CENSUS OF MANUFACTURES =>General This report, from the 1992 Census of Manufactures, is one of a series of 83 industry reports, each of which provides statistics for individual industries or groups of related industries. Additional separate reports will be issued for each State and the District of Columbia and for special subjects such as manufacturers' shipments to the federal government and concentration ratios in manufacturing. The industry reports include such statistics as number of establishments, employment, payroll, value added by manufacture, cost of materials consumed, capital expenditures, product shipments, etc. State reports present similar statistics for each State and its important metropolitan areas (MA's), counties, and places. Selected statistical totals for "all manufacturing" have been shown in the State reports for MA's with 250 employees or more and for counties and places with 500 employees or more. The General Summary report contains industry, product class, and geographic area statistics summarized in one report. The introduction to the General Summary discusses, at greater length, many of the subjects described in this introduction. For example, the General Summary text discusses the relationship of value added by manufacture to national income by industry of origin, the changes in statistical concepts over the history of the censuses, and the valuation problems arising from intracompany transfers between manufacturing plants of a company and between manufacturing plants and sales offices and sales branches of a company. =>Scope of Census and Definition of Manufacturing The 1992 Census of Manufactures covers all establishments with one paid employee or more primarily engaged in manufacturing as defined in the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Manual. This is the system of industrial classification developed by experts on classification in Government and private industry under the guidance of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. This classification system is used by Government agencies as well as many organizations outside the Government. The SIC Manual defines manufacturing as the mechanical or chemical transformation of substances or materials into new products. The assembly of component parts of products also is considered to be manufacturing if the resulting product is neither a structure nor other fixed improvement. These activities are usually carried on in plants, factories, or mills that characteristically use power-driven machines and materials-handling equipment. Manufacturing production is usually carried on for the wholesale market, for transfers to other plants of the same company, or to the order of industrial users rather than for direct sale to the household consumer. Some manufacturers in a few industries sell chiefly at retail to household consumers through the mail, through house-to-house routes, or through salespersons. Some activities of a service nature (enameling, engraving, etc.) are included in manufacturing when they are performed primarily for trade. They are considered nonmanufacturing when they are performed primarily to the order of the household consumer. =>Relationship Between ASM and Census of Manufactures The Bureau of the Census conducts the annual survey of manufactures (ASM) in each of the 4 years between the censuses of manufactures. The ASM is a probability-based sample of approximately 62,000 establishments and collects the same industry statistics (employment, payroll, value of shipments, etc.) as the census of manufactures. In addition to collecting the information normally requested on the census form, the establishments in the ASM sample are requested to supply information on assets, capital expenditures, retirements, depreciation, rental payments, supplemental labor costs, costs of purchased services, and foreign content of materials consumed. Except for supplemental labor costs, the extra ASM items are collected only in census years. =>Establishment Basis of Reporting The census of manufactures is conducted on an establishment basis. A company operating at more than one location is required to file a separate report for each location. The ASM also is conducted on an establishment basis, but separate reports are filed for just those establishments selected in the sample. Companies engaged in distinctly different lines of activity at one location are requested to submit separate reports if the plant records permit such a separation and if the activities are substantial in size. In 1992, as in earlier years, a minimum size limit was set for inclusion of establishments in the census. All establishments employing one person or more at any time during the census year are included. The same size limitation has applied since 1947 in censuses and annual surveys of manufactures. In the 1939 and earlier censuses, establishments with less than $5,000 value of products were excluded. The change in the minimum size limit in 1947 does not appreciably affect the historical comparability of the census figures except for data on number of establishments for a few industries. This report excludes information for separately operated administrative offices, warehouses, garages, and other auxiliary units that service manufacturing establishments of the same company (see Auxiliaries). =>Manufacturing Universe and Census Report Forms The 1992 Census of Manufactures universe includes approximately 380,000 establishments. The amounts of information requested from manufacturing establishments were dependent upon a number of factors. The more important considerations were the size of the company and whether it was included in the annual survey of manufactures. The methods of obtaining information for the various subsets of the universe to arrive at the aggregate figures shown in the publication are described below: -> 1. Small single-establishment companies not sent a report form. In the 1992 Census of Manufactures, approximately 143,000 small single- establishment companies were excused from filing reports. Selection of these small establishments was done on an industry-by-industry basis and was based on annual payroll and total shipments data as well as on the industry classification codes contained in the administrative records of Federal agencies. The cutoffs were selected so that these administrative- records cases would account for no more than 3 percent of the value of shipments for all manufacturing. Generally, all single-establishment companies with less than 5 employees were excused, while all establishments with more than 20 employees were mailed forms. Information on the physical location of the establishment, as well as information on payrolls, receipts (shipments), and industry classification, was obtained from the administrative records of other Federal agencies under special arrangements, which safeguarded their confidentiality. Estimates of data for these small establishments were developed using industry averages in conjunction with the administrative information. The value of shipments and cost of materials were not distributed among specific products and materials for these establishments but were included in the product and material "not specified by kind" (n.s.k.) categories. The industry classification codes included in the administrative-records files were assigned on the basis of brief descriptions of the general activity of the establishment. As a result, an indeterminate number of establishments were erroneously coded at the four-digit SIC level. This was especially true whenever there was a relatively fine line of demarcation between industries or between manufacturing and nonmanufacturing activity. Sometimes these administrative-records cases were only given a two- or three-digit SIC group. For the 1992 Census of Manufactures, these establishments were sent a separate classification form, which requested information on the products and services of the establishment. This form was used to code many of these establishments to the four-digit SIC level. Establishments that did not return the classification form were coded later to those four-digit SIC industries identified as "not elsewhere classified" (n.e.c.) within the given two- or three-digit industry groups. As a result of these situations, a number of small establishments may have been misclassified by industry. However, such possible misclassification has no significant effect on the statistics other than on the number of companies and establishments. The total establishment count for individual industries should be viewed as an approximation rather than a precise measurement. The counts for establishments with 20 employees or more are far more reliable than the count of total number of establishments. -> 2. Establishments sent a report form. The over 237,000 establishments covered in the mail canvass were divided into three groups: a. ASM sample establishments. This group consisted of approximately 62,000 establishments covering all the units of large manufacturing establishments as well as a sample of the medium and smaller establishments. The probability of selection was proportionate to size (for more information, see the documentation for the Annual Survey of Manufactures). In a census of manufactures year, the ASM report form (MA-1000) replaces the first page of the regular census form for those establishments included in the ASM. In addition to information on employment, payroll, and other items normally requested on the regular census form, establishments in the ASM sample were requested to supply information on assets, capital expenditures, retirements, depreciation, rental payments, supplemental labor costs, and costs of purchased services. See the "Explanation of Terms" item from this menu for an explanation of these items. The census part of the report form is 1 of approximately 200 versions containing product, material, and special inquiries. The diversity of manufacturing activities necessitated the use of these many forms to canvass the 459 manufacturing industries. Each form was developed for a group of related industries. Appearing on each form was a list of products primary to the group of related industries as well as secondary products and miscellaneous services that establishments classified in these industries were likely to be performing. Respondents were requested to identify the products, the value of each product, and, in a large number of cases, the quantity of the product shipped during the survey year. Space also was provided for the respondent to describe products not specifically identified on the form. The report form also contained a materials-consumed inquiry, which varied from form to form depending on the industries being canvassed. The respondents were asked to review a list of materials generally used in their production processes. From this list, each establishment was requested to identify those materials consumed during the survey year, the cost of each, and, in certain cases, the quantity consumed. Once again, space was provided for the respondent to describe significant material not identified on the form. Finally, a wide variety of special inquiries was included to measure activities peculiar to a given industry, such as operations performed and equipment used. b. Large and medium establishments (non-ASM). Approximately 112,000 establishments were included in this group. A variable cutoff, based on administrative-records payroll data and determined on an industry-by-industry basis, was used to select those establishments that were to receive 1 of the approximately 200 census of manufactures regular forms. The first page, requesting establishment data for items such as employment and payroll, was standard but did not contain the detailed statistics included on the ASM form. The product, material, and special inquiry sections supplied were based on the historical industry classification of the establishment. c. Small single-establishment companies (non-ASM). This group consisted of approximately 63,000 establishments. For those industries where application of the variable cutoff for administrative-records cases resulted in a large number of small establishments being included in the mail canvass, an abbreviated or "short" form was used. These establishments received 1 of the approximately 80 versions of the short form, which requested summary product and material data and totals but no details on employment, payrolls, cost of materials, inventories, and capital expenditures. Use of the short form has no adverse effect on published totals for the industry statistics; the same data were collected on the short form as on the long form. However, detailed information on materials consumed was not collected on the short form; thus its use would increase the value of the n.s.k. categories. =>Auxiliaries In this industry report, the data on employment and payroll are limited to operating manufacturing estab- lishments. The census report form filed for auxiliaries (ES-9200) requested a description of the activity of the establishments serviced. However, the manufacturing auxiliaries were coded only to the two-digit major group of the establishments they served; whereas, the operating establishments were coded to a four-digit manufacturing industry. Data for the approximately 11,000 separately operated auxiliaries are included in the geographic area series and in a report issued as part of the 1992 Enterprise Statistics Survey. Auxiliaries are establishments whose employees are primarily engaged in performing supporting services for other establishments of the same company, rather than for the general public or for other business firms. They can be at different locations from the establishments served or at the same location as one of those establishments but not operating as an integral part thereof and serving two establishments or more. Where auxiliary operations are conducted at the same location as the manufacturing operation and operate as an integral part thereof, they usually are included in the report for the operating manufacturing establishment. Included in the broad category of auxiliaries are administrative offices. Employees in administrative offices are concerned with the general management of multiestablishment companies, i.e., with the general supervision and control of two units or more, such as manufacturing plants, mines, sales branches, or stores. The functions of these employees may include the following: (1) Program planning, including sales research and coordination of purchasing, production, and distribution (2) Company purchasing, including general contracts and purchasing methods (3) Company financial policy and accounting (4) General engineering, including design of product machinery and equipment, and direction of engineering effort conducted at the individual operation locations (5) Company personnel matters (6) Legal and patent matters Other types of auxiliaries serving the plants or central management of the company include purchasing offices, sales promotion offices, research and development organizations, etc. =>Industry Classification of Establishments Each of the establishments covered in the census was classified in 1 of 459 manufacturing industries in accordance with the industry definitions in the 1987 SIC Manual. The 1987 edition of this manual represents a major revision for manufacturing industries from the 1972 edition and its 1977 supplement. Appendix A of the 1987 Manual notes the revisions in the four- digit industry levels between 1972/77 and 1987. An industry is generally defined as a group of establishments producing the same product or a closely related group of products. The product groupings from which industry classifications are derived are based on considerations such as similarity of manufacturing processes, types of materials used, types of customers, and the like. The resulting group of establishments must be significant in terms of number, value added by manufacture, value of shipments, and number of employees. The system operates in such a way that the definitions progressively become narrower with successive additions of numerical digits. For 1992, there are 20 major groups (two- digit SIC), 139 industry groups (three-digit SIC), and 459 industries (four-digit SIC). This represents an expansion of four-digit industries from 452 in 1972/77 and a reduction of three-digit groups from 143 in 1972/77. Product classes and products of the manufacturing industries have been assigned codes based on the industry from which they originate. There are about 11,000 products identified by a seven-digit code. The seven-digit products are considered the primary products of the industry with the same four digits. Accordingly, an establishment is usually classified in a particular industry on the basis of its major activity during a particular year, i.e., production of the products primary to that industry exceeds, in value, production of the products primary to any other single industry. In a few instances, however, the industry classification of an establishment is not only determined by the products it makes but also by the process employed in operations. Refining of nonferrous metals from ore or rolling and drawing of nonferrous metals (processes which involve heavy capitalization in specialized equipment) would be classified according to the process used during a census year. These establishments then would be "frozen" in that industry during the following ASM years. In either a census or ASM year, establishments included in the ASM sample with certainty weight, other than those involved with heavily capitalized activities described above, are reclassified by industry only if the change in the primary activity from the prior year is significant or if the change has occurred for 2 successive years. This procedure prevents reclassification when there are minor shifts in product mix. In ASM years, establishments included in the ASM sample with noncertainty weight are not shifted from one industry classification to another. They are retained in the industry where they were classified in the base census year (see Appendix B, Annual Survey of Manufactures). However, in the following census year, these ASM plants are allowed to shift from one industry to another. The results of these rules covering the switching of plants from one industry classification to another are that, at the aggregate level, some industries comprise different mixes of establishments between survey years and establishment data for such industry statistics as employment and payroll may be tabulated in different industries between survey years. Hence, comparisons between prior-year and current-year published totals, particularly at the four-digit SIC level, should be viewed with caution. This is particularly true for the comparison between the data shown for a census year versus the data shown for the previous ASM year. As previously noted, the small establishments that may have been misclassified by industry are usually administrative-records cases whose industry codes were assigned on the basis of incomplete descriptions of the general activity of the establishment. Such possible misclassifications have no significant effect on the statistics other than on the number of companies and establishments. While some establishments produce only the primary products of the industry in which they are classified, all establishments of an industry rarely specialize to this extent. The industry statistics (employment, inventories, value added by manufacture, total value of shipments including resales and miscellaneous receipts, etc.) shown in files MC92F1.dbf through MC92F5A.dbf, therefore, reflect not only the primary activities of the establishments in that industry but also their secondary activities. The product statistics in table 6a represent the output of all establishments whether or not they are classified in the same industry as the product. For this reason, in relating the industry statistics, especially the value of shipments to the product statistics, the composition of the industry's output shown in file MC92F5B.dbf should be considered. The extent to which industry and product statistics may be matched with each other is measured by two ratios which are computed from the figures shown in file MC92F5B.dbf. The first of these ratios, called the primary product specialization ratio, measures the proportion of product shipments (both primary and secondary) of the establishments classified in the industry represented by the primary products of those establishments. The second ratio, called the coverage ratio, is the proportion of primary products shipped by the establishments classified in the industry to total shipments of such products by all manufacturing establishments. However, establishments making products falling into the same industry category may use a variety of processes and materials to produce them. Also, the same industry classification (based on end products) may include both establishments that are highly integrated and those that put only the finishing touches on an already highly fabricated item. For example, the refrigeration equipment industry includes instances of almost complete integration (production of the compressor, condensing unit, electric motor, casting, stamping of the case, and final assembly) all carried on at one plant. On the other hand, the condensing unit, the motor, and the case may be purchased and only assembled into the finished product. In some instances, separate industry categories have been established for integrated and nonintegrated establishments. For other industries, the census provides separate statistics on the production of intermediate commodities made and used in the producing plant. For some industries characterized by many plants of the same company, separate figures on interplant transfers of products usually are shown. Differences in the integration of production processes, types of operations, and alternatives in types of materials used should be considered when relating the industry statistics (employment, payrolls, value added, etc.) to the product and material data. =>Value of Industry Shipments Compared With Value of Product Shipments This report shows value of shipments data for industries and products. In files MC92F1.dbf through MC92F5B.dbf, these data represent the total value of shipments of all establishments classified in a particular industry. The data include the shipments of the products classified in the industry (primary to the industry), products classified in other industries (secondary to the industry), and miscellaneous receipts (repair work, sale of scrap, research and development, installation receipts, and resales). Value of product shipments shown in file MC92F6A.dbf represents the total value of all products shipped that are classified as primary to an industry. =>CENSUS DISCLOSURE RULES In accordance with Federal law governing census reports, no data are published that would disclose the data for an individual establishment or company. However, the number of establishments classified in a specific industry is not considered a disclosure, so this information may be released even though other information is withheld. The disclosure analysis for the industry statistics in files MC92F1.dbf through MC92F5A.dbf of this report is based on the total value of shipments. When the total value of shipments cannot be shown without disclosing information for individual companies, the complete line is suppressed except for new capital expenditures. However, the suppressed data are included in higher-level totals. A separate disclosure analysis is performed for new capital expenditures that can be suppressed even though value of shipments data are publishable. =>SPECIAL TABULATIONS Special tabulations of data collected in the 1992 Census of Manufactures may be obtained on computer diskette or in tabular form. The data will be in summary form and subject to the same rules prohibiting disclosure of confidential information (including name, address, kind of business, or other data for individual business establishments or companies) as are the regular publications. Special tabulations are prepared on a cost basis. A request for a cost estimate, as well as exact specifications on the type and format of the data to be provided, should be directed to the Chief, Manufacturing and Construction Division, Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233.