Labor productivity for manufacturing, off-site construction trades, and on-site construct

More recently compiled data, shown in the figure, shows that the trend of increasingly weaker construction productivity, when compared with manufacturing, has continued, but it also shows the gap between off-site and on-site construction activities. It is clear that fabrication off-site is more productive than construction on-site. The off-site construction values were calculated from a basket of fabrication sectors, including metal window and door manufacturing, fabricated structural metal bar joists and reinforcing, concrete product manufacturing, steel and precast concrete contractors, and elevator and moving stairway manufacturing. The on-site values used a basket of sectors that includes glass and glazing contractors, concrete contractors, and drywall and insulation contractors. Off-site construction, most of which is considered part of the manufacturing industries for the purpose of the economic census, shows improvement in productivity but is also subject to the influence of the economic climate in construction.