producers were at record levels in 1968. Shipments aggregated nearly 2.2 billion pounds in that year, the first time they had exceeded the 2 billion mark; they were some 40 percent greater in 1968 than in 1964. U. S. imports of plate and float glass have supplied only 5 8 percent of U. S. market in recent years, and their share of the market was declining in the latter part of 1968 and the first half of 1969. Prices generally rose in 1968 and 1969; they averaged about 8 percent higher in mid-1969 than at the close of 1967. In response to these favorable circumstances, the domestic plate/float glass industry recorded consistently high annual profits in the 5 years 1964-68; the ratio of profits to sales of plate and float glass ranged from 22 percent to 29 percent in those years. There is no evidence here of injury, or threat of injury, serious or otherwise. On one score--employment--the trend was downward; that trend, however, only serves to highlight the competitive advantages of float glass. The annual number of man-hours worked by production and related workers in the manufacture of plate and float glass was about 7 percent smaller in 1968 than in 1964, although U. S. output of those products was about 40 percent larger. Hence, combined U. S. output years. This shift, highly advantageous to the domestic producers, resulted from the increasing share of the combined output that consisted of float glass; the average U. S. output per man-hour of float glass in 1968 was nearly 3 times that of plate glass. Rolled glass. --The domestic rolled glass industry has faced declining markets for its products in recent years. Apparent U. S. consumption of rolled glass amounted to 191 million pounds in 1968, compared with 221 million pounds in 1964. In these circumstances U. S. shipments of rolled glass have eased; they totaled 136 million pounds in 1968, compared with 156 million pounds in 1964. The domestic producers, then, have borne most of the market decline, and the decreased sales have had a moderately adverse effect on the profitability of their operations and the employment afforded workers. The aggregate profits earned by domestic producers on their sales of rolled glass were equivalent to 8 percent of net sales in 1968, while the corresponding ratio had been 18 percent in 1964; the profits earned on the total operations of the establishments in which rolled glass was produced, however, were consistently greater relative to sales than profits earned on rolled-glass sales, and annual profits of those establishments on all operations showed no inclination to decline during the 5 years 1964-68. Employment afforded workers in the manufacture of rolled glass was about 15 percent lower in 1968 than in 1964, reflecting reduced production and slightly increased output per man-hour. The rolled glass industry is recovering from the effects of the 1964-67 decline in U. S. consumption. Shipments of rolled glass were materially larger in 1968 than in 1967, and the upward trend continued into 1969. Profits on domestic rolled glass operations also turned upward in 1968, both in aggregate amount and relation to net sales. The U. S. rolled glass industry, thus, has operated with mixed results in recent years, but the record does not warrant a conclusion that it has been seriously damaged; nor is there threat of such injury "as a result in major part of concessions granted under trade agreements". Tempered glass. --The market for tempered glass is expanding rapidly in the United States, and it probably will continue to do so. A substantial part of the domestic demand--that for tempered glass for automobiles--is tied closely to motor vehicle production; this part of the market is largely assured to domestic producers (except for imports from Canada that may enter free-of-duty under the Automotive Products Trade Act of 1965), because of the need of the motor vehicle producers for an assured steady flow of components into the assembly and other buildings--has been stimulated by the growing number of state laws requiring the use of safety glazing materials in specified locations. In response to the increased demand of recent years, annual shipments of tempered glass by domestic producers have expanded markedly. In 1968, the producers shipped nearly 350 million square feet--about half again the volume they had shipped in 1964. Although gross imports have increased, they supplied only 5 percent of the U. S. market in 1968. Prices generally have been stable or increased moderately in recent years. Employment provided workers in the production of tempered glass has risen considerably--approaching 12 million man-hours in 1968, compared with 8 million in 1964. The profits of the domestic tempered glass industry have not been robust in recent years. aggregate losses equivalent to 3.5 percent of sales in 1966, the profit picture has distinctly improved; aggregate profits on sales of tempered glass by U. S. producers were nearly $4 million in 1968, or 2.3 percent of net sales. The independent temperers--those that do not produce flat glass--have generally had good profit records. Profits earned by independent temperers on tempering operations, rose from 4.5 percent of net sales in 1964, to 7.5 percent in 1968. The profit-and-loss experience of the U. S. establishments in which tempered glass is produced However, after |