NAICS 325211

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal standard for classifying business establishments to support the collection, analysis, and publication of U.S. economic statistics. Established by the Office of Management and Budget in 1997 to replace SIC, NAICS was developed with Statistics Canada and Mexico’s INEGI to enable cross-country comparability; the current U.S. vintage is 2022 ¹.

NAICS 325211 covers establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing resins, plastics materials, and nonvulcanizable thermoplastic elastomers; it also includes custom mixing and blending of resins when performed by the resin manufacturer. It excludes custom compounding of purchased resins, plastics adhesives manufacturing, and conversion of resins into plastics products, which are classified elsewhere ².

See also on G2X:

• NAICS 325212
• NAICS 325991

What this NAICS covers

• Production of synthetic resins and plastics materials ².
• Manufacture of nonvulcanizable thermoplastic elastomers ².
• Custom mixing and blending of resins made by the same establishment ².
• Manufacture of noncustomized synthetic resins ².
• Resin pelletization, flake, or similar resin material forms produced as outputs of chemical processes ².
• Integrated resin manufacturing operations that include on-site blending prior to sale ².

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	325212	Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing (separate from plastics resins) 2.
NAICS	325991	Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins (custom blending of resins made elsewhere) 2.
NAICS	3261	Plastics Product Manufacturing (converting resins into intermediate or final products) 2.
PSC	6810	Chemicals (product code used in procurement to describe chemical commodities) 3.

Key cross‑references and exclusions

• Custom compounding of purchased resins is classified in 325991, not 325211 ².
• Manufacturing plastics adhesives is classified in 325520 ².
• Converting plastics resins into bags, film, sheet, or other plastics products is classified in 3261 ².

Frequently asked questions

• What activities define NAICS 325211?
  Establishments manufacture plastics resins and nonvulcanizable thermoplastic elastomers and may custom mix or blend resins when done by the resin producer. Converting resins into plastic products (e.g., molding or extrusion) is excluded and classified under 3261 ².

• Is custom compounding of purchased resins included in 325211?
  No. When resins are produced elsewhere and then custom compounded, the activity is classified in 325991, not 325211. The distinction hinges on whether the compounding is performed by the resin manufacturer or by a separate establishment ².

• How does 325211 differ from 3261?
  325211 focuses on producing resin materials via chemical processes, including on-site blending by the manufacturer. 3261 covers converting those resins into plastic products using molding, extrusion, or similar fabrication methods performed by plastics product manufacturers ².

• Which PSC codes are commonly associated with plastic resin buys?
  PSCs describe “what is bought.” Agencies often use chemical commodity codes such as 6810 (Chemicals) for resin-related purchases, depending on the specific item. PSC selection reflects the product or service purchased rather than the supplier’s NAICS classification ³.

• Are bio-based or recycled-content resins treated differently under 325211?
  NAICS classification is based on production processes, not feedstocks. The definition for 325211 does not distinguish bio-based or recycled-content inputs; classification remains the same for qualifying resin manufacturing activities. Not specified by official sources ².

Useful resources

• Census NAICS main site and introduction ¹.
• 2022 NAICS Manual (official U.S. definitions) ².
• PSC Manual (FY 2024 Edition) — product/service coding guidance ³.
• 2022 Economic Census, Manufacturing (NAICS 31–33) data resources ⁴.

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau, North American Industry Classification System — Introduction and 2022 NAICS access, https://www.census.gov/naics/
2. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS Manual (official industry definitions), https://www.census.gov/naics/reference_files_tools/2022_NAICS_Manual.pdf
3. U.S. General Services Administration, Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual, April 2024 Edition, https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202024.pdf
4. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS Sector 31–33 — Manufacturing (Economic Census data resources), https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/naics-sector-31-33.html