  
ECONOMIC CENSUS - MANUFACTURING
SECTOR
PURPOSE
To provide
periodic and comprehensive statistics about manufacturing establishments,
activities, and production. The United States Code, Title 13, requires
this census and provides for mandatory responses.
COVERAGE
All domestic
establishments that are classified in SIC Division D, Manufacturing, and
have at least one employee. Coverage is virtually unchanged since 1947.
In 1992, the total value of shipments by manufacturers was $3 trillion.
CONTENT
Basic data
obtained for all establishments include kind of business, geographic location,
type of ownership, total revenue, annual and first quarter payroll, and
employees in the pay period including March 12. Establishments receiving
a long form provide added detail and added data (including inventories,
capital expenditures, identification of some 1,000 materials consumed,
cost of materials, energy consumed, and quantity and value of shipments
for some 11,000 products). Short forms request much less data detail and
no identification of materials consumed.
FREQUENCY
Every 5 years
since 1967, for years ending in "2" and "7." Previous censuses were conducted
for years 1963, 1958, 1954, and 1947; and questions on manufactures were
first included in population censuses in 1810. Data are requested for
activities taking place during the previous calendar year.
METHODS
A mail-out/mail-back
census of 237,000 establishments of all multi-unit firms and single-unit
firms with payrolls above cutoff size; plus administrative data for all
143,000 non-mail single establishments. Firms and establishments selected
for the annual survey of manufactures (ASM) receive a long form, with
the ASM as pages 1-4. Other establishments with payrolls larger than a
cutoff size that varies by industry (generally equivalent to 5 employees)
receive either a long or short form; most above cutoff establishments
receive a long form, and some small single-unit firms in about 80 industries
that have a large number of selected small firms (with 5 to 20 employees)
receive a short form. For single-unit firms below cutoff size (those not
receiving a census form), basic data are obtained from Federal income
tax records and additional data items are estimated using industry averages.
PRODUCTS
Preliminary
Reports are 83 reports that provide the earliest
census results beginning about 12 months after the census year. Data include
459 separate 4-digit SIC industries; products, materials consumed and
value added; and a summary with 2-, 3-, and 4-digit industry statistics
such as total employment, total value of shipments for the U.S. and each
state.
Final Industry
Series reports supersede the preliminary reports beginning about 20
months after the census year and provide considerable additional detail.
These 83 reports include selected operating ratios, industry-product analysis,
book value of assets, capital expenditures, retirements, and depreciation.
Final Geographic
Area Series reports consist of 51 publications available beginning
about 24 months after the census year. Reports provide 2-, 3-, and 4-digit
SIC industry statistics for each state, the District of Columbia, metropolitan
area, and selected counties and places.
Subject Series
reports supplement other products about 30 months after the census year
and include a General Summary (replacing the preliminary summary),
Concentration Ratios in Manufacturing, and Manufacturers' Shipments
to the Federal Government. Similar Analytic Series reports include
Selected Characteristics of Manufacturing Establishments that Export,
and Exports from Manufacturing Establishments.
USES
The Bureau
of Economic Analysis uses the data to benchmark GDP estimates and prepare
input-output tables. The Bureau of Labor Statistics uses the data to benchmark
producer price indexes and prepare productivity statistics. The Federal
Reserve Board uses the data to prepare indexes of industrial production.
State and local agencies
use the data to forecast economic conditions and plan policies. Trade
associations, companies, and researchers use the data for economic planning,
market analysis and investment and production decisions. National and
local news media use the data in general and special business coverage.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Provides the
single best measure of U.S. manufacturing industry outputs, inputs and
operating status, and a major resource for the establishment-based Longitudinal
Research Database.
RELATED PROGRAMS
Annual Survey of Manufactures
Industrial Products
Standard Statistical Establishment List
EXPLORE INFORMATION CONTINUE OVERVIEW
Manufacturing Next Program
U.S. Economy Economy Overview
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