QUARTERLY SURVEY OF PLANT CAPACITY UTILIZATION

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PURPOSE

The purpose of the Quarterly Survey of Plant Capacity Utilization (QPC) is to provide quarterly statistics on the rates of capacity utilization for the U.S. manufacturing sector. This quarterly survey replaces the annual PCU beginning in 2007.

COVERAGE

Manufacturing establishments with 5 or more paid employees.

CONTENT

The QPC survey presents statistics on establishment operational status, value of actual production, estimated production attainable at full conditions, and reasons for operating at less than full production capacity. The survey also collects data on work patterns by shift. These data include days per week in operation, plant hours per week in operation, and weeks in operation in the quarter.

FREQUENCY

The QPC is conducted quarterly. It began as a pilot in 2007 and has continued since that time.

METHODS

The Survey of Plant Capacity Utilization includes approximately 7,000 manufacturing and publishing establishments selected from the Economic Census. Establishments are selected with probabilities proportionate to their value of shipments within each industry.

PRODUCTS

A report is released approximately 80 days from completion of the quarter and displays capacity rates at 95 industry levels defined by the FRB. The rates are based on approximately 65% response.

USES

The Federal Reserve Board benchmark monthly estimates of capacity output and utilization. In addition, analyze change in use of capital, capital stocks and inputs related to capacity growth.