[R-390] OT (sorta) - long - Vacuum tubes were the 4th largest US export in 2011!!??

[Robert Nickels]

On 1/1/2012 10:04 PM, Chris Kepus wrote:
> what it is, exactly, that we are exporting that are called "Vacuum Tubes"?
>
Hi Chris - good catch!

I agree that number doesn't seem to make sense.   After 10 minutes of 
research,  I think it is incorrect, or perhaps a product of over-zealous 
copy editing.  I'd certainly be interested in know if I'm missing 
something, or if further clarification as to the claimed export numbers 
turns up.

All US production is reported in the Economic Census, the last of which 
was completed in 2007, and the new one should be released in about 3 
weeks.   The GNP is broken down into categories according to NAICS - the 
North American Industry Classification System - and the NAICS category 
that seems to be relevant here is 334411 "Electron Tube Manufacturing", 
which is described here:      
http://www.census.gov/econ/industry/def/d334411.htm

But even if this includes specialty tubes that carry a high unit price 
tag, is there any data to support the claimed export number?

I say no, based on the 2007 Economic Census.   You can learn more than 
you probably ever wanted to know about electron tube manufacturing from 
the detailed information that can be found at: 
http://www.census.gov/econ/industry/ec07/a334411.htm

Or to save time - here's a one-page snapshot: *http://tinyurl.com/7ocjbey*

But the bottom line is that total production for NAICS 334411 totalled 
$1.2 billion in 2007.  It's inconceivable therefore that exports could 
now be more than 30 times this amount.   As can be seen in the summary, 
sales of electron tubes and employment in this industry dropped by over 
50% between 2002 and 2007.   In 2007 the US-based tube industry 
consisted of about 70 firms employing roughly 5,000 people.  That smells 
about right to me.

I've found that in business analysis as well as in radio 
troubleshooting, a good nose  is your best tool!

73, Bob W9RAN