6-digit U.S. detail
335921
Fiber Optic Cable Manufacturing
Description
Establishments classified under this NAICS code specialize in the production of insulated fiber optic cable by combining purchased fiber optic strands with various insulating materials. These businesses function as integrated manufacturing facilities that transform raw optical fibers into durable, functional communication cables designed to transmit data over long distances. Typical operations involve complex machinery that extrudes polymer jackets around individual strands or bundles, followed by rigorous quality control testing to ensure signal integrity and mechanical strength. Companies in this sector often source high-purity glass fibers from specialty suppliers before processing them into multi-core cables suitable for telecommunications networks, data centers, and industrial applications. The operators range from small, family-owned workshops focusing on niche military or aerospace specifications to large multinational corporations producing standard commercial grades for global deployment. These enterprises frequently operate large-scale production lines with significant fixed asset investments in automated extrusion units and precision testing equipment. While the industry is dominated by mid-sized firms with hundreds of employees, some entities engage in substantial contract manufacturing for major technology conglomerates. The scope of production extends to both single-mode and multi-mode cable variants, catering to diverse bandwidth requirements. Collectively, these businesses form a critical supply chain component essential for modern information infrastructure, supporting everything from undersea internet cables to local broadband networks without exceeding the word limit.
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). |
| 335 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing subsector manufacture products that generate, distribute, and use electrical power. Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing establishments produce lighting fixtures, electric light bulbs, and parts (except glass parts and light emitting diodes (LEDs)), and other lighting equipment. Household Appliance Manufacturing establishments make both small and major electrical appliances and parts. Electrical Equipment Manufacturing establishments make goods, such as electric motors, generators, transformers, and switchgear apparatus. Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing establishments make devices for storing electrical power (e.g., batteries), for transmitting electricity (e.g., insulated wire), and wiring devices (e.g., electrical outlets, fuse boxes, and light switches). |
| 3359 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing 4-digit industry group | This industry group comprises establishments manufacturing electrical equipment and components (except electric lighting equipment, household-type appliances, transformers, switchgear, relays, motors, and generators). |
| 33592 | Communication and Energy Wire and Cable Manufacturing 5-digit NAICS industry | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in insulating fiber optic cable, and manufacturing insulated nonferrous wire and cable from nonferrous wire drawn in other establishments. |
| 335921 | Fiber Optic Cable Manufacturing 6-digit U.S. detail | Establishments classified under this NAICS code specialize in the production of insulated fiber optic cable by combining purchased fiber optic strands with various insulating materials. These businesses function as integrated manufacturing facilities that transform raw optical fibers into durable, functional communication cables designed to transmit data over long distances. Typical operations involve complex machinery that extrudes polymer jackets around individual strands or bundles, followed by rigorous quality control testing to ensure signal integrity and mechanical strength. Companies in this sector often source high-purity glass fibers from specialty suppliers before processing them into multi-core cables suitable for telecommunications networks, data centers, and industrial applications. The operators range from small, family-owned workshops focusing on niche military or aerospace specifications to large multinational corporations producing standard commercial grades for global deployment. These enterprises frequently operate large-scale production lines with significant fixed asset investments in automated extrusion units and precision testing equipment. While the industry is dominated by mid-sized firms with hundreds of employees, some entities engage in substantial contract manufacturing for major technology conglomerates. The scope of production extends to both single-mode and multi-mode cable variants, catering to diverse bandwidth requirements. Collectively, these businesses form a critical supply chain component essential for modern information infrastructure, supporting everything from undersea internet cables to local broadband networks without exceeding the word limit. |
Need a supply chain stack that maps to this industry?
Use this NAICS classification as the starting point, then connect it to Item workflows across inventory, warehousing, order management, fulfillment, and transportation.
Classification References
- 01Manufacturing unsheathed fiber optic materials--are classified in Industry 32721, Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing; and
- 02Manufacturing insulated nonferrous wire and cable from purchased wire--are classified in U.S. Industry 335929, Other Communication and Energy Wire Manufacturing.
Index Items
Fiber optic cable made from purchased fiber optic strand
How Item Can Help
Optimizes logistics networks for transporting fragile fiber spools across long distances, ensuring minimal breakage and faster delivery to retail partners.
Item.com Tools
External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 335921.
Telecommunications Industry Association
Trade association providing industry resources and advocacy for telecommunications manufacturers including fiber optics.
United States Census Bureau
Official government directory listing NAICS 335921 manufacturing establishments with industry data.
Fiberhome Networking Group
Major trade group representing manufacturers of optical fiber and cable products worldwide.
