Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing
Description
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in one or more of the following: (1) direct reduction of iron ore; (2) manufacturing pig iron in molten or solid form; (3) converting pig iron into steel; (4) making steel; (5) making steel and manufacturing shapes (e.g., bar, plate, rod, sheet, strip, wire); (6) making steel and forming pipe and tube; and (7) manufacturing electrometallurgical ferroalloys. Ferroalloys add critical elements, such as silicon and manganese for carbon steel and chromium, vanadium, tungsten, titanium, and molybdenum for low- and high-alloy metals. Ferroalloys include iron-rich alloys and more pure forms of elements added during the steel manufacturing process that alter or improve the characteristics of the metal.
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | 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). |
| 331 | Primary Metal Manufacturing 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Primary Metal Manufacturing subsector smelt and/or refine ferrous and nonferrous metals from ore, pig, or scrap, using electrometallurgical and other process metallurgical techniques. Establishments in this subsector also manufacture metal alloys and superalloys by introducing other chemical elements to pure metals. The output of smelting and refining, usually in ingot form, is used in rolling, drawing, and extruding operations to make sheet, strip, bar, rod, or wire, and in molten form to make castings and other basic metal products. Primary manufacturing of ferrous and nonferrous metals begins with ore or concentrate as the primary input. Establishments manufacturing primary metals from ore and/or concentrate remain classified in the primary smelting, primary refining, or iron and steel mill industries regardless of the form of their output. Establishments primarily engaged in secondary smelting and/or secondary refining recover ferrous and nonferrous metals from scrap and/or dross. The output of the secondary smelting and/or secondary refining industries is limited to shapes such as ingot or billet that will be further processed. Recovery of metals from scrap often occurs in establishments that are primarily engaged in activities, such as rolling, drawing, extruding, or similar processes. Excluded from the Primary Metal Manufacturing subsector are establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing ferrous and nonferrous forgings (except ferrous forgings made in steel mills) and stampings. Although forging, stamping, and casting are all methods used to make metal shapes, forging and stamping do not use molten metals and are included in Subsector 332, Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing. Establishments primarily engaged in operating coke ovens are classified in Industry 32419, Other Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing. |
| 3311 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing 4-digit industry group | Industries in the Primary Metal Manufacturing subsector smelt and/or refine ferrous and nonferrous metals from ore, pig, or scrap, using electrometallurgical and other process metallurgical techniques. Establishments in this subsector also manufacture metal alloys and superalloys by introducing other chemical elements to pure metals. The output of smelting and refining, usually in ingot form, is used in rolling, drawing, and extruding operations to make sheet, strip, bar, rod, or wire, and in molten form to make castings and other basic metal products. Primary manufacturing of ferrous and nonferrous metals begins with ore or concentrate as the primary input. Establishments manufacturing primary metals from ore and/or concentrate remain classified in the primary smelting, primary refining, or iron and steel mill industries regardless of the form of their output. Establishments primarily engaged in secondary smelting and/or secondary refining recover ferrous and nonferrous metals from scrap and/or dross. The output of the secondary smelting and/or secondary refining industries is limited to shapes such as ingot or billet that will be further processed. Recovery of metals from scrap often occurs in establishments that are primarily engaged in activities, such as rolling, drawing, extruding, or similar processes. Excluded from the Primary Metal Manufacturing subsector are establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing ferrous and nonferrous forgings (except ferrous forgings made in steel mills) and stampings. Although forging, stamping, and casting are all methods used to make metal shapes, forging and stamping do not use molten metals and are included in Subsector 332, Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing. Establishments primarily engaged in operating coke ovens are classified in Industry 32419, Other Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing. |
| 33111 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing 5-digit NAICS industry | See industry description for 331110. |
| 331110 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing 6-digit U.S. detail | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in one or more of the following: (1) direct reduction of iron ore; (2) manufacturing pig iron in molten or solid form; (3) converting pig iron into steel; (4) making steel; (5) making steel and manufacturing shapes (e.g., bar, plate, rod, sheet, strip, wire); (6) making steel and forming pipe and tube; and (7) manufacturing electrometallurgical ferroalloys. Ferroalloys add critical elements, such as silicon and manganese for carbon steel and chromium, vanadium, tungsten, titanium, and molybdenum for low- and high-alloy metals. Ferroalloys include iron-rich alloys and more pure forms of elements added during the steel manufacturing process that alter or improve the characteristics of the metal. |
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Classification References
- 01Operating coke ovens--are classified in U.S. Industry 324199, All Other Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing;
- 02Manufacturing nonferrous superalloys, such as cobalt or nickel-based superalloys--are classified in U.S. Industry 331492, Secondary Smelting, Refining, and Alloying of Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum);
- 03Manufacturing concrete reinforcing bar by rolling and drawing steel from purchased steel--are classified in U.S. Industry 331221, Rolled Steel Shape Manufacturing; and
- 04Manufacturing fabricated structural metal products from concrete reinforcing bars and fabricated bar joists--are classified in U.S. Industry 332312, Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing.
Index Items
Armor plate made in iron and steel mills
Axles, rolled or forged, made in iron and steel mills
Balls, steel, made in iron and steel mills
Bars, concrete reinforcing (rebar) made in steel mills
Bars, iron, made in iron and steel mills
Bars, steel, made in iron and steel mills
Billets, steel, made in iron and steel mills
Blackplate made in iron and steel mills
Blast furnaces
Blooms, steel, made in iron and steel mills
Car wheels, rolled steel, made in iron and steel mills
Coke oven products made in iron and steel mills
Concrete reinforcing bar (rebar) made in iron and steel mills
Direct reduction of iron ore
Electrometallurgical ferroalloy manufacturing
Electrometallurgical steel manufacturing
Fence posts, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Ferroalloys manufacturing
Ferrochromium manufacturing
Ferromanganese manufacturing
Ferromolybdenum manufacturing
Ferrophosphorus manufacturing
Ferrosilicon manufacturing
Ferrotitanium manufacturing
Ferrotungsten manufacturing
Ferrovanadium manufacturing
Flakes, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Flats, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Forgings, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Frogs, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Galvanizing metals and metal formed products made in iron and steel mills
Gun forgings made in iron and steel mills
High percentage nonferrous alloying elements (i.e., ferroalloys) manufacturing
Hoops made in iron and steel mills
Hoops, galvanized, made in iron and steel mills
Hot-rolling iron or steel products in iron and steel mills
Ingot made in iron and steel mills
Iron ore recovery from open hearth slag
Iron sinter made in iron and steel mills
Iron, pig, manufacturing
Manganese metal ferroalloys manufacturing
Mesh, wire, made in iron and steel mills
Mini-mills, steel
Molybdenum silicon ferroalloys manufacturing
Nut rods, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Paste, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Pig iron manufacturing
Pilings, iron or steel plain sheet, made in iron and steel mills
Pipe, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Plate, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Powder, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Rail joints and fastenings made in iron and steel mills
Railroad crossings, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Rails rerolled or renewed in iron and steel mills
Rails, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Rods, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Rounds, tube, steel, made in iron and steel mills
Sheet pilings, plain, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Sheets, steel, made in iron and steel mills
Shell slugs, steel, made in iron and steel mills
Silicomanganese ferroalloys manufacturing
Skelp, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Slab, steel, made in iron and steel mills
Spiegeleisen ferroalloys manufacturing
Spike rods made in iron and steel mills
Sponge iron
Stainless steel made in iron and steel mills
Steel balls made in iron and steel mills
Steel manufacturing
Steel mill products (e.g., bar, plate, rod, sheet, structural shapes) manufacturing
Steel mills
Steel, from pig iron, manufacturing
Strip, galvanized iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Strip, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Structural shapes, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Superalloys, iron or steel, manufacturing
Template, made in iron and steel mills, manufacturing
Terneplate made in iron and steel mills
Ternes, iron or steel, long or short, made in iron and steel mills
Tie plates, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Tin-free steel made in iron and steel mills
Tinplate made in iron and steel mills
Tool steel made in iron and steel mills
Tube rounds, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Tube, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Tubing, seamless steel, made in iron and steel mills
Tubing, wrought iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Well casings, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Wheels, car and locomotive, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Wire products, iron or steel, made in iron and steel mills
Wrought iron or steel pipe and tubing made in iron and steel mills
How Item Can Help
Manages high-volume steel inventory, hazardous material storage, and rapid order picking to reduce warehouse clutter.
Optimizes yard space for heavy steel coils and scrap storage, cutting vehicle wait times at busy mills.
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External Resources
NAICS Definition and Classification
Official Census Bureau page defining Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing sector details.
Iron and Steel Industry Statistics
BLS resource providing historical data and breakdowns for Primary Metal Manufacturing industries.
American Iron and Steel Institute
Leading trade association offering market analysis, news, and policy updates for the steel sector.
