Analysis
NAICS 33531 is the 2022 NAICS industry for electrical equipment manufacturing, part of 3353 (Electrical Equipment Manufacturing). Census lists 126 example activities under it in the official index.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 13% and employment rose 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.
County Business Patterns counts 1,793 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 125,655 people at an average annual payroll of $75,704 per employee (63rd percentile of national industries). 27% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Census lists 6 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 33361, 33441, 33451 and 33593. 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.
Across its national industries Census lists 126 index entries; typical ones are airport lighting transformers manufacturing, armature rewinding on a factory basis, air circuit breakers manufacturing and armature relays manufacturing.
Its goods appear in 154 statistical lines of the US tariff schedule, mostly under headings 8501 (electric motors and generators (excluding generating sets)), 8504 (electrical transformers, static converters (for example…) and 8536 (electrical apparatus for switching or protecting electrical…). That link is how import data is matched to domestic producers, for example in trade-remedy cases.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing power, distribution, and specialty transformers; electric motors, generators, and motor generator sets; switchgear and switchboard apparatus; relays; and industrial controls.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing turbine generator set units and electric outboard motors | 33361 Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing |
| Manufacturing electronic component-type transformers and switches | 33441 Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing |
| Manufacturing environmental controls and industrial process control instruments | 33451 Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing |
| Manufacturing switches for electrical circuits, such as pushbutton and snap switches | 33593 Wiring Device Manufacturing |
| Manufacturing welding and soldering equipment (except handheld soldering irons) | 33399 All Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing |
| Manufacturing starting motors and generators for internal combustion engines | 33632 Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing |
Index entries (126)
- Airport lighting transformers manufacturing
- Armature rewinding on a factory basis
- Air circuit breakers manufacturing
- Armature relays manufacturing