North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Canada 2017 Version 3.0

31-33 - Manufacturing

This sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in the chemical, mechanical or physical transformation of materials or substances into new products. These products may be finished, in the sense that they are ready to be used or consumed, or semi-finished, in the sense of becoming a raw material for an establishment to use in further manufacturing. Related activities, such as the assembly of the component parts of manufactured goods; the blending of materials; and the finishing of manufactured products by dyeing, heat-treating, plating and similar operations are also treated as manufacturing activities. Manufacturing establishments are known by a variety of trade designations, such as plants, factories or mills.

Manufacturing establishments may own the materials which they transform or they may transform materials owned by other establishments. Manufacturing may take place in factories or in workers' homes, using either machinery or hand tools.

Units that completely outsource the transformation process but own the input materials are classified to the manufacturing sector. Units that completely outsource the transformation process but do not own the materials are classified to merchant wholesalers in Sector 41 Wholesale trade. These units are in fact buying the completed goods from the producer with the intention to resell it. These units may design the goods being manufactured, and may have some say in the manufacturing process.

Certain activities involving the transformation of goods are classified in other sectors. Some examples are post-harvest activities of agricultural establishments, such as crop drying; logging; the beneficiating of mineral ores; the production of structures by construction establishments; and various activities conducted by retailers, such as meat cutting and the assembly of products such as bicycles and computers.

Sales branches or offices (but not retail stores) maintained by manufacturing, refining, or mining enterprises apart from their plants or mines for the purpose of marketing their products are included in Sector 41 Wholesale trade as merchant wholesalers.

325 - Chemical manufacturing

This subsector comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing chemicals and chemical preparations, from organic and inorganic raw materials.

• Exclusion(s)

  • beneficiating mineral ores (See 212 Mining and quarrying (except oil and gas))
  • field processing of crude petroleum and natural gas (See 211 Oil and gas extraction)
  • processing crude petroleum and coal (See 324 Petroleum and coal product manufacturing)
  • smelting and refining ores and concentrates (See 331 Primary metal manufacturing)

3252 - Resin, synthetic rubber, and artificial and synthetic fibres and filaments manufacturing

This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing polymers such as resins, synthetic rubber, and textile fibres and filaments. Polymerization of monomers into polymers, for example of styrene into polystyrene, is the basic process.

32521 - Resin and synthetic rubber manufacturing

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing synthetic resins, plastics materials and synthetic rubber from basic organic chemicals.

32522 - Artificial and synthetic fibres and filaments manufacturing

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing artificial and synthetic fibres and filaments in the form of monofilament, filament yarn, staple or tow. Artificial fibres are made from organic polymers derived from natural raw materials, mainly cellulose. Synthetic fibres are generally derived from petrochemicals. Establishments that both manufacture and texture fibres are included.