton earlier this year. 586,000 in December. Last New to the list are Cambrex, year, employment started at a Seasonally adjusted employment in U.S. chemicals and allied products industry. Source: Department of Labor Cytec Industries, Eastman 584,000 production jobs, Chemical, and Georgia Gulf. slipped to 578,000 in August,
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I I I I I I I I I I I
7 2 JUNE 26, 2000 C&EN
I I I I I I I I I I I
INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT: Chemical workforce dropped in most categories % annual change Thousands
1989
1990
1991
1992
1994
1993
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
All manufacturing 19,391 19,076 18,406 18,104 18,075 18,321 18,524 18,495 18,675 18,772 18,432 Chemicals & allied products 1,074 1,086 1,076 1,084 1,081 1,057 1,038 1,034 1,036 1,043 1,035 112 115 117 119 Industrial inorganic chemicals 120 129 136 129 138 135 135 157 151 159 160 Plastic materials & synthetics 158 162 182 167 173 178 180 290 279 Drugs 269 261 260 237 232 263 264 257 247 152 156 Soap, cleaners & toilet goods 156 155 153 153 157 154 155 159 160 53 52 52 Paints & allied products 52 57 62 55 58 61 58 58 134 138 Industrial organic chemicals 138 143 146 146 154 155 150 151 155 52 52 Agricultural chemicals 52 53 53 57 54 55 58 56 56 92 94 94 93 Miscellaneous chemical products 93 97 93 93 94 100 99 137 Petroleum & coal products 140 141 142 145 157 149 152 156 158 160 Rubber & miscellaneous 996 1,009 1,019 983 980 862 953 888 888 909 878 plastics products
1998-99
1989-99
-2% -1 -3 -4 4 -3 2 -3 0 -2 -2 1
-1% 0 -2 -2 2 -1 -2 -1 0 -1 -1 1
Note: Average annual domestic employment. Source: Department of Labor
WORKWEEK: Mixed for chemicals and allied products, unchanged for all manufacturing
EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN: Decade brought increases in most chemical segments
Thousands
All manufacturing 6,399.0 Chemicals & allied products 318.0 Industrial inorganic chemicals 27.4 Plastic materials & synthetics 39.9 Drugs 103.1 Soap, cleaners & toilet goods 71.3 Paints & allied products 12.4 Industrial organic chemicals 29.9 Agricultural chemicals 8.6 Miscellaneous chemical products 25.4 Petroleum & coal products 25.1 Rubber & miscellaneous 313.3 plastics products
%of total
33% 30 20 22 44 45 20 20 16 26 16 35
Thousands
5,855.0 336.0 21.2 38.3 130.7 70.2 11.3 32.0 9.4 22.9 24.2 348.8
%of total
32% 32 19 25 45 46 21 24 18 25 18 34
Note: Average annual domestic employment. Source: Department of Labor
Hours
1996
1997
All manufacturing
41.6 43.2 46.2 44.0 41.4 40.8 42.4 44.9 45.3 43.2 43.6 41.5
42.0 43.2 46.6 43.5 41.6 41.2 43.0 44.6 45.0 43.5 43.1 41.8
Chemicals & allied products Industrial inorganic chemicals Plastic materials & synthetics Drugs Soap, cleaners & toilet goods Paints & allied products Industrial organic chemicals Agricultural chemicals Miscellaneous chemical products Petroleum & coal products Rubber & miscellaneous plastics products
1999
41.7 43.2 44.9 43.4 42.1 41.3 42.7 44.7 45.3 43.2 43.6 41.7
41.7 43.0 42.9 43.6 41.9 41.7 42.5 45.5 45.2 42.8 43.1 41.7
Note: For production workers in domestic employment. Source: Department of Labor
PRODUCTION WORKERS: Chemical industry cut 1% of jobs last year % annual change Thousands
All manufacturing Chemicals & allied products
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
13,230 12,947 12,434 12,287 12,341 12,632 12,826 12,776 12,907 12,930 12,662 603
600
580
567
573
578
580
575
573
586
583
1998-99
1989-99
-2%
0%
-1
0
Industrial inorganic chemicals
70
70
64
61
58
56
54
55
57
62
59
-5
-2
Plastic materials & synthetics
119
116
110
104
105
109
106
106
106
104
99
-5
-2
Drugs
102
105
109
112
117
121
127
124
121
127
133
5
3
Soap, cleaners & toilet goods
101
98
95
94
96
95
95
95
95
97
99
2
0
Paints & allied products
32
31
30
30
30
30
29
28
28
28
28
0
-1
Industrial organic chemicals
88
86
81
76
79
80
83
82
79
80
78
3
-1
Agricultural chemicals
34
34
34
35
32
31
31
31
31
32
31
-3
-1
Miscellaneous chemical products
59
59
58
56
54
55
55
56
57
57
56
-2
-1
Petroleum & coal products
102
103
103
103
99
97
94
92
93
93
90
-3
-1
Rubber & miscellaneous plastics products
692
687
662
677
703
742
763
762
773
783
790
1
Note: Average annual domestic employment. Source: Department of Labor
JUNE 26,2000 C&EN 7 3
facts & figures
CHEMICAL EMPLOYMENT: Jobs at major firms up 5% for second year Thousands
Air Products & Chemicals
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1997
1996
1999
1998
14.1
14.0
14.6
14.5
14.1
13.3
14.8
15.2
16.4
16.7
17.4
Albermarle*
—
—
—
—
—
3.7
3.0
2.8
2.7
2.7
2.6
Cabot
5.5
6.0
5.3
5.4
5.4
5.4
4.1
4.7
4.8
4.8
4.5
Cambrex
0.6
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
1.3
1.3
1.3
1.8
1.8
1.9
Crompton
1.7
1.8
2.0
2.2
2.3
2.5
2.8
5.7
5.6
5.4
8.6
Cytec Industries
—
—
—
—
5.2
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.2
5.1
4.9
62.1
62.1
62.2
61.4
55.4
53.7
39.5
40.3
42.9
39.0
39.2
Eastman Chemical
—
—
—
—
18.0
17.5
17.7
17.5
16.1
15.9
14.7
Ethyl
5.5
5.7
6.0
6.3
5.5
1.5
1.8
1.8
1.5
1.5
1.5
H. B. Fuller
5.5
5.6
5.6
5.8
6.0
6.4
6.4
5.9
6.0
6.0
5.4
Dow Chemical
Georgia Gulf
1.4
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.0
1.1
1.1
1.4
W.R. Grace
46.4
49.0
46.6
44.1
34.0
37.9
21.2
17.4
6.3
6.6
6.3
Hercules
23.3
19.9
17.3
15.4
14.1
12.0
7.9
7.1
6.2
12.4
11.4
Lubrizol
5.3
5.2
5.3
4.6
4.6
4.5
4.6
4.4
4.3
4.3
4.1
Monsanto
42.2
41.1
39.3
33.8
30.0
29.4
28.5
31.8
29.9
PPG Industries
35.5
35.1
33.7
32.3
31.4
30.8
31.2
31.3
31.9
32.5
33.8
—
—
—
18.6
16.8
17.8
18.2
25.3
25.4
24.8
24.1
13.0
12.9
12.9
13.8
13.0
12.2
11.7
11.6
11.6
11.3
21.5
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
8.8
8.7
10.6
Praxairb Rohm and Haas Solutiac Stepan Union Carbide
TOTAL EMPLOYEES ANNUAL CHANGE SALES PER EMPLOYEE
28.0
21.9
1.2
1.3
1.3
1.3
1.3
1.3
1.3
1.3
1.3
1.4
1.4
46.0
38.8
36.7
15.1
13.1
12.0
11.5
11.7
11.8
11.6
11.6
309.3
300.1
290.5
276.4
272.1
269.3
233.6
239.3
233.6
245.4
256.8
1.2% $205.5
-3.0% $221.1
-3.2% -11.3% $218.9
$230.2
-9.9% $240.7
-1.0% -13.3% $262.7
$320.9
2.4% $321.7
-2.4% $331.1
5.1% $310.8
4.6% $314.8
($ thousands) Note: Data are not restated for acquisitions, divestitures, or similar developments, a Spun off from Ethyl in 1994. b Spun off from Union Carbide in 1992. c Spun off from Monsanto in 1997. Source: Company data
WAGES: Hourly earnings up for all categories of chemical production workers Weekly earnings
Hourly earnings 1996
1997
1998
1999
1996
1997
1998
1999
$12.77
$13.17
$13.49
$13.91
$531.23
$553.14
$562.53
$580.05
16.17
16.57
17.12
17.47
698.54
715.82
739.58
751.21
Industrial inorganic chemicals
17.95
18.55
19.09
19.41
829.29
864.43
857.14
832.69
Plastic materials & synthetics
16.90
17.40
17.87
18.27
743.60
756.90
775.56
796.57
Drugs
15.80
16.40
17.06
17.22
654.12
682.24
718.23
721.52
Soap, cleaners & toilet goods
12.96
13.26
13.86
14.82
528.77
546.31
572.42
617.99
Paints & allied products
13.52
14.07
14.44
14.90
573.25
605.01
616.59
633.25
Industrial organic chemicals Agricultural chemicals
19.61
19.87
20.52
20.59
880.49
886.20
917.24
936.85
16.17
16.62
17.17
17.48
732.50
747.90
777.80
790.10
Miscellaneous chemical products
All manufacturing Chemicals & allied products
14.93
15.05
15.33
15.83
644.98
654.68
662.26
677.52
Petroleum & coal products
19.32
20.20
20.92
21.46
842.35
870.62
912.11
924.93
Rubber & miscellaneous plastics products
11.24
11.57
11.87
12.31
466.46
483.63
494.98
513.33
Note: For production workers in U.S. employment. Source: Department of Labor
7 4 JUNE 26, 2000 C&EN
