ANNUAL SURVEY OF MANUFACTURES

PURPOSE

To provide detailed annual statistics on the location, activities, and products of U.S. manufacturers. The United States Code, Title 13, requires this survey and provides for mandatory responses.

COVERAGE

All establishments that are classified in Manufacturing Sector and have at least one employee.

CONTENT

Topics covered are the same as for the economic census but product detail is less. Basic data obtained include kind of business, location, ownership, value of shipments, payroll and employment. Additional data collected include cost of materials, inventories, new capital expenditures, fuel and energy costs, hours worked and payroll supplements.

FREQUENCY

Annually since 1949; reported data are for activities taking place during the survey calendar year. For census years, data collection is part of the economic census. A new panel is selected every 5 years.

METHODS

A mail-out/mail-back survey of 55,000 selected establishments and administrative data for small employers and new businesses. The mail survey represents all establishments that received a form in the previous census of manufactures. Some 25,000 large establishments (all establishments of multi- unit companies with shipments of at least $500 million, manufacturers of selected computer products, and all remaining establishments with at least 250 employees) are selected with certainty, and some 30,000 other establishments (generally with the equivalent of 20 to 250 employees) are selected with probability proportional to a composite measure of establishment size. Selected establishments receive a long form; except that, to reduce burden, about 5,000 single-establishment firms from industries with large numbers of small firms (that have between 5 to 20 employees) receive a short form.

The mail survey universe is updated annually from three sources; Internal Revenue Service Administrative records are used to include new single-unit manufacturers, the company organization survey identifies new establishments of multi-unit firms, and a manufacturers classification survey identifies kinds of business.

To represent census non-mail cases, small single-establishment firms (generally with 1 to 5 employees) and new establishments, annual estimates are made based on information from Internal Revenue Service individual and business income tax records.

PRODUCTS

Statistics for Industry Groups and Industries reports provide industry statistics for the U.S. about 12 months after each year. Data include industry shipments, value added, inventories, materials, employment, hours and payroll.

Value of Product Shipments reports provide estimates of the value of product shipments at the product class level and multi-industry products, about 12 months after the year.

Geographic Area Statistics reports provide additional data at the industry group level for each state about 12 months after the year. Data are for the U.S. and each state, and additional data include payroll supplements.

Exports From Manufacturing Establishments reports provide estimates of the value of exports and related employment by industry, state, and state by selected industry, about 36 months after the year.

USES

The Bureau of Labor Statistics uses these data to calculate annual productivity series, update producer price indexes, and calculate weights for new index components. The Federal Reserve Board uses the data to prepare the Index of Industrial Production. The Bureau of Economic Analysis uses the data to prepare annual GDP updates and weights for GDP deflators. The Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration uses the data to evaluate and forecast industrial activity. State and local agencies use the data to plan trade and economic policies. Private industry and trade associations use it to plan operations, analyze markets, and make investment and production decisions.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Provides the best single measures of current U.S. manufacturing industry outputs, inputs and operating status, and the primary basis for updates of the Longitudinal Research Database.

RELATED PROGRAMS

Economic Census - Manufacturing Sector

Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey

Quarterly Financial Report

Industrial Products

Standard Statistical Establishment List

EXPLORE INFORMATION                            CONTINUE OVERVIEW

  Manufacturing                             Next Program

 
  U.S. Economy                              Economy Overview