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

Information about the scope of the survey, methodology, explanation of terms and historical notes

for this survey may be found in the introduction of the 1996 Manufacturing Profiles, issued July 1998.

Obtaining reports: Current data are released electronically on Internet for all individual surveys as

they become available. Use http://www.census.gov/econ/www/manumenu.html. Individual reports

can be accessed by choosing "Current Industrial Reports (CIR's)," clicking on "Report Number

Index"; from the "Industrial Products by Numeric Index," choose the survey of interest. Follow the

menu to view the text (ASCII) file or PDF file or to download the worksheet file (WK format) to your

personal computer.

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. 

Also, you may call 202-482-1986 or 1-800-STAT-USA, for further information. The Internet address

is: 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................ 14 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. 
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 imports

Product description shipments merchandise 1/ for Apparent

(value f.o.b. plant) (value at port) consumption 2/ 3/ consumption 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.