NAICS 331221

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the governmentwide standard for organizing business establishments so federal statistical agencies can consistently collect, analyze, and publish data on the U.S. economy. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget with Canada and Mexico, NAICS replaced SIC in 1997; the current statistical vintage is 2022 ¹.
NAICS 331221 (Rolled Steel Shape Manufacturing) covers establishments primarily engaged in rolling or drawing shapes—except wire—from purchased steel, including plate, sheet, strip, rod, and bar. Cross-references place integrated steelmaking in NAICS 331111 and wire drawing in NAICS 331222 ².

What this NAICS covers

• Rolling purchased steel into plate, sheet, and strip (flat-rolled products) ²
• Drawing purchased steel into non-wire long products such as rods and bars ²
• Hot- or cold-rolling steel shapes (except wire) from purchased steel ²
• Finishing operations incidental to rolling/drawing (e.g., leveling, cutting to length) for covered shapes ²
• Producing structural steel shapes from purchased steel (e.g., beams and channels), excluding pipe/tube ²
• Manufacturing steel shapes from purchased steel where steelmaking is not performed on-site ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	331111	Iron and Steel Mills
NAICS	331222	Steel Wire Drawing
NAICS	331491	Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum) Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding
PSC	9510	Bars and Rods, Iron and Steel
PSC	9515	Plate, Sheet, and Strip, Iron and Steel
PSC	9520	Structural Shapes, Iron and Steel
PSC	9540	Structural Shapes, Nonferrous Base Metal

Inclusions and exclusions (official cross-references)

• Included: Rolling or drawing shapes (except wire) such as plate, sheet, strip, rod, and bar from purchased steel under NAICS 331221 ²
• Excluded: Making steel and rolling/drawing steel shapes in integrated mills (classify in NAICS 331111) ²
• Excluded: Drawing wire from purchased steel (classify in NAICS 331222) ²
• Excluded: Rolling/drawing/extruding nonferrous shapes (except copper and aluminum), which fall under NAICS 331491 ²

2017–2022 continuity and NAICS status

Census programs are transitioning publications to the 2022 NAICS vintage; the 2022 Economic Census releases began in 2024, and most NAICS-based programs are expected to adopt 2022 NAICS by the end of calendar year 2027 ⁴.

Frequently asked questions

• What activities fall under NAICS 331221?
  Rolling or drawing shapes—except wire—from purchased steel, including plate, sheet, strip, rod, and bar. Establishments do not make steel on-site; they transform purchased steel into rolled or drawn shapes ²

• How does NAICS 331221 differ from NAICS 331111 and NAICS 331222?
  NAICS 331221 covers rolling/drawing shapes from purchased steel. NAICS 331111 covers integrated steelmaking (making steel and rolling/drawing), while NAICS 331222 covers drawing wire from purchased steel ²

• Are nonferrous rolled shapes included in NAICS 331221?
  No. Nonferrous rolling/drawing/extrusion (except copper and aluminum) is classified in NAICS 331491; copper and aluminum have their own NAICS industries ²

• Which PSC codes often appear for steel plates, bars, and structural shapes relevant to NAICS 331221?
  PSC 9510 (bars/rods), PSC 9515 (plate/sheet/strip), and PSC 9520 (structural shapes) cover common ferrous mill forms used in procurement descriptions ³

• Which federal agencies most often buy under NAICS 331221?
  Not specified by official sources ²

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 331221
• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS Codes & Understanding Industry Classification Systems (2022 vintage context) ¹
• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 331221 description and cross-references ²
• Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual and code names (e.g., 9510, 9515, 9520) ³

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau. Economic Census: NAICS Codes & Understanding Industry Classification Systems (2022 Guidance). https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/year/2022/technical-documentation/code-lists/understanding-naics-redirect.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau. 2022 NAICS 331221 — Rolled Steel Shape Manufacturing (definition, examples, cross-references). https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=331221&year=2022&details=331221
3. Acquisition.gov. PGI 208.7006 Coordinated acquisition assignments (includes PSC/FSC 95xx titles). https://www.acquisition.gov/dfarspgi/pgi-part-208-required-sources-supplies-and-services
4. U.S. Census Bureau. The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (timeline and status). https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html