H I INOIS STATE GEOI OQ1CAL SURVEY 66604 ??4fi State of Illinois Henry Horner. Governor Department of Registration and Education John J. Hallihan. Director GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DIVISION M. M. Leighton. Chief Urbana. Illinois INFORMATION CIRCULAR June 19; 1937 CLAY PRODUCTS INDUSTRY IN ILLINOIS IN 1936 Preliminary Report By W. A. Newton The clay products industry is one of the largest non-fuels mineral indus- tries in Illinois ; in terms of value of production. It is the purpose of this preliminary report to place in the hands of the producers at an early date a summary of the statistical data for 1936 that has been obtained through their prompt cooperation. The figures given in this report are subject to final revision, although more than 95 per cent of the producers have reported to date. The total value of clay products produced in Illinois has increased each year since 1933; the preliminary total value for 1936 being $10,884,512. This is a 60 per cent increase over the 1935 total. The largest portion of this in- crease was in the structural and refractory division of the industry, as shown in Table 1. The total value of pottery was higher in 1936 also, the figure as shown in Table 1 being partly an estimated total. Value of Clay Products. 1933 to 1936 1933 1934 1935 1936 Structural and refractory clay products. $2,328,556 Pottery l'.8l6'.467 Total ; 1^5; 033 $4,498,960 $4,555,624 $7; 996. 465 l ; 446 ; 259 2, 264 . 521 2, 888 . 047 * .945.199 $6,820,145 $10,884,512 Partly estimated. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://archive.org/details/clayproductsindu21newt Production of Clay Products, by Classes, 1956 In Table 2 are shown the production -- quantity , value, and quantity of stocks on hand at the end of the year -- of each class of clay product produced, in Ill- inois during 1936. The preliminary figures show that each of these classes in- creased in total quantity produced and in total value received during 1936 over the 1935 figures. Table 2. - Production of Clay Products, by Classes. 1936 Table 2. - Production of Clay Products, by Classes,. 1936 Common brick (M) 188 , 098 1.456,082 68,709 Face brick (M) 61.206 861 . 675 20,566 Hollow brick (M) 2,. 755 57; 121 423 Hollow building tile (tons) 139,699 651.. 925 45,609 Vitrified brick or block for paving (M) 10.798 201.561 3.491 for other purposes (M) 1.092 16.815 l'.746 Drain tile (tons) 50 1 641 335,-748 14,830 Fireclay products --- 962.091 ___ Refractory cement (clay) (tons) 645 20.131 49 Clay sold, raw or prepared (etc.) — 178,960 — Other clay products** ( except Pottery) — 3; 254 ; 356 — Pottery — 2 , 888, 047* — Terra cotta, sewer pipe, flue lining, wall coping, and non-clay refractories included under "Other clay products, except Pottery". Partly estimated. Final figures for production and value of each class of clay products during 1935 are given in Illinois Geological Survey Report of Investigations 43, "Illi- nois Mineral Industry in 1935 "• To illustrate the increases that occurred during 1936 in the structural clay products division of the industry, Table 3 lists the four principal classes - common brick, face brick, hollow building tile, and drain tile, with the percen- tage increase in total quantity produced and total value received in each class over their respective 1935 totals. The largest increase of the four during 1936 was production and value of hollow building tile. The 1935 production of this class dropped in comparison to the total in 1934, while the other three classes continued to increase since the low year of production in 1933- Table 3- - Percentage Increase of Certain Classes of Structural Clay Products During 1936 over the totals of 1935- Percentage increase in Quantity Value Common "brick Face brick Hollow building tile Drain tile 101 87 75 80 200 228 51 35 In Table 4 are shown, by years from 1923 to 1936, insofar as data are available, the total production value of common brick, face brick, hollow building tile, drain tile, and pottery in Illinois. As shown in this table . the 1936 total production value of each of these classes of products is the largest in the past five or six years. Table 4. - Yalue of Certain Clay Products Produced in Illinois, by Years (Dollars) Hollow Common Face Building Drain Year Brick Brick Tile Tile Pottery 1923 $12 . 034 . 948 $562,913 $4,691,676 1924 12.588.270 388.770 5.293.180 1925 13 ; 532 ; 425 707 ; 859 5 . 423 . 000 1926 13.840.945 569,978 5 . 612 . 411 1927 12.843.713 817 . 027 5,028.257 1928 11 . 139 • 684 872.267 5.698,005 1929 7.805.051 987,579 5,964.041 1930 3.708.649 ?2. 301. O76 $997 • 628 4.174.459 1931 1..321, 585 1.142. 3^8 398,643 3.612,210 1932 363 . 9^8 378,454 123 . 172 95,928 1,837,033 1933 280.284 104 . 640 73 ..672 124 . 722 1.816.467 193^ 590.691 365 ,.978 I69 • 661 128 . 963 1.446.239 1935 778 . 087 479,119 198.120 249.589 2.264.521 1936 1 . 456 . 082 861.675 651. .905 335, 7^8 2.888.047* Partly estimated The size of the brick business in Illinois during the post-War years pre- ceding and during the industrial depression is shown in Table 4. It is not likely that the trend of building activity will, in the near future, reach the high level that it attained in those years following the War. However, it is significant that the southern soft wood regions are rapidly being depleted and that the West Coast remains as the only region with a surplus of lumber supply over local needs. It is suggested that although building activity may not be so great as in the past, the trend toward brick and brick veneer construction in present day building activities may require as many bricks in future building as in the past. Production of Certain Types of Clay Products . by Districts. 1936 The production quantity, value, and stocks on hand of common brick, face brick, hollow building tile, and drain tile for 1936 are grouped by producing dis- tricts in Table 5- Similar data for the year 1935 are given in Illinois Geologi- cal Survey Report of Investigations 43- The counties in each district are as follows: District Counties Chicago Northern Illinois Central and Western Illinois East St. Louis Other Lake, Cook, and Will Bureau, Fulton, Knox, LaSalle, Livingston, and Tazewell Henry, Macon, Menard, and Sangamon Madison and St. Clair Other In Table 5 those districts in which less than three producers reported are combined. Table 5- - Production of Certain Types of Clay Products, by Districts, I936 District Quantity (Thousands) Value (Dollars) Quantity Stocks on hand (Thousands) Common Brick Chicago Northern Illinois Central & Western Illinois East St. Louis Other 113; 547 36.IIO 9; 155 15,861 13/425 188,098 $650,012 406.192 86; 947 153; 393 159,538 $1,456,082 50.183 9; 245 1,895 3,665 3-721 Total 68,709 Face Brick Northern Illinois Central & Western Illinois East St. Louis Other 28,005 4 '.791 19; 398 9, 012 61,206 $355; 608 65,041 274,080 166 '.946 $861,675 7; 514 2,723 8,430 1,899 Total 20,566 Hoi: Low Building Ti] .e (Tons) (Tons) Northern Illinois Central & Western Illinois East St. Louis Chicago and Other 27.006 16^985 31; 183 64,525 139; 699 $154,995 74,635 116.178 473,693 13; 553 2.360 7 '.181 22 ',515 Total $651,. 925 45,609 Table 5- - Production of Certain Types of Clay Products, by Districts. 1936 (continued) Quantity (Thousands) Value (Dollars) Quantity Stocks On hand (Thousands) Drain Tile Northern Illinois Central & Western Illinois Other Total (Tons) 19; 248 6, .77^ 24,619 50.641 $160,227 45,-798 129 . 723 $335; 748 (Tons) 4.191 2 '.834 7 ; 805 14.830 Monthly Shipments and St scks Shipments of common brick; face brick, and hollow building tile in Illinois during 1936. by months, are shown in Table 6. These statistics are compiled by the U. S. Bureau of Census from reports of selected identical plants. Similar data for the year 1935 a ^e given in Illinois Geological Survey Report of Inves- tigations No. 43. and similar tables for 1932. 1933; and 1934 in Report of In- vestigations 39- The yearly totals and monthly averages are shown in Table 7 for comparison. Table 6. - Clay Products. 1936 Number of Plants Shipments Thousands Value Thousands of stocks on hand at end of month Shipments of Common Brick in Illinois* January February March April May June July August September October November December 31 31 32 37 38 39 39 40 4,865 $ 47; 861 59;6l4 3.023 29.508 57; ^21 10; 556 105; 567 50; 711 12.616 126 . 681 42,. 373 17.229 164 . 442 44.056 18.099 175 ..258 60,083 17 • 502 164 . 470 62 . 991 19; 457 183; 875 54 ; 552 19.882 191,702 54,57^ 21.212 202 . 914 63; 831 18 . 402 177-289 71; 185 18.990 175 ..656 74.472 Table 6. - (Continued) Number of Plants Shipments Value Thousands of stocks on hand at end of month Shipments of Face Brick in Illinois * January- 16 1.168 $ 17,584 25,236 February 16 549 9,196 28.121 March 16 4,161 68.869 27,653 April 16 6 894 113,119 26,618 May 18 9 282 157,020 24 . 023 June 18 9 537 161.445 * 23,925 July 18 8 586 l49i 733 23,158 August 18 7 847 137,279 23,595 September 18 6 615 112,151 24,270 October 18 6 828 II6.O3O 24,592 November 17 4 765 81,175 25,344 December 16 3 714 62,638 24,355 Shipments of Hollow Building Tile in Illinois* (Tons) (Tons) January 15 1,077 $ 6.220 28,793 February 15 476 2.698 28,355 March 14 1,660 9,552 28 . 157 April 14 2.704 15,135 27,731 May 16 5,-793 29,997 33,557 June 15 8.322 45,974 35,333 July 17 6^640 38.092 34.840 August 17 7 ; 35l 39,894 34; 623 September 17 7,3^5 42 . 152 38,084 October 17 7.892 43,268 39,078 November 18 7^-990 ^3,741 32,675 December 18 6; 725 36.316 30 . 908 * Source: Monthly report on "Structural Clay Products", Bureau of Census. Table 7- - Shipments of Common Brick, Face Brick, and Hollow Building Tile in Illinois by Years 1932-1936 (Data from the U. S. Bureau of Census) SHIPMENTS VALUE Average value per Thousand Stocks on hand at end of year (Thousands) Year Total (Thou- sands) Average per month (Thou- sands) Total Dollars Average per month Dollars Common Brick 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 56 51 62 84 181 388 Oil 2 09 085 833 4,699 4.251 5; 189 7.007 15 ',153 $446,906 403 '.813 564.164 835,775 I.745.223 $37,242 33^651 47.014 69^648 145,435 $7-93 7.92 9.06 9.94 9.60 69,771 58,993 55,120 63,283 74,472 Face Brick 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 32,439 22,825 24^657 36,923 69,946 2,703 1.902 2,055 3,077 5,754 $464 . 398 305,168 409^.542 596^.248 1.186.239 $38,700 25.432 34.128 49 '.687 98; 853 $14.31 13.81 16.61 18.85 I6.96 46.668 26;.863 23.281 24'. 4ll 24,355 Hollow Building Tile (Tons) (Tons) (Per ton) (Tons) 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 30,930 16,585 31,580 21.978 63^-975 2,578 1,382 2,632 1,832 5,331 $104 . 922 65; 615 163,312 131,370 353,039 $8,744 5; 468 13,609 10,948 29^420 $3-39 3.96 5-17 5.98 5.52 45,282 39,519 34,766 28,757 32,678 Total shipments and value increased markedly. The average value decreased for all three products according to this table. However, data on hollow building as reported to the U. S. Bureau of Census are from about 16 identical producing plants, while the total as reported to questionnaires sent out by the Geological Survey, as shown in Table 1, was compiled from reports of 26 plants. Table 3 (which is compiled partially from figures given in Table l) shows that the pro- duction value of hollow building tile increased more than the production, which means an increase in unit price. This discrepancy in value per ton between the two sets of statistics is probably because those 16 plants reporting shipments to the U. S. Bureau of Census placed a lower unit value on hollow building tile during 1936 than they did in 1935, but the average unit price for the 26 plants reporting to the Illinois Geological Survey was somewhat higher in 1936 than in 1935- The same may be said for face brick. Stocks on hand of common brick and hollow "building tile at the end of 1936 were higher than at the end of 1935,- while face trick stocks were slightly lower in those plants reporting to the U. S. Bureau of Census. It is not the actual number or quantity of stocks on hand that plays an im- portant part in the economic picture, but to the producer it is the relation of the quantity of stocks to current demand which is important. For economy in oper- ation; the individual producer must balance his inventory and production to satis- fy the normal demand. Table 8 shows the relation of stocks on hand at the end of each year to the demand for that current year in terms of months' supplies on hand; December 31- These calculations are based on the figures given in Table 7- 8. - Supply of stocks on Hand at End of Year. in Terms of Months. 1932-1936 (Calculated from data given in Table 3) Common Brick (Months) Face Brick (Months) Hollow Building Tile (Months) 1932 1933 193^ 1935 1936 17-3 14.1 7-9 k.2 17.6 28.6 13.2 15-7 6.1 The purpose of Table 8 is to show how increased demand during the past few years has enabled the producers to reduce their stocks into better balance. This table gives a general picture of the industry, but each producer should evaluate his own particular situation in regard to the amount of inventory he should carry. In analyzing Table 8. the probable increase or decrease in demand for the ensuing months must be taken into account. Since the clay products industry is more or less dependent upon the extent of building activity,, a brief review of construction activities as revealed by building permit data is in order. A market analysis of building construction will be presented in the 1936 final statistical review of the Illinois Mineral Industry. The first pronounced measure of building recovery was in 1935- The total value of building permits issued in the 17 cities listed in Table 9 increased 84 per cent during 1935 in comparison to the 193^ total. As shown in Table 9, the total value of building permits issued in these cities continued to increase in 1936. the total being 57 per cent above that of 1935- Table 9- - Value of Building Permits in 16 Illinois Cities and St. Louis. Missouri** Aurora 282.282 250,270 557; 779 Bloomington 238.046 579 ,- 122 300.615 Chicago 7,. 727; 351 12,936.409 19.007.332 Cicero 162.885 198.240 200.000-> Decatur 577 ,.640 588,102 872.839 East St. Louis 265^98 869 . 123 392,083 Elgin 169 ; 946 217; 945 499.401 Evans ton 741.700 947 ;750 2.108.200 Freeport 99.887 229.090 272.252 Moline 170 ; 653 335.-893 619.238 Oak Park 181,850 626.200 1,491.575 Peoria 910.987 1.791.342 4.649.580 Quincy 58,314 95; 065 224.820 Rockford 227.300 374.065 1.191.295 Rock Island 322 . 892 332.906 1,499; 587 Springfield 326.184 456.453 2,887,557 St. Louis, Missouri b, 998, 453 11, 355; 867 13,775,132 $17,461, $32,183,842 3,549;285 122.87 -48.09 46.94 0.89 48.42 -54.89 121.14 122.44 18.84 84.36 138.19 159-26 136.49 218.47 350.46 532.61 21.30 57-00 ** Lata from Commercial and Financial Chronicle. " ' — " * Estimate. The value of permits issued increased in 15 of the 17 cities during 1936 with Bloomington and East St. Louis shoving decreases. These two cities had in- creases of 143 per cent and 130 per cent, respectively, in 1935 over 1934. More of LITfT inn th6Se 1? CltiSS Md lncreases ^ value of 1936 building permits of more than 100 per cent as compared to 1935. Building construction in Illinois appears to he increasing at approximately the same rate as it is in other parts of the country. In Table 10 are presented data compiled by the F. W. Dodge Corporation showing construction contracts awarded during the past three years in 37 states east of the Rocky Mountains. Table 10. - F W. Dodge Corporation Figures of Construction Contracts Awarded in 37 States East of the Rocky Mountains* (in thousands of dollars) Per cent increase Type 1934 1935 1936 over 1935 (Calculated) Commercial "buildings 150,595-8 164.479-8 249,136.1 51-5 Factory "buildings 116,078.6 IO8.858.5 198.OI9.I 82.4 Educational buildings 117.503.2 173A58.7 226,146.9 30.4 Hospitals & Institutions 37 '.308. 8 47.056.9 74,120.1 57-5 Public buildings 55,672.0 97.786.6 102,208.2 *-5 Religious, etc. . building 3 18.298.9 23,674.3 28.252.9 19.3 Social, etc.. buildings 47,574-5 60,173.8 75,376.4 25.3 Non-residential buildings 5^3.031.8 675.^88.6 953,259.7 41.1 Residential buildings 248^.840.1 478,843.1 801,623.8 67.4 Total buildings 791..871.9 1,154,331-7 1,75^,883.5 52.0 Public works, etc. 625,044.5- 578,541.8 714, 142.7 23.4 Public utilities 126,192.0 111 , 671 . 4 206^.269.8 84.7 Total construction 1,543; 108. 4 1.844,544.9 2,675,296.0 45.0 * Data from Commercial an I Financial Chronicle, January 23, 1937- This table shows that contracts awarded for non-residential building in these states during 1936 amounted to about 150 million dollars more than that for residential building. However, the 1936 total residential awards increased 67 per cent over the 1935 total, while non-residential increased but 4l per cent. The greatest increase for the latter class of construction was for factory buildings, hospitals and institutions, and commercial buildings. Public utilities increased 85 per cent over the 1935 total in this class. Public works contracts awarded showed a 23 per cent increase. Although these statistics, as compiled by the F. W. Dodge Corporation, apply to 37 states east of the Rocky Mountains, the trends in types of construction contracts awarded in Illinois are essentially the same. The volume of home building in this State should increase for the next few years as in other sections of the country due to depreciation, obsolescence, in- creased population, and severe contraction of building during the depression years . Table 11 presents building permit data for six groups of Illinois cities (including St. Louis, Missouri) . in millions of dollars, for the years 1920 to 1936. The remarkable return of building construction during the past two years is shown. Also pictured by this table are the great strides construction must take before it can be said that normal "building conditions are restored. While it is improbable that the activity in building in the period 1926-1928 will occur in the future, the level of building activity in 1936 is prohably much below normal requirements. Tahle 11. - Value of Building Permits of Six Groups of Illinois Cities from 1920 to 1936 (In millions of dollars) Chi cago . St. Louis Rock Springfield, Oak Park. and Island Rockford Elgin Decatur, Evanston, East and and and Bloomington, Year Cicero St. Louis Moline Freeport Aurora Peoria 1920 79-5 19.6 9-3 1921 135 6 18.0 8.1 1922 243 7 27.9 11.2 1923 351 3 44.3 2.1 4.8 4.7 10.1 1924 316 9 ^3.1 2.2 4 9 4.4 15-3 1925 382 9 60.1 2-3 7 4 7.2 17-9 1926 386 9 44.3 2.6 6 5 7-7 16.4 1927 378 47.7 3^ 8 2 4.7 14.0 1928 338 3 ^5.5 2.8 7 7 5-7 13.2 1929 216 2 29.8 4.4 6 2 3-7 11.9 1930 84 6 18.8 2.1 3 5 2.2 9-3 1931 48 5 17.7 1.2 9 1.8 5-^ 1932 4 8 4.6 •3 9 •3 1-5 1933 4 3 10.3 •3 2 .2 2.8 193^ 8 8 5-3 •5 3 • 5 2.1 1935 14 7 12.2 •7 6 •5 3.h 1936 22 8 14.2 2.1 1 5 l.l 8.7 The total value of building permits, the number of permits issued, and the average value per permit for 16 Illinois cities are given, "by months, for 1936 in Table 12. Ta"ble 12. - Value of Building Permits in 16 Illinois Cities*, by Months. 1935-1936 (In Dollars) Value of Building Permits 1 9 Number of Permits Average Value of Permit Value of Building Permits 19 3 6 Number of Permits Average Value of Permit January $94 963 151 $628.8 $809,143 203 $3,985.9 February 165 307 222 744.6 214.525 l4l 1,230.6 March 704 078 379 1,857.7 974.588 632 1,542.0 April 790 ^93 601 1,315.2 3.510.586 752 4.668.0 May 362 406 610 594.1 1.516.786 982 1,545.1 June 686 543 629 1,091.5 1.027,920 1,077 954.4 July 526 791 646 815.5 1.058,057 828 1,277-5 August 499 388 684 730.1 1.076,839 894 1,204.5 September 806 575 713 1.131.2 1,299.126 I.078 I.205.I October 637 374 782 815.I 1,278,933 1.068 1,197-5 November 819 422 521 1.572.8 1,086,265 744 1,433.1 December 1,124 542 307 3,663.0 1,752,578 562 3.118.2 Figures for the 16 cities: Aurora, Bloomington, Champaign, Danville, Decatur, East St. Louis, Elgin, Freeport, Joliet, Moline, Peoria, Quincy, Rockford, Rock Island, Springfield, Waukegan. These figures are calculated from reports given in the monthly issue of the Illinois Journal of Commerce. This table shows that the total value of permits issued in these 16 cities was higher each month during 1936 as compared to the corresponding month of 1935- There were more permits issued each month in 1936, except during February, but the average value per permit was smaller during some months . ASCHER'S" ARY BINDERS 7 S. Goodwin Urbana, I1L IF 1 k \m& mm