Printing Ink Manufacturing
Description
The printing ink manufacturing sector specializes in the production of specialized liquid formulations designed to transfer pigment or dye onto various substrates. These establishments focus on developing high-performance inks for commercial, industrial, and artistic applications, including offset, flexography, and digital printing processes. Typical business activities involve complex chemical synthesis, quality control testing, and rigorous safety compliance to ensure color accuracy, durability, and environmental standards. Companies in this field often work closely with equipment manufacturers and large-scale print shops to tailor formulations for specific machinery needs or substrate types. Operators range from small family-owned laboratories to large multinational corporations dedicated to global supply chains. Some entities produce complete inkjet cartridges alongside the liquid ink, requiring advanced encapsulation technology to prevent leakage and ensure shelf stability. The scale of these operations varies significantly, with many producers integrating recycling programs to manage solvents and by-products effectively. This industry plays a critical role in the broader chemical manufacturing landscape by providing essential materials that enable mass communication, artistic expression, and product branding across diverse sectors worldwide.
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Manufacturing 2-digit sector | The Sector as a Whole The Manufacturing sector comprises establishments engaged in the mechanical, physical, or chemical transformation of materials, substances, or components into new products. The assembling of component parts of manufactured products is considered manufacturing, except in cases where the activity is appropriately classified in Sector 23, Construction. Establishments in the Manufacturing sector are often described as plants, factories, or mills and characteristically use power-driven machines and material handling equipment. However, establishments that transform materials or substances into new products by hand or in the worker's home and those engaged in selling to the general public products made on the same premises from which they are sold, such as bakeries, candy stores, and custom tailors, may also be included in this sector. Manufacturing establishments may process materials or may contract with other establishments to process their materials for them. Both types of establishments are included in manufacturing. Selected industries in the Manufacturing sector are comprised solely of establishments that process materials for other establishments on a contract or fee basis. Beyond these dedicated contract manufacturing industries, establishments that process materials for other establishments are generally classified in the Manufacturing industry of the processed materials. The materials, substances, or components transformed by manufacturing establishments are raw materials that are products of agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, or quarrying as well as products of other manufacturing establishments. The materials used may be purchased directly from producers, obtained through customary trade channels, or secured without recourse to the market by transferring the product from one establishment to another, under the same ownership. The new product of a manufacturing establishment may be finished in the sense that it is ready for utilization or consumption, or it may be semi-finished to become an input for an establishment engaged in further manufacturing. For example, the product of the alumina refinery is the input used in the primary production of aluminum; primary aluminum is the input to an aluminum wire drawing plant; and aluminum wire is the input for a fabricated wire product manufacturing establishment. The subsectors in the Manufacturing sector generally reflect distinct production processes related to material inputs, production equipment, and employee skills. In the machinery area, where assembling is a key activity, parts and accessories for manufactured products are classified in the industry of the finished manufactured item when they are made for separate sale. For example, an attachment for a piece of metalworking machinery would be classified with metalworking machinery. However, component inputs from other manufacturing establishments are classified based on the production function of the component manufacturer. For example, electronic components are classified in Subsector 334, Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing, and stampings are classified in Subsector 332, Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing. Manufacturing establishments often perform one or more activities that are classified outside the Manufacturing sector of NAICS. For instance, almost all manufacturing has some captive research and development or administrative operations, such as accounting, payroll, or management. These captive services are treated the same as captive manufacturing activities. When the services are provided by separate establishments, they are classified in the NAICS sector where such services are primary, not in manufacturing. The boundaries of manufacturing and the other sectors of the classification system can be somewhat blurry. The establishments in the Manufacturing sector are engaged in the transformation of materials into new products. Their output is a new product. However, the definition of what constitutes a new product can be somewhat subjective. As clarification, the following activities are considered manufacturing in NAICS: <table width=100%><tr><td width=10%> </td><td><dl><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Milk bottling and pasteurizing;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Water bottling and processing;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Fresh fish packaging (oyster<br/> shucking, fish filleting);</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Apparel jobbing (assigning<br/> materials to contract<br/> factories or shops for<br/> fabrication or other contract<br/> operations) as well as<br/> contracting on materials<br/> owned by others;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Printing and related activities;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Ready-mix concrete production;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Leather converting;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Grinding lenses to<br/> prescription;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Wood preserving;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Lapidary work for the trade;</dt></dl></td><td width=10%> </td><td><dl><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Electroplating, plating, metal<br/> heat treating, and<br/> polishing for the trade;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Fabricating signs and<br/> advertising displays;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Rebuilding or remanufacturing<br/> machinery (i.e., automotive<br/> parts);</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Making manufactured homes<br/> (i.e., mobile homes) or<br/> prefabricated buildings,<br/> whether or not assembling/<br/> erecting at the customers'<br/> site;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Ship repair and renovation;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Machine shops; and</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Tire retreading.</dt></dl></td><td width=10%> </td></tr></table> Conversely, there are activities that are sometimes considered manufacturing, but which for NAICS are classified in another sector (i.e., not classified as manufacturing). They include: 1. Logging, classified in Sector 11, Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, is considered a harvesting operation; 2. Beneficiating ores and other minerals, classified in Sector 21, Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction, is considered part of the activity of mining; 3. Constructing structures, assembling prefabricated buildings, and fabricating at the construction site by contractors are classified in Sector 23, Construction; 4. Breaking bulk and reselling in smaller lots, including packaging, repackaging, or bottling products, such as liquors or chemicals; assembling and selling computers on a custom basis; sorting and reselling scrap; mixing and selling paints to customer order; and cutting metals to customer order for resale are classified in Sector 42, Wholesale Trade, or Sector 44-45, Retail Trade; and 5. Publishing and the combined activity of publishing and printing, classified in Sector 51, Information, transform information into a product for which the value to the consumer lies in the information content, not in the format in which it is distributed (i.e., the book or software compact disc). |
| 325 | Chemical Manufacturing 3-digit subsector | The Chemical Manufacturing subsector is based on the transformation of organic and inorganic raw materials by a chemical process and the formulation of products. This subsector distinguishes the production of basic chemicals that comprise the first industry group from the production of intermediate and end products produced by further processing of basic chemicals that make up the remaining industry groups. This subsector does not include all industries transforming raw materials by a chemical process. It is common for some chemical processing to occur during mining operations. These beneficiating operations, such as copper concentrating, are classified in Sector 21, Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction. Furthermore, the refining of crude petroleum is included in Subsector 324, Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing. In addition, the manufacturing of aluminum oxide is included in Subsector 331, Primary Metal Manufacturing; and beverage distilleries are classified in Subsector 312, Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing. As is the case of these two activities, the grouping of industries into subsectors may take into account the association of the activities performed with other activities in the subsector. |
| 3259 | Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing 4-digit industry group | This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing chemical products (except basic chemicals; resins, synthetic rubber, cellulosic and noncellulosic fibers and filaments; pesticides, fertilizers, and other agricultural chemicals; pharmaceuticals and medicines; paints, coatings, and adhesives; soaps and cleaning compounds; and toilet preparations). |
| 32591 | Printing Ink Manufacturing 5-digit NAICS industry | See industry description for 325910. |
| 325910 | Printing Ink Manufacturing 6-digit U.S. detail | The printing ink manufacturing sector specializes in the production of specialized liquid formulations designed to transfer pigment or dye onto various substrates. These establishments focus on developing high-performance inks for commercial, industrial, and artistic applications, including offset, flexography, and digital printing processes. Typical business activities involve complex chemical synthesis, quality control testing, and rigorous safety compliance to ensure color accuracy, durability, and environmental standards. Companies in this field often work closely with equipment manufacturers and large-scale print shops to tailor formulations for specific machinery needs or substrate types. Operators range from small family-owned laboratories to large multinational corporations dedicated to global supply chains. Some entities produce complete inkjet cartridges alongside the liquid ink, requiring advanced encapsulation technology to prevent leakage and ensure shelf stability. The scale of these operations varies significantly, with many producers integrating recycling programs to manage solvents and by-products effectively. This industry plays a critical role in the broader chemical manufacturing landscape by providing essential materials that enable mass communication, artistic expression, and product branding across diverse sectors worldwide. |
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Classification References
- 01Manufacturing writing, drawing, and stamping inks--are classified in U.S. Industry 325998, All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing;
- 02Manufacturing toners and toner cartridges for photocopiers, fax machines, computer printers, and similar office machines--are classified in U.S. Industry 325992, Photographic Film, Paper, Plate, Chemical, and Copy Toner Manufacturing; and
- 03Purchasing used inkjet cartridges and reselling them to manufacturers for remanufacturing--are classified in Industry 423930, Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers.
Index Items
Bronze printing inks manufacturing
Duplicating inks manufacturing
Flexographic inks manufacturing
Gold printing inks manufacturing
Gravure inks manufacturing
Inkjet cartridges manufacturing
Inkjet inks manufacturing
Inks, printing, manufacturing
Letterpress inks manufacturing
Lithographic inks manufacturing
Offset inks manufacturing
Printing inks manufacturing
Screen process inks manufacturing
Stencil inks manufacturing
Textile printing inks manufacturing
How Item Can Help
Manages the complex inventory of small, liquid ink formulations with strict segregation rules to prevent chemical contamination and track expiration dates effectively.
Automates the intricate reordering process for raw materials like pigments and resins by predicting usage based on seasonal printing demand fluctuations.
Analyzes sales and inventory data to optimize production schedules and reduce waste associated with mixed-batch ink manufacturing and color blending.
Item.com Tools
External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 325910.
Ink Technology & Marketing Inc. (ITMI)
A trade association providing resources, standards, and advocacy for the printing ink and related industries.
U.S. Census Bureau NAICS Data
Official government data detailing employment statistics, production output, and industry trends for printing ink manufacturing.
National Center for Biotechnology Information PubChem
A comprehensive database containing chemical information and safety data sheets relevant to the substances used in printing ink production.
