NAICS 321212

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal standard for organizing business establishments to enable consistent collection, analysis, and publication of U.S. economic statistics. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget with Canada and Mexico, it replaced SIC in 1997 and is updated every five years; the current vintage is 2022. ¹
U.S. industry NAICS 321212 covers establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing softwood veneer and/or softwood plywood. Official cross-references clarify that hardwood veneer/plywood falls under NAICS 321211; reconstituted wood sheets and boards fall under NAICS 321219; and veneer further processed into wood containers or container parts in the same establishment is classified in NAICS 321920. These boundaries sit within the broader Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing industry group NAICS 32121. ²

What this NAICS covers

• Manufacturing softwood veneer sheets. ²
• Manufacturing softwood plywood panels. ²
• Producing softwood plywood from veneer made in-house or purchased from other establishments (within industry group NAICS 32121). ²
• Manufacturing softwood plywood faced with nonwood materials such as plastics or metal (as described for NAICS 32121). ²
• Operating softwood veneer mills as part of veneer/plywood manufacturing. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	321211	Hardwood Veneer and Plywood Manufacturing
NAICS	321219	Reconstituted Wood Product Manufacturing
NAICS	321920	Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
PSC	5530	Plywood and Veneer

Official cross‑references and boundaries

• Hardwood veneer/plywood activities belong to NAICS 321211; reconstituted wood sheets/boards belong to NAICS 321219. ²
• If veneer is manufactured and then further processed into wood containers or container parts in the same establishment, classify under NAICS 321920, not NAICS 321212. ²
• PSC descriptors commonly associated with plywood and veneer supplies include PSC 5530 “Plywood and Veneer,” with related wood material categories such as PSC 5510 “Lumber and Related Basic Wood Materials” and PSC 5520 “Millwork.” ⁴

Frequently asked questions

• What does NAICS 321212 cover?
  It covers establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing softwood veneer and/or softwood plywood within industry group NAICS 32121. Products include softwood veneer sheets and softwood plywood panels, whether using in-house or purchased veneer, including panels faced with nonwood materials. ²

• How is NAICS 321212 different from NAICS 321211 and NAICS 321219?
  NAICS 321212 is for softwood veneer/plywood. Hardwood veneer/plywood is NAICS 321211, while reconstituted wood sheets and boards (e.g., MDF, OSB, particleboard) fall under NAICS 321219. ²

• Does NAICS 321212 include engineered wood members or trusses?
  No. Engineered members such as I-joists or laminated veneer lumber are classified in NAICS 321213, and trusses are classified in NAICS 321214, not in NAICS 321212. ²

• When did federal statistical programs start publishing on the 2022 NAICS basis?
  The Census Bureau began disseminating data on the 2022 NAICS basis with the 2022 Economic Census First Look in January 2024, and plans full adoption across programs by the end of 2027, with limited exceptions. ³

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 321212 overview
• U.S. Census Bureau: NAICS 2022 — Understanding NAICS and its structure. ¹
• U.S. Census Bureau: NAICS 321212 definition and cross-references (within 32121 group). ²
• U.S. Census Bureau: Implementation of the 2022 NAICS — timeline and adoption. ³
• U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Census by Industry tables (NAICS 31–33 Manufacturing). ⁵

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — Economic Census: NAICS Codes & Understanding Industry Classification Systems. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/year/2022/guidance/understanding-naics.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS Wood Product Manufacturing (includes 321212 definition and cross-references). https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect31-33.html
3. U.S. Census Bureau — The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (Implementation Timeline). https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html
4. Acquisition.gov — PGI 208.7006 Coordinated Acquisition Assignments (PSC descriptors including 5510, 5520, 5530). https://www.acquisition.gov/node/55785/printable/print
5. U.S. Census Bureau — Economic Census by Industry. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/tables/industry.html