Estimating the size of hardwood industries: an Ohio case study

Sawmills and planing mills (SIC code 2421) were analyzed by comparing data from the 1987 County Business Patterns, published by the U.S. Bureau of Census, and research conducted by the Ohio Cooperative Extension Service for the same year. The Ohio study and the Bureau of Census survey were comparable in industry sector definition, data collection unit, survey instrument, and survey time period. The Ohio research surveyed all known sawmills and planing mills in Ohio, whereas the Bureau of Census used probability sampling based on firm size for large manufacturing establishments and made estimates for smaller firms. The Ohio research found substantially greater numbers of establishments (38%), employees (88%), and annual payrolls (82%) compared to Census Bureau estimates of the Ohio sawmill and planing mill industry. Foresters, forest product specialists, economic developers, and others who work with the forest products industry need to be cautious when using published Census Bureau data to describe the industry. Evidence from the Ohio study and supporting research from other states suggests a substantial Census Bureau underestimation of the true size of the U.S. hardwood industry.

You must be logged in to download any documents. Please login (login accounts are free) or learn how to Become a Member