Seasonally adjusted manufacturing sector sales in Alberta increased for the eighth time in a row with month-over-month sales rising by $424 million (6.5%) in April.

Sales were 48.4% ($2.3 billion) higher than in April 2020 at the start of the global pandemic and 1.3% ($88.2 million) above where they were in April 2019.

Year-to-date sales were roughly the same as they were in 2019 before the disruptive effects of the virus.

Month-over-month sales were up across almost all major sub-sectors.

Machinery manufacturing posted the largest proportional increase at 23.2% ($94.5 million) while food manufacturing grew the most in absolute terms with sales $106.1 million (7.4%) higher than in March.

High prices continued to push up the value of sales in the wood product sub-sector. Sales were up by 11.2% ($79.1 million) in April over March and by 166.3% ($491.2 million) compared to April 2019.

Answer to the previous trivia question: Over the first four months of 2021, 187 different countries imported goods from Alberta.

Today’s trivia question: Roughly how many trees are needed to produce the lumber to frame a typical house?