Released: August 2021

Next MECS will be fielded in 2023.

Table 10.15 Percent of Establishments by Levels of Price Difference that Would Cause Fuel

Switching from Natural Gas to a Less Expensive Substitute, 2018;

Level: National Data;Row: NAICS Codes;Column: Levels of Price Difference;Unit: Establishment Counts.

Would Not Estimate 

NAICS Establishments Switch Due 1 to 10 11 to 25 26 to 50 Over 50 Cannot 

Code(a) Subsector and Industry Able to Switch(b) to Price Percent Percent Percent Percent Be Provided 

Total United States

311 Food 871 156 109 178 142 105 167 

3112 Grain and Oilseed Milling 53 9 9 11 4 13 8 

311221 Wet Corn Milling 7 DD 0D 0 0 

31131 Sugar Manufacturing 9 D 0D 0D 4 

3114 Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food 56 D 4 D 16 D 18 

3115 Dairy Product 107 23 8 26 31 D 12 

3116 Animal Slaughtering and Processing 148 7 Q Q 16 9 40 

312 Beverage and Tobacco Products 60 10 6 21 D D D 

3121 Beverages 50 10 6 Q 0 11 4 

3122 Tobacco 9 0 0 3DD D 

313 Textile Mills 124 14 Q 49 Q 0 23 

314 Textile Product Mills 34 D 6 24 D 0 0 

315 Apparel 12 D 0 3 5 0 D 316 Leather and Allied Products 8 DDD 0 0 D 

321 Wood Products 318 D Q D 66 49 D 

321113 Sawmills 29 4 0 0 16 3 7 

3212 Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Woods 99 D 0 16 22 4 D 

321219 Reconstituted Wood Products 15 D 0 Q 6D D 

3219 Other Wood Products 186 Q Q 0 Q Q Q 

322 Paper 336 8 68 22 34 67 125 

322110 Pulp Mills 5 0DD 0 0 D 

322121 Paper Mills, except Newsprint 33 D 9 5 D D 7 

322122 Newsprint Mills D 0 0 D 0 0 0 322130 Paperboard Mills 31 D 10 11 D D 6 

323 Printing and Related Support 375 Q Q Q D0 D 

324 Petroleum and Coal Products 220 24 14 88 27 5 58 

324110 Petroleum Refineries 33 D 9 D D D 10 

324121 Asphalt Paving Mixture and Block 174 11 6 80 D D 45 

324122 Asphalt Shingle and Coating Materials 10 6 0 D 0 0 D 

324191 Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Products 3 D0000 D 

324199 Other Petroleum and Coal Products 0 00000 0 

325 Chemicals 563 144 26 67 50 69 202 

325110 Petrochemicals 9 3DD 0 0 D 325120 Industrial Gases Q 0 Q 000 Q 

325180 Other Basic Inorganic Chemicals 14 D D D 0 D Q 

325193 Ethyl Alcohol D D03 Q 00 

325194 Cyclic Crudes, Intermediate and Gum and Wood Chemicals 27 D 0 D 0 D 0 

325199 Other Basic Organic Chemicals 48 3 11 Q 54 8 

325211 Plastics Materials and Resins 47 8 D D 4 Q Q 

325212 Synthetic Rubber 13 3 D D 3 D D 

325220 Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments 13 D 4 5 D D 0 325311 Nitrogenous Fertilizers D 0 0 0 D 0 0 

Levels of Price Difference that Would Cause a Switch from Natural Gas(c
325312 Phosphatic Fertilizers 0 00000 0 

3254 Pharmaceuticals and Medicines 78 23 D 7 7 D 20 

325412 Pharmaceutical Preparation 50 10 D D D D 11 325992 Photographic Film, Paper, Plate, and Chemicals 15 4 0 0 Q DD 

326 Plastics and Rubber Products 247 Q Q Q Q 0 Q 327 Nonmetallic Mineral Products 531 181 143 99 28 D 31 

327120 Clay Building Material and Refractories 35 0 D 4 D Q 8 

327211 Flat Glass 4 0 0D 0 0 D 327212 Other Pressed and Blown Glass and Glassware 8 D 0 0D 0 D 

327213 Glass Containers 0 00000 0 327215 Glass Products from Purchased Glass Q 6055 Q 5 

327310 Cements 23 D 4 7 3 D 6 327410 Lime 8 0DD 0 0 4 327420 Gypsum D 0 0 0D 0 0 

327993 Mineral Wool 7 D D 0 0 0 D 

331 Primary Metals 145 D Q 17 27 D 38 

331110 Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloys 26 D 0 4 D D 13 

3312 Steel Products from Purchased Steel 9 40000 5 

3313 Alumina and Aluminum 12 4 0 0 D D 5 

331314 Secondary Smelting and Alloying of Aluminum D 0 0 0 D 0 0 

331315 Aluminum Sheet, Plate and Foils D 40000 D 

331318 Other Aluminum Rolling, Drawing and Extruding D 0 0 0 D D D 

3314 Nonferrous Metals, except Aluminum 28 60734 7 

331410 Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining 5 D 0DD 0 0 

3315 Foundries 70 9 Q 5 19 3 Q 

331511 Iron Foundries 23 Q DDDD 0 

331523 Nonferrous Metal Die‐Casting Foundries 25 D D D 3 D D 

331524 Aluminum Foundries, except Die‐Casting 3 0 0 D D 0 0 

332 Fabricated Metal Products 1,442 Q Q Q Q Q Q 

333 Machinery 358 Q Q Q Q Q Q 334 Computer and Electronic Products 123 5 D D 0 0 43 

334413 Semiconductors and Related Devices 10 5 0 0 0 0 4 

335 Electrical Equip., Appliances, and Components Q Q 0 0 Q Q Q 

336 Transportation Equipment 256 17 0 87 D D 145 

336111 Automobiles D 0 0 0D 0 D 

336112 Light Trucks and Utility Vehicles D 0 0 0 0D 0 

3364 Aerospace Product and Parts 29 7 0 15 0 D D 

336411 Aircraft 3 D 0 0 0D 0 

337 Furniture and Related Products Q Q 3 Q 0 Q 0 

339 Miscellaneous 380 Q 0 Q 0 0 Q 

Total 6,650 1,409 753 1,314 499 754 1,787 

(a) The Bureau of the Census classifies establishments using the 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

(b) This count includes only those establishments that reported this activity in 2018.

(c) These levels of price difference were guesstimates at which establishments perceived that they would switch. These levels were not actual values at which switching occurred. The percentage o

difference is computed as the quantity of (current fuel price minus alternative fuel price) divided by the current fuel price, expressed as a percent.

* Estimate less than 0.5.

D=Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual establishments.

Q=Withheld because Relative Standard Error is greater than 50 percent.

NA=Not available.Notes: Totals may not equal sum of components because of independent rounding. Establishment percent may not equal 100 percent because of unknown and/or unreported fuel‐switching guess

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Demand and Integrated Statistics, Form EIA‐846, 2018 Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey.

The Census Bureau has reviewed this data product for unauthorized disclosure of confidential information and has approved the disclosure avoidance practices applied (Approval ID: CBDRB‐FY20‐260)
Released: August 2021

Next MECS will be fielded in 2023.

RSE Table 10.15 Relative Standard Errors for Table 10.15;

Unit: Percents.

Would Not 

NAICS Establishments Switch Due 1 to 10 11 to 25 26 to 50 Over 50 

Code(a) Subsector and Industry Able to Switch(b) to Price Percent Percent Percent Percent 

Total United States

311 Food 5.4 8.7 9.9 20.6 11.2 15.4 

3112 Grain and Oilseed Milling 5.9 3.3 1.6 41.8 0.7 24.3 

311221 Wet Corn Milling 0.0 D D X D X 

31131 Sugar Manufacturing 0.0 D X D X D 

3114 Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food 16.2 D 41.2 D 16.8 D 

3115 Dairy Product 15.7 34.1 28.0 22.1 33.5 D 

3116 Animal Slaughtering and Processing 24.8 0.0 53.0 58.6 20.8 39.3 

312 Beverage and Tobacco Products 2.7 30.8 25.5 8.3 D D 

3121 Beverages 25.3 30.8 25.5 59.8 X 38.9 3122 Tobacco 0.0 X X 0.0 D D 

313 Textile Mills 21.8 49.2 60.7 31.8 94.3 X 

314 Textile Product Mills 37.0 D 38.8 48.5 D X 

315 Apparel 23.4 D X 0.0 31.1 X 316 Leather and Allied Products 19.2 D D D X X 321 Wood Products 20.4 D 95.2 D 32.9 33.2 

321113 Sawmills 20.1 0.0 X X 35.3 0.0 

3212 Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Woods 25.7 D X 40.9 40.4 14.7 

321219 Reconstituted Wood Products 24.8 D X 56.1 36.0 D 

3219 Other Wood Products 47.7 75.7 95.2 X 58.4 98.1 

322 Paper 4.1 0.0 6.8 0.3 25.0 49.7 

322110 Pulp Mills 0.0 X D D X X 

322121 Paper Mills, except Newsprint 0.0 D 0.0 0.0 D D 

322122 Newsprint Mills D XXDXX 

322130 Paperboard Mills 0.0 D 0.0 0.0 D D 

323 Printing and Related Support 42.4 89.3 96.6 83.4 D X 

324 Petroleum and Coal Products 3.4 4.9 2.3 7.6 19.8 11.8 

324110 Petroleum Refineries 0.0 D 0.0 D D D 

324121 Asphalt Paving Mixture and Block 10.0 15.2 34.3 14.1 D D 

324122 Asphalt Shingle and Coating Materials 12.1 12.1 X D X X 

324191 Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Products 12.7 D XXXX 

324199 Other Petroleum and Coal Products X XXXXX 

325 Chemicals 6.7 9.8 7.5 10.7 28.1 4.0 

325110 Petrochemicals 0.0 0.0 D D X X 325120 Industrial Gases 75.6 X 73.8 X X X 

325180 Other Basic Inorganic Chemicals 33.2 D D D X D 

325193 Ethyl Alcohol D D X 13.6 74.0 X 325194 Cyclic Crudes, Intermediate and Gum and Wood Chemicals 0.0 D X D X D 

325199 Other Basic Organic Chemicals 22.9 8.8 27.6 58.7 32.5 43.8 

325211 Plastics Materials and Resins 28.5 16.2 D D 16.1 82.9 325212 Synthetic Rubber 0.0 0.0 D D 0.0 D 325220 Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments 0.0 D 0.0 0.0 D D 

Levels of Price Difference that Would Cause a Swi
325311 Nitrogenous Fertilizers D X X X D X 

325312 Phosphatic Fertilizers X XXXXX 

3254 Pharmaceuticals and Medicines 22.5 45.2 D 27.5 30.8 D 

325412 Pharmaceutical Preparation 28.6 16.3 DDDD 

325992 Photographic Film, Paper, Plate, and Chemicals 36.8 18.8 X X 78.1 D 

326 Plastics and Rubber Products 42.0 72.0 80.8 77.2 83.0 X 327 Nonmetallic Mineral Products 10.6 22.1 16.8 9.7 26.1 D 

327120 Clay Building Material and Refractories 25.2 X D 8.6 D 56.0 

327211 Flat Glass 0.0 X X D X X 327212 Other Pressed and Blown Glass and Glassware 39.0 D X X D X 

327213 Glass Containers X XXXXX 

327215 Glass Products from Purchased Glass 57.8 10.5 X 19.1 30.2 92.7 

327310 Cements 15.5 D 15.1 16.7 15.1 D 

327410 Lime 0.0 X D D X X 327420 Gypsum D XXXDX 327993 Mineral Wool 17.6 D D X X X 

331 Primary Metals 7.9 D 51.2 5.6 20.2 D 

331110 Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloys 0.0 D X 0.0 D D 

3312 Steel Products from Purchased Steel 25.7 10.0 XXXX 

3313 Alumina and Aluminum 3.1 0.0 X X D D 

331314 Secondary Smelting and Alloying of Aluminum D X X X D X 

331315 Aluminum Sheet, Plate and Foils D 0.0 XXXX 

331318 Other Aluminum Rolling, Drawing and Extruding D X X X D D 

3314 Nonferrous Metals, except Aluminum 12.9 18.5 X 12.3 15.8 11.5 

331410 Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining 18.0 D X D D X 

3315 Foundries 18.3 34.4 51.2 5.7 36.2 21.3 

331511 Iron Foundries 42.1 57.1 DDDD 331523 Nonferrous Metal Die‐Casting Foundries 22.1 D D D 21.3 D 

331524 Aluminum Foundries, except Die‐Casting 21.2 X X D D X 

332 Fabricated Metal Products 30.4 70.2 99.4 61.1 96.4 93.3 

333 Machinery 38.8 57.9 96.3 94.0 95.7 93.7 334 Computer and Electronic Products 30.5 12.9 D D X X 

334413 Semiconductors and Related Devices 20.2 12.9 XXXX 

335 Electrical Equip., Appliances, and Components 58.1 87.3 X X 85.9 97.4 

336 Transportation Equipment 17.8 12.6 X 45.5 D D 

336111 Automobiles D XXXDX 

336112 Light Trucks and Utility Vehicles D XXXXD 

3364 Aerospace Product and Parts 21.3 9.9 X 36.5 X D 

336411 Aircraft 19.1 D X X X D 

337 Furniture and Related Products 54.9 98.7 0.0 84.4 X 70.5 339 Miscellaneous 46.6 98.8 X 93.5 X X 

Total 2.8 4.4 6.0 4.0 9.8 7.3 

(a) The Bureau of the Census classifies establishments using the 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

(b) This count includes only those establishments that reported this activity in 2018.

(c) These levels of price difference were guesstimates at which establishments perceived that they would switch. These levels were not actual values at which switching occurred. T

difference is computed as the quantity of (current fuel price minus alternative fuel price) divided by the current fuel price, expressed as a percent.

* Estimate less than 0.5.

D=Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual establishments.

Q=Withheld because Relative Standard Error is greater than 50 percent.

X=Not defined because RSE corresponds to a data table value of zero.

NA=Not available.Notes: Totals may not equal sum of components because of independent rounding. Establishment percent may not equal 100 percent because of unknown and/or unreported fuel

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Demand and Integrated Statistics, Form EIA‐846, 2018 Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey.

The Census Bureau has reviewed this data product for unauthorized disclosure of confidential information and has approved the disclosure avoidance practices applied (Approval ID: CB