North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Canada 2012

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.

Factoryless goods producers (FGPs) that completely outsource the transformation process but own the input materials are classified to the manufacturing sector. FGPs 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.

332 - Fabricated metal product manufacturing

This subsector comprises establishments primarily engaged in forging, stamping, forming, turning and joining processes to produce ferrous and non-ferrous metal products, such as cutlery and hand tools, architectural and structural metal products, boilers, tanks and shipping containers, hardware, spring and wire products, turned products, and bolts, nuts and screws.

• Exclusion(s)

  • manufacturing metal products by rolling, drawing, extruding, alloying or casting (See 331 Primary metal manufacturing)

3324 - Boiler, tank and shipping container manufacturing

This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in cutting, forming and joining metal to manufacture products, such as power boilers, heat exchangers and tanks of heavy gauge metal, and cans, boxes and other light gauge metal containers.

33242 - Metal tank (heavy gauge) manufacturing

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in cutting, forming and joining heavy gauge steel to manufacture tanks. Establishments primarily engaged in fabricating and erecting large storage tanks, which must be assembled at the site, are included.

332420 - Metal tank (heavy gauge) manufacturing

This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in cutting, forming and joining heavy gauge steel to manufacture tanks. Establishments primarily engaged in fabricating and erecting large storage tanks, which must be assembled at the site, are included.

• Illustrative example(s)

  • bulk storage tanks, heavy gauge steel, manufacturing
  • cylinders, pressure, manufacturing
  • oil and gas storage tanks, heavy gauge metal, manufacturing
  • pots (e.g., annealing, melting, smelting), heavy gauge metal, manufacturing
  • septic tanks, heavy gauge metal, manufacturing
  • vacuum tanks, heavy gauge metal, manufacturing

  All examples

• Exclusion(s)

  • manufacturing tanks for tank trucks (See 33621 Motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing)