323111 - Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books)

In today's fast-paced marketing world, high-quality printed materials remain a vital tool for communication and branding. Whether it's eye-catching brochures, professional business cards, or promotional advertising materials, commercial printing services play an essential role in helping businesses connect with their audiences. NAICS Code 323111 - Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books) defines the scope of this critical manufacturing industry segment and offers insight into the variety of commercial printing activities excluding screen and book printing.

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What is NAICS Code 323111?

NAICS 323111 covers establishments primarily engaged in commercial printing, excluding screen printing and book printing. This industry focuses on printing a variety of materials such as:

• Brochures
• Business cards
• Advertising flyers and coupons
• Calendars
• Catalogs
• Greeting cards
• Magazines and periodicals (commercial printing without publishing)
• Maps, posters, and many other printed products

This classification excludes screen printing and book printing but includes numerous other printing methods like digital, lithographic, flexographic, and gravure printing.

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Industry Sector: Manufacturing

NAICS 323111 falls under the Manufacturing sector, highlighting the industrial-scale production of printed materials. Businesses under this code use various printing technologies to produce bulk printed products, often operating on a job-order basis. Equipment and production methods include:

• Commercial lithographic (offset) printing
• Digital printing (large format and high resolution)
• Gravure, letterpress, and flexographic printing
• Quick printing services

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Typical Business Activities

Companies in this sector often offer a wide range of printing services, including but not limited to:

• Printing of brochures, flyers, catalogs, and business directories
• Production of labels, greeting cards, and postcards
• Manufacturing of calendars, diaries, blankbooks, and appointment books
• Creation of print media such as newspapers, newsletters, magazines (excluding publishing)
• Printing of commercial forms, credit/identification cards, and manifold forms
• Specialized printing like engraving, embossing, and hydrographic printing

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Size Standards and Employees

For government contracting and small business eligibility, the size standard for NAICS 323111 is typically up to:

• 650 employees

This threshold helps define qualifying small businesses eligible for set-asides and other federal programs.

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Types of Businesses Under NAICS 323111

Here are examples of typical businesses and services classified under this NAICS code:

• Brochure Printing Services: Companies specializing in creating marketing brochures for businesses.
• Business Card Printing Companies: Providers focused on producing professional business cards.
• Advertising Material Printers: Businesses printing promotional items such as flyers, coupons, and posters.
• Commercial Digital Print Shops: Facilities offering quick turnaround printing with digital technologies.
• Custom Calendar and Greeting Card Manufacturers: Specializing in seasonal and event-specific printed goods.

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NAICS 323111 Code Details Table

Product / Activity	Classification Description
Commercial Printing (except screen) without publishing	Printing of various commercial materials
Advertising materials (coupons, flyers)	Commercial printing services without publishing
Agricultural magazines and periodicals commercial printing	Printing without publishing
Albums (photo, scrap) and refills manufacturing	Production of photo albums and refill materials
Appointment books, diaries, calendars manufacturing	Production of datebooks and refillable planners
Art prints	Commercial printing excluding publishing
Atlases, globes, and maps printing	Printed geographic materials excluding blueprinting
Blankbooks and refills manufacturing	Production of blankbooks for records
Business directories and forms printing	Commercial printed business materials
Cards (business, greeting, playing, postcards, trading)	Commercial card printing, excluding screen and books
Catalogs and collections printing	Commercial print catalogs
Checkbooks and refills printing	Manifold and regular checkbook manufacturing
Comic, juvenile, professional, financial, technical magazines printing	Commercial magazine printing without publishing
Commercial digital, engraving, flexographic, gravure, letterpress printing	Range of printing technologies excluding books
Commercial lithographic (offset) printing	Bulk offset printing excluding books
Computer forms (manifold or continuous) printing	Specialized printing of continuous business forms
Credit and ID card imprinting, embossing, encoding	Security and personalized card printing
Databases, directories, newsletters, newspapers printing	Commercial printing without publishing
Discount coupon books printing	Printed marketing promo materials
Greeting cards (birthday, holiday, sympathy)	Commercial card printing excluding screen
Heat press printing on apparel and textiles (except grey goods, T-shirt shops)	Specialty printing excluding screen print shops
Instant (quick) printing	Rapid turnaround commercial print jobs
Job printing (all methods except screen and books)	Commercial job-order printing
Labels printing (job-order basis)	Commercial label printing
Looseleaf binders and devices manufacturing	Supporting products for printed materials
Magazines, newspaper, periodicals printing (commercial, excluding publishing)	Bulk printing of periodicals
Maps, posters, print shops services	Large format print production and shop services
Postcards, posters printing	Commercial print products for mailing and display
Printing on paper products (engraving, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure)	Various print methods excluding books
Professional, religious, trade journals and magazines printing	Specialty commercial periodical printing
Scrapbooks, sheet music printing	Niche commercial printing products
Stationery, unit set forms, manifold forms printing	Business operation support prints
Yearbooks commercial printing	Specialized commercial products without publishing

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What types of printing are excluded from NAICS 323111?

NAICS 323111 excludes screen printing and book printing. These activities are classified under other NAICS codes.

Which businesses benefit from this NAICS code its classification?

Businesses involved in commercial printing of brochures, business cards, advertising flyers, catalogs, and other printed marketing materials fall under this code.

What is the employee size standard for NAICS 323111?

The size standard is up to 650 employees, which determines eligibility for small business benefits in government contracting.

Does digital printing fall under NAICS 323111?

Yes, commercial digital printing (except books) is included under this code.

Are publishing companies included in NAICS 323111?

No, publishing activities are excluded. This code covers printing services only, without publishing content or editorial management.

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Conclusion

NAICS Code 323111 - Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books) plays a pivotal role in the manufacturing sector, catering to a broad spectrum of commercial printing needs. From vibrant advertising flyers to essential business forms, companies classified under this code provide indispensable services for businesses and organizations seeking professional print solutions.

For entrepreneurs or contractors looking to expand into or leverage government contracting opportunities within the printing sector, understanding the scope and requirements of NAICS 323111 is key to positioning your business for success.

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Unlock growth opportunities by aligning your commercial printing enterprise with NAICS 323111 today!