FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011, AT 8:30 A.M. EDT 

Chris Savage or Adriana Stoica 

Manufacturing and Construction Division 

(301) 763-4832 

M3-1 (11)-03 

CB11-73

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

March 2011 

New Orders 

 New orders for manufactured durable goods in March 

increased $5.0 billion or 2.5 percent to $208.4 billion, 

the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, 

up three consecutive months, followed a 0.7 percent 

February increase. Excluding transportation, new orders 

increased 1.3 percent. Excluding defense, new orders 

increased 2.3 percent. 

 

 Transportation equipment, also up three consecutive 

months, had the largest increase, $3.1 billion or 5.9 

percent to $54.7 billion. 

Shipments 

 Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, 

up five consecutive months, increased $3.7 billion or 1.8 

percent to $207.3 billion. This followed a 0.5 percent 

February increase. 

 Transportation equipment, up four consecutive 

months, had the largest increase, $1.6 billion or 3.3 

percent to $51.1 billion. 

 

Unfilled Orders 

 Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in 

March, up eleven of the last twelve months, increased 

$6.6 billion or 0.8 percent to $843.4 billion. This 

followed a 0.7 percent February increase. 

 Transportation equipment, up three consecutive 

months, had the largest increase, $3.6 billion or 0.8 

percent to $482.0 billion. 

Inventories 

 Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, 

up fifteen consecutive months, increased $4.2 billion or 

1.3 percent to $333.9 billion. This followed a 1.3 

percent February increase. 

 Transportation equipment, also up fifteen consecutive 

months, had the largest increase, $1.7 billion or 1.9 

percent to $89.8 billion. 

Capital Goods 

 Nondefense new orders for capital goods in March 

increased $2.3 billion or 3.2 percent to $73.3 billion. 

Shipments increased $1.4 billion or 2.1 percent to $67.2 

billion. Unfilled orders increased $6.1 billion or 1.2 

percent to $513.6 billion. Inventories increased $2.4 

billion or 1.7 percent to $142.8 billion. 

 Defense new orders for capital goods in March 

increased $0.6 billion or 7.6 percent to $9.0 billion. 

Shipments increased $0.4 billion or 4.8 percent to $8.9 

billion. Unfilled orders increased $0.1 billion or 0.1 

percent to $141.6 billion. Inventories increased $0.7 

billion or 3.7 percent to $18.3 billion. 

Revised February Data 

 Revised seasonally adjusted February figures for all 

manufacturing industries were: new orders, $447.4 

billion (revised from $446.0 billion); shipments, $447.7 

billion (revised from $448.3 billion); unfilled orders, 

$836.8 billion (revised from $834.8 billion); and total 

inventories, $566.1 billion (revised from $565.0 billion). 

Figures in text are adjusted for seasonality but not for inflation. 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 3, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. EDT. The advance report on durable goods for April is scheduled for release on May 25, 2011, at 8:30 a.m. EDT. See back page for survey description and benchmark notice. 
 2

Table 1. Durable Goods Manufacturers' Shipments and New Orders 1

[Estimates are shown in millions of dollars and are based on data from the Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders Survey.]

Seasonally Adjusted Not Seasonally Adjusted 

Monthly Percent Change Monthly Year to Date

Item 

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

2011 2 2011 r 2011 Mar 2 Feb r Jan 2011 2 2011 r 2010 2011 2010 11/10

DURABLE GOODS

 Total: 

 Shipments................................ 207,274 203,556 202,461 1.8 0.5 0.2 224,970 188,202 207,098 595,275 555,035 7.2

 New Orders4

.............................. 208,372 203,342 202,018 2.5 0.7 3.7 232,028 188,656 206,719 606,504 553,370 9.6

 Excluding transportation:

 Shipments................................ 156,172 154,075 154,021 1.4 0.0 0.1 166,624 141,163 153,664 448,048 412,365 8.7

 New Orders4

.............................. 153,680 151,700 150,826 1.3 0.6 -2.9 168,179 141,390 157,108 449,733 410,311 9.6

 Excluding defense:

 Shipments................................ 196,078 192,678 191,800 1.8 0.5 0.5 212,430 177,742 192,265 563,614 514,908 9.5

 New Orders4

.............................. 197,093 192,624 188,823 2.3 2.0 2.9 216,958 178,095 189,739 567,659 509,017 11.5

 Manufacturing with unfilled orders:

 Shipments................................ 151,545 148,441 147,561 2.1 0.6 -0.7 165,634 137,418 154,163 434,550 405,789 7.1

 New Orders.............................. 158,174 154,279 153,776 2.5 0.3 4.7 176,871 143,294 156,869 463,559 419,560 10.5

 Primary metals:

 Shipments................................ 24,201 23,596 23,025 2.6 2.5 4.1 26,206 22,432 21,113 70,299 55,904 25.7

 New Orders.............................. 24,504 23,577 23,375 3.9 0.9 2.9 26,710 22,241 21,324 72,237 58,338 23.8

 Fabricated metal products:

 Shipments................................ 28,212 27,973 27,994 0.9 -0.1 -0.1 29,613 25,615 28,200 80,540 76,440 5.4

 New Orders.............................. 28,444 29,121 28,387 -2.3 2.6 1.3 30,917 27,511 29,778 84,534 79,339 6.5

 Machinery:

 Shipments................................ 27,115 25,996 25,288 4.3 2.8 -7.3 30,586 24,254 27,032 77,734 69,138 12.4

 New Orders.............................. 28,920 27,755 27,772 4.2 -0.1 -12.8 32,969 26,107 29,470 86,487 73,080 18.3

 Computers and electronic products4

:

 Shipments................................ 32,417 32,795 33,808 -1.2 -3.0 1.9 33,755 28,980 33,168 94,428 91,971 2.7

 New Orders.............................. 26,878 27,174 27,154 -1.1 0.1 -5.2 30,107 24,651 31,151 78,423 77,149 1.7

 Computers and related products:

 Shipments................................ 6,276 6,070 6,059 3.4 0.2 -2.0 6,787 4,783 6,519 16,934 15,899 6.5

 New Orders.............................. 6,405 5,802 5,834 10.4 -0.5 -4.6 6,916 4,515 6,892 16,570 15,678 5.7

 Communications equipment:

 Shipments................................ 3,054 3,241 3,415 -5.8 -5.1 -1.1 3,400 2,724 4,399 8,807 10,284 -14.4

 New Orders.............................. 2,922 3,026 3,200 -3.4 -5.4 -19.1 3,147 2,825 4,068 8,507 10,410 -18.3

 Electrical equipment, appliances, 

 and components: 

 Shipments................................ 10,078 9,987 9,939 0.9 0.5 -0.9 10,920 9,138 10,006 28,766 26,407 8.9

 New Orders.............................. 10,713 10,392 10,190 3.1 2.0 -5.1 11,437 10,070 10,858 31,251 28,703 8.9

 Transportation equipment: 

 Shipments................................ 51,102 49,481 48,440 3.3 2.1 0.4 58,346 47,039 53,434 147,227 142,670 3.2

 New Orders.............................. 54,692 51,642 51,192 5.9 0.9 29.7 63,849 47,266 49,611 156,771 143,059 9.6

 Motor vehicles and parts:

 Shipments................................ 33,165 31,918 30,984 3.9 3.0 2.3 37,433 30,764 31,298 96,566 86,703 11.4

 New Orders.............................. 33,182 32,013 30,933 3.7 3.5 1.9 37,165 30,943 30,930 96,621 86,401 11.8

 Nondefense aircraft and parts:

 Shipments................................ 7,362 7,154 7,059 2.9 1.3 -5.9 9,132 6,383 8,442 20,689 19,401 6.6

 New Orders.............................. 10,876 10,780 7,978 0.9 35.1 5,558.2 13,325 8,080 4,609 26,384 18,271 44.4

 Defense aircraft and parts:

 Shipments................................ 4,670 4,537 4,507 2.9 0.7 -3.8 5,278 4,205 6,225 12,965 16,362 -20.8

 New Orders.............................. 4,758 4,476 5,334 6.3 -16.1 18.9 6,005 4,170 6,444 15,646 18,178 -13.9

 All other durable goods: 

 Shipments................................ 34,149 33,728 33,967 1.2 -0.7 2.0 35,544 30,744 34,145 96,281 92,505 4.1

 New Orders.............................. 34,221 33,681 33,948 1.6 -0.8 1.7 36,039 30,810 34,527 96,801 93,702 3.3

 Capital goods3

:

 Shipments................................ 76,083 74,300 73,573 2.4 1.0 -3.8 84,852 68,328 81,476 217,494 210,305 3.4

 New Orders.............................. 82,310 79,374 78,563 3.7 1.0 9.9 94,240 72,810 81,849 238,584 216,450 10.2

 Nondefense capital goods:

 Shipments................................ 67,192 65,817 65,331 2.1 0.7 -3.3 74,984 59,976 69,534 192,475 177,454 8.5

 New Orders.............................. 73,281 70,979 67,454 3.2 5.2 6.7 82,093 64,314 68,022 206,762 180,659 14.4

 Excluding aircraft:

 Shipments........................... 63,103 61,753 61,486 2.2 0.4 -2.5 69,748 56,421 64,403 181,402 166,386 9.0

 New Orders.......................... 65,523 63,177 62,850 3.7 0.5 -5.9 72,588 59,287 66,600 190,644 170,560 11.8

 Defense capital goods:

 Shipments................................ 8,891 8,483 8,242 4.8 2.9 -7.9 9,868 8,352 11,942 25,019 32,851 -23.8

 New Orders.............................. 9,029 8,395 11,109 7.6 -24.4 33.9 12,147 8,496 13,827 31,822 35,791 -11.1

r

 Revised data due to late receipts and concurrent seasonal adjustment.

1

 Estimates of shipments and new orders are for the duration of the period, while estimates of unfilled orders and total inventories are for the end of the period. Not seasonally adjusted estimates of 

shipments and new orders include adjusted data for non-calendar reporters. Seasonally adjusted estimates include concurrent adjustments for holiday and trading-day differences, where appropriate, 

as well as seasonal variation, based on the results of the latest annual review of the model parameters. Estimates are not adjusted for price changes.

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. For further details on survey design, 

methodology, and data limitations, see http://www.census.gov/manufacturing/m3.

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 Estimates of shipments for the semiconductor industry are no longer shown separately. Estimates and percent changes of shipments and inventories for the semiconductor industry are included 

 in computers and electronic products, and all other applicable aggregate totals. Estimates and percent changes for new orders and unfilled orders exclude semiconductor industry data. 
 3

Table 2. Durable Goods Manufacturers' Unfilled Orders and Total Inventories 1

[Estimates are shown in millions of dollars and are based on data from the Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders Survey.]

Seasonally Adjusted Not Seasonally Adjusted 

Monthly Percent Change Monthly Percent

Item 

Mar Feb Jan Feb - Jan - Dec - Mar Feb Mar 2011/

2011 2 2011 r 2011 Mar 2 Feb r Jan 2011 2 2011 r 2010 2010

DURABLE GOODS

 Total: 

 Unfilled Orders4......................... 843,440 836,811 830,973 0.8 0.7 0.8 853,494 842,257 806,457 5.8

 Total Inventories....................... 333,856 329,700 325,599 1.3 1.3 0.9 333,591 332,581 299,195 11.5

 Excluding transportation:

 Unfilled Orders4......................... 361,481 358,442 354,765 0.8 1.0 1.0 365,552 359,818 323,111 13.1

 Total Inventories....................... 244,052 241,558 238,597 1.0 1.2 1.0 243,699 244,005 221,264 10.1

 Excluding defense:

 Unfilled Orders4

........................... 687,109 680,563 674,565 1.0 0.9 0.5 692,663 683,956 648,679 6.8

 Total Inventories....................... 309,993 306,567 302,673 1.1 1.3 1.0 309,578 309,359 275,556 12.3

 Manufacturing with unfilled orders:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 843,440 836,811 830,973 0.8 0.7 0.8 853,494 842,257 806,457 5.8

 Total Inventories....................... 272,379 268,632 265,374 1.4 1.2 0.9 271,789 270,374 242,092 12.3

 Primary metals:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 22,432 22,129 22,148 1.4 -0.1 1.6 22,904 22,400 18,805 21.8

 Total Inventories....................... 33,874 33,404 32,721 1.4 2.1 2.4 33,423 33,139 28,192 18.6

 Fabricated metal products:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 55,757 55,525 54,377 0.4 2.1 0.7 56,627 55,323 54,973 3.0

 Total Inventories....................... 43,709 43,358 42,999 0.8 0.8 1.1 44,013 43,746 40,825 7.8

 Machinery: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 116,915 115,110 113,351 1.6 1.6 2.2 117,890 115,507 91,108 29.4

 Total Inventories....................... 54,987 54,321 53,636 1.2 1.3 1.3 55,498 55,403 49,869 11.3

 Computers and electronic products4:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 124,916 124,924 124,493 0.0 0.3 0.0 126,486 125,955 122,123 3.6

 Total Inventories....................... 47,568 46,786 46,126 1.7 1.4 0.2 46,741 47,349 42,445 10.1

 Computers and related products:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 5,215 5,086 5,354 2.5 -5.0 -4.0 5,215 5,086 5,150 1.3

 Total Inventories....................... 4,460 4,542 4,544 -1.8 0.0 1.9 4,287 4,622 4,369 -1.9

 Communications equipment:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 28,244 28,376 28,591 -0.5 -0.8 -0.7 28,479 28,732 28,900 -1.5

 Total Inventories....................... 8,428 8,133 7,921 3.6 2.7 -3.7 8,300 8,309 7,311 13.5

 Electrical equipment, appliances, 

 and components: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 28,443 27,808 27,403 2.3 1.5 0.9 28,638 28,121 23,397 22.4

 Total Inventories....................... 14,997 14,989 14,819 0.1 1.1 0.3 15,001 15,168 13,737 9.2

 Transportation equipment: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 481,959 478,369 476,208 0.8 0.5 0.6 487,942 482,439 483,346 1.0

 Total Inventories....................... 89,804 88,142 87,002 1.9 1.3 0.8 89,892 88,576 77,931 15.3

 Motor vehicles and parts:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 14,283 14,266 14,171 0.1 0.7 -0.4 14,507 14,775 14,346 1.1

 Total Inventories....................... 22,194 22,232 21,904 -0.2 1.5 0.9 22,345 22,693 20,018 11.6

 Nondefense Aircraft and parts:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 332,625 329,111 325,485 1.1 1.1 0.3 335,177 330,984 322,435 4.0

 Total Inventories....................... 44,406 43,181 42,571 2.8 1.4 1.4 44,351 43,021 34,691 27.8

 Defense Aircraft and parts: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 49,527 49,439 49,500 0.2 -0.1 1.7 51,036 50,309 49,564 3.0

 Total Inventories....................... 12,435 12,021 12,006 3.4 0.1 0.0 12,393 11,975 12,204 1.5

 All other durable goods: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 13,018 12,946 12,993 0.6 -0.4 -0.1 13,007 12,512 12,705 2.4

 Total Inventories....................... 48,917 48,700 48,296 0.4 0.8 0.7 49,023 49,200 46,196 6.1

 Capital goods3:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 655,249 649,022 643,948 1.0 0.8 0.8 662,940 653,552 626,597 5.8

 Total Inventories....................... 161,142 158,105 156,126 1.9 1.3 1.0 161,215 159,553 142,175 13.4

 Nondefense capital goods:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 513,637 507,548 502,386 1.2 1.0 0.4 517,461 510,352 483,374 7.1

 Total Inventories....................... 142,823 140,437 138,621 1.7 1.3 1.1 142,704 141,750 123,832 15.2

 Excluding aircraft: 

 Unfilled Orders.................... 213,024 210,604 209,180 1.1 0.7 0.7 214,880 212,040 191,036 12.5

 Total Inventories................... 106,924 105,797 104,519 1.1 1.2 0.8 106,740 107,305 97,285 9.7

 Defense capital goods:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 141,612 141,474 141,562 0.1 -0.1 2.1 145,479 143,200 143,223 1.6

 Total Inventories....................... 18,319 17,668 17,505 3.7 0.9 0.2 18,511 17,803 18,343 0.9

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-inprocess, 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-to-month changes of the total 

operations of those companies in the monthly survey effectively represent the month-to-month 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 60 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-to-month 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.

 

Benchmark Notice

Revised historical data for Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, and Orders will be issued on 

May 13, 2011. These revisions reflect:

o benchmarking the shipments and inventory data to the 2009 Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM) 

data;

o incorporating the unfilled orders to shipments ratios obtained from the 2008/2009 Manufacturers’ 

Unfilled Orders Survey by applying these ratios to the respective ASM shipments data;

o adjusting new orders to be consistent with the benchmarked shipments and unfilled orders data;

o correcting monthly data for late receipts, reclassifications of reported data, and revisions to previously 

reported data; and

o updating the seasonal adjustment factors for all series.

An accompanying press release will include the revised 2011 January through March data. Please call 

Heather Dudash on (301)763-4832 with any questions.