Fabricated Pipe and Pipe Fitting Manufacturing
Description
Fabricated pipe and pipe fitting manufacturing represents a critical segment within the broader metal product sector, focused on transforming purchased raw pipes into customized components through specialized processing. These establishments primarily engage in intricate fabrication activities such as cutting, threading, bending, and assembling metal tubing to meet specific industrial requirements. While some facilities operate as small shops catering to local contractors, others function as large-scale producers supplying global construction and energy sectors. The scope of operations extends from crafting simple threaded elbows and tees to producing complex welding fittings required for high-pressure pipelines. Many operators maintain on-site inventory of various pipe sizes and materials, utilizing heavy machinery to ensure precise dimensions and durable joints. A key characteristic of this industry is its versatility, as firms frequently adapt their production capabilities to handle diverse orders with tight deadlines. Unlike raw material suppliers, these companies add significant value by converting generic stock into engineered parts. The industry relies heavily on skilled labor to manage automated and manual cutting equipment while adhering to strict safety and quality standards. Ultimately, this sector bridges the gap between basic metal stock and the sophisticated piping infrastructure essential for water distribution, oil and gas transport, and general industrial processes across the United States.
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). |
| 332 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing subsector transform metal into intermediate or end products, other than machinery, computers and electronics, and metal furniture, or treat metals and metal formed products fabricated elsewhere. Important fabricated metal processes are forging, stamping, bending, forming, and machining, used to shape individual pieces of metal; and other processes, such as welding and assembling, used to join separate parts together. Establishments in this subsector may use one of these processes or a combination of these processes. The NAICS structure for this subsector distinguishes the forging and stamping processes in a single industry. The remaining industries in the subsector group establishments based on similar combinations of processes used to make products. The manufacturing performed in the Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing subsector begins with manufactured metal shapes. The establishments in this subsector further fabricate the purchased metal shapes into a product. For instance, the Spring and Wire Product Manufacturing industry starts with wire and fabricates such items. Within the Manufacturing sector there are other establishments that make the same products made by this subsector; only these establishments begin production further back in the production process. These establishments have a more integrated operation. For instance, one establishment may manufacture steel, draw it into wire, and make wire products in the same establishment. Such operations are classified in the Primary Metal Manufacturing subsector. |
| 3329 | Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 4-digit industry group | This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing fabricated metal products (except forgings and stampings, cutlery and handtools, architectural and structural metals, boilers, tanks, shipping containers, hardware, spring and wire products, machine shop products, turned products, screws, and nuts and bolts). |
| 33299 | All Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 5-digit NAICS industry | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing fabricated metal products (except forgings and stampings, cutlery and handtools, architectural and structural metal products, boilers, tanks, shipping containers, hardware, spring and wire products, machine shop products, turned products, screws, nuts and bolts, and metal valves). Illustrative Examples: Ammunition manufacturing Ball and roller bearing manufacturing Enameled iron and metal sanitary ware manufacturing Fabricated pipe and pipe fittings made from purchased metal pipe Foil containers (except bags) manufacturing Industrial pattern manufacturing Metal safes manufacturing Portable metal ladders manufacturing Small arms and other ordnance manufacturing Steel wool manufacturing |
| 332996 | Fabricated Pipe and Pipe Fitting Manufacturing 6-digit U.S. detail | Fabricated pipe and pipe fitting manufacturing represents a critical segment within the broader metal product sector, focused on transforming purchased raw pipes into customized components through specialized processing. These establishments primarily engage in intricate fabrication activities such as cutting, threading, bending, and assembling metal tubing to meet specific industrial requirements. While some facilities operate as small shops catering to local contractors, others function as large-scale producers supplying global construction and energy sectors. The scope of operations extends from crafting simple threaded elbows and tees to producing complex welding fittings required for high-pressure pipelines. Many operators maintain on-site inventory of various pipe sizes and materials, utilizing heavy machinery to ensure precise dimensions and durable joints. A key characteristic of this industry is its versatility, as firms frequently adapt their production capabilities to handle diverse orders with tight deadlines. Unlike raw material suppliers, these companies add significant value by converting generic stock into engineered parts. The industry relies heavily on skilled labor to manage automated and manual cutting equipment while adhering to strict safety and quality standards. Ultimately, this sector bridges the gap between basic metal stock and the sophisticated piping infrastructure essential for water distribution, oil and gas transport, and general industrial processes across the United States. |
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Classification References
- 01Manufacturing cast iron pipe and fittings--are classified in U.S. Industry 331511, Iron Foundries;
- 02Manufacturing pipe system fittings (except cast iron couplings and couplings made from purchased pipe)--are classified in U.S. Industry 332919, Other Metal Valve and Pipe Fitting Manufacturing; and
- 03Manufacturing welded and seamless steel pipes from purchased steel--are classified in Industry 331210, Iron and Steel Pipe and Tube Manufacturing from Purchased Steel.
Index Items
Bends, pipe, made from purchased metal pipe
Coils, pipe, made from purchased metal pipe
Couplings, pipe, made from purchased metal pipe
Fabricated pipe and pipe fittings made from purchased pipe
Manifolds, pipe, made from purchased metal pipe
Nipples, metal, made from purchased pipe
Pipe and pipe fittings made from purchased metal pipe
Pipe couplings made from purchased metal pipe
Pipe fabricating (i.e., bending, cutting, threading) made from purchased metal pipe
Pipe headers made from purchased metal pipe
Tubes made from purchased metal pipe
Wrought iron or steel pipe and tubing made from purchased metal pipe
How Item Can Help
This tool provides real-time demand forecasting for diverse pipe types to optimize raw material procurement and reduce inventory holding costs.
The WMS streamlines complex SKU management for various pipe diameters and fittings while automating pick paths for efficient order fulfillment.
TMS optimizes logistics routes for large, heavy pipe shipments to minimize fuel consumption and delivery times across long distances.
Item.com Tools
External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 332996.
National Pipe Fitters and Plumber-Union Local 100
A union representing workers in the fabricated pipe and pipe fitting manufacturing sector in New York City.
Pipe Fittings Manufacturers Association
An industry organization providing information, research, and advocacy for pipe fitting manufacturers.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Manufacturing Statistics
A government page detailing occupational outlook data specifically for fabricated pipe and pipe fitting manufacturing.
