U.S. Consumption In the last two decades, apparent annual U.S. consumption of rolled glass has shown a general upward trend, characterized by sharp rises and declines every few years. Fluctuations in annual consumption have closely followed changes in new building construction in the United States. Apparent U.S. consumption of rolled glass amounted to 221 million pounds in 1964--a record level. It declined thereafter to 173 million pounds in 1967. The downward movement was reversed in 1968 when consumption rose to 191 million pounds; consumption in that year was, however, still below that in each of the years 1964-66 (table 29). Apparent consumption of rolled glass in the first half of 1969 was 12 percent more than in the corresponding period of 1968. U.S. Shipments, Production, and U.S. producers' annual shipments of rolled glass declined from 156 million pounds in 1964 to 123 million pounds in 1967, and then rose to 136 million pounds in 1968. Such shipments in the first half of 1969 were about 27 percent greater than those for the corresponding period in 1968. The share of apparent annual U.S. consumption of rolled glass supplied by U.S. producers' shipments was relatively stable during 1964-68-ranging from 68 to 72 percent. The U.S. producers' share in the first half of 1969 amounted to 77 percent compared with 67 percent in the U.S. producers' shipments consist of standard rolled glass, and small quantities of rough plate glass blanks, and colored (cathedral) glass used in churches and light fixtures. U.S. producers' annual shipments of standard rolled glass declined sharply, 1964-67, whereas those of rough plate glass blanks declined slightly, and those of cathedral glass increased slightly. U.S. producers' shipments (including intracompany transfers) of rolled, by type of customer, in 1964 and 1968 were as follows: 1 Classified according to principal function. 2/ Intracompany transfers consisted entirely of rough plate glass blanks for tempering or other processing, and accounted for less than 0.1 percent of annual shipments. 3/ Includes manufacturers of partitions and art glass studios. U.S. production of rolled glass declined steadily from 174 million pounds in 1964 to 146 million pounds in 1967, and then rose to 150 million pounds in 1968. The increased output continued into the first half of 1969, U.S. production in that period was 24 percent greater than in the corresponding period of 1968. Production usually exceeds shipments; the differences are accounted for by losses in cutting and U.S. producers' inventories declined from 52 million pounds in 1964 to 42 million pounds in 1966, rose to 49 million pounds in 1967, and then declined again to 42 million pounds in 1968. In most of these years, yearend inventories amounted to about 30 percent of annual shipments. U.S. Imports Annual U.S. imports of rolled glass, which were negligible in the years before 1950, rose to 68 million pounds in 1964. Since 1964, the trend in annual imports has been irregularly downward; imports in 1968 totaled 61 million pounds. Imports of rolled glass in the first half of 1969 were 21 percent below those of the corresponding period of 1968 (table 30). The share of annual U.S. consumption supplied by imports increased steadily during the 1950's. In 1964-68, however, the share ranged from 28 percent to 32 percent. In the first half of 1969, the share of consumption supplied by imports dropped, amounting to 23 percent compared with 33 percent in the first half of 1968. Annual variations in imports of rolled glass in recent years have generally corresponded with changes in annual U.S. consumption of such glass. The increase in U.S. consumption from 1961 to 1964 was accompanied by rising imports and a rising U.S. market penetration by imports. The decrease in U.S. consumption from 1964 to 1967 was accompanied by decreased imports but the share of the market supplied by imports changed import penetration of the U.S. market was about the same as in the two previous years. The principal sources of imported rolled glass in recent years were Belgium, Japan, Poland, West Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of China (Taiwan) (table 30). Approximately 80 percent of imports from all sources consisted of clear rolled glass; the remainder was colored and special rolled glass. Rolled glass is imported in a greater variety of thicknesses and patterns than is produced in the United States. The preponderant share of rolled glass imported in recent years has been dutiable at MFN rates. Imports from Communist-dominated countries at full rates of duty normally have amounted to less than 5 percent of annual U.S. imports of rolled glass. U.S. imports of rolled glass at full rates of duty, which reached a peak of 8.4 million pounds in 1960, declined sharply from 5.2 million pounds in 1964 to 0.5 million pounds in 1968. Imports of such glass in the first half of 1969 were 5 percent below those in the first half of 1968. U.S. Exports Annual U.S. exports of rolled glass averaged 4.3 million pounds in 1964-68, compared with an annual average of 2.9 million pounds in the preceding five years. Exports of rolled glass in recent years accounted for about 3 percent of U.S. shipments of such glass. Exports in the first half of 1969 were 9 percent below those of the corresponding period in 1968. The principal countries receiving U.S. exports of |