North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Canada 2017 Version 1.0

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.

326 - Plastics and rubber products manufacturing

This subsector comprises establishments primarily engaged in making goods by processing raw rubber and plastics materials. Rubber and plastics-based activities are combined in the same subsector because the technical properties of these polymers are related.

Generally, establishments classified in this subsector manufacture products made of just one material, rubber or plastics, with the major exception of tire manufacturing.

  • Exclusion(s)

    • compounding plastics resins from recycled materials (See 325991 Custom compounding of purchased resins)
    • manufacturing synthetic resins from basic organic chemicals (See 325210 Resin and synthetic rubber manufacturing)

3261 - Plastic product manufacturing

This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing intermediate or final products from plastics resins, using such processes as compression moulding, extrusion moulding, injection moulding, blow moulding and casting. The production process in most of these industries is such that a wide variety of products can be produced. The plastics resins used by these establishments may be new or recycled.

  • Exclusion(s)

    • manufacturing laminated film, sheet and bags of plastic combined with other materials (See 3222 Converted paper product manufacturing)
    • manufacturing plastic hose and belting (See 3262 Rubber product manufacturing)
32613 - Laminated plastic plate, sheet (except packaging), and shape manufacturing

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in laminating plastic profile shapes, such as plates, sheets and rods. The lamination process generally involves bonding or impregnating profiles with plastics resins and compressing them under heat.

  • Exclusion(s)

    • manufacturing unsupported laminated plastic film, sheets and bags (See 32611 Plastic packaging materials and unlaminated film and sheet manufacturing)
326130 - Laminated plastic plate, sheet (except packaging), and shape manufacturing

This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in laminating plastic profile shapes, such as plates, sheets and rods. The lamination process generally involves bonding or impregnating profiles with plastics resins and compressing them under heat.

  • Illustrative example(s)

    • profile shapes (e.g., plate, rod, sheet), laminated plastics, manufacturing
    • window sheeting, laminated plastics, manufacturing

    All examples

  • Exclusion(s)

    • manufacturing laminated plastic plate, sheet and shape for packaging (See 32611 Plastic packaging materials and unlaminated film and sheet manufacturing)
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