FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2009, AT 8:30 A.M. EDT 

Chris Savage or Jessica Young 

Manufacturing and Construction Division 

(301) 763-4832 

M3-1 (09)-03 

CB09-65

Advance Report on Durable Goods Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories and Orders 

March 2009 

New Orders 

 New orders for manufactured durable goods in March 

decreased $1.3 billion or 0.8 percent to $161.2 billion, 

the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This was the 

seventh decrease in the last eight months and followed a 

2.1 percent February increase. Excluding transportation, 

new orders decreased 0.6 percent. Excluding defense, 

new orders also decreased 0.6 percent. 

 

 Transportation equipment, down five of the last six 

months, had the largest decrease, $0.5 billion or 1.4 

percent to $37.9 billion. 

Shipments 

 Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, 

down eight consecutive months, decreased $3.0 billion 

or 1.7 percent to $175.0 billion. This followed a 0.8 

percent February decrease. 

 Primary metals, down eight consecutive months, had 

the largest decrease, $0.9 billion or 6.0 percent to $13.3 

billion. 

 

Unfilled Orders 

 Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in 

March, down six consecutive months, decreased $11.2 

billion or 1.4 percent to $760.3 billion. This followed a 

1.6 percent February decrease. 

 Transportation equipment, down six consecutive 

months, had the largest decrease, $6.8 billion or 1.5 

percent to $443.5 billion. 

Inventories 

 Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, 

down three consecutive months, decreased $3.7 billion 

or 1.1 percent to $331.6 billion. This followed a 1.3 

percent February decrease. 

 Primary metals, down six consecutive months, had the 

largest decrease, $1.0 billion or 3.2 percent to $29.2 

billion. 

Capital Goods 

 Nondefense new orders for capital goods in March 

increased $1.0 billion or 1.9 percent to $52.0 billion. 

Shipments decreased $0.5 billion or 0.9 percent to $58.3 

billion. Unfilled orders decreased $6.3 billion or 1.4 

percent to $441.1 billion. Inventories decreased $1.3 

billion or 0.9 percent to $143.9 billion. 

 Defense new orders for capital goods in March 

decreased $1.4 billion or 14.4 percent to $8.6 billion. 

Shipments decreased $0.3 billion or 2.7 percent to $10.0 

billion. Unfilled orders decreased $1.4 billion or 1.0 

percent to $141.9 billion. Inventories increased $0.2 

billion or 1.2 percent to $20.1 billion. 

Revised February Data 

 Revised seasonally adjusted February figures for all 

manufacturing industries were: new orders, $349.5 

billion (revised from $352.2 billion); shipments, $365.0 

billion (revised from $365.9 billion); unfilled orders, 

$771.4 billion (revised from $773.2 billion); and total 

inventories, $528.9 billion (revised from $529.7 billion). 

Figures in text are in seasonally adjusted current dollars. Figures on new and unfilled orders exclude data for semiconductor 

manufacturing. For data, call (301) 763-4673 or go to <http://www.census.gov/m3>.

Revised and more detailed estimates, plus nondurable goods data, will be published on May 1, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. EDT. The 

advance report on durable goods for April is scheduled for release on May 28, 2009, at 8:30 a.m. EDT. See back page for survey

description. 
 2

Table 1. Durable Goods Manufacturers' Shipments and New Orders

[Millions of Dollars]

Seasonally Adjusted Not Seasonally Adjusted 1

Monthly Percent Change Monthly Year to Date

Item Percent

Mar Feb Jan Feb - Jan - Dec - Mar Feb Mar Change

2009 2 2009 r 2009 Mar 2 Feb r Jan 2009 2 2009 r 2008 2009 2008 09/08

DURABLE GOODS

 Total:

 Shipments................................ 175,006 178,001 179,433 -1.7 -0.8 -5.5 186,913 164,462 222,176 509,755 624,345 -18.4

 New Orders4

.............................. 161,192 162,482 159,187 -0.8 2.1 -7.8 176,793 149,695 231,382 472,356 647,731 -27.1

 Excluding transportation:

 Shipments................................ 130,306 133,475 134,894 -2.4 -1.1 -6.1 137,363 121,815 164,824 380,072 460,103 -17.4

 New Orders4

.............................. 123,341 124,092 121,677 -0.6 2.0 -6.5 133,155 115,426 165,431 359,721 461,038 -22.0

 Excluding defense:

 Shipments................................ 161,972 164,869 167,979 -1.8 -1.9 -5.9 172,740 151,783 209,658 473,456 592,224 -20.1

 New Orders4

.............................. 149,204 150,153 149,793 -0.6 0.2 -4.6 161,353 137,948 215,840 435,313 608,751 -28.5

 Manufacturing with unfilled orders:

 Shipments................................ 127,145 129,102 129,253 -1.5 -0.1 -5.5 136,546 119,421 160,637 369,130 443,370 -16.7

 New Orders4

.............................. 115,978 116,571 112,848 -0.5 3.3 -9.2 128,679 107,265 174,115 341,341 482,569 -29.3

 Primary metals:

 Shipments................................ 13,323 14,176 14,594 -6.0 -2.9 -10.1 13,781 13,153 22,113 40,497 63,891 -36.6

 New Orders.............................. 12,412 12,827 13,129 -3.2 -2.3 -6.9 13,056 12,077 22,928 37,846 66,694 -43.3

 Fabricated metal products:

 Shipments................................ 24,898 24,991 25,208 -0.4 -0.9 -3.1 25,571 22,784 27,404 71,277 78,741 -9.5

 New Orders.............................. 22,840 23,136 23,298 -1.3 -0.7 -6.1 24,721 21,770 30,040 67,955 82,705 -17.8

 Machinery:

 Shipments................................ 23,884 24,585 24,896 -2.9 -1.2 -12.9 25,846 22,842 31,856 71,163 86,061 -17.3

 New Orders.............................. 22,488 22,512 21,019 -0.1 7.1 -12.2 24,877 20,846 33,382 66,102 91,977 -28.1

 Computers and electronic products:

 Shipments................................ 27,255 27,990 28,509 -2.6 -1.8 -4.6 30,152 24,869 35,514 80,340 95,201 -15.6

 New Orders4

.............................. 24,714 24,746 23,013 -0.1 7.5 -7.3 28,545 22,932 32,465 71,248 82,514 -13.7

 Computers and related products:

 Shipments................................ 4,466 4,530 4,455 -1.4 1.7 -2.0 5,209 3,820 6,568 12,800 15,763 -18.8

 New Orders.............................. 4,441 4,533 4,051 -2.0 11.9 -9.9 5,184 3,823 6,797 12,374 15,570 -20.5 

 Communications equipment:

 Shipments................................ 4,607 4,824 5,001 -4.5 -3.5 -5.0 5,264 4,125 6,804 13,205 16,391 -19.4

 New Orders.............................. 4,328 4,712 4,830 -8.1 -2.4 -8.1 5,347 4,568 7,102 13,780 17,429 -20.9

 Semiconductors:

 Shipments................................ 2,647 2,988 3,841 -11.4 -22.2 -17.4 2,253 2,611 4,272 9,610 15,813 -39.2

 New Orders4

.............................. (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA)

 Electrical equipment, appliances, 

 and components: 

 Shipments................................ 8,577 8,758 8,739 -2.1 0.2 -7.9 9,010 8,049 10,976 24,795 30,680 -19.2

 New Orders.............................. 8,380 8,229 8,349 1.8 -1.4 -9.8 8,574 7,978 9,390 24,565 31,780 -22.7

 Transportation equipment: 

 Shipments................................ 44,700 44,526 44,539 0.4 0.0 -3.8 49,550 42,647 57,352 129,683 164,242 -21.0

 New Orders.............................. 37,851 38,390 37,510 -1.4 2.3 -11.9 43,638 34,269 65,951 112,635 186,693 -39.7

 Motor vehicles and parts:

 Shipments................................ 24,276 24,754 25,130 -1.9 -1.5 -8.0 26,621 24,281 35,789 73,731 109,320 -32.6

 New Orders.............................. 24,201 24,618 24,728 -1.7 -0.4 -7.6 26,227 24,263 35,443 73,289 108,716 -32.6 

 Nondefense aircraft and parts:

 Shipments................................ 7,939 7,915 9,379 0.3 -15.6 16.0 9,359 7,235 9,310 23,105 24,299 -4.9

 New Orders.............................. 3,906 3,743 5,473 4.4 -31.6 165.9 5,288 1,084 17,084 10,413 42,053 -75.2

 Defense aircraft and parts:

 Shipments................................ 5,402 5,158 4,507 4.7 14.4 -7.1 5,909 4,785 5,111 14,292 12,109 18.0

 New Orders.............................. 5,255 5,021 3,848 4.7 30.5 -33.2 6,444 4,678 6,071 15,117 14,229 6.2

 All other durable goods: 

 Shipments................................ 32,369 32,975 32,948 -1.8 0.1 -1.3 33,003 30,118 36,961 92,000 105,529 -12.8

 New Orders.............................. 32,507 32,642 32,869 -0.4 -0.7 -1.2 33,382 29,823 37,226 92,005 105,368 -12.7

 Capital goods:3

 Shipments................................ 68,218 69,007 69,279 -1.1 -0.4 -5.4 75,094 63,775 83,615 198,371 222,796 -11.0

 New Orders.............................. 60,524 60,994 56,010 -0.8 8.9 -15.6 69,547 54,825 93,798 176,485 253,865 -30.5

 Nondefense capital goods:

 Shipments................................ 58,250 58,763 60,571 -0.9 -3.0 -6.6 64,310 53,637 74,182 170,177 197,611 -13.9

 New Orders.............................. 51,971 50,998 48,637 1.9 4.9 -9.9 58,117 45,104 82,269 147,500 223,440 -34.0

 Excluding aircraft:

 Shipments........................... 53,907 54,845 54,816 -1.7 0.1 -9.4 59,061 50,142 69,101 158,016 184,672 -14.4

 New Orders.......................... 51,566 50,783 48,698 1.5 4.3 -12.3 57,096 47,871 69,869 150,541 194,697 -22.7

 Defense capital goods:

 Shipments................................ 9,968 10,244 8,708 -2.7 17.6 3.6 10,784 10,138 9,433 28,194 25,185 11.9

 New Orders.............................. 8,553 9,996 7,373 -14.4 35.6 -40.5 11,430 9,721 11,529 28,985 30,425 -4.7

NA Not Available r Revised

1

 Shipments and new orders are the totals for the period and are adjusted for trading-day and calendar-month variations; unfilled orders and total inventories are as of the end of the period and are not 

adjusted for trading-day or calendar-month variations.

2

 Based on advance sample. Estimates of manufacturers' shipments, inventories, and orders are subject to survey error and revision. One major component of survey error is nonsampling error, which 

includes errors of coverage, response and nonreporting. Since the survey panel is not a probability sample, estimates of sampling error cannot be calculated. Further details on survey design, 

methodology, and data limitations are contained in our most recent annual benchmark publication, Current Industrial Reports: M3-3(07), "Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders: 2004-2007."

3

 The Capital Goods Industries include Nondefense : small arms and ordnance; farm machinery and equipment; construction machinery; mining, oil, and gas field machinery; industrial machinery; vending,

laundry, and other machinery; photographic equipment; metalworking machinery; turbines and generators; other power transmission equipment; pumps and compressors; material handling equipment; all 

other machinery; electronic computers; computer storage devices; other computer peripheral equipment; communications equipment; search and navigation equipment; electromedical, measuring, and 

control instruments; electrical equipment; other electrical equipment, appliances, and components; heavy duty trucks; aircraft; railroad rolling stock; ships and boats; office and institutional furniture; and 

medical equipment and supplies.

 Defense Capital Goods include : small arms and ordnance, communications equipment, aircraft; missiles, space vehicles, and parts, ships and boats, and search and navigation equipment.

4 Data on new and unfilled orders are not available for the semiconductor industry. Estimates and percent changes for new orders and unfilled orders exclude semiconductor industry data. 

Inventories for semiconductor industry data are included in computers and electronic products and total durable goods industries, but are not shown separately.
 3

Table 2. Durable Goods Manufacturers' Unfilled Orders and Total Inventories

[Millions of Dollars]

Seasonally Adjusted Not Seasonally Adjusted 1

Monthly Percent Change Monthly Percent

Item Change

Mar Feb Jan Feb - Jan - Dec - Mar Feb Mar 2009/

2009 2 2009 r 2009 Mar 2 Feb r Jan 2009 2 2009 r 2008 2008

DURABLE GOODS

 Total:

 Unfilled Orders4

......................... 760,257 771,424 783,955 -1.4 -1.6 -2.0 770,964 778,831 811,015 -4.9

 Total Inventories....................... 331,642 335,343 339,735 -1.1 -1.3 -1.1 329,861 337,837 326,228 1.1

 Excluding transportation:

 Unfilled Orders4

......................... 316,776 321,094 327,489 -1.3 -2.0 -2.8 320,177 322,132 351,769 -9.0

 Total Inventories....................... 238,269 241,186 245,104 -1.2 -1.6 -1.2 236,939 243,135 241,796 -2.0

 Excluding defense:

 Unfilled Orders4

......................... 602,089 612,210 623,938 -1.7 -1.9 -2.2 607,664 616,798 652,847 -6.9

 Total Inventories....................... 305,575 309,581 313,612 -1.3 -1.3 -1.4 303,844 312,072 302,205 0.5

 Manufacturing with unfilled orders:

 Unfilled Orders4

......................... 760,257 771,424 783,955 -1.4 -1.6 -2.0 770,964 778,831 811,015 -4.9

 Total Inventories....................... 266,813 270,122 273,789 -1.2 -1.3 -0.9 265,059 271,644 259,993 1.9

 Primary metals:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 15,326 16,237 17,586 -5.6 -7.7 -7.7 15,676 16,401 30,066 -47.9

 Total Inventories....................... 29,215 30,196 31,299 -3.2 -3.5 -2.6 28,765 29,925 31,552 -8.8

 Fabricated metal products:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 52,695 54,753 56,608 -3.8 -3.3 -3.3 53,413 54,263 63,383 -15.7

 Total Inventories....................... 42,185 42,715 43,489 -1.2 -1.8 -1.7 42,217 43,057 42,828 -1.4

 Machinery: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 92,213 93,609 95,682 -1.5 -2.2 -3.9 92,850 93,819 96,303 -3.6

 Total Inventories....................... 53,616 54,455 55,279 -1.5 -1.5 0.0 53,979 55,373 53,897 0.2

 Computers and electronic products:

 Unfilled Orders4

......................... 123,226 123,120 123,376 0.1 -0.2 -1.3 125,097 124,451 124,893 0.2

 Total Inventories....................... 46,825 47,094 47,214 -0.6 -0.3 -1.4 45,731 47,502 44,906 1.8

 Computers and related products:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 3,664 3,689 3,686 -0.7 0.1 -9.9 3,664 3,689 3,524 4.0

 Total Inventories....................... 4,693 4,710 4,699 -0.4 0.2 -8.6 4,531 4,744 4,994 -9.3

 

 Communications equipment:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 36,733 37,012 37,124 -0.8 -0.3 -0.5 37,329 37,246 37,455 -0.3

 Total Inventories....................... 10,434 10,318 10,267 1.1 0.5 0.1 10,187 10,529 9,490 7.3

 Semiconductors:

 Unfilled Orders4

......................... (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA)

 Total Inventories4....................... (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA)

 Electrical equipment, appliances, 

 and components: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 21,337 21,534 22,063 -0.9 -2.4 -1.7 21,369 21,805 24,164 -11.6

 Total Inventories....................... 13,758 13,880 14,240 -0.9 -2.5 -3.4 13,780 14,091 15,261 -9.7

 Transportation equipment: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 443,481 450,330 456,466 -1.5 -1.3 -1.5 450,787 456,699 459,246 -1.8

 Total Inventories....................... 93,373 94,157 94,631 -0.8 -0.5 -0.9 92,922 94,702 84,432 10.1

 Motor vehicles and parts:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 15,090 15,165 15,301 -0.5 -0.9 -2.6 15,207 15,601 17,961 -15.3

 Total Inventories....................... 19,957 20,465 20,975 -2.5 -2.4 -3.5 19,834 20,615 24,046 -17.5 

 Nondefense Aircraft and parts:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 291,819 295,852 300,024 -1.4 -1.4 -1.3 295,418 299,489 298,369 -1.0

 Total Inventories....................... 46,620 46,998 46,662 -0.8 0.7 -2.1 46,429 47,291 35,536 30.7

 Defense Aircraft and parts: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 47,479 47,626 47,763 -0.3 -0.3 -1.4 49,052 48,517 45,422 8.0

 Total Inventories....................... 15,206 14,988 15,394 1.5 -2.6 5.0 15,126 14,914 13,699 10.4

 All other durable goods: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 11,979 11,841 12,174 1.2 -2.7 -0.6 11,772 11,393 12,960 -9.2

 Total Inventories....................... 52,670 52,846 53,583 -0.3 -1.4 -0.2 52,467 53,187 53,352 -1.7

 Capital goods:3

 Unfilled Orders......................... 583,021 590,715 598,728 -1.3 -1.3 -2.2 592,049 597,596 606,526 -2.4

 Total Inventories....................... 164,014 165,080 165,898 -0.6 -0.5 -0.6 163,294 166,539 151,858 7.5

 Nondefense capital goods:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 441,114 447,393 455,158 -1.4 -1.7 -2.6 445,593 451,786 464,644 -4.1

 Total Inventories....................... 143,883 145,179 145,670 -0.9 -0.3 -1.1 143,133 146,561 132,854 7.7

 Excluding aircraft: 

 Unfilled Orders.................... 184,106 186,447 190,509 -1.3 -2.1 -3.1 185,707 187,672 198,809 -6.6

 Total Inventories................... 106,891 107,808 108,696 -0.9 -0.8 -0.8 106,159 108,939 105,461 0.7

 Defense capital goods:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 141,907 143,322 143,570 -1.0 -0.2 -0.9 146,456 145,810 141,882 3.2

 Total Inventories....................... 20,131 19,901 20,228 1.2 -1.6 3.3 20,161 19,978 19,004 6.1

See footnotes at end of Table 1 
4

Survey Description 

This report is compiled from results of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, and Orders 

(M3) survey. This survey provides statistics on manufacturers' value of shipments, new orders (net of cancellations), 

end-of-month order backlog (unfilled orders), end-of-month total inventory (at current cost or market value), and 

inventories by stage of fabrication (materials and supplies, work-in-process, and finished goods). The M3 includes 

approximately 4,300 reporting units. Units may be divisions of diversified large companies, large homogenous 

companies, or single-unit manufacturers in 89 industry categories. Due to the small monthly sample, these 89 

categories have been combined into 59 publication levels. The survey methodology assumes that the month-tomonth changes of the total operations of those companies in the monthly survey effectively represent the month-tomonth movements of all establishments that make up the category. The current coverage levels in the survey show 

that reported data in the monthly survey represent approximately 61 percent of the shipments estimates at the total 

manufacturing level. Data published represent manufacturing in a calendar month. The data collection is based on a 

voluntary survey authorized by Title 13 of the United States Code. 

The data presented in this release are based on data obtained from a panel of 4,300 reporting units and provide an 

indication of the activity within the manufacturing sector. The results differ from what would be obtained from a 

complete enumeration of all manufacturing companies. In addition, a different panel of 4,300 companies would 

yield different results. The M3 panel is comprised of companies with $500 million or more in shipments and a 

limited number of smaller companies. From a statistical perspective, the panel is not a probability sample; therefore, 

the sampling errors that are normally provided with sample surveys cannot be measured. Nonsampling errors are 

attributable to many sources. The use of company or divisional reports to estimate the monthly change for 

establishments is one source of nonsampling error. The use of primarily large companies to represent the month-tomonth movement of all companies is another potential source. Any corrections will be published in the full report. 

Corrections received after the full report will be released in the next month’s advance report. Any revisions made 

later than two months will be reflected in the annual benchmark publication. 

Additional survey documentation can be found on our web site: http://www.census.gov/m3.