U.S. production of line pipes and tubes increased annually from 92,000 tons in 1982 to 186,000 tons in 1984, more than twice the production in 1982. Production in January-February 1985 was down slightly (3.0 percent) from production in January-February 1984.

The overall capacity of the responding firms for the production of standard and line pipes and tubes increased irregularly from 2.7 million tons in 1982 to 2.8 million tons in 1984, or by 3.7 percent. Capacity utilization increased annually from 36.0 percent in 1982 to 42.4 percent in 1984. For standard pipes and tubes, U.S. capacity increased annually from 1.1 million tons in 1982 to 1.2 million tons in 1984, or overall by 9.1 percent. Utilization of capacity by standard pipe and tube producers increased annually from 35.1 percent in 1982 to 41.8 percent in 1984. U.S. capacity as reported by firms that produce line pipes and tubes increased from 547,000 tons in 1982 to 605,000 tons to 1984, or by 10.6 percent. Capacity utilization by those firms increased annually from 16.8 percent in 1982 to 30.8 percent in 1984.

The following tabulation shows production, capacity, and capacity utilization with respect to standard pipes and tubes by producers in the western region that responded to the Commission questionnaire.

U.S. producers' shipments

Domestic shipments of standard and line pipes and tubes by U.S. producers that provided separate data in their questionnaire responses increased annually between 1982 and 1984, and that trend continued in January-February 1985. Shipments increased from 539,000 tons in 1982 to 588,000 tons in 1983, or by 9.1 percent, and then to 727,000 tons in 1984, or by 23.6 percent from shipments in 1983. In January-February, shipments were up 3.5 percent from shipments in January-February 1984 (table 4).

Domestic shipments of standard pipes and tubes rose annually from 415,000 tons in 1982 to 509,000 tons in 1984, or by 22.7 percent. In January-February 1985, producers' shipments of standard pipes were up slightly from shipments in January-February 1984. Shipments of responding firms of line pipes and tubes dropped from 124,000 tons in 1982 to 114,000 tons in 1983, or by 8.1 percent.

Table 4.--Standard and line pipes and tubes: U.S. producers' domestic shipments, by types, 1/ 1982-84, January-February 1984, and January-February 1985

1/ Excludes shipments by ***, which did not provide the value of shipments, and ***, which did not provide data by type of product. Shipments by those 2 firms declined annually from *** tons in 1982 to *** tons in 1983 and to *** tons in 1984.

Source:

Compiled from data submitted in response to questionnaires of the U.S. International Trade Commission.

They increased in 1984 to 216,000 tons, 89.5 percent above the level of
shipments in 1983 and 15.1 percent above the level of shipments in 1982.
Shipments in January-February 1985 were up 11.1 percent from shipments in
January-February 1984.

Three U.S. producers, ***, were the only firms that reported shipments both east and west of the Rocky Mountains during 1982-84. * * *. Those shipments, as a share of each firm's total shipments, are shown in the following tabulation:

Three firms, * * *, * * *, and * * *, were the only U.S. producers that reported exports during the period covered by the Commission questionnaire.

Exports of standard pipes and tubes by those firms increased annually from *** tons in 1982 to *** tons in 1984, or overall by 27.0 percent. Exports of line pipes and tubes, which were all shipped by * * *, declined from * * * tons in 1982 to *** tons in 1984, or by *** percent. * percent. Exports represented less than 5 percent of the firms' total shipments during the period. Exports as reported to the Commission are shown in the following tabulation:

*

*

*

*

U.S. producers' inventories 1/

U.S. producers' yearend inventories of standard and line pipes and tubes declined from 103,000 tons in 1982 to 90,000 tons in 1983, or by 12.6 percent and then increased to 109,000 tons in 1984, or by 21.1 percent from the 1983 inventory level, and by 6.9 percent compared with the level in 1982. As a share of shipments, producers' yearend inventories declined annually from 19.0 percent in 1982 to 15.0 percent in 1984 (table 5).

Yearend inventories of standard pipes and tubes declined irregularly from 82,000 tons in 1982 to 74,000 tons in 1984, or by 10.8 percent. As a share of shipments, producers' inventories of standard pipes and tubes declined annually from 19.7 percent in 1982 to 14.5 percent in 1984. Inventories of line pipes and tubes increased irregularly from 21,000 tons in 1982 to 35,000 tons in 1984, which was 66.7 percent above the inventory level in 1982. As a share of shipments, producers' yearend inventories of line pipes and tubes declined irregularly from 17.0 percent in 1982 to 16.4 percent in 1984.

1/ Seven producers provided inventory data for standard pipes and tubes, and four producers provided inventory data for line pipes.

Table 5.--Standard and line pipes and tubes: U.S. producers' inventories of domestically produced merchandise, by types, as of Dec. 31 of 1982-84, and Feb. 28 of 1984-85

Source: Compiled from data submitted in response to questionnaires of the U.S. International Trade Commission.

Employment and wages

Data were obtained from six producers that could provide separate employment data for standard and line pipes and tubes. 1/ The number of production workers employed at the reporting establishments declined from 1,946 in 1982 to 1,683 in 1983, or by 13.5 percent and then increased in 1984 to 2,002, up 2.9 percent from employment in 1982. Employment continued to rise in January-February 1985, by 4.4 percent from employment in January-February 1984 (table 6).

1/ One firm, ***, reports that its employees are used interchangably in the production of standard and line pipe and separate data are not available. *** employed *** production workers in 1982, * * * in 1983, and * * * in 1984.

Table 6.--Average number of production and related workers employed in establishments producing standard and line pipes and tubes and hours worked by and wages and total compensation paid to such employees, 1982-84, January-February 1984, and January-February 1985

Source:

Compiled from data submitted in response to questionnaires of the U.S. International Trade Commission.

61,794 : 74,631 :

11,983 :

13,240

:

Total hours worked by production and related workers declined from 3.8 million in 1982 to 3.5 million in 1983 and then increased to 4.1 million in 1984. Annual hours worked by production workers increased from 1,946 in 1982 to 2,065 in 1983 and then declined slightly in 1984 to 2,062 hours.

Total wages paid to production workers declined from $42.2 million in 1982 to $40.2 million in 1983 and then increased in 1984 to $55.7 million. Average hourly wages paid to production workers increased during the period--from $11.14 per hour in 1982 to $13.49 per hour in 1984, an increase of 21.1 percent.

Total compensation paid by U.S. producers declined from $64.3 million in 1982 to $61.8 million in 1983 and then increased in 1984 to $74.6 million. Average hourly total compensation paid to production workers increased annually from $16.98 in 1982 to $18.07 in 1984, or by 6.4 percent. Workers at all but two of the firms (*** and * * *) are represented by unions.

The following tabulation shows employment, hours worked, wages paid, and total compensation with respect to firms located in the western region that responded to the Commission questionnaire.