NAICS 332312

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal standard for classifying business establishments to collect, analyze, and publish U.S. economic statistics. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget with counterparts in Canada and Mexico, NAICS replaced the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system in 1997 and is updated periodically to reflect structural changes in the economy. ¹

U.S. industry 332312 comprises establishments primarily engaged in fabricating structural metal products from purchased metal shapes through processes such as cutting, bending, welding, and assembling. Official examples include assemblies of concrete reinforcing bars and fabricated bar joists. On‑site erection of structures is excluded and classified to Construction Sector 23. ²

The current NAICS “vintage” is 2022, and federal statistical programs are in the process of implementing NAICS 2022 across surveys and releases. ⁶

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 332312 overview: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/332312
• G2X — NAICS 332311: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/332311
• G2X — NAICS 332313: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/332313

What this NAICS covers

• Fabrication of structural metal products from purchased shapes (shop cutting, bending, welding, and assembling). ²
• Assemblies of concrete reinforcing bars (rebar cages and similar reinforcing assemblies). ²
• Fabricated bar joists and joist components. ²
• Fabricated structural sections used in radio/television towers. ⁵
• Fabricated transmission tower sections and similar structural tower elements. ⁵
• Structural metal fabrication for building or bridge components produced off‑site (excludes on‑site construction). ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	332311	Prefabricated Metal Building and Component Manufacturing. 2
NAICS	332313	Plate Work Manufacturing. 2
PSC	9520	Structural Shapes, Iron and Steel. 4
PSC	9540	Structural Shapes, Nonferrous Base Metal. 4

SBA small business size standard (332312)

The Small Business Administration employee‑based size standard for 332312 is 500 employees (effective March 17, 2023). SBA counts the average number of employees over the past 12 months, including those of affiliates. ³

Scope notes and common exclusions

• Prefabricated metal buildings, panels, and sections belong in 332311, not 332312. ²
• Metal windows and doors are classified under 332321; metal studs fall under 332322. ²
• On‑site construction and erection of buildings or bridges is classified to Construction Sector 23. ²

Frequently asked questions

• What products are typically reported under NAICS 332312?
  Examples cited by official sources include assemblies of concrete reinforcing bars, fabricated bar joists, and fabricated structural tower sections (e.g., radio/TV or transmission towers). ⁵
  See also on G2X: NAICS 332312

• How does 332312 differ from 332313 and 332311?
  332312 covers structural metal fabrication; 332313 covers plate work; and 332311 covers prefabricated metal buildings and sections. Cross‑references in the NAICS manual delineate these boundaries. ²

• Is on‑site steel erection or bridge construction included in 332312?
  No. On‑site construction activities, including building and bridge erection, are classified to Construction Sector 23. ²

• What is the SBA small business size threshold for 332312?
  The SBA size standard is 500 employees, measured as the average number of employees over the previous 12 months (including affiliates), per the Table of Size Standards effective March 17, 2023. ³

• What’s the current NAICS “vintage” used in federal economic statistics?
  Agencies are implementing NAICS 2022 across programs; the 2022 Economic Census is on the 2022 basis, with remaining programs scheduled to convert by the end of 2027. ⁶

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 332312 overview: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/332312
• U.S. Census Bureau NAICS description for 332312 (definition and cross‑references). ²
• SBA Table of Small Business Size Standards (see 332312 = 500 employees). ³
• Census: Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (timeline and program adoption). ⁶

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Manual (overview and adoption in 1997 under OMB). https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2017/econ/2017-naics-manual.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 — 332312 Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing (definition and cross‑references). https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=332312&year=2022&details=332312
3. U.S. Small Business Administration, Table of Small Business Size Standards (effective March 17, 2023). https://www.sba.gov/document/support--table-size-standards
4. U.S. General Services Administration, Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual (code titles including 9520 and 9540). https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual
5. U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 NAICS Manual (Alphabetic Index entries mapping tower sections to 332312). https://www2.census.gov/library/reference/naics/publications/2017-NAICS-Manual.pdf
6. U.S. Census Bureau, The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (timeline and program adoption). https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html