Analysis
NAICS 32721 is the 2022 NAICS industry for glass and glass product manufacturing, part of 3272 (Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing). Census lists 96 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 1,541 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 87,874 people at an average annual payroll of $67,434 per employee (48th percentile of national industries). 40% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Across its national industries Census lists 96 index entries; typical ones are flat glass (e.g., float, plate) manufacturing, ashtrays, glass, made in glass making plants, beer bottles, glass, manufacturing and aquariums made from purchased glass.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 9% and employment fell 7%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.
Its goods appear in 218 statistical lines of the US tariff schedule, mostly under headings 7013 (glassware of a kind used for table, kitchen, toilet…), 7010 (carboys, bottles, flasks, jars, pots, vials, ampoules and…) and 7004 (drawn glass and blown glass, in sheets, whether or not…). That link is how import data is matched to domestic producers, for example in trade-remedy cases.
Census lists 4 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 32799, 33331, 33911 and 33592. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing glass and/or glass products. Establishments in this industry may manufacture glass and/or glass products by melting silica sand or cullet, or from purchased glass.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing glass wool (i.e., fiberglass) insulation products | 32799 All Other Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing |
| Manufacturing optical lenses (except ophthalmic), such as magnifying, photographic, and projection lenses | 33331 Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing |
| Grinding ophthalmic (i.e., eyeglass) lenses for the trade | 33911 Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing |
| Manufacturing fiber optic cable from purchased fiber optic strand | 33592 Communication and Energy Wire and Cable Manufacturing |
Index entries (96)
- Flat glass (e.g., float, plate) manufacturing
- Ashtrays, glass, made in glass making plants
- Beer bottles, glass, manufacturing
- Aquariums made from purchased glass