NAICS 331222

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the U.S. government standard for classifying business establishments to support the collection, analysis, and publication of economic statistics. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget in cooperation with Canada and Mexico, NAICS replaced SIC in 1997 and is maintained on a 2022 basis. ¹

NAICS 331222 — Steel Wire Drawing — covers establishments primarily engaged in drawing wire from purchased steel. Official cross-references place integrated steelmaking that includes wire drawing in 33111, and fabrication of products from purchased wire (e.g., nails, paper clips) in 33261. ²

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 331222 overview
• G2X — NAICS 33261 Spring and Wire Product Manufacturing
• G2X — NAICS 331221 Rolled Steel Shape Manufacturing

What this NAICS covers

• Drawing steel wire from purchased steel inputs (wire rod or similar feedstock). ²
• Establishments whose primary activity is wire drawing rather than manufacturing finished wire products. ²
• Non-integrated wire drawing operations (i.e., facilities that do not make steel). ²
• Activities classified within “Rolling and Drawing of Purchased Steel” industry group 33122. ²
• Excludes integrated mills that make steel and draw wire (classified in 33111). ²
• Excludes manufacturing of wire springs and other wire products from purchased wire (classified in 33261). ³

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	331221	Rolled Steel Shape Manufacturing
NAICS	33261	Spring and Wire Product Manufacturing
PSC	9505	Wire, Nonelectrical, Iron and Steel
PSC	9510	Bars and Rods, Iron and Steel

Boundary and classification notes

• If steelmaking and wire drawing occur in the same establishment, classification shifts to Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing (33111). ²
• Making wire products (e.g., nails, chain-link fencing, paper clips) from purchased wire is not 331222; it is covered by Spring and Wire Product Manufacturing (33261). ³
• NAICS references confirm the title for 331222 as “Steel Wire Drawing” in current statistical code lists. ⁴

Frequently asked questions

• What does NAICS 331222 include?

  • Establishments primarily engaged in drawing wire from purchased steel. The focus is the drawing operation itself, typically starting with wire rod and reducing diameter through dies; downstream fabrication of finished articles from purchased wire is classified elsewhere, not in 331222. ²

• How is 331222 different from 331221?

  • 331221 covers rolling or drawing shapes (except wire)—such as plate, sheet, strip, rod, and bar—from purchased steel. 331222 is specific to drawing steel wire from purchased steel inputs and excludes the manufacture of wire products from purchased wire. ²

• Where are wire products made from purchased wire classified?

  • Not in 331222. Fabricating items such as springs, nails, chain-link fencing, paper clips, or other articles from purchased wire is classified under Spring and Wire Product Manufacturing, 33261, rather than the steel wire drawing industry. ³

• Is 331222 part of the 2022 NAICS used in the 2022 Economic Census?

  • Yes. The Census Bureau’s 2022 Economic Census covers Manufacturing (Sectors 31–33), within which 331222 appears as a current industry classification. Data tables and technical materials reference NAICS 2022 for manufacturing industries. ⁵

• Does the official NAICS text specify ancillary processes (e.g., annealing or coating) for 331222?

  • Not specified by official sources. Organizations should classify based on the primary activity; ancillary processes that are incidental to wire drawing generally do not change the industry assignment, but the NAICS text does not enumerate such processes for this code. ²

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 331222 overview
• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS main page and introduction. ¹
• U.S. Census Bureau — 331222 Steel Wire Drawing industry text and cross-references. ²
• U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 Economic Census, Manufacturing (Sectors 31–33). ⁵

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) — Main page. https://www.census.gov/naics/
2. U.S. Census Bureau. NAICS 2022 Search — 331222 Steel Wire Drawing (definition and cross-references). https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=331222&year=2022&dataset=naicsus
3. U.S. Census Bureau. NAICS 2022 Search — 33261 Spring and Wire Product Manufacturing. https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=33261&year=2022&dataset=naicsus
4. U.S. Census Bureau, LEHD. Selected Codebook Value Labels (latest) — includes “331222 | Steel Wire Drawing.” https://lehd.ces.census.gov/data/lehd-snapshot-doc/latest/appendices/value_labels.html
5. U.S. Census Bureau. 2022 Economic Census — Manufacturing (Sectors 31–33). https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/naics-sector-31-33.html