Industrial Building Construction
Description
This industry comprises establishments primarily responsible for the construction (including new work, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs) of industrial buildings (except warehouses). The construction of selected additional structures, whose production processes are similar to those for industrial buildings (e.g., incinerators, cement plants, blast furnaces, and similar nonbuilding structures), is included in this industry. Included in this industry are industrial building general contractors, industrial building for-sale builders, industrial building design-build firms, and industrial building construction management firms. Illustrative Examples: Assembly plant construction Furnace, industrial plant, construction Cannery construction Mine loading and discharging station construction Cement plant construction Paper or pulp mill construction Steel mill construction Chemical plant (except petrochemical) construction Pharmaceutical manufacturing plant construction Factory construction Food processing plant construction Waste disposal plant (except sewage treatment) construction
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Construction 2-digit sector | The Sector as a Whole The Construction sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in the construction of buildings or engineering projects (e.g., highways and utility systems). Establishments primarily engaged in the preparation of sites for new construction and establishments primarily engaged in subdividing land for sale as building sites also are included in this sector. Construction work done may include new work, additions, alterations, or maintenance and repairs. Activities of these establishments generally are managed at a fixed place of business, but they usually perform construction activities at multiple project sites. Production responsibilities for establishments in this sector are usually specified in (1) contracts with the owners of construction projects (prime contracts) or (2) contracts with other construction establishments (subcontracts). Establishments primarily engaged in contracts that include responsibility for all aspects of individual construction projects are commonly known as general contractors, but also may be known as design-builders, construction managers, turnkey contractors, or (in cases where two or more establishments jointly secure a general contract) joint-venture contractors. Construction managers that provide oversight and scheduling only (i.e., agency) as well as construction managers that are responsible for the entire project (i.e., at risk) are included as general contractor type establishments. Establishments of the "general contractor type" frequently arrange construction of separate parts of their projects through subcontracts with other construction establishments. Establishments primarily engaged in activities to produce a specific component (e.g., masonry, painting, and electrical work) of a construction project are commonly known as specialty trade contractors. Activities of specialty trade contractors are usually subcontracted from other construction establishments, but especially in remodeling and repair construction, the work may be done directly for the owner of the property. Establishments primarily engaged in activities to construct buildings to be sold on sites that they own are known as for-sale builders, but also may be known as speculative builders or merchant builders. For-sale builders produce buildings in a manner similar to general contractors, but their production processes also include site acquisition and securing of financial backing. For-sale builders are most often associated with the construction of residential buildings. Like general contractors, they may subcontract all or part of the actual construction work on their buildings. There are substantial differences in the types of equipment, work force skills, and other inputs required by establishments in this sector. To highlight these differences and variations in the underlying production functions, this sector is divided into three subsectors. Subsector 236, Construction of Buildings, comprises establishments of the general contractor type and for-sale builders involved in the construction of buildings. Subsector 237, Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction, comprises establishments involved in the construction of engineering projects. Subsector 238, Specialty Trade Contractors, comprises establishments engaged in specialty trade activities generally needed in the construction of all types of buildings. Force account construction is construction work performed by an enterprise primarily engaged in some business other than construction for its own account, using employees of the enterprise. This activity is not included in the construction sector unless the construction work performed is the primary activity of a separate establishment of the enterprise. The installation and the ongoing repair and maintenance of telecommunications and utility networks is excluded from construction when the establishments performing the work are not independent contractors. Although a growing proportion of this work is subcontracted to independent contractors in the Construction sector, the operating units of telecommunications and utility companies performing this work are included with the telecommunications or utility activities. |
| 236 | Construction of Buildings 3-digit subsector | The Construction of Buildings subsector comprises establishments primarily responsible for the construction of buildings. The work performed may include new work, additions, alterations, or maintenance and repairs. The on-site assembly of precut, panelized, and prefabricated buildings and construction of temporary buildings are included in this subsector. Part or all of the production work for which the establishments in this subsector have responsibility may be subcontracted to other construction establishments--usually specialty trade contractors. Establishments in this subsector are classified based on the types of buildings they construct. This classification reflects variations in the requirements of the underlying production processes. |
| 2362 | Nonresidential Building Construction 4-digit industry group | This industry group comprises establishments primarily responsible for the construction (including new work, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs) of nonresidential buildings. This industry group includes nonresidential general contractors, nonresidential for-sale builders, nonresidential design-build firms, and nonresidential project construction management firms. |
| 23621 | Industrial Building Construction 5-digit NAICS industry | See industry description for 236210. |
| 236210 | Industrial Building Construction 6-digit U.S. detail | This industry comprises establishments primarily responsible for the construction (including new work, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs) of industrial buildings (except warehouses). The construction of selected additional structures, whose production processes are similar to those for industrial buildings (e.g., incinerators, cement plants, blast furnaces, and similar nonbuilding structures), is included in this industry. Included in this industry are industrial building general contractors, industrial building for-sale builders, industrial building design-build firms, and industrial building construction management firms. Illustrative Examples: Assembly plant construction Furnace, industrial plant, construction Cannery construction Mine loading and discharging station construction Cement plant construction Paper or pulp mill construction Steel mill construction Chemical plant (except petrochemical) construction Pharmaceutical manufacturing plant construction Factory construction Food processing plant construction Waste disposal plant (except sewage treatment) construction |
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Classification References
- 01Constructing oil refineries and petrochemical plants--are classified in Industry 237120, Oil and Gas Pipeline and Related Structures Construction;
- 02Constructing water treatment plants, sewage treatment plants, and pumping stations for water and sewer systems--are classified in Industry 237110, Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction;
- 03Constructing power generation plants (except hydroelectric)--are classified in Industry 237130, Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction;
- 04Constructing hydroelectric generating facilities--are classified in Industry 237990, Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction;
- 05Constructing industrial warehouses--are classified in Industry 236220, Commercial and Institutional Building Construction;
- 06Performing specialized construction work on industrial buildings, generally on a subcontract basis--are classified in Subsector 238, Specialty Trade Contractors; and
- 07Manufacturing prefabricated industrial buildings and assembling/erecting them at the customers' site--are classified in Sector 31-33, Manufacturing, based on the primary material (wood, plastic, or metal).
Index Items
Acid plant construction
Addition, alteration and renovation, for-sale builders, industrial building (except warehouses)
Addition, alteration and renovation, general contractors, industrial building (except warehouses)
Addition, alteration and renovation, industrial building (except warehouses)
Aluminum plant construction
Ammonium plant construction
Assembly plant construction
Blast furnace construction
Cannery construction
Cement plant construction
Chemical (except petrochemical process-type) plant construction
Clean room construction
Construction management, industrial building (except warehouses)
Factory construction
Fish processing plant construction
Food processing plant construction
For-sale builders (i.e., building on own land, for sale), industrial building (except warehouses)
Foundry construction
Furnace (i.e., industrial plant structure) construction
Garbage disposal plant construction
Incinerator, mass-burn type, construction
Incinerator, municipal waste disposal, construction
Industrial building (except warehouses) construction
Industrial building (except warehouses) construction, for-sale builders
Industrial building (except warehouses) construction, general contractors
Kiln construction
Manufacturing building construction
Materials recovery facility construction
Metal processing plant construction
Mine loading and discharging station construction
Motor vehicle assembly plant construction
Ore and metal refinery construction
Oven, industrial plant, construction
Paper or pulp mill construction
Pharmaceutical manufacturing plant construction
Prefabricated industrial building (except warehouses) erection
Printing plant construction
Refuse disposal plant (except sewage treatment) construction
Smelter construction
Speculative builders (i.e., building on own land, for sale), industrial building (except warehouses)
Steel mill construction
Textile mill construction
Tipple, mining, construction
Washery, mining, construction
Waste disposal plant (except sewage treatment) construction
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External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 236210.
National Association of Home Builders
Provides trade resources, education, and advocacy for construction professionals including residential builders.
U.S. Census Bureau Industry Profile
Official government data and research reports detailing the industrial building construction sector statistics.
Construction Dive News
Industry-leading publication offering daily news, trends, and expert insights on commercial and industrial construction projects.
