MA33L-INSULATED WIRE AND CABLE
1992 ANNUAL REPORT
MA33L(92)-1
Issued September 1992
Contact person:  Mary Ellickson, 301-763-2529
 
For survey methodology and definitions of terms, see the 1991 publication,
MA33L(91)-1, issued September 1992.  Printed data tables will be available
at the end of each data year through an annual compendium publication,
which will include information on all Current Industrial Reports.

     In 1992, the total value of manufactures' shipments of insulated wire
and cable increased by 10 percent to $10,364 million from the 1991 level of
$ 9,989 Electronic wire and cable increased by 1 percent to $1,630 million
from the 1991 level of $1,616 million. Telephone and telegraph wire and
cable increased by 9 percent to $1,635 from the 1991 level of $1,502
million.  in 1992, Power wire and cable decreased by 2 percent to $1,346
from the 1991 level of $1,369 million.  Control wire and signal wire and
cable increased 10 percent to $266 million compared to  the preceding
year's figure of $242 million.  Building wire and cable decreased by 6
percent to $2,010 million from the 1991 level of $2,136 million.  Other
insulated wire and cable increased by 3 percent to $651 million compared to
$629 million in 1991.  In 1992, apparatus wire and cordage decreaed by 6
percent to $849 million from the $804 million reported in 1991.  Magnet
wire also decreased by 6 percent in 1992 to $983 million from the 1991
level of $930 million.  Insulated optical fiber cable increased by 30
percent to $993 million from the $ 760 million in 1991.  Optical fiber
increased by 26 percent to $623 million compared to the $496 million in
1991.
     A description of the survey metholodgy and related information appears
on page 8.


Table 1.  SUMMARY OF SHIPMENTS OF INSULATED WIRE AND CABLE:  1992 AND 1991

(Value in thousands of dollars)

 Product
    code               Product description                    1992       1991

          Insulated wire and cable..................... 10,364,531  9,989,008

3357A --    Electronic wire and cable..................  1,630,186  1,616,220
3357B --    Telephone and telegraph wire and cable.....  1,635,019  1,502,093
33578 --    Power wire and cable.......................  1,346,414  1,368,970
3357C --    Control and signal wire and cable..........    266,286    241,640
3357D --    Building wire and cable....................  2,010,363  2,136,255
33576 --    Apparatus wire and cordage.................    849,475    804,360
3357E --    Other insulated wire and cable.............    650,836    629,304
33577 --    Magnet wire................................    982,992    930,426
33579 --    Optical fiber cable........................    992,960    759,740



Table 2.  SHIPMENTS OF INSULATED WIRE AND CABLE:  1992 AND 1991

(Copper content in thousands of pounds; value in thousands of dollars)
                                                                                    Shipments, including interplant transfers 1/

                                                                                              1992                    1991
                                                                              No.
  Product                                                                      of      Copper                 Copper
     code                      Product description                           cos.  content 2/      Value  content 2/        Value

3357- pt.  Insulated wire except magnet wire and optical wire..............  (NA)   2,429,065  8,388,579   2,358,779    8,298,842
3357A --   Electronic wire and cable.......................................   100     167,741  1,630,186     169,917    1,616,220
             Coaxial cable, armored or unarmored:
3357A 10       Rigid.......................................................     7       2,269     23,073       2,546       25,041
3357A 12       Semirigid...................................................    14       8,158    176,800     r/7,391      168,100
                Flexible:
3357A 13           135 C and over..........................................    19     a/1,776   a/33,192     r/1,908       34,655
3357A 14           Under 135 C.............................................    32      21,096    194,988      21,920    r/245,102
3357A 16     CATV/broadcast coaxial cable....................AND...........     9
3357A 22     Antenna lead-in wire..........................................    10       6,805    322,118     r/6,040      260,675
             Hook-up wire (single conductor, shielded and nonshielded):
3357A 23       135 C and over  temperature rating..........................    32      10,353    142,987      10,483      147,065
3357A 25       Under 135 C temperature rating..............................    47      26,228    129,320    r/26,833    r/140,773
             Multiconductor electronic wire and cable (shielded and
              and nonshielded):............................................
3357A 30       Flat and ribbon cable.......................................    26      12,527    103,950      14,384    r/100,833
               Other muticonductor electronic wire and cable:
                 Shielded:
3357A 31           135 C and over temperature rating.......................    22      24,118  a/152,154      26,418    r/151,937
3357A 33           Under 135 C temperature rating..........................    42      34,984    221,823      33,094    r/209,615
                 Nonshielded:
3357A 35           135 C and over temperature rating.......................    13     b/4,723   b/34,746       4,144     r/33,642
3357A 37           Under 135 C temperature rating..........................    29    a/14,704   a/95,035    a/14,756     a/98,782

3357B --   Telephone and telegraph wire and cable..........................    34     488,738  1,635,019     429,013  r/1,502,093
3357B 41     Jumper and distributing frame wire...........AND..............     6
3357B 43     Station wire and cable........................................    14      18,345     81,532      14,349       66,411
3357B 73     Telephone cord sets and cordage...............................     9       2,172     70,986     r/2,056       75,860
3357B 52     Inside wiring cable...........................................    19      47,312    231,016      37,400    r/178,694
3357B 55     Drop and bridle and duct wire.................AND.............     6
3357B 68     Rural and urban distribution wire and cable...................     2      26,977    115,593      38,407    r/172,585
3357B 73     Polyethylene covered exchange area
              and toll cable (PIC and PULP insulated)......................    10     356,321    959,806   r/319,119    r/932,897
3357B 90     Other telephone and telegraph wire and cable..................     9      37,611    176,086    r/17,682     r/75,646

33578 --   Power wire and cable............................................    36     273,387  1,346,414     274,656    1,368,970
33578 07     Paper insulated cable (all voltages, all types)...............     4      16,131     49,392      17,642       57,651
               Plastic and rubber insulated:
                 600 volts or less:
33578 08           Portable welding cable..................................     9    a/16,288   a/41,669    a/21,588     a/53,495
33578 09           Portable molded and nonmolded cable and cord............     8      18,864     75,447    b/20,942     b/82,814
33578 17           Underground distribution cable (UD, URD)................    10       7,539    176,898     b/6,176    a/164,865
33578 19           Thermoplastic insulated power cable.....................    17      15,932     47,578    b/13,498     a/39,952
                   Thermoset insulated:
33578 20             Armored, rubber and cross linked......................     9       5,325     16,533       6,519       19,780
33578 21             Unarmored, rubber.....................................     9      37,545    126,249      36,154      128,962
33578 22             Unarmored, cross linked...............................    13      15,760     52,179      19,447       60,865
33578 25         Weatherproof cable........................................     6       4,937     16,484       5,914       17,549
                 Service drop cable:
33578 27           Thermoset insulated.....................................     7       2,715     65,486       2,544       54,362
33578 28           Thermoplastic insulated.................................     8       2,536     34,121       2,172       31,579
                 Over 600  volts:
33578 32           Portable molded rubber sheathed
                    cable (mine shovel cable)..............................     5       5,579     20,870       5,658       21,509
33578 35           Portable nonmolded cable................................     3         732      2,485       c/658      c/2,186
33578 37           Underground distribution cable (UD, URD), all
                    insulations (jacketed and unjacketed)..................     7      47,566    314,081      41,125      288,245
33578 39           Thermoplastic insulated power
                     cable (excluding under-ground)........................     6       2,813     12,518       2,188        9,176

                   Thermoset insulated power cable (excluding underground)
                     Over 600 volts to 15kv:
33578 41               Armored, rubber and cross-linked....................    10      10,532     51,636      10,839       54,506
33578 42               Unarmored, rubber...................................     7      42,759    159,969      39,602      172,506
33578 43               Unarmored, cross-linked.............................    12      11,931     37,737      15,063       67,860
33578 44             Over 15 KV (rubber and cross-linked)                       5       5,033     32,579       4,171       29,963
33578 50       Other power wire and cable..................................    12       2,870     12,503     r/2,756     r/11,145

3357C --   Control and signal  wire........................................    33      39,167    266,286    r/34,656    r/241,640
3357C 11     Signal wire and cable.........................................    21      15,740  a/143,655    r/13,684    r/125,212
             Control wire and cable (excluding elevator cable):
3357C 14       Thermoset insulated.........................................    10       8,584     50,587       8,141     r/51,866
3357C 17       Thermoplastic insulated.....................................    17      14,843     72,044  a r/12,831   a r/64,562

3357D --   Building wire and cable.........................................    28   1,100,251  2,010,363   1,114,541    2,136,255
             Building wire and cable having underwriters' labels:
               Thermoset insulated:
3357D 36         Rubber (R, RH, RHH, RHW, USE, etc.).......................     5       5,910     11,286       3,446        7,484
3357D 37         Cross-linked polyethylene (XHHW)..........................    16      39,744   a/90,908      41,624      104,024
3357D 38         Cross-linked polyethlene (USE)............................    10      16,270     42,815      14,351       43,610
               Thermoplastic unsulated:
3357D 40         Flame-retardant nylon (THHN, THWN)........................    18     646,203  1,042,682   a/695,710  a/1,168,915
3357D 41         Moisture resistant (TW)...................................     6         395        730         587        1,193
3357D 48         Moisture and heat resistant (THW).........................    13       3,731      6,207   a r/6,778   a r/10,903
3357D 51         Service entrance cable (SER, SEU, ASE)....................     9       7,023     71,496       6,168       72,940
                 Nonmetallic branch-circuit and underground feeder:
3357D 54           Type NM-B...............................................     8     325,308    575,902     286,380      533,054
3357D 55           Type UF and NMC (corrosion resistant)...................    10      30,156     61,491      27,387       60,383
3357D 57       Metallic armored cable (all AC types).......................     5      20,986   a/92,715    b/27,046    b/118,477
3357D 58         Other building wire and cable.............................     9       4,525     14,131       5,064       15,272

33576 --   Apparatus wire and cordage 3/...................................    59     182,357    849,475   r/175,222    r/804,360
             Flexible cordage:
33576 13       Thermoset insulated.........................................    10    a/17,048   a/80,639    c/16,023     c/75,738
33576 15       Thermoplastic (including thermoplastic elastomers)..........    14      19,166     64,826    a/19,146     a/64,681
33576 42       Extension cord sets.........................................    11      23,930    171,537      27,642      172,295
33576 43       Fixed power supply cords....................................    22      21,357    135,704      21,451    a/125,599
33576 44        Detachable power supply cords.......AND....................     8
33576 47       Retractile power cords and other............................     8      20,099    103,791      19,983      103,937
             Apparatus wire:
33576 21       Appliance fixture wire......................................    24    a/46,717  a/133,894  a r/41,022  a r/131,170
               Appliance wiring material 14 gauge and larger
                  (including motor lead and transformer lead wire):
33576 23          Thermoset insulated......................................     7       7,586     58,421       4,488     r/37,731
33576 24          Thermoplastic insulated..................................    17    b/14,966   a/46,577      14,447       46,573
33576 28     Submersible pump cable........................................    12     a/5,531   b/14,187       5,533       13,416
33576 29     Other apparatus wire and cordage (including toolwire).........    20       5,957     39,899     a/5,487     a/33,220

3357E --   Other insulated wire and cable..................................    50     177,424    650,836   r/160,774      629,304
             Automotive:
3357E 72       Bulk automotive primary wire................................    17     107,972    229,985    r/91,802    r/199,546
3357E 74       Bulk battery cable..........................................     9     b/9,541   b/29,432     r/8,659       27,248
3357E 76       Bulk ignition wire..........................................     8       1,598     54,870       1,510       50,623
3357E 78       Other automotive wire and cable.............................    10      10,260     40,888      12,078       41,700
             Airframe, shipboard and ground support cable
               (excluding coaxile cable and ignition cable):
3357E 79        Airframe and missle (including ground support cable).......    16       5,533     51,073       5,856       57,800
3357E 81        Shipboard cable............................................     8       5,379     52,553       6,691       67,723
3357E 98     Other insulated or covered wire and cable n.e.c...............    26      37,141    192,035    c/34,178    c/184,664

   Note:  The percent of estimation of each item is indicated as follows (see "description of survey in the text):  a/10 to 25 percent
b/26 to 50 percent of this item is estimated.  c/51 percent or more of this item is estimated.

   (NA) Not available.     n.e.c. Not elsewhere classified.     pt. Part.     r/Revised by 5 percent or more from previously published figures.

   1/Interplant transfers for 1992 totaled $257,093, and for 1991 totaled $282,527.  See table 6 for additional detail.
   2/Aluminum content fir 1992 totaled 329,912 thousands of pounds and for 1991 totaled 292,717 thousands of pounds.  See table 3
for additional details.
   3/Data includes the following: a) all known establishments which insulate wire and cable and then fabricate into finished products,
(SIC product class 33576), and (b) establishmets from product class 36996, that manufacture wire, cord, and flexible cord sets from purchased insulated
wire.



Table 3.  ALUMINUM CONTENT OF SELECTED INSULATED WIRE AND CABLE:  1992 AND 1991

(Thousands of pounds)

  Product                                                             Number of
     code                      Product description                    companies     1992      1991

3357- pt.      Insulated wire, except magnet wire...................        (X)  324,851   288,710

3357A --   Electronic wire and cable....AND.........................          4
33578 --   Power wire and cable.....................................         12  278,402   241,448
33578 17     Underground distribution cable, all insulations--
               600 volts or less ...................................          5  105,130    90,621
33578 27     Service drop cable, thermoset insulated................          4   37,292    27,870
33578 28     Service drop cable, thermoplastic insulated............          3   18,903    16,483
33578 37     Underground distribution cable,all insulations--
               over 600 volts ......................................          7   43,881    38,917
33578 42     Thermoset insulated power cable,unarmored,rubber
               -- over 600 volts to 15 KV ............AND...........          4
33578 43     Thermoset insulated power cable, unarmored,
               cross-linked--over 600 volts to 15 KV ...............          5    5,254  r/18,864
3357D --   Building wire and cable..................................          8   46,449    47,262
3357D 38     Thermoset insulated, cross-linked polyethylene (USE)...          4    9,192    10,015

   pt. Part.     (X) Not applicable.     r/Revised by 5 percent or more from previously published figures.




Table 4.  COPPER SHIPMENTS OF MAGNET WIRE, INCLUDING INTERPLANT TRANSFERS:  1992 AND 1991

(Copper gross weight in thousands of pounds: value in thousands of dollars)
                                                                                              Shipments, including interplant transfers 1/

                                                                                                        1992                 1991

 Product                                                                        Number of           Gross                Gross
    code                          Product description                           companies       weight 1/    Value   weight 1/    Value

33577 --                    Magnet wire...................................           (NA)         551,403  982,992     510,372  930,426
33577 1-        Class 105.................................................           (NA)          67,058   96,136      63,851   97,710
33577 11          7 Awg and larger round (also all square
                   and rectangle).........................................              5           6,504    9,833       8,722   13,917
33577 13          8 to 21 Awg inclusive...................................              9          38,246   46,801      34,694   45,658
33577 15          22 to 32 Awg inclusive..................................             10          20,819   34,830      19,108   33,878
33577 17          33 to 44 Awg inclusive..................................              8           1,489    4,672       1,327    4,257
33577 2-        Class 130 and 155.........................................           (NA)         122,533  263,256     106,685  236,844
33577 23          8 to 21 Awg inclusive...................................             10          29,788   47,106      27,276   44,567
33577 25          22 to 32 Awg inclusive..................................             12          74,249  162,299      63,521  141,160
33577 28          33 to 44 Awg inclusive..................................              9          18,496   53,851      15,888   51,117
33577 4-        Class 180 and higher......................................           (NA)         314,871  511,167     293,486  486,116
33577 41          7 Awg and larger round (also all square
                   and rectangle).........................................              7          30,093   53,796      28,288   51,112
33577 43          8 to 21 Awg inclusive...................................             11         194,037  286,431     176,857  265,759
33577 45          22 to 32 Awg inclusive..................................             13          87,050  156,302      85,378  157,566
33577 47          33 to 44 Awg inclusive..................................              9           3,691   14,638       2,963   11,679
33577 79        Miscellaneous film coated n.e.c...........................              8          20,895   66,922      16,503   58,549
33577 pt.     Nonfilm coated(fibrous and tape)............................           (NA)          26,046   45,511      29,847   51,207
33577 81,83     Class 130 and below.......................................              5          10,341   14,584      12,535   18,761
33577 85,87     Class 155 and above........AND............................              4
33577 89        Miscellaneous non-film coated n.e.c.......................              2          15,705   30,927      17,312   32,446

   - Represents zero.     (NA) Not available.     pt. Part.     n.e.c. Not elsewhere classified.

   1/Interplant transfers for 1992 totaled 63,778 thousands of pounds of copper and for 1991 totaled 59,409 thousands of pounds of copper.



Table 5.   ALUMINUM SHIPMENTS OF MAGNET WIRE, INCLUDING INTERPLANT TRANSFERS: 1992 AND 1991

(Aluminum gross weight in thousands of pounds; value in thousands of dollars)

                                                                             Shipments,
                                                                   including interplant transfers 1/

                                                            No.         1992              1991
 Product                                                     of    Gross             Gross
    code                   Product description             cos.   weight    Value   weight      Value

33577 --        Magnet wire..............................    18   46,874  131,449   41,734  r/110,836

3577 pt.  Film coated....................................  (NA)   42,769  123,052   37,156  r/101,031
3577 1-     Class 105..........AND.......................     8
3577 2-     Class 130 and 155............................     4   18,211   59,256   14,279   r/43,839
3577 4-     Class 180 and higher.........................     5   24,558   63,796   22,877   r/57,192

3577 pt.  Other types of magnet wire (nonfilm coated;
           insulated magnet sheet, strip, and foil;
           and film coated, 45 AWG and finer)............     5    4,105    8,397    4,578    r/9,805

   (NA) Not available.     pt. Part.     r/Revised by 5 percent or more from previously published figures.

   1/Interplant transfers for 1992 totaled 11,855 thousands of pounds of aluminum and for 1991 totaled
11,247 thousands of pounds of aluminum.



Table 6.  VALUE OF INTERPLANT TRANSFERS OF SELECTED INSULATED WIRE AND CABLE:  1992 AND 1991

(Thousands of dollars)

 Product                                                 No. of
    code              Product description                  cos.     1992       1991

3357 pt.       Insulated wire, except magnet wire......     (X)  257,093  r/282,527

3357A --    Electronic wire and cable..................      12   32,822     32,435
3357B --    Telephone and telegraph wire and cable.....       6   56,406     57,509
33578 --    Power wire and cable.......................       6   69,861     72,467
3357C --    Control and signal wire and cable..........       3      462        716
3357D --    Building wire and cable....................       4    9,152     11,879
33576 --    Apparatus wire and cordage.................       8   70,705     70,350
3357E --    Other insualted wire and cable.............       7   17,685   r/37,171

   pt. Part.     (X) Not applicable.     r/Revised by 5 percent or more from previously
published figures.



Table 7.  VALUE OF SHIPMENTS OF FIBER OPTIC  CABLE:  1992 AND 1991

(Thousands of dollars)

  Product                                             No. of
     code                  Product description          cos.     1992      1991

33579 --       Insulated optical fiber cable.........    (X)  992,960   759,740

33579 pt.  Communication applications................    (X)  958,688   733,786
            Single-mode stepped-index:
33579 12      Dispersion shifted....AND..............      4
33579 13      Dispersion unshifted...................     13  869,154   649,621
33579 14      Multi-mode stepped index......AND......      4
33579 15      Multi-mode graded index................     17   89,534  r/84,165
33579  21  Other applications........................     11   34,272  r/25,954

   r/Revised by 5  percent or more from previously published figures.
(X) Not apllicable.



Table 8.  VALUE OF SHIPMENTS OF OPTICAL FIBER:  1992 AND 1991

(Thousands of dollars)

 Product                                            No. of
    code            Product description               cos.     1992       1991

          Optical fiber for data and nondata
                transmission .....................     (X)  622,712  r/496,144

32318 95    Optical fiber used for data
             transmission....AND..................      15
32318 97    Optical fiber used for nondata
               transmission.......................      14  622,712    496,144

   (X) Not applicable.     r/Revised by 5 percent or more from previously published
figures.



Table 9.  SHIPMENTS, EXPORTS, IMPORTS, AND APPARENT CONSUMPTION OF INSULATED WIRE AND CABLE:  1992 AND 1991

(Value in thousands of dollars)
                                                                  Manfacturers'
                                                                      shipments  Exports of domestic  Imports for
Product                                                           (value f.o.b.       merchandise 1/     consump-
   code                    Product description                           plant)   (value at port 2/)   tion 3/ 4/

                                  1992

            Insulated wire and cable............................      9,994,283            1,380,741    1,350,385

  3357A  Electronic wire and cable..............................      1,630,186              225,908      123,747
  3357B  Telephone and telegraph wire and cable........AND......
  33578  Power wire and cable 5/....AND.........................
  3357D  Building wire and cable....AND.........................
  3357C  Control and signal wire and cable....AND...............
  3357E  Other insulated wire and cable....AND..................
  33576  Apparatus wire and cord and flexible cord sets...AND...
  33577  Magnet wire............................................      7,741,385              861,949    1,160,239
  33579  Optical fiber cable....................................        622,712              292,884       66,399

                                  1991

            Insulated wire and cable............................      9,725,412            1,350,083    1,201,465

  3357A  Electronic wire and cable..............................      1,616,220              183,797      112,021
  3357B  Telephone and telegraph wire and cable........AND......
  33578  Power wire and cable 5/....AND.........................
  3357D  Building wire and cable....AND.........................
  3357C  Control and signal wire and cable....AND...............
  3357E  Other insulated wire and cable....AND..................
  33576  Apparatus wire and cord and flexible cord sets...AND...
  33577  Magnet wire............................................
  33579  Optical fiber cable....................................
  33577  Magnet wire............................................      7,613,048            1,083,857    1,057,017
  33579  Optical fiber cable....................................        496,144               82,429       32,427

   1/Source:  Bureau of the Census data relating to EM 545, U.S. Excports (see table 10 for a comparision of SIC-based
codes and import and export numbers).
   2/This dollar value represents the c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) value to port of export.
   3/Source:  Bureau of the Census data relating to IM 145, U.S. Imports for Consumption.  These figures include both import value
and duty value.
   4/These import data include other items such as Christmas tree lights, ignition harness sets, ignition wiring sets, etc.
   5/The manufactures' shipments for power wire and cable include mineral and paper insulated cable, while the export figures do not.



Table 10.  COMPARISON OF STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION-BASED PRODUCT
  CODES WITH SCHEDULE B EXPORT NUMBERS, AND HTSUSA IMPORT NUMBERS:  1992

  Product                                                   Export         Import
    code              Product description                number 1/      number 2/

3357A 10
3357A 12
3357A 13    Coaxial cable, armored or unarmored,
3357A 14     electronic.............................  8544.20.0000   8544.20.0000
3357A 16
3357A 22

3357A 23                                                             8544.11.0020
3357A 25                                              8544.11.0020   8544.11.0030
3357A 30                                              8544.11.0030   8544.11.0050
3357A 31                                              8544.11.0050   8544.19.0000
3357A 33                                              8544.19.0000   8544.41.0000
3357A 35    All other insulated wire and cable        8544.41.0000   8544.49.0000
3357A 37     except coaxial and optical cable.......  8544.49.0000   8544.51.4000
3357B 00                                              8544.51.0000   8544.51.8000
33578 00                                              8544.59.2040   8544.59.2040
3357C 00                                              8544.59.4000   8544.59.2080
3357D 00                                              8544.60.2000   8544.59.4000
33576 00                                              8544.60.4000   8544.60.2000
3357E 00                                              8544.60.6000   8544.60.4000
33577 00                                                             8544.60.6000

33579 12
33579 13
33579 14    Optical fiber cable.....................  8544.70.0000   8544.70.0000
33579 15
33579 21

   1/Source:  1992 edition, Harmonized System-Based Schedule B, Statistical Classification of
Domestic and Foreign Commodities Exported from the United States.
   2/Source:  Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, Annotated (1992).E:  1992 AND 19