SIC 5047 Medical, Dental, and Hospital Equipment and Supplies

SIC 5047

This industry classification is comprised of establishments primarily engaged in the wholesale distribution of instruments, apparatus, and equipment to medical and dental practitioners, clinics, and hospitals. Products of the industry include surgical instruments, artificial limbs, operating room equipment, X-ray machines, hospital beds, medical and dental laboratory equipment, and professional supplies. The industry also includes wholesale distributors of industrial safety devices such as first-aid kits and face and eye masks.

NAICS CODE(S)

423450

Medical, Dental and Hospital Equipment and Supplies Wholesalers

446199

All Other Health and Personal Care Stores

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were a total of 17,357 establishments operating within this industry in 2004 with about 194,541 employees and an annual payroll of nearly $11.7 billion. A majority of companies in this business were small as about 72 percent employed less than 20 workers. The establishments were subdivided into three categories: wholesalers engaged primarily in the distribution of surgical, medical, and hospital equipment and supplies; wholesalers engaged primarily in the distribution of dental equipment and supplies; and retailers of all other health and personal care products. The U.S. Census Bureau reported in 2002 that of the then-16,055 establishments more than half (51 percent) were retailers of all other health and personal care products while 43 percent were wholesalers of surgical, medical, and hospital equipment. During that time, California led all states with 1,060 medical, dental, and hospital equipment and supplies establishments with $10.5 billion in sales and 899 all other health and personal care stores establishments with $6.6 billion in sales. For the medical, dental, and hospital equipment and supplies wholesalers, the largest number of establishments fell between $1 million and $2.5 million in sales (1,273 companies) while for the all other health and personal care stores 1,867 establishments had sales between $250,000 and $499,000.

According to Dun & Bradstreet's 2006 figures, the industry posted sales of nearly $56 billion. When ranked by sales, the top segment in the industry was medical equipment and supplies ($16.5 billion) which was followed by medical and hospital equipment ($10.2 billion) and dental equipment and supplies (nearly $10 billion).

The industry leader was Dublin...