Analysis
NAICS 423850 is the 2022 national industry for service establishment equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers, part of 42385 (Service Establishment Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers). Census lists 41 example activities under it in the official index.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 13% and employment rose 0%. 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 5,296 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 54,608 people at an average annual payroll of $63,857 per employee (41st percentile of national industries). 45% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Census lists 5 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 424690, 424310, 424990 and 423720. 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.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include amusement park equipment merchant wholesalers, barber shop equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers, beauty parlor equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers and boot and shoe cut stock and findings merchant wholesalers, among 41 in all.
For example, merchant wholesale distribution of janitorial and automotive chemicals are classified in 424690 (Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers) instead.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of specialized equipment and supplies of the type used by service establishments (except specialized equipment and supplies used in offices, stores, hotels, restaurants, schools, health and medical facilities, photographic facilities, and specialized equipment used in transportation and construction activities).
Illustrative Examples:
Amusement park equipment merchant wholesalers Beauty parlor equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers Car wash equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers Drycleaning equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers Voting machines merchant wholesalers Janitorial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers Undertakers' equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers Upholsterers' equipment and supplies (except fabrics) merchant wholesalers Water treatment equipment, municipal, merchant wholesalers
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Merchant wholesale distribution of janitorial and automotive chemicals | 424690 Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of piece goods, fabrics, knitting yarns (except industrial), thread and other notions | 424310 Piece Goods, Notions, and Other Dry Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of industrial yarns | 424990 Other Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of plumbing and hydronic heating equipment | 423720 Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies (Hydronics) Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of grave markers, monuments, and tombstones | 423990 Other Miscellaneous Durable Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
Index entries (41)
- Amusement park equipment merchant wholesalers
- Barber shop equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Beauty parlor equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Boot and shoe cut stock and findings merchant wholesalers
- Brooms (except household-type) merchant wholesalers
- Burial caskets merchant wholesalers
- Car wash equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Carnival equipment merchant wholesalers
- Carpet cleaning equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Caskets, burial, merchant wholesalers
- Chairs, hydraulic, beauty and barber shop, merchant wholesalers
- Clothes dryers (except household-type) merchant wholesalers
- Coffins merchant wholesalers
- Drycleaning equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Fare boxes, public transit vehicle, merchant wholesalers
- Firefighting equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Floor maintenance equipment merchant wholesalers
- Funeral home supplies merchant wholesalers
- Furriers equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Hair preparations, professional, merchant wholesalers
- Janitorial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Laundry machinery, equipment, and supplies, commercial, merchant wholesalers
- Law enforcement equipment (except safety) merchant wholesalers
- Locksmith equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Manicurists supplies merchant wholesalers
- Massage equipment merchant wholesalers
- Meters, parking, merchant wholesalers
- Mops, industrial, merchant wholesalers
- Padding, upholstery filling, merchant wholesalers
- Patterns, shoe, merchant wholesalers
- Pressure washers merchant wholesalers
- Service establishment equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Shoe repair materials merchant wholesalers
- Sprinkler systems, fire, merchant wholesalers
- Tailors' supplies merchant wholesalers
- Taxidermy supplies merchant wholesalers
- Undertakers' equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Upholsterers' equipment and supplies (except fabrics) merchant wholesalers
- Vacuum cleaning systems, commercial, merchant wholesalers
- Voting machines merchant wholesalers