Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing
Description
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing medical, surgical, ophthalmic, and veterinary instruments and apparatus (except electrotherapeutic, electromedical, and irradiation apparatus). Examples of products made by these establishments are syringes, hypodermic needles, anesthesia apparatus, blood transfusion equipment, catheters, surgical clamps, and medical thermometers.
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). |
| 339 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Miscellaneous Manufacturing subsector make a wide range of products that cannot readily be classified in specific NAICS subsectors in manufacturing. Processes used by these establishments vary significantly, both among and within industries. For example, a variety of manufacturing processes are used in manufacturing sporting and athletic goods that include products such as tennis rackets and golf balls. The processes for these products differ from each other, and the processes differ significantly from the fabrication processes used in making dolls or toys, the melting and shaping of precious metals to make jewelry, and the bending, forming, and assembly used in making medical products. The industries in this subsector are defined by what is made rather than how it is made. Although individual establishments might be appropriately classified elsewhere in the NAICS structure, for historical continuity, these product-based industries were maintained. In most cases, no one process or material predominates for an industry. Establishments in this subsector manufacture products as diverse as medical equipment and supplies, jewelry, sporting goods, toys, and office supplies. |
| 3391 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing 4-digit industry group | Industries in the Miscellaneous Manufacturing subsector make a wide range of products that cannot readily be classified in specific NAICS subsectors in manufacturing. Processes used by these establishments vary significantly, both among and within industries. For example, a variety of manufacturing processes are used in manufacturing sporting and athletic goods that include products such as tennis rackets and golf balls. The processes for these products differ from each other, and the processes differ significantly from the fabrication processes used in making dolls or toys, the melting and shaping of precious metals to make jewelry, and the bending, forming, and assembly used in making medical products. The industries in this subsector are defined by what is made rather than how it is made. Although individual establishments might be appropriately classified elsewhere in the NAICS structure, for historical continuity, these product-based industries were maintained. In most cases, no one process or material predominates for an industry. Establishments in this subsector manufacture products as diverse as medical equipment and supplies, jewelry, sporting goods, toys, and office supplies. |
| 33911 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing 5-digit NAICS industry | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing medical equipment and supplies. Examples of products made by these establishments are surgical and medical instruments, surgical appliances and supplies, dental equipment and supplies, orthodontic goods, ophthalmic goods, dentures, and orthodontic appliances. |
| 339112 | Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing 6-digit U.S. detail | This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing medical, surgical, ophthalmic, and veterinary instruments and apparatus (except electrotherapeutic, electromedical, and irradiation apparatus). Examples of products made by these establishments are syringes, hypodermic needles, anesthesia apparatus, blood transfusion equipment, catheters, surgical clamps, and medical thermometers. |
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 electromedical and electrotherapeutic apparatus--are classified in U.S. Industry 334510, Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing;
- 02Manufacturing irradiation apparatus--are classified in U.S. Industry 334517, Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing;
- 03Manufacturing surgical (except dental) and orthopedic appliances or specialized hospital furniture (e.g., hospital beds, operating tables)--are classified in U.S. Industry 339113, Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing;
- 04Manufacturing dental equipment, dental supplies, dental laboratory apparatus, and dental laboratory furniture--are classified in U.S. Industry 339114, Dental Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing;
- 05Manufacturing general purpose hospital, laboratory, and/or dental furniture (e.g., stools, tables, benches)--are classified in U.S. Industry 337127, Institutional Furniture Manufacturing;
- 06Manufacturing thermometers (except medical)--are classified in U.S. Industry 334519, Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing; and
- 07Manufacturing ophthalmic goods--are classified in U.S. Industry 339115, Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing.
Index Items
Anesthesia apparatus manufacturing
Blood pressure apparatus manufacturing
Blood transfusion equipment manufacturing
Bone drills manufacturing
Bone plates and screws manufacturing
Bone rongeurs manufacturing
Bronchoscopes (except electromedical) manufacturing
Cannulae manufacturing
Catheters manufacturing
Clamps, surgical, manufacturing
Corneal microscopes manufacturing
Cystoscopes (except electromedical) manufacturing
Eye examining instruments and apparatus manufacturing
Forceps, surgical, manufacturing
Gastroscopes (except electromedical) manufacturing
Hypodermic needles and syringes manufacturing
Inhalation therapy equipment manufacturing
Inhalators, surgical and medical, manufacturing
Instruments, mechanical microsurgical, manufacturing
IV apparatus manufacturing
Knives, surgical, manufacturing
Medical thermometers manufacturing
Needles, hypodermic and suture, manufacturing
Ophthalmic instruments and apparatus (except laser surgical) manufacturing
Ophthalmometers and ophthalmoscopes manufacturing
Optometers manufacturing
Oxygen tents manufacturing
Pelvimeters manufacturing
Physiotherapy equipment (except electrotherapeutic) manufacturing
Probes, surgical, manufacturing
Retinoscopes (except electromedical) manufacturing
Retractors, medical, manufacturing
Saws, surgical, manufacturing
Skin grafting equipment manufacturing
Speculums manufacturing
Sphygmomanometers manufacturing
Stethoscopes manufacturing
Suction therapy apparatus manufacturing
Surgical clamps manufacturing
Surgical knife blades and handles manufacturing
Surgical stapling devices manufacturing
Syringes, hypodermic, manufacturing
Thermometers, medical, manufacturing
Tonometers, medical, manufacturing
Trocars manufacturing
Veterinarians' instruments and apparatus manufacturing
How Item Can Help
The Warehouse Management System optimizes storage of specialized surgical instruments by managing complex barcoding and strict temperature controls, ensuring rapid retrieval of sterile kits during peak production.
The Order Management System streamlines multi-facility coordination by automatically allocating inventory from any location to fulfill urgent medical device orders, reducing lead times for critical hospital sales.
Data Intelligence platforms analyze historical sales patterns and supply chain delays to predict demand surges, allowing manufacturers to proactively adjust production schedules for specific high-value instruments.
Item.com Tools
External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 339112.
National Association for Medical Device Professionals
A trade association providing news, education, and advocacy for the medical device industry.
U.S. Census Bureau Industry Profile
Official government data page detailing the scope, sub-sectors, and statistics for surgical and medical instrument manufacturing.
American Medical Association Directory
The AMA's official resource hub listing medical device manufacturers and relevant practice management information.
