3

Economic Indicators
2019 2020 2021

Download the CEPCI two weeks sooner at www.chemengonline.com/pci

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PLANT COST INDEX (CEPCI) 675

(1957–59 = 100) Mar. ’21 Feb. ’21 Mar. ’20 Annual Index: 650
Prelim. Final Final
2013 = 567.3
CE Index ______________________________________________ 655.9 637.8 598.3
625
Equipment ____________________________________________ 808.5 782.8 726.2 2014 = 576.1
Heat exchangers & tanks _________________________________ 698.4 675.3 621.4
Process machinery _____________________________________ 792.5 771.1 724.7 2015 = 556.8
600
Pipe, valves & fittings ____________________________________ 1094.3 1052.6 954.7 2016 = 541.7
Process instruments ____________________________________ 474.6 450.7 416.8
Pumps & compressors ___________________________________ 1111.9 1111.5 1085.2 2017 = 567.5
575
Electrical equipment ____________________________________ 586.3 575.4 562.3 2018 = 603.1
Structural supports & misc. ________________________________ 877.3 847.0 778.5
Construction labor _______________________________________ 333.8 333.6 335.7 2019 = 607.5 550
Buildings _____________________________________________ 678.7 653.4 595.2 2020 = 596.2
Engineering & supervision _________________________________ 310.2 310.8 313.4
525
Starting in April 2007, several data series for labor and compressors were converted to accommodate series IDs discontinued by the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Starting in March 2018, the data series for chemical industry special machinery was replaced
because the series was discontinued by BLS (see Chem. Eng., April 2018, p. 76–77.) 500
J F M A M J J A S O N D

CURRENT BUSINESS INDICATORS LATEST PREVIOUS YEAR AGO

CPI output index (2012 = 100) ____________________________________________________ Apr. '21 = 99.4 Mar. '21 = 100.5 Feb. '21 = 100.5 Apr. '20 = 88.8
CPI value of output, $ billions _____________________________________________________ Mar. '21 = 1,827.7 Feb. '21 = 1,761.8 Jan. '21 = 1,761.8 Mar. '20 = 1,627.1
CPI operating rate, % __________________________________________________________ Apr. '21 = 74.3 Mar. '21 = 75.1 Feb. '21 = 75.1 Apr. '20 = 66.3
Producer prices, industrial chemicals (1982 = 100) ____________________________________ Apr. '21 = 296.1 Mar. '21 = 240.0 Feb. '21 = 240.0 Apr. '20 = 211.0
Industrial Production in Manufacturing (2012 =100)* ___________________________________ Apr. '21 = 103.2 Mar. '21 = 102.6 Feb. '21 = 102.6 Apr. '20 = 83.9
Hourly earnings index, chemical & allied products (1992 = 100) ____________________________ Apr. '21 = 195.0 Mar. '21 = 194.3 Feb. '21 = 194.3 Apr. '20 = 193.6
C
Productivity index, chemicals & allied products (1992 = 100) ______________________________ Apr. '21 = 101.2 Mar. '21 = 104.3 Feb. '21 = 104.3 Apr. '20 = 98.7
M

CPI OUTPUT INDEX (2000 = 100)† CPI OUTPUT VALUE ($ BILLIONS) CPI OPERATING RATE (%) Y

110 2300 80 CM

105
2000 75 MY

100
1900 CY

95 70
CMY
1800
90
65 K
1700
85
60
80 1600

75 1500 55
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

*Due to discontinuance, the Index of Industrial Activity has been replaced by the Industrial Production in Manufacturing index from the U.S. Federal Reserve Board.
†For the current month’s CPI output index values, the base year was changed from 2000 to 2012
Current business indicators provided by Global Insight, Inc., Lexington, Mass.

CURRENT TRENDS

Hot Topics
Managing Vapor and
Particulate Emissions
T he preliminary value for the CE Plant
Cost Index (CEPCI; top) for March
2021 (most recent available) indicates
Guidebook
Valves another large monthly rise, the sixth con-
in the Selection, Operation and Troubleshooting

Optimal Pump secutive monthly increase. Similar to the

Chemical Management story in February, the large uptick in March
is linked largely to significant increases in
Processing CHEMICAL
ENGINEERING
CHEMICAL
ENGINEERING
producer prices for steel products, includ-
ing carbon-steel sheets, plates and bars.
Industry Valves Selection: Optimal Pump Managing Vapor These increases resulted in higher values
Operation and Management and Particulate for the both the Equipment and Buildings
Troubleshooting Emissions subindices. The Construction Labor rose
slightly, while the Engineering & Supervi-
sion subindex fell by a small amount in
Find these and other related CPI titles in the March. The current CEPCI value now sits
Chemical Engineering Store. store.chemengonline.com at 9.6% higher than the corresponding
value from March 2020. The Current Busi-
ness Indicators (middle) for April show a
dip in CPI Output Index.

48 ChemiCal engineering www.Chemengonline.Com June 2021 Ch

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