February 15, 2008: The data in this release include preliminary estimates of industrial capacity for 2008. Measured fourth quarter to fourth quarter, total industrial capacity is projected to rise 1.9 percent this year after having expanded 1.8 percent in 2007. Manufacturing capacity is estimated to increase 2.1 percent in 2008, the same amount as in 2007. In 2008, mining capacity is estimated to expand 0.7 percent, and utilities capacity is projected to rise 1.9 percent; both rates of increase would be slightly faster than for last year. With the publication on March 28, 2008, of the annual revision to industrial production, capacity, and capacity utilization, these estimates will be updated to reflect more-comprehensive source data, including the 2006 Survey of Plant Capacity, physical capacity data from government and trade sources, and the revised production indexes.
