CURRENT INDUSTRIAL REPORTS
FLOURESCENT LAMPS BALLASTS
SUMMARY FOR 1995

MQ36C(95)-5

CONTACT: CHRIS BLACKBURN, 301-457-4817


SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

      The value of manufactures' shipments of fluorescent lamp ballasts amounted to $1 billion in 1995, an increase of
7 percent over shipments of $941 million in 1994.  The quantity of fluorescent lamp ballasts shipped decreased to 105
million units in 1995 from 108 million units in 1994.  Corrected power-factor types accounted for 45% of the
quantity and 43 percent of the value of shipments of all fluorescent lamp ballasts during 1995.  For 1995, the quantity of
shipments for corrected power-factor type decreased 15 percent, while that for uncorrected power-factor type decreased
10 percent, compared to 1994; the dollar value of shipments of the corrected type showed a 10 percent decrease, while the dollar
value of the uncorrected type showed a 9 percent decrease.  The value of shipments of electronic ballasts jumped 30 percent
in 1995 to a half billion as compared to $391 million in 1994; continuing it's upward trend while reducing per unit
value.  Quantity of ballasts grew 34 percent to 33 million units after being flat at 25 million units in 1993 and 1994.


Table 1.  QUANTITY AND VALUE OF SHIPMENTS OF UNCORRECTED AND CORRECTED POWER-FACTOR TYPE
           FLUORESCENT BALLASTS: 1983 TO 1995
(Quantity in 1,000 ballasts; value in $1,000)

                                    Uncorrected       Corrected
                     Total       power-factor type power-factor type Electronic type
     Year      Quantity  Value   Quantity  Value   Quantity   Value  Quantity Value

1995...........105,306 1,002,115   24,764   68,165   47,648  427,062  32,894 506,888
1994...........108,114   940,746   27,517   75,013   55,991  474,958  24,606 390,775
1993...........107,428   969,542   28,150   65,820   54,790  457,222  24,488 446,500
1992........... 97,034   812,287   28,363   68,771   55,379  468,940  13,292 274,576
1991........... 88,729   718,317   24,919   61,413   55,467  476,867   8,343 180,037
1990........... 81,364   615,569   22,556   54,403   55,807  491,878   3,001  69,288
1989........... 77,702   521,301   18,011   41,667   58,265  439,818   1,426  39,816
1988........... 75,676   476,375   17,813   40,916   56,799  409,954   1,064  25,505

1987........... 74,948   436,045   19,542   42,814   54,754  378,113     652  15,118
1986........... 69,840   407,906   17,370   38,601   52,039  357,470     431  11,835
1985........... 70,054   398,895   18,456   39,899   51,598  358,996     (1)     (1)
1984........... 67,519   392,072   18,085   39,265   49,434  352,807     (1)     (1)
1983........... 60,825   337,361   18,272   36,170   42,553  301,191     (1)     (1)


1/ Data for electronic type were not collected separately prior to 1986.


Table 2.  SHIPMENTS, EXPORTS, AND IMPORTS OF FLUORESCENT LAMP BALLASTS:  1995 AND 1994
(Quantity in 1,000 units; Value in $1,000)

                                        Manufacturers'     Export of domestic        Imports for
                                          shipments           merchandise 1/        consumption 2/
                                                  Value
Product                                          f.o.b.                 Value
  Code       Product Description      Quantity    plant    Quantity    at port  Quantity       Value 2/

36124--  Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts...  105,306  1,002,115     10,400     72,610   73,707 r/    502,564
36124--  Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts...  108,114    940,746     10,178     66,697   62,702       352,952

   1/Source:  Bureau of the Census report EM 545, U.S. Exports.  Schedule B export number is 8504.10.0000.
   2/Source:  Bureau of the Census report IM 145, U.S. Imports for Consumption.  HTSUSA import number is 8504.10.0000.
This value represents C.I.F. plus U.S. import duties.

   r/Revised by 5 percent or more from previously published figures.

Table 3.  QUANTITY AND VALUE OF SHIPMENTS, BY TYPE OF BALLAST: 1995
(Quantity in 1,000 ballasts; value in 1,000)

  Product                                                 1995 Total              First quarter             Second quarter            Third quarter             Fourth quarter
   code             Product description             Quantity       Value    Quantity         Value     Quantity        Value     Quantity        Value     Quantity        Value

36124--     Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts............   105,306    1,002,115   r/28,936      r/268,116       28,883      273,858       23,913      237,968       23,574      222,173

           MAGNETIC TYPE........................     72,412      495,227   r/20,769      r/137,154       19,558      127,842       15,455      111,133       16,630      119,098
             Uncorrected power-factor type
              (less than 85% power factor).......    24,764       68,165      7,354         19,126        6,239       16,756        5,676       16,465        5,495       15,818
            Preheat start........................    17,374       35,289    r/5,125        r/9,866        4,393        8,751        4,014        8,496        3,842        8,176
36124 58       Single ended compact lamps.......        (1)          (1)      r/(1)          r/(1)          (1)          (1)          (1)          (1)          (1)          (1)
36124 62       20 watt and less..................    11,018       18,771    r/3,163        r/5,252        2,844        4,778        2,537        4,397        2,474        4,344
36124 64      21 watts and over..................   1/6,356     1/16,518    r/1,962      r/1/4,614      1/1,549      1/3,973      1/1,477      1/4,099      1/1,368      1/3,832
36124 59    All other uncorrected power
              type, including rapid start........     7,390       32,876    r/2,229        r/9,260        1,846        8,005        1,662        7,969        1,653        7,642
             Corrected power-factor type
              (85% power factor or above).......     47,648      427,062   r/13,415      r/118,028       13,319      111,086        9,779       94,668       11,135      103,280
               Slimline and instant start........     8,370      101,877    r/2,562       r/30,058        2,171       24,933        1,685       22,484        1,952       24,402
36124 67          Two-lamp 96T12 & 72T12........      7,394       91,580    r/2,221       r/27,188        1,900       22,248        1,506       20,064        1,767       22,080
36124 68          Other Slimline and instant.....       976       10,297      r/341        r/2,870          271        2,685          179        2,420          185        2,322
               Rapid start.......................    36,822      306,936   r/10,132       r/82,689       10,507       81,445        7,548       68,090        8,635       74,712
36124 69          One lamp 40W/48T12/RS.........        (2)          (2)        (2)            (2)          (2)          (2)          (2)          (2)          (2)          (2)
36124 71          Two lamp 40W/48T12/RS.........        (2)          (2)        (2)            (2)          (2)          (2)          (2)          (2)          (2)          (2)
36124 75          Two lamp 32W/48T8/RS.........    2/30,808    2/204,097    r/8,427     r/2/55,182      2/8,919     2/55,607      2/6,354     2/45,734      2/7,108     2/47,574
                  All other rapid start..........     6,014      102,839    r/1,705       r/27,507        1,588       25,838        1,194       22,356        1,527       27,138
36124 72            800 to 1000 mA...............     3,154       68,393      r/907       r/18,470          820       17,147          583       14,131          844       18,645
36124 73            1500 mA......................       248        9,580       r/68        r/2,558           61        2,261           57        2,361           62        2,400
36124 74            Other rapid start............     2,612       24,866      r/730        r/6,479          707        6,430          554        5,864          621        6,093
               Preheat start.....................       (3)          (3)      r/(3)          r/(3)          (3)          (3)          (3)          (3)          (3)          (3)
36124 77         Single ended compact lamps.....        (3)          (3)      r/(3)          r/(3)          (3)          (3)          (3)          (3)          (3)          (3)
36124 78         Linear and circline lamps.......       (3)          (3)      r/(3)          r/(3)          (3)          (3)          (3)          (3)          (3)          (3)
36124 98       All other corrected power.........   3/2,456     3/18,249      r/721      r/3/5,281        3/641      3/4,708        3/546      3/4,094        3/548      3/4,166

           ELECTRONIC TYPE......................     32,894      506,888      8,167        130,962        9,325      146,016        8,458      126,835        6,944      103,075
             Uncorrected power factor type
              (less than 90% power factor)
36124 91        Single ended compact lamps.......       (D)          (D)        (D)            (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)
36124 92        All other uncorrected power......       (D)          (D)        (D)            (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)
             Corrected power factor type
              (90% power factor or above)
                Instant start:
36124 93          1 and 2 lamp 32W/48T8..........    13,259      181,130      3,322         48,014        3,803       53,204        3,304       43,124        2,830       36,788
36124 94          3 and 4 lamp 32W/48T8..........    10,706      168,063      2,497         41,355        3,092       50,027        2,767       41,973        2,350       34,708
36124 95          2 lamp 59W/96T8................       932       21,112        213          4,920          207        4,799          268        5,968          244        5,425
36124 96          2 lamp 75W/96T12/IS............       (D)          (D)        (D)            (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)
36124 97          All other instant start........       (D)          (D)        (D)            (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)
                Rapid start:
36124 82          All 32W/48T8...................       (D)          (D)        (D)            (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)
36124 84          All other T8, 4 foot and less..       (D)          (D)      r/(D)          r/(D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)          (D)
36124 86          2 lamp 40W/48T12/RS...........      1,011       16,784        239          3,954          290        4,722          245        4,241          237        3,867
36124 88          800 mA.........................       384        9,919         81          2,224          104        2,758           97        2,391          102        2,546
36124 89          All other rapd start...........       392        7,023      r/105        r/1,976          107        1,920          109        1,869           71        1,258
36124 99        All other corrected power........        --           --         --             --           --           --           --           --           --           --

   1/Products were combined to avoid disclosing data for individual companies.
   2/Products were combined to avoid disclosing data for individual companies.
   3/Products were combined to avoid disclosing data for individual companies.

   - Represents zero.  D Data withheld to avoid disclosing figures for individual companies.
r/Revised by 5 percent or more from previously published figure.

Note:  For 1995, detailed data for fluorescent lamp ballasts was revised.  Therefore,
       historical comparisons cannot be made.  (See table 4 in the first quarter 1995 report,
MQ36C (95)-1, for 1995 comparability)