U.S. Census Bureau 

Insulated Wire and Cable - 2007

MA335J(07)

Issued June 2008

Address inquiries concerning these data to Census and Related Programs Support Branch, U.S. Department of 

Commerce, Census Bureau, Manufacturing and Construction Division, Washington, DC 20233-6900, or call Quenton 

Linyear, 301-763-7687. 

These data are also available online through STAT-USA by subscription. For further information, visit http://www.statusa.gov/ or call 1-800-STAT-USA.
Table 1. Summary of Shipments of Insulated Wire and Cable: 2002 to 2007

[Value in millions of dollars]

Product

code Product description 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003

Insulated wire and cable 1/........................................................ 21,012.4 21,602.6 15,865.1 13,233.8 11,441.5

335929A Electronic wire and cable ..................................................... 3,617.1 3,331.7 2,748.2 2,614.3 2,358.8

335929B Telephone and telegraph wire and cable .............................. 2,459.0 2,545.2 1,590.1 957.7 1,276.0

3359291 Power wire and cable 2/ ........................................................ 2,514.8 2,875.2 2,256.2 1,810.4 1,484.5

3359291 pt. Portable power cable 2/ ......................................................... (NA) (NA) (NA) (D) (D)

335929C Control and signal wire and cable ........................................ 468.7 446.7 291.6 (D) (D)

335929D Building wire and cable ........................................................ 6,750.0 7,247.7 4,835.2 3,707.3 2,433.8

331491F Apparatus wire and cordage ................................................. 615.8 553.6 509.9 560.6 671.9

335929E Other insulated wire and cable ............................................. 900.3 930.1 810.6 600.1 519.8

331491H Magnet wire .................................................................... 1,868.7 1,833.3 1,214.7 1,120.7 957.3

3359210 Insulated optical fiber cable .................................................. 1,198.5 1,273.0 1,158.3 886.3 944.4

327215A Optical fiber .......................................................................... 619.5 r/ 566.1 450.3 502.3 449.1

 D Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual companies. NA Not available. pt. Part.

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

 1/ Detail may not add to total due to rounding.

 2/ Beginning in 2005, portable power cable, part of product code 3359291, is included with the rest of product code 3359291, "Power wire and cable."
Table 2. Shipments of Copper Insulated Wire and Cable: 2007 and 2006

[Shipments in thousands of pounds. Value in thousands of dollars]

Shipments, including interplant transfers 1/

Product description

No. Copper No. Copper

Product of content Total of content Total

code cos. weight 2/ Value 2/ cos. weight 2/ Value 2/

335929 pt. Insulated wire and cable (except magnet wire 

 and optical wire)...................................................................................... (NA) 2,553,507 17,325,757 (NA) 2,794,322 17,930,165

335929A1 Electronic wire and cable ............................................................................ 56 b/ 290,411 a/ 3,617,119 60 b/ 269,483 a/ 3,331,687

 Flexible coaxial cable, armored or unarmored: 

335929A130 135 C and over ............................................................................... 11 b/ 4,381 a/ 112,636 11 r/ 3,710 a/ 84,881

335929A140 Under 135 C ...................................................................................... 17 42,132 585,853 18 r/ 35,288 579,335

 Hookup wire (single conductor, shielded and 

 nonshielded): 

335929A170 135 C and over temperature rating.................................................... 17 b/ 14,073 b/ 239,886 18 b/ 14,374 b/ 218,170

335929A180 Under 135 C temperature rating........................................................ 27 c/ 67,470 c/ 434,509 26 c/ r/ 74,171 c/ 458,977

 Multiconductor electronic wire and cable 

 (shielded and nonshielded):

335929A190 Flat and ribbon cable .............................................................................. 13 (D) (D) 13 b/ 3,576 73,248

 Other muticonductor electronic wire and cable:

 Shielded:

335929A1A0 135 C and over temperature rating ................................................. 17 (D) a/ 149,675 19 (D) (D)

335929A1B0 Under 135 C temperature rating ................................................ 24 a/ 38,660 467,384 24 a/ 43,452 414,814

 Nonshielded:

335929A1C0 135 C and over temperature rating .................................................. 7 (D) (D) 9 (D) (D)

335929A1D0 Under 135 C temperature rating ................................................. 19 a/ 32,575 a/ 341,373 20 36,093 279,289

335929A1 pt Other electronic wire and cable................................................ 15 c/ 30,433 965,770 16 r/ 31,884 r/ 902,299

335929B Telephone and telegraph wire and cable ................................................... 17 b/ 291,849 b/ 2,458,987 19 b/ 358,801 b/ 2,545,176

335929B120 Station wire and cable ..................................................................... 8 b/ 12,933 b/ 79,370 8 b/ 13,109 b/ 73,691

335929B140 Inside wiring cable ......................................................................... 8 a/ 68,906 a/ 580,628 8 a/ 88,488 706,089

335929B180 Other telephone and telegraph wire and cable.............................................. 11 b/ 210,010 c/ 1,798,989 13 b/ 257,204 c/ 1,765,396

3359291 Power wire and cable............................................................................... 19 b/ 248,804 b/ 2,514,849 18 315,030 2,875,244

3359291810 Paper insulated cable (all voltages, all types).............................................. 2 (D) (D) 1 (D) (D)

 Plastic and rubber insulated:

 2 kV or less:

3359291820 Portable welding cable .......................................................... 5 a/ 17,969 b/ 82,174 6 a/ 18,507 b/ 81,482

3359291830 Underground distribution cable (UD, URD) ............................. 5 7,466 a/ 452,357 5 8,321 a/ 523,733

3359291840 Thermoplastic insulated power cable .............................................. 9 c/ 38,881 c/ 235,488 9 c/ 24,264 c/ 155,929

 Thermoset insulated:

3359291850 Armored, rubber and cross linked ............................................... 7 b/ 6,150 c/ 51,617 7 a/ 8,928 a/ 64,220

3359291860 Unarmored, rubber .................................................................. 6 (D) (D) 5 (D) (D)

2007 2006
3359291870 Unarmored, cross linked ................................................................. 7 15,849 a/ 101,668 7 16,465 a/ 98,574

3359291890 Weatherproof cable .............................................................................. 2 (D) a/ 22,229 1 (D) a/ r/ 17,479

3359291891 Service drop cable, thermoset and thermoplastic 

 insulated............................................................... 2 (D) a/ 100,462 2 (D) a/ r/ 103,102

 Over 2 kV:

33592918C0 Underground distribution cable (UD, URD), 

 all insulations (jacketed and unjacketed) .................................... 7 21,077 374,848 6 61,364 610,278

 Thermoset insulated power cable,

 excluding underground: 

 2 kV to 15 kV: 

33592918E0 Armored, rubber and cross-linked ....................................... 7 a/ 22,592 a/ 167,128 7 a/ 30,981 a/ 199,994

33592918F0 Unarmored, rubber ................................................................... 7 b/ 51,017 b/ 334,268 7 a/ 60,491 a/ 364,487

33592918G0 Unarmored, cross-linked ....................................................... 4 2,987 24,024 4 3,424 20,725

33592918H0 Over 15.1 kV (rubber and cross-linked)........................................ 4 c/ 19,098 c/ 260,986 4 c/ r/ 19,379 c/ r/ 256,331

33592918I0 Other power wire and cable, including portable .......................................... 9 c/ 29,224 c/ 225,703 9 a/ 27,094 b/ 214,513

335929C Control and signal wire ........................................................................... 16 b/ 49,483 b/ 468,670 16 b/ 51,617 b/ 446,666

335929C110 Signal wire and cable ........................................................................... 12 b/ 27,272 b/ 259,589 12 b/ 27,566 b/ 242,139

 Control wire and cable, excluding elevator cable:

335929C120 Thermoset insulated .............................................................................. 6 b/ 3,663 a/ 63,384 6 a/ 6,291 a/ 77,449

335929C130 Thermoplastic insulated .................................................................... 9 a/ 18,548 b/ 145,697 9 a/ 17,760 b/ 127,078

335929D Building wire and cable ............................................................................. 20 1,425,974 6,750,007 21 1,532,858 7,247,665

 Building wire and cable having underwriters' 

 labels: 

 Thermoset insulated:

335929D110 Cross-linked polyethylene (XHHW) ................................................. 11 44,039 403,027 11 46,101 375,075

335929D120 Cross-linked polyethylene (XLP, USE) ................................................ 10 13,868 99,608 10 14,226 101,804

 Thermoplastic insulated:

335929D130 Flame-retardant nylon (THHN, THWN) ....................................... 10 721,226 2,929,657 13 743,015 3,082,594

335929D140 Moisture and heat resistant (TW, THW) ....................................... 9 2,474 15,249 11 5,087 18,918

335929D150 Service entrance cable (SER, SEU, ASE) ............................................ 7 b/ 11,442 212,563 7 b/ 13,168 237,317

 Nonmetallic branch-circuit and underground 

 feeder:

335929D160 Type NM-B ..................................................................................... 6 461,111 1,989,145 6 537,725 2,355,303

335929D170 Type UF and NMC (corrosion resistant) ...................................... 8 32,762 171,674 7 40,558 200,134

335929D190 Other building wire and cable ............................................................. 10 139,052 929,084 8 132,978 876,520

331491F Apparatus wire and cordage 3/................................................................ 29 a/ 86,152 a/ 615,802 31 a/ 89,085 a/ 553,578

 Flexible cordage:

331491F110 Thermoset insulated ........................................................................ 10 b/ 15,207 b/ 111,198 10 b/ 15,528 b/ 111,200

331491F120 Thermoplastic, including thermoplastic 

 elastomers................................................................................... 10 a/ 2,274 18,039 12 a/ 2,891 a/ 19,925

331491F180 Extension cord sets ............................................................................... 4 a/ 1,648 a/ 24,073 4 a/ 2,099 a/ 25,680

331491F190 Fixed power supply cords .................................................................. 9 1,177 8,114 11 1,326 9,007

331491F1A0 Detachable power supply cords .......................................................... 5 760 a/ 4,540 6 1,902 6,074

331491F1B0 Retractable power cords and other ...................................................... 7 a/ 619 26,838 7 461 20,904

 Apparatus wire: c/ c/ c/ c/

331491F130 Appliance fixture wire ................................................................. 10 a/ 13,139 b/ 92,119 10 15,138 98,502
331491F145 Appliance wiring material 14 gauge and larger, 

 (including motor lead and transformer lead 

 wire), thermoset and thermoplastic insulated......... 11 b/ 19,251 a/ 123,531 10 b/ 14,053 a/ 63,314

331491F160 Submersible pump cable......................................................................... 9 16,281 112,147 9 17,204 102,332

331491F170 Other apparatus wire and cordage, including c/ c/ c/ c/

 machine tool wire.................................................................................... 14 b/ 15,796 b/ 95,203 14 18,483 96,640

335929E Other insulated wire and cable ..................................................................... 32 c/ 160,834 b/ 900,323 35 b/ 177,448 b/ 930,149

 Automotive:

335929E110 Bulk automotive primary wire ........................................................ 11 c/ 98,839 c/ 351,344 12 b/ 93,322 b/ 337,687

335929E120 Bulk battery cable................................................................................... 7 a/ 4,409 a/ 19,327 7 a/ 6,935 a/ 29,046

335929E130 Bulk ignition wire................................................................................... 4 (D) a/ 70,470 4 (D) 87,085

335929E140 Other automotive wire and cable ............................................................. 6 6,815 96,294 7 r/ 7,483 93,006

 Airframe, shipboard and ground support cable, 

 excluding coaxial cable and ignition cable: 

335929E150 Airframe and missile, including ground support 

 cable .............................................................................................. 8 a/ 5,872 61,730 8 a/ 4,752 44,229

335929E160 Shipboard cable .............................................................................. 4 (D) b/ 18,200 4 (D) b/ 19,064

335929E170 Other insulated or covered wire and cable, n.e.c. ....................... 15 c/ 40,084 c/ 282,958 17 c/ 59,787 c/ 320,032

 D Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual companies. NA Not available. n.e.c. Not elsewhere classified. pt. Part. 

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

 1/Interplant transfers for 2007 totaled 1,466 and for 2006 totaled 87,544.

 2/Aluminum content for 2007 totaled 289,366 thousand pounds and for 2006 totaled 354,197 thousand pounds (not included 

in copper content weights). Aluminum shipment values are included in total value. See Table 3 for additional details.

 3/Data include the following: (a) all known establishments which insulate wire and cable and then fabricate it into finished products, NAICS 

product class 331491E and (b) establishments from NAICS product class 334290, that manufacture wire, cord, and flexible cord sets from 

purchased insulated wire. 

 Note: Data presented in this table are for copper content insulated wire and cable. See Table 3 for aluminum content information. 

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 3. Aluminum Shipments of Selected Insulated Wire and Cable: 2007 and 2006

[Aluminum gross weight shipments in thousands of pounds]

2007 2006

Product description No. No.

Product of of

code cos. content 1/, 2/ cos. content 1/, 2/

335929 pt. Insulated wire (except magnet wire) .................................................... (NA) 289,366 (NA) r/ 354,197

335929A Electronic wire and cable ......................................................................... 1 (D) 1 (D)

335929B Telephone and telegraph wire and cable - - - - -

3359291 Power wire and cable ................................................................... 7 242,282 8 308,137

3359291830 Underground distribution cable, all insulations--

 2 kV or less ............................................................................... 5 156,394 5 195,778

3359291890 Weatherproof cable...................................................... 3 2,468 3 2,922

3359291891 Service drop cable, thermoset and thermoplastic

 insulated........................................................................ 4 35,716 3 39,015

33592918C0 Underground distribution cable, all insulations--

 over 2 kV ................................................................................ 5 28,494 6 50,847

33592918F0 Thermoset insulated power cable, unarmored, 

 rubber-- 2 kV to 15 kV............................................................ 3 (D) 4 5,687

3359291 pt. Other power wire and cable ............................................... 6 (D) 7 13,888

335929D1 Building wire and cable........................................................................ 5 36,371 6 r/ 35,194

335929D110 Thermoset insulated, cross-linked polyethylene 

 (XHHW) ................................................................................................... 4 50,478 4 r/ (D)

335929D150 Service enterance cable (SER, SEU, ASE)................... 4 (D) 3 (D)

335929D1 pt. Other building wire and cable...................................................................... 7 38,137 7 39,456

335929C1, 

335929E1, 335929F1 Other insulated wire and cable.................................................................... 3 (D) 4 r/ (D)

 D Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual companies. NA Not available. pt. Part. - Represents zero.

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

 1/Gross weight includes insulating materials, but excludes packing materials.

 2/Value of aluminum content is included in total value of Table 2.

Aluminum Aluminum
Table 4. Shipments of Magnet Wire (Copper and Aluminum), Including Interplant Transfers: 2007 and 2006

[Gross weight in thousands of pounds. Value in thousands of dollars]

2007 2006

Product description No. No.

Product of Gross of Gross

code cos. weight 2/ Value cos. weight 2/ Value

331491H Magnet wire ................................................................................................ 15 503,426 1,868,682 16 564,402 1,833,327

 Class 105 and below:

331491H110 7 AWG and larger round, including all square and 

 rectangle, film coated ........................................................................ 4 (D) (D) 4 (D) (D) 

331491H120 8 to 21 AWG, film coated ................................................................... 4 (D) (D) 4 (D) (D) 

331491H135 22 to 33 AWG, film coated ............................................................... 5 2,505 10,691 6 2,285 9,902

 Class 130 to 155: 

331491H160 8 to 21 AWG, film coated ................................................................... 7 8,868 36,502 7 9,451 35,300

331491H170 22 to 32 AWG, film coated ................................................................. 10 12,401 54,606 11 16,180 62,179

331491H180 33 to 44 AWG, film coated ................................................................. 8 6,429 39,479 8 7,873 45,168

 Class 180 and above: 

331491H190 7 AWG and larger round, including all square and 

 rectangle, film coated ........................................................................ 5 (D) (D) 5 (D) (D) 

331491H1A0 8 to 21 AWG, film coated ................................................................... 8 (D) (D) 8 (D) (D) 

331491H1B0 22 to 32 AWG, film coated ................................................................. 8 77,376 281,418 9 96,402 334,130

331491H1C0 33 to 44 AWG, film coated ................................................................. 6 (D) (D) 6 (D) (D) 

331491H1C2 Miscellaneous film coated, n.e.c. .......................................................... 0 - - 0 - -

 Nonfilm coated (fibrous): 

331491H1D0 Class 130 and below ........................................................................... 3 (D) (D) 3 (D) (D) 

331491H1F0 Class 155 and above ........................................................................... 4 (D) (D) 4 (D) (D) 

 Nonfilm coated (tape):

331491H1E0 Class 130 and below ........................................................................... 2 (D) (D) 2 (D) (D) 

331491H1G0 Class 155 and above ........................................................................... 5 (D) (D) 5 (D) (D) 

331491G1H0 Miscellaneous nonfilm coated, n.e.c. ..................................................... 2 (D) (D) 2 (D) (D) 

 D Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual companies. n.e.c. Not elsewhere classified. - Represents zero.

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

 1/Interplant transfers for 2007 and 2006 were withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual companies.

 2/Gross weight includes insulating materials, but excludes packing materials.

Shipments, including interplant transfers 1/
Table 5. Value of Shipments of Fiber Optic Cable: 2007 and 2006

[Thousands of dollars]

2007 2006

Product description No. No.

of of

Product cos. Value cos. Value

code

33592101 Insulated optical fiber cable............................. 27 1,198,462 26 1,272,979

33592101 pt. Communication applications......................... 20 1,185,278 20 1,262,396

 Single-mode stepped-index: 

3359210125 Dispersion shifted................................... 9 245,382 9 173,004

3359210128 Dispersion unshifted .............................. 18 621,214 18 r/ 744,253

3359210129 Multimode index....................................... 17 318,682 18 345,139

3359210434 Other applications.......................................... 14 13,184 12 r/ 10,583

 pt. Part.

r/Revised by 5 percent or more from previously published data. 
Table 6. Value of Shipments of Optical Fiber: 2007 and 2006

[Thousands of dollars]

2007 2006

Product description No. No.

Product of of

code cos. Value cos. Value

Optical fiber for data and nondata 

 transmission ............................................................. 15 619,543 14 r/ 566,116

327215B235 Optical fiber used for data 

 transmission.......................................................... 9 594,822 8 r/ 546,540

327215B238 Optical fiber used for nondata 

 transmission.......................................................... 7 24,721 7 19,576

r/Revised by 5 percent or more from previously published data. 
Table 7. Shipments, Exports, and Imports of Insulated Wire and Cable: 2007

[Quantity in thousands of units. Value in thousands of dollars]

 Manufacturers'

shipments Exports of domestic Imports for

Product description (f.o.b. plant) merchandise 1/ 2/ consumption 1/ 3/

Product

code Quantity Value Quanity Value Quantity Value 4/

331491H110, Magnet wire (copper) ......................... 448,136 1,732,661 72,947 447,679 48,199 424,664

 120, 130, 140,

 150, 160, 170,

 180, 190, 

331491G1A0,

 1B0, 1C0, 1I0,

 1D0, 1F0, 1E0,

 1G0, 1H0

331491H110, Magnet wire (aluminum)........... 55,290 136,021 21,649 180,013 2,348 20,832

 120, 130, 140,

 150, 160, 170,

 180, 190, 

331491H1A0,

 1B0, 1C0, 1I0,

 1D0, 1E0, 1F0,

 1G0, 1H0

335929A100 Coaxial cable............................ 76,946 1,664,259 47,957 578,970 78,148 605,894

3359210201, 301 Optical fiber cables.................. 6,235,827 1,198,462 384,727 380,562 807,205 466,517

327215B231 Optical fibers, bundles, 

 and cables.............................. (X) 619,543 120,518 253,883 78,541 28,591

335929B100 Other wire and cable used

 120, 130, 140, for telecommunications

 150, 160, 170, (except fiber optics)............... 224,414 1,878,919 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA)

 180,

 335929E150, 160

 NA Not available. X Not applicable. 

 1/For comparision of North American Industry Classification System-based product codes with Schedule B

export numbers and HTSUSA import numbers, see Table 9.

 2/Source: Census Bureau report EM 545, U.S. Exports.

 3/Source: Census Bureau report IM 145, Imports for Consumption.

 4/ Dollar value represents the c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) value at the first point of entry in the United States 

plus U.S. import duties.
Table 8. Comparision of North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)-Based Product Codes 

 with Schedule B Export Codes, and HTSUSA Import Codes: 2007

Product

code Product description Export code 1/ Import code 2/

331491G110, Magnet wire (copper)...................................................................................... 8544.11.0020 8544.11.0020

 120, 130, 8544.11.0030 8544.11.0030

 140, 150, 8544.11.0050 8544.11.0050

 160, 170,

 180, 190,

 1A0, 1B0,

 1C0, 1D0,

 1E0, 1F0,

 1G0, 1H0,

 1I0

331491G110, Magnet wire (aluminum)............................................................................. 8544.19.0000 8544.19.0000

 120, 130,

 140, 150,

 160, 170,

 180, 190,

 1A0, 1B0,

 1C0, 1D0,

 1E0, 1F0,

 1G0, 1H0,

 1I0

335929A100, Coaxial cable............................................................................................... 8544.20.0000 8544.20.0000

 120, 130,

 140, 150

3359210125, Optical fiber cable...................................................................................... 8544.70.0000 8544.70.0000

 128, 131,

 134, 434

327215A235, Optical fibers, optical fiber bundles, and cables................................................ 9001.10.0000 9001.10.0075

 238 9001.10.0085

335929B110, Other wire and cable used for telecommunications 

 120, 130, (except fiber optics).......................................................................................... (NA) 8544.41.4000

 140, 150 8544.49.4000

 160, 170 8544.51.4000

 180 8544.51.7000

335929E150,

 160

 NA Not available.

 1/Source: 2007 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 (2007).
HISTORICAL NOTE

The Census Bureau has collected data on insulated wire since 1965. 

Historical Current Industrial Reports data may be obtained from a Federal Depository Library. To locate a Federal 

Depository Library in your area, please visit http://www.gpoaccess.gov/libraries.html.