Determinants of Capacity Utilization in Iranian Manufacturing Industries

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting the use of production capacity in Iran's manufacturing industries. Using the statistical information of Iran's manufacturing industries with international two-digit ISIC codes during the years 1381-96 and through the cost-transfer function, the minimum cost point as a level of cost corresponding to the optimal production or nominal capacity of different manufacturing companies Iran was estimated and the average ratio of real production to production with nominal capacity was calculated as a percentage of production capacity utilization for different industries. The results of the study show that with the exception of the petrochemical industry, other industries face little use of production capacity. On average, the country's industries use less than 50% of their capacity. This ratio is lower in some industries such as base metals (28.7%), paper (29.6%) and wood and wood products (24.1%) and in other industries except non-metallic mineral products (2 / 84%) is between 41% and 51%, which is very small in total.