(SIC 3082)
This industry covers establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing unsupported plastics profiles, rods, tubes, and other shapes. Establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing plastics hose are classified in SIC 3052: Rubber and Plastics Hose and Belting.
NAICS CODE(S)
326121 (Unsupported Plastics Profile Shape Manufacturing)
The value of shipments in the plastics profile shapes industry in 2001 was $4.34 billion, down from $4.44 billion in 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The industry employed 30,614 workers in 2000. Production workers that year totaled 21,024, down from the 27,000 employed in 1994. The states that dominated the industry in numbers of residents employed were Ohio, Illinois, California, and Pennsylvania. Together these states account for about one-third of total value of shipments.
The top products by share in the industry are those made from vinyl (16 percent), polyethylene (16 percent), polypropylene (12 percent), polystyrene (10 percent), nylon (4 percent), acrylates (4 percent), and styrene copolymer (1 percent).
ICON Health and Fitness Inc.—the industry leader and manufacturer of indoor fitness equipment such as Nordic Track—experienced turbulence in the late 1990s. After sales skyrocketed from $403 million in May 1994 to $836.2 million in 1997, sales in 1998 plummeted 10.4
percent, by $86.9 million, down to $749.3 million. Ironically, the company had just taken on more debt, attempting to leverage higher profits. Eventually the bottom fell out of the indoor fitness equipment business, forcing ICON to restructure yet again with the assistance of Wall Street investment bank Credit Suisse First Boston. Company sales began rebounding in 1999. By 2003, the firm was able to post revenues of $1.01 billion, which reflected a 16 percent increase over the previous year.
Other industry leaders included Fraser, Michigan-based Venture Industries Inc., with $1.7 billion in 2002 sales; Troy, Michigan-based Cadillac Plastic Group Inc.; Sheboygan, Wisconsin-based Vinyl Plastics Inc.; and Columbus, Ohio-based Crane Plastics Company L.P.
FURTHER READING
Infotrac Company Profiles. 7 January 2000.
U.S. Census Bureau. "Statistics for Industry Groups and Industries: 2000." February 2002.
——. "Value of Shipments for Product Classes: 2001 and Earlier Years." December 2002.
