Wholesaler Survey Shows New Jobs Coming

March 26, 2004
A just-completed survey of its largest members by the National Association of Wholesaler- Distributors (NAW) indicates that 67 percent of the respondents intend to increase their workforce this year. On average, these companies will grow their number of employees by 4.7 percent, according to the respondents.

A just-completed survey of its largest members by the National Association of Wholesaler- Distributors (NAW) indicates that 67 percent of the respondents intend to increase their workforce this year. On average, these companies will grow their number of employees by 4.7 percent, according to the respondents.

Fifty-eight of the nation’s largest wholesaler-distributors with collective annual sales of $177 billion participated in the survey conducted in early March.

“These new hires are in response to very healthy sales gains posted by wholesaler-distributors in January and February,” said Dirk Van Dongen, president of NAW. “The survey participants see strong sales increases ahead, and need more people to handle the increase in business they are experiencing.”

Survey respondents credit the President’s tax cuts and incentives for triggering much of the growth in business they are seeing. At the same time, they caution that rising health care costs are dampening full profit recovery.

“The President is making a very strong case for keeping government on the side of economic growth in order to generate new jobs. In this political season, it is vital that the debate stay focused on this goal if a national jobs recovery is to occur. Half-baked, looney proposals should be recognized as just that,” observed Van Dongen.