To provide periodic and comprehensive statistics about manufacturing establishments, activities, and production. The United States Code, Title 13, requires this census and provides for mandatory responses. All domestic establishments that are classified in SIC Division D, Manufacturing, and have at least one employee. Coverage is virtually unchanged since 1947.
Short forms request much less data detail and no identification of materials consumed.
Data are requested for activities taking place during the previous calendar year. Final Industry Series reports supersede the preliminary reports beginning about 20 months after the census year and provide considerable additional detail. These 83 reports include selected operating ratios, industry-product analysis, book value of assets, capital expenditures, retirements, and depreciation. Final Geographic Area Series reports consist of 51 publications available beginning about 24 months after the census year. Similar Analytic Series reports include Selected Characteristics of Manufacturing Establishments that Export, and Exports from Manufacturing Establishments .