Analysis
NAICS 332111 is the 2022 national industry for iron and steel forging, part of 33211 (Forging and Stamping). Census lists 12 example activities under it in the official index.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 25% and employment fell 18%. 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.
County Business Patterns counts 283 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 17,126 people at an average annual payroll of $76,803 per employee (64th percentile of national industries). 35% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include cold forgings made from purchased iron or steel, unfinished, drop forgings made from purchased iron or steel, unfinished, ferrous forgings made from purchased iron or steel… and forgings made from purchased iron or steel, unfinished, among 12 in all.
Its goods appear in 2 statistical lines of the US tariff schedule, mostly under headings 8205 (handtools (including glass cutters) not elsewhere specified…) and 8708 (parts and accessories of the motor vehicles of headings…). That link is how import data is matched to domestic producers, for example in trade-remedy cases.
For example, manufacturing iron and steel forgings in integrated iron and steel mills are classified in 331110 (Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing) instead.
Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing iron and steel forgings from purchased iron and steel by hammering mill shapes. Establishments making iron and steel forgings and further manufacturing (e.g., machining, assembling) a specific manufactured product are classified in the industry of the finished product. Iron and steel forging establishments may perform surface finishing operations, such as cleaning and deburring, on the forgings they manufacture.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
Index entries (12)
- Cold forgings made from purchased iron or steel, unfinished
- Drop forgings made from purchased iron or steel, unfinished
- Ferrous forgings made from purchased iron or steel, unfinished
- Forgings made from purchased iron or steel, unfinished
- Gun forgings made from purchased iron or steel, unfinished
- Hammer forgings made from purchased iron or steel, unfinished
- Horseshoes, ferrous forged, made from purchased iron or steel
- Hot forgings made from purchased iron or steel, unfinished
- Iron forgings made from purchased iron, unfinished
- Press forgings made from purchased iron or steel, unfinished
- Steel forgings made from purchased steel, unfinished
- Upset forgings made from purchased iron or steel, unfinished