Current Industrial Reports

U.S. Department of Commerce

Economics and Statistics Administration

Bureau of the Census

Iron and Steel Castings - 1997

MA33A(97)-1

July 17, 1998

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

for this survey may be found in the introduction of the 1995 Manufacturing Profiles, issued June 1997.

Obtaining reports: Current data are released electronically on Internet for all 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 the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the

Census, Manufacturing and Construction Division, Washington, DC 20233, or call Brenda Campbell,

301-457-1031. 

Summary of Findings - in 1997, quantity of iron and steel castings shipped were estimated at 12,007 

thousand short tons, a less than 1- percent decrease from the 12,042 thousand short tons shipped in

1996. Ductile iron and gray iron castings quantity shipped were estimated at 4,334 and 6,186 

thousand short tons respectively, a 1- percent increase from the 4,312 and 6,197 thousand short tons 

shipped in 1996. Manufacturers of malleable iron castings shipped 271 thousands short tons in 1997,

a 3- percent increase from the 262 thousand short tons shipped in 1996. The quantity of steel castings

shipped in 1997 decreased 4 percent to 1,217 thousand short tons from the 1,271 thousand short

tons in 1996.
Table 1. Quantity of Shipments of Iron and Steel Castings: 1997 and 1996

[Thousands of short tons]

1997 1996

Product description For For

For own For own

Total sale use Total sale use

Ductile iron ......................... 4,333 3,925 408 4,312 3,921 391

Gray iron .............................. 6,186 4,693 1,493 6,198 4,573 1,625

Malleable iron..................... 271 121 150 263 123 140

Steel ...................................... 1,217 1,174 43 1,271 1,225 46
Table 2. Value of Shipments of Iron and Steel Castings: 1997 and 1996

[Millions of dollars]

1997 1996

Product description Value of Standard Value of Standard

shipments error shipments error

Ductile iron castings ............................ 4,150.2 1.0 r/ 3,971.5 1.0

Gray iron castings .............................. 4,700.6 2.0 4,463.0 2.0

Malleable iron castings ..................... 272.7 1.1 266.1 1.2

Steel castings ..................................... 2,246.4 1.0 r/ 2,295.6 1.0

Steel investment castings ................. 4,032.5 15.6 r/ 4,382.1 17.7

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

 Note: Dollar value represents the value of castings for sale.
Table 3. Shipments of Iron and Steel Castings by Type of Castings: 1997 and 1996 

[In short tons] 

 1997 1996

Product description Standard Standard

Product error error

code Quantity (percent) Quantity (percent)

Iron and steel castings (except investment castings) .................. 12,007,242 (NA) 12,028,009 (NA)

 For sale..................................................................................................... 9,914,225 (NA) 9,827,019 (NA)

 For own use.............................................................................................................................................................. 2,093,017 (NA) 2,200,990 (NA)

 Ductile (nodular) iron castings..................................................................................................... 4,333,581 (NA) 4,297,487 (NA)

 For sale................................................................................................. 3,925,312 (NA) 3,906,966 (NA)

 For own use...................................................................................................................... 408,269 (NA) r/ 390,521 (NA)

 Ductile iron pressure pipe:

33211 32 Under 14 inches (inside diameter)...................................................................... 1,377,007 - r/ 1,344,072 -

33211 33 14 to 24 inches......................................................................................................... (D) (X) r/ (D) (X)

33211 35 30 inches and over......................................................................................... (D) (X) (D) (X)

 Ductile iron fittings: 

33211 36 Under 14 inches (inside diameter)................................................................. 72,543 3.0 66,183 1.4

33211 37 14 to 24 inches................................................................................. 15,395 - 19,129 -

33211 39 30 inches and over............................................................................... 6,640 - 6,894 1.0

33212 24 Construction and utility castings.....................................................21,447 1.0 19,601 1.0

33212 22 Automotive uses.............................................................................. 1,033,408 - 1,031,498 -

33212 33 Machinery uses................................................................................................................... 145,240 2.5 r/ 142,573 2.7

33212 79 Other ductile iron castings (except pressure pipe 

 and fittings): 

 For sale....................................................................................................................... 825,305 1.3 746,552 1.3

 For own use.................................................................................................................... 102,355 1.7 102,327 1.7

 Gray iron castings................................................................................................................. 6,185,999 (NA) 6,197,216 (NA)

 For sale......................................................................................................................... 4,693,300 (NA) r/ 4,572,555 (NA)

 For own use...................................................................................................................... 1,492,699 (NA) 1,624,661 (NA)

33216 00 Molds and stools for heavy steel ingots......................................................................................... 116,269 - r/ 163,688 -

 Gray iron pressure pipe fittings: 1/

33217 44 Under 14 inches (inside diameter)............................................................................................ 23,195 - r/ 36,258 -

33217 45 14 inches and over (inside diameter)......................................................................................... 2,595 - r/ 3,320 -

33218 00 Gray iron soil pipe................................................................................................................ 251,461 - 218,758 -

33218 04 Gray iron soil pipe fittings 1/..................................................................................................................... 69,328 - r/ 56,907 -

33219 39 Automotive uses................................................................................................................ 1,259,320 1.0 r/ 1,270,796 1.0

33219 41 Construction and utility castings.............................................................................................. 574,695 1.0 542,126 1.0

33219 97 All other gray iron castings, including white iron castings:

 For sale..................................................................................................................... 2,396,438 1.8 r/ 2,280,702 1.7

 For own use.................................................................................................................. 381,904 6.0 384,012 5.1

 Malleable iron castings............................................................................................................ 270,942 (NA) 262,292 (NA)

 For sale......................................................................................................................... 121,328 (NA) r/ 122,874 (NA)

 For own use...................................................................................................................... 149,614 (NA) r/ 139,418 (NA)

33221 00 Standard malleable...................................................................................................................................................................... 190,572 - r/ 175,118 -

33222 00 Pearlitic malleable..................................................................................................................................................................... 80,370 - r/ 87,174 -

 Steel castings (except investment)................................................................................................. 1,216,720 (NA) r/ 1,271,014 (NA)

 For sale................................................................................................................................................................................ 1,174,285 (NA) r/ 1,224,624 (NA)

 For own use...................................................................................................................... 42,435 (NA) r/ 46,390 (NA)

 Carbon steel..................................................................................................................... 821,844 (NA) r/ 873,152 (NA)

 Railroad specialties.................................................................................................................................................................. 589,418 (NA) r/ 633,498 (NA)

33252 02 Side frames, bolsters, couplers, yokes, 

 draft gear, snubbers (self-contained unit type), 

 hopper doors and frames and break beams........................................................ 235,820 - 275,501 -

33252 29 Other carbon steel railway and transit rolling 

 stock castings................................................................................................................ 353,598 - r/ 357,997 -

33252 39 Other carbon steel castings, including rolls 

 for rolling mills:

 For sale..................................................................................................................... 227,329 1.0 r/ 234,759 1.0

 For own use.................................................................................................................. 5,097 9.3 r/ 4,895 9.5

 Alloy (except high alloy) steel castings......................................................................................... 260,806 (NA) 263,844 (NA)

33255 51 Railway specialties........................................................................................................... 31,874 1.4 r/ 30,140 1.5

33255 57 Other alloy steel castings, including rolls 

 for rolling mills................................................................................................................ 228,932 1.0 233,704 1.0

33254 00 High alloy steel castings:

 For sale..................................................................................................................... 120,599 1.4 121,124 1.1

 For own use.................................................................................................................. 13,471 1.6 12,894 2.1

 Steel investment castings 2/......................................................................................................... 94,992 (NA) r/ 89,536 (NA)

 For sale 2/........................................................................................................................ 90,158 (NA) 84,595 (NA)

 For own use 2/..................................................................................................................... 4,834 (NA) r/ 4,941 (NA)

33240 63 Carbon, including low alloy 2/............................................................................................................................. 32,698 1.0 30,632 1.0

33240 68 Alloy, including stainless 2/ ..................................................................................................... 62,294 1.0 58,904 1.0

 - Represents zero. D Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual companies. NA Not available. r/Revised by 5

percent or more from previously published data. X Not applicable.

 1/Does not include machined, threaded, or assembled fittings.

 2/Shipments are in thousands of pounds.
Table 4. Manufacturers Shipments, Exports, and Imports of Iron and Steel Castings: 1997

[Quantity in short tons]

Exports of 

domestic Imports for

Product Manufacturers' merchan- consump-

 code Product description 1/ shipments dise 1/2/ tion 1/3/

33211 32, 33, Ductile iron pressure pipe............................................................................. 1,805,334 73,457 -

 35

33211 36, 37, Ductile iron fittings.............................................................................................................................................94,578 13,024 67,555

 39

33216 00 Molds for heavy steel ingot..................................................... 116,269 2,629 2,119

33217 44 ,45 Gray iron pressure pipe fittings...........................................25,790 37,728 24,214

33218 00 Gray iron soil pipe................................................................... 251,461 12,944 -

33218 04 Gray iron soil pipe fittings......................................................... 69,328 40,471 3,732

33212 22, 24, Iron and steel castings, n.e.c.............................................................................. 9,612,626 278,303 10,888

 33 ,

33219 39,41,

 97,

33221 00,

33222 00,

33252 02,29,

 39,

33255 51,57

33254 00, 

33240 63 ,

 68

 - Represents zero. n.e.c. Not elsewhere classified. 

 1/For comparison of SIC codes with Schedule B export numbers, and import numbers, see Table 5.

 2/Source : Bureau of the Census report FT 446, U.S. Exports.

 3/Source: Bureau of the Census report IM 145, U.S. Imports for Consumption.
Table 5. Comparison of Standard Industrial Classification-Based Product Codes 

 with Schedule B Export Numbers and HTSUSA Import Numbers: 1997

Product Export Import

code Product description number 1/ number 2/

33211 32 Ductile iron pressure pipe.................................................................................................................... 7303.00.0060 7303.00.0060

33211 33 7303.00.0090 7303.00.0090

33211 35

33211 36 Ductile iron fittings.................................................................................................................................... 7307.19.3000 7307.19.3040

33211 37 7307.19.3060

33211 39 7307.19.3080

7307.19.9040

7307.19.9060

7307.19.9080

33216 00 Molds for heavy steel ingots.........................................................................................................................

8454.20.0010 8454.20.0010

33217 44 Gray iron pressure pipe fittings....................................................................................................................

7307.11.0030 7307.11.0030

33217 45 7307.11.0060 7307.11.0060

33218 00 Gray iron soil pipe.........................................................................................................................................

7303.00.0030 7303.00.0030

33218 04 Gray iron soil pipe fittings............................................................................................................. 7307.11.0045 7307.11.0045

33212 24 Iron and steel castings, n.e.c.............................................................................................. 7307.19.9030 7307.19.9030

33212 22 7307.19.9090 7325.10.0010

33212 33 7325.10.0000 7325.91.0050

33212 79 7325.91.0000 7325.99.0000

33219 39 7325.99.0000 7325.99.1000

33219 41 7325.99.5000

33219 97

33221 00

33222 00

33252 02

33252 29

33252 39

33255 51

33255 57

33254 00

33240 63

33240 68

 n.e.c. Not elsewhere classified. 

 1/Source: 1997 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 (1997).