Labor productivity has improved substantially over the last decade, rising at an average annual rate of about 2% between 1987 and 1997 [BLS 1996]. Investments in new technologies, facilities, employee training, and product development have reduced the number of man-hours required to produce a ton of castings, despite the trend toward more complex, value-added castings. The average hourly earnings in the metalcasting industry were $14.43 in 1997 [DOC 1997].