NAICS 332313

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the framework federal statistical programs use to categorize business establishments for consistent collection, analysis, and publication of U.S. economic data. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget with Canada and Mexico, NAICS replaced the SIC system in 1997 and is updated on a five-year cycle; the current adopted vintage is 2022. ²
NAICS 332313 — Plate Work Manufacturing — covers establishments primarily engaged in fabricating metal plate work from purchased plate by cutting, punching, bending, shaping, and welding. Federal statistical programs and economic census products use this industry to organize data about producers of fabricated plate products distinct from sheet-metal work, structural metal fabrication, and heavy-gauge tanks. ¹

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 332313 overview
• G2X — NAICS 332312 Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing
• G2X — NAICS 332322 Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing

What this NAICS covers

• Fabrication of metal plate work using purchased plate as input material. ¹
• Operations centered on cutting, punching, bending, shaping, and welding plate to produce finished or semi-finished assemblies. ¹
• Manufacture of plate-based components and subassemblies that are not classified as structural steel, sheet metal work, or heavy-gauge tanks. ¹
• Establishments whose primary activity is transforming metal plate into goods via production processes rather than on-site construction. ¹
• Work distinguished from sheet-metal fabrication by the use of plate stock and welded plate construction. ¹
• Exclusions: prefabricated metal buildings (332311), structural metal products (332312), sheet metal work (332322), automotive stampings (336370), and coin stamping (339911). ¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	332312	Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing
NAICS	332322	Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
NAICS	332420	Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing
NAICS	332311	Prefabricated Metal Building and Component Manufacturing

NAICS 2022 context for data users

• Census programs are transitioning publications to the 2022 NAICS vintage; initial 2022-coded releases began with the 2022 Economic Census in 2024, and full adoption across most programs is expected by the end of calendar year 2027. ³

Frequently asked questions

• How is NAICS 332313 different from NAICS 332322?
  NAICS 332313 focuses on fabricating goods from metal plate using processes like cutting and welding, while 332322 covers sheet metal work. The distinction hinges on input material (plate versus sheet) and the production processes typically applied to each. ¹

• What kinds of products are included in NAICS 332313?
  Official sources describe this industry by its processes (cutting, punching, bending, shaping, and welding of purchased metal plate) rather than listing specific products. Not specified by official sources. ¹

• Are on-site fabrication activities during construction included in this NAICS?
  No. Fabrication performed on a construction site is classified in the Construction sector, not Manufacturing. Establishments in 332313 are defined by factory-based production processes that transform purchased plate into goods. ¹

• What NAICS vintage is current, and when will 2022 NAICS be fully reflected in Census data?
  The current vintage is NAICS 2022. Census began releasing 2022-coded products in 2024 and plans to complete the transition for most economic programs by the end of 2027, per the official implementation timeline. ³

• What is NAICS and how is it structured?
  NAICS is a production-oriented classification jointly maintained by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to enable comparable statistics. It uses a hierarchical 2- to 6-digit code structure grouping establishments by similar production processes. ²

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 332313
• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 2022: 332313 industry description. ¹
• U.S. Census Bureau — Economic Census: Understanding NAICS. ²
• U.S. Census Bureau — Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (timeline). ³

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 2022: 332313 Plate Work Manufacturing (official industry description). https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=332313&year=2022&details=332313
2. U.S. Census Bureau — Economic Census: NAICS Codes & Understanding Industry Classification Systems. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/year/2022/technical-documentation/code-lists/understanding-naics-redirect.html
3. U.S. Census Bureau — Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (timeline). https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html