SIC 3647 Vehicular Lighting Equipment

Contenidos

• NAICS CODE(S).
• FURTHER READING.

SIC 3647

This category includes establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing vehicular lighting equipment. Establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing sealed-beam lamps are classified in SIC 3641: Electric Light Bulbs and Tubes.

NAICS CODE(S)

336321

Vehicular Lighting Equipment Manufacturing

The world has come a long way since the first driver of a horseless carriage attached two kerosene lamps to his vehicle to light his way at night. Aftermarket electric lighting systems were available for vehicles as early as the turn of the nineteenth century, and acetylene headlamps started appearing on cars around 1905. It was not until 1912 that Cadillac featured electric lights as standard equipment on its cars. Lights for airplanes were also an afterthought, first appearing some years after the Wright Brothers flew their aircraft at Kitty Hawk. Vehicular lighting is now standard equipment on aircraft, automobiles, boats, bikes, motorcycles, and locomotives, and it is even used on roller skates and baby buggies. Vehicular lights flash, flicker, and give signals; their messages have become an integral part of our daily lives.

Companies that manufacture vehicular lighting equipment generally do so for a wide range of vehicles, including automobiles, airplanes, trains, boats, bicycles, motorcycles, and amusement rides. Also, companies frequently work together on the same lighting project, often on a contractor-subcontractor basis. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the vehicular lighting equipment industry shipped goods valued at $3.03 billion in the early 2000s, compared to $3.31 billion in the late 1990s. The total number of industry employees declined from 17,233 in the late 1990s to 15,169 in the early 2000s.

In the mid-2000s the leading companies in the vehicular lighting equipment industry, according to Ward's Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies, were Guide Corp., Stanley Company Inc., Honeywell Grimes, Federal Mogul Corp., and Lexalite International. Guide Corp. was looking to be acquired as of 2004.

The United States was expected to import more automotive parts and accessories, including vehicular lighting equipment, than it exports. This trade imbalance was due chiefly to increased shipments from Japan. Overall, however, U.S. parts exports were expected to increase slowly. Some U.S. companies were looking to Mexico. Others, including Allied-Signal and Federal-Mogul...