Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing
Description
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in (1) manufacturing resins, plastics materials, and nonvulcanizable thermoplastic elastomers and mixing and blending resins on a custom basis and/or (2) manufacturing noncustomized synthetic resins.
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. |
| 3252 | Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing 4-digit industry group | This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in one of the following: (1) manufacturing synthetic resins, plastics materials, and nonvulcanizable elastomers and mixing and blending resins on a custom basis; (2) manufacturing noncustomized synthetic resins; (3) manufacturing synthetic rubber; (4) manufacturing cellulosic (e.g., rayon, acetate) and noncellulosic (e.g., nylon, polyolefin, polyester) fibers and filaments in the form of monofilament, filament yarn, staple, or tow; or (5) manufacturing and texturizing cellulosic and noncellulosic fibers and filaments. |
| 32521 | Resin and Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing 5-digit NAICS industry | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in one or more of the following: (1) manufacturing synthetic resins, plastics materials, and nonvulcanizable elastomers and mixing and blending resins on a custom basis; (2) manufacturing noncustomized synthetic resins; and (3) manufacturing synthetic rubber. |
| 325211 | Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing 6-digit U.S. detail | This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in (1) manufacturing resins, plastics materials, and nonvulcanizable thermoplastic elastomers and mixing and blending resins on a custom basis and/or (2) manufacturing noncustomized synthetic resins. |
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Classification References
- 01Manufacturing plastics resins and converting resins into plastics products--are classified in Industry Group 3261, Plastics Product Manufacturing;
- 02Custom compounding resins made elsewhere--are classified in U.S. Industry 325991, Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins; and
- 03Manufacturing plastics adhesives--are classified in Industry 325520, Adhesive Manufacturing.
Index Items
Acetal resins manufacturing
Acrylic resins manufacturing
Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resins manufacturing
Alkyd resins manufacturing
Allyl resins manufacturing
Amino resins manufacturing
Amino-aldehyde resins manufacturing
Butadiene copolymers containing less than 50 percent butadiene manufacturing
Carbohydrate plastics manufacturing
Casein plastics manufacturing
Cellulose acetate resins manufacturing
Cellulose nitrate resins manufacturing
Cellulose propionate resins manufacturing
Cellulose resins manufacturing
Cellulose xanthate (viscose) manufacturing
Coal tar resins manufacturing
Coumarone-indene resins manufacturing
Cresol resins manufacturing
Cresol-furfural resins manufacturing
Dicyandiamine resins manufacturing
Diisocyanate resins manufacturing
Elastomers (except synthetic rubber) manufacturing
Epichlorohydrin bisphenol manufacturing
Epichlorohydrin diphenol manufacturing
Epoxy resins manufacturing
Ester gum manufacturing
Ethylcellulose plastics manufacturing
Ethylene-vinyl acetate resins manufacturing
Fluorohydrocarbon resins manufacturing
Fluoro-polymer resins manufacturing
Ion exchange resins manufacturing
Ionomer resins manufacturing
Isobutylene polymer resins manufacturing
Lignin plastics manufacturing
Melamine resins manufacturing
Methyl acrylate resins manufacturing
Methyl cellulose resins manufacturing
Methyl methacrylate resins manufacturing
Nitrocellulose (i.e., pyroxylin) resins manufacturing
Nylon resins manufacturing
Petroleum polymer resins manufacturing
Phenol-formaldehyde resins manufacturing
Phenol-furfural resins manufacturing
Phenolic resins manufacturing
Phenoxy resins manufacturing
Phthalic alkyd resins manufacturing
Phthalic anhydride resins manufacturing
Plastics and synthetic resins regenerating, precipitating, and coagulating
Polyacrylonitrile resins manufacturing
Polyamide resins manufacturing
Polycarbonate resins manufacturing
Polyester resins manufacturing
Polyethylene resins manufacturing
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resins manufacturing
Polyhexamethylenediamine adipamide resins manufacturing
Polyisobutylene resins manufacturing
Polymethacrylate resins manufacturing
Polypropylene resins manufacturing
Polystyrene resins manufacturing
Polytetrafluoroethylene resins manufacturing
Polyurethane resins manufacturing
Polyvinyl alcohol resins manufacturing
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resins manufacturing
Polyvinyl halide resins manufacturing
Polyvinyl resins manufacturing
Propylene resins manufacturing
Protein plastics manufacturing
Pyroxylin (i.e., nitrocellulose) resins manufacturing
Resins, plastics (except custom compounding purchased resins), manufacturing
Rosins (i.e., modified resins) manufacturing
Silicone resins manufacturing
Soybean plastics manufacturing
Styrene resins manufacturing
Styrene-acrylonitrile resins manufacturing
Tar acid resins manufacturing
Thermoplastic resins and plastics materials manufacturing
Thermosetting plastics resins manufacturing
Urea resins manufacturing
Urea-formaldehyde resins manufacturing
Vinyl acetate resins manufacturing
Vinyl chloride resins manufacturing
Vinyl resins manufacturing
Vinylidene resins manufacturing
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External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 325211.
American Chemistry Council
The primary trade association for chemicals in the United States providing market data, resources, and industry advocacy.
Plastics Industry Association
A leading industry group dedicated to advancing the plastics industry through innovation, sustainability, and economic growth.
U.S. Census Bureau Industry Data
Official government data portal offering detailed statistics and reports on manufacturing sectors including plastic resin production.
