Current Industrial Reports
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS ADMINISTRATION
BUREAU OF THE CENSUS

Steel Shipping Drums and Pails - 1997

MA34K (97)-1
Issued July 28, 1998
REVISED April 15, 1999

Information about the scope of the survey, methodology, definitions of terms and
historical notes for this survey may be found in the introduction of the 1995
Manufacturing Profiles publication, issued June 1997.

These data are also available through the U.S. Department of Commerce and
STAT-USA Electronic Bulletin  Board by subscription.  To access, dial 202-482-3870
and follow the prompts to register; or call 202-482-1986, for further information.
The Internet address is: www.stat-usa.gov/.

For mail or fax copies of the publication, contact the Manufacturing and
Construction Division Information center, 301-457-4673.

Address inquiries concerning these data to U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of
the Census, Manufacturing and Construction Division, Washington, DC 20233, or
call Larry Blumberg, 301-457-4744.

Table 1a.  Total Shipments of Steel Pails and Steel Drums:  1997
[Quantity in thousands of units.  Value in thousands of dollars]

                                                             No.
 Product                 Product description                  of
 code /1                                                    cos.  Quantity    Value

           Steel pails....................................    16    63,142  197,635
             11 1/4-inch diameter.........................  (NA)    60,047  185,431
34121 01       Full removable head........................    10    46,541  141,696
34121 06       Tight head (standard and dome top).........     8    13,506   43,735
34121 13     All other diameters..........................    10     3,095   12,204

           Steel drums and barrels........................    24    32,771  672,727
34122 21     Under 30 gallon capacity, all thicknesses....    12     3,772   39,917
34122 26     30 to 49 gallon capacity, all thicknesses              1,818   32,731
             50 gallon capacity and over                    (NA)    27,181  600,079
               0.04 inch (1.01mm) body thickness and over   (NA)    12,857  299,052
34122 36         Tight head...............................    20     8,632  186,313
34122 41         Open head................................    22     4,225  112,739
               Under 0.04 inch (1.01mm) body thickness      (NA)    14,324  301,027
34122 46         Tight head...............................    20    10,818  218,156
34122 51         Open head................................    20     3,506   82,871

   NA Not available.

   1/Descriptions of product codes were changed for 1997, because of consultation
with the Steel Shipping Container Institute.


Table 1b.  Total Shipments of Steel Pails and Steel Drums:  1996
[Quantity in thousands of units.  Value in thousands of dollars]

                                                          No.
  Product               Product description                of
  code /1                                                cos.   Quantity      Value

           Steel pails.................................    16     60,443    200,681
             11 1/4-inch diameter......................  (NA)     57,924    187,114
 34121 01      Full removable head.....................    10     46,512    151,643
 34121 06      Tight head (standard and dome top)......     7     11,412     35,471
 34121 11    14-inch diameter..........................     6  a/    777      6,365
 34121 13    All other diameters.......................     7      1,742      7,202

           Steel drums and barrels.....................    28     34,334    706,084
             14-inch diameter, all gauges..............  (NA)      2,209     23,547
 34122 01      Tight head..............................     6        281      4,018
 34122 03      Open head, full or partial..............     9  a/  1,928  a/ 19,529
             All other, except 14-inch diameter........  (NA)     32,124    682,537
               20 gauge and heavier....................  (NA)     29,062    637,462
                 50 gallon and larger, 18 gauge
                  and heavier..........................  (NA)     12,008    286,904
 34122 05          Tight head..........................    23      7,289    164,442
 34122 07          Open head...........................    25      4,719    122,462
                 50 gallon and larger, 19 and 20
                  gauge, including 20/18...............  (NA)     15,918    329,324
 34122 09          Tight head..........................    23     12,532    252,368
 34122 11          Open head...........................    23      3,386     76,956
 34122 13        30 to 49 gallon.......................    14        727     14,291
 34122 15        Under 30 gallon.......................     8        409      6,943

               Lighter than 20 gauge /2................    12  a/  3,062  a/ 45,075

   NA Not available.

   1/Descriptions of product codes were changed for 1997, because of consultation
with the Steel Shipping Container Institute.
   2/Product code 34122 17, "30 gallon and larger," and product code 34122 19,
"Under 30 gallon" were combined to avoid disclosing individual company data.

   Note:  The percent of estimation of each item is indicated as follows:  a/10 to
25 percent of this item is estimated.     b/26 to 50 percent of this item is
estimated.     c/Over 50 percent of this item is estimated.

Table 2.  Summary of Producers' Shipments of Steel Pails and
           Drums:  1988 to 1997
[Quantity in thousands of units.  Value in thousands of dollars]

                                Steel pails        Steel drums

        Year                 Quantity    Value  Quantity    Value

1997.......................    63,142  197,635    32,771  672,727
1996.......................    60,443  200,681    34,334  706,084
1995.......................    71,896  162,992    33,279  685,499
1994.......................    86,478  208,406    34,857  681,972
1993.......................    85,899  202,460    33,474  672,948

1992.......................    76,794  178,850    33,336  632,616
1991.......................    72,645  180,408    33,970  668,692
1990.......................    75,242  195,669    36,388  701,615
1989.......................    80,693  205,834    35,966  667,024
1988.......................    78,018  188,817    37,336  675,923

Table 3.  Shipments, Exports, Imports, and Apparent Consumption of Steel Shipping
           Pails and Drums:  1997 and 1996
[Value in thousands of dollars]

                                                  Exports
                           Manufacturers'     of domestic     Value of
                                shipments  merchandise /1  imports for  Apparent
  Product description       (value f.o.b.          (value     consump-  consump-
                                   plant)        at port)   tion /2 /3   tion /4

Steel shipping pails:
  1997...................         197,635          86,069       69,155   180,721
  1996...................         200,681          77,410       51,864   175,135

Steel shipping drums and
 barrels:
  1997...................         672,727          26,888       25,153   670,992
  1996...................         706,084          22,427       30,004   713,661


   1/Source: Bureau of the Census report EM 545, U.S. Exports.
   2/Source: Bureau of the Census report IM 145, U.S. Imports for Consumption.
   3/Represents c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) value at the first port of
entry in the United States plus U.S. import duties.
   4/Apparent consumption is derived by subtracting exports from manufacturers'
shipments plus imports.
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