NAICS 325120

Overview

North American Industry Classification System code NAICS 325120 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325120) covers establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing industrial gases in compressed, liquid, or solid form. Typical products include oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, argon, acetylene, carbon dioxide, and rare gases. Production may involve air separation, reforming, purification, or other processes, and output is sold in bulk, cylinder, or other forms. Dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) production is also included. This industry code focuses on manufacturing activities and excludes chemical wholesaling and energy commodity distribution (e.g., natural gas mains). Establishments are classified based on their primary activity, so operations that principally produce gases belong here, even if they also perform cylinder filling or operate on-site generation for customers. ¹

What this NAICS covers

• Establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing industrial organic and inorganic gases in compressed, liquid, or solid forms are classified under NAICS 325120 (Industrial Gas Manufacturing) (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325120). ¹
• Production of common industrial gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, argon, acetylene, carbon dioxide, and other rare gases. ¹
• Manufacturing industrial gases in liquid or compressed states for bulk, cylinder, or other forms of sale. ¹
• Dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) manufacturing as part of industrial gas production. ¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

• NAICS 325110 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325110) Petrochemical Manufacturing — establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing acyclic and cyclic organic petrochemicals; distinct from industrial gas manufacturing. ²
• NAICS 325180 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325180) Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing — establishments producing basic inorganic chemicals (excluding industrial gases). ³
• NAICS 325199 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325199) All Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing — establishments making basic organic chemicals not elsewhere classified (separate from industrial gas products). ⁴
• NAICS 424690 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/424690) Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers — wholesaling of chemical products; applies to distribution, not manufacturing of gases. ⁵
• NAICS 221210 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/221210) Natural Gas Distribution — distribution of natural gas to end users via mains; not applicable to industrial gas manufacturing. ⁶

Commonly paired PSC codes for federal procurement of industrial gases and related chemical products:

• PSC 6830 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/6830) Gases: Compressed and Liquefied — includes oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, argon, carbon dioxide, acetylene, and similar industrial gases. ⁷
• PSC 6810 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/6810) Chemicals — laboratory and industrial chemicals; used when gases are procured as chemical reagents or in related chemical buys. ⁸
• PSC 6850 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/6850) Miscellaneous Chemical Specialties — specialty chemical items related to industrial gas applications and handling. ⁹

Frequently asked questions

• What does NAICS 325120 include?

  • NAICS 325120 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325120) covers establishments manufacturing industrial gases in compressed, liquid, or solid forms, including oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, argon, acetylene, carbon dioxide, rare gases, and dry ice. Products may be sold in bulk or cylinders. ¹

• What is explicitly excluded from NAICS 325120?

  • Basic chemicals other than gases fall under NAICS 325180 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325180) or 325199 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325199); petrochemicals under 325110 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325110). Chemical wholesaling without manufacturing is 424690 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/424690). Natural gas distribution via mains is 221210 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/221210). ²

• Are medical gases covered here?

  • Yes. Manufacturing medical-grade oxygen, nitrous oxide, or other therapeutic and diagnostic gases is classified in NAICS 325120 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325120). The classification is based on the establishment’s primary activity (manufacturing), not the end-use sector. ¹

• Does dry ice manufacturing fall under this NAICS?

  • Yes. Dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) production is included in industrial gas manufacturing and is classified under NAICS 325120 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325120). ¹

• How are cylinder filling operations classified?

  • If an establishment primarily manufactures gases and also fills its own cylinders, it belongs in NAICS 325120 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325120). If it mainly purchases gases and fills/distributes them without manufacturing, it typically falls under NAICS 424690 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/424690). ⁵

Useful resources

• Official NAICS 2022 details for NAICS 325120 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325120): U.S. Census Bureau definition, examples, and cross-references — https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=325120&year=2022&details=325120
• NAICS search and concordances — https://www.census.gov/naics/
• SBA Table of Small Business Size Standards (for NAICS 325120) — https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-guide/size-standards
• PSC Tool: Common pairings for industrial gases
  • PSC 6830 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/6830) Gases: Compressed and Liquefied — https://psctool.us/pscs/6830
  • PSC 6810 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/6810) Chemicals — https://psctool.us/pscs/6810
  • PSC 6850 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/6850) Miscellaneous Chemical Specialties — https://psctool.us/pscs/6850
• OSHA General Industry Standard for Compressed Gases (1910.101) — https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.101
• PHMSA Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) — https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/laws-regulations
• eCFR 49 CFR Part 178 (Specifications for Packagings) — https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-178
• FDA Medical Gases — https://www.fda.gov/drugs/medical-gases/medical-gases
• EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program
  • Subpart PP — Suppliers of Carbon Dioxide — https://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/subpart-pp-suppliers-carbon-dioxide
  • Subpart OO — Suppliers of Industrial Greenhouse Gases — https://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/subpart-oo-suppliers-industrial-greenhouse-gases
• EPA Risk Management Program (RMP) — https://www.epa.gov/rmp
• NIST Standard Reference Materials for Gas Mixtures — https://www.nist.gov/srm
• DOT/PHMSA Special Permits Database — https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/approvals-and-permits/hazmat/hazardous-materials-approvals-and-permits-search
• NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards — https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/
• GSA SAM.gov Contract Opportunities — https://sam.gov/content/opportunities

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 2022 details for NAICS 325120 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325120) Industrial Gas Manufacturing: https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=325120&year=2022&details=325120
2. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 2022 details for NAICS 325110 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325110) Petrochemical Manufacturing: https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=325110&year=2022&details=325110
3. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 2022 details for NAICS 325180 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325180) Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing: https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=325180&year=2022&details=325180
4. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 2022 details for NAICS 325199 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/325199) All Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing: https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=325199&year=2022&details=325199
5. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 2022 details for NAICS 424690 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/424690) Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers: https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=424690&year=2022&details=424690
6. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 2022 details for NAICS 221210 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/221210) Natural Gas Distribution: https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=221210&year=2022&details=221210
7. PSC Tool — PSC 6830 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/6830) Gases: Compressed and Liquefied: https://psctool.us/pscs/6830
8. PSC Tool — PSC 6810 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/6810) Chemicals: https://psctool.us/pscs/6810
9. PSC Tool — PSC 6850 (link: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/6850) Miscellaneous Chemical Specialties: https://psctool.us/pscs/6850