331491 - Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum) Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding
In the vast world of manufacturing, specific industries are categorized using NAICS codes for precise identification and regulatory purposes. One such crucial category is NAICS code 331491, which pertains to Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum) Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding. This blog post delves deep into what this code represents, its business implications, the manufacturing sector it belongs to, and the typical activities carried out under this classification.
What Is NAICS Code 331491?
NAICS code 331491 covers establishments primarily engaged in rolling, drawing, and extruding nonferrous metals, explicitly excluding copper and aluminum. These processes aim to transform raw metals into commercially usable finished products such as sheets, bars, rods, tubes, and wires. The metals handled often include nickel, zinc, titanium, lead, tin, and precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum, among others.
Sector Focus: Manufacturing
NAICS 331491 is part of the Manufacturing sector, which involves converting raw materials into finished goods. This particular industry segment is essential to many downstream industries, including aerospace, automotive, electronics, and construction, given the specific properties nonferrous metals offer—like corrosion resistance, lightweight, and superior conductivity.
Typical Business Activities
Businesses under this NAICS code primarily perform activities such as:
- Rolling and shaping nonferrous metal bars, rods, and sheets
- Drawing wires and cables from purchased nonferrous metals
- Extruding metal shapes and tubes from purchased metals or scrap
- Producing specialized metal foil (e.g., gold, silver, nickel foil)
- Manufacturing metal products used in aerospace, automotive, and electronics industries
- Secondary smelting combined with metal forming processes like wire drawing and rolling
Size Standards for NAICS Code 331491
For government contracting and other official purposes, eligibility under NAICS 331491 often depends on a business size standard. Currently, the size standard for this industry is:
- Maximum of 900 employees
Companies with 900 or fewer employees generally qualify as small businesses under this NAICS classification.
Examples of Businesses Under NAICS 331491
Some typical business types and activities classified under this NAICS code include:
- Nickel rolling and drawing plants
- Zinc extrusion facilities
- Titanium bar manufacturing operations
These businesses focus on producing high-precision metal components used across highly specialized applications.
Detailed Code Activities Table for NAICS 331491
| Product or Activity Description | Details |
|---|---|
| Aircraft and automotive wire & cable (nonferrous except Al, Cu) | Made from purchased nonferrous metals in wire drawing plants |
| Apparatus wire and cord (nonferrous except Al, Cu) | Made in wire drawing plants from purchased metals |
| Bar, nonferrous metals (except Al, Cu) | Produced by drawing, rolling, or extruding from purchased metals/scrap |
| Coaxial cable (nonferrous except Al, Cu) | Manufactured in wire drawing plants from nonferrous metals |
| Communications wire or cable (nonferrous except Al, Cu) | Wire drawing from purchased metals |
| Cord sets, flexible (nonferrous except Al, Cu) | Made in wire drawing plants |
| Energy wire or cable (nonferrous except Al, Cu) | Produced from purchased metals in wire drawing plants |
| Foil (gold, nickel, silver) | Rolled from purchased metals or scrap |
| Gold bar, sheet, strip, tubing | Made from purchased metals or scrap |
| Iridium bar, rod, sheet, strip, tubing | From purchased metals or scrap |
| Lead and lead alloy products | Bars, pipes, rods, sheets produced from purchased metals or scrap |
| Magnesium products | Bars, rods, sheets, strips, tubing, or foil made from scrap or purchased metals |
| Molybdenum products | Bar, plate, pipe, rod, sheet, tubing, wire from purchased metals or scrap |
| Nails (nonferrous except Al, Cu) | Made in wire drawing plants from purchased metals |
| Nickel alloys | Pipes, plates, sheets, strips, tubing from purchased metals or scrap |
| Nonferrous metal shapes | Rolled, drawn, or extruded in various integrated mills |
| Nonferrous wire | Made in wire drawing plants and integrated secondary smelting mills |
| Pipe (nonferrous metals except Al, Cu) | Made from purchased metals or scrap |
| Plate (nonferrous metals except Al, Cu) | Made from purchased metals or scrap |
| Platinum and platinum alloys | Rolled, drawn, or extruded from purchased metals or scrap |
| Precious metal bars and shapes | From purchased metals or scrap |
| Rods, strips, tubing (various nonferrous metals except Al, Cu) | Shaped by rolling, drawing, extruding |
| Selenium products | Bars, rods, sheets, strips, tubing |
| Silver and silver alloys | Rolled, drawn, extruded or made into foil |
| Solder wire (nonferrous except Al, Cu) | Made from purchased metals or scrap |
| Tin and tin alloys | Bars, pipes, rods, sheets, strips, tubing made from purchased metals or scrap |
| Titanium products | Bars, billets, rods, sheets, strips, tubing from metals or scrap |
| Tubing (nonferrous metals except Al, Cu) | Made from purchased metals or scrap |
| Tungsten products | Bars, rods, sheets, strips, tubing from purchased metals or scrap |
| Welding rods (uncoated, nonferrous except Al, Cu) | Made from purchased metals |
| Wire cloth and screening | Made from purchased nonferrous metals in wire drawing plants |
| Zinc and zinc alloys | Bars, plates, pipes, rods, sheets, tubing, wire from metals or scrap |
| Zirconium and zirconium alloys | Bars, rods, billets, sheets, strips, tubing from metals or scrap |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What types of metals are included in NAICS 331491?
This code includes nonferrous metals such as nickel, zinc, titanium, lead, tin, precious metals (gold, silver, platinum), molybdenum, selenium, tungsten, and others—excluding copper and aluminum.
What manufacturing processes does this NAICS code cover?
It covers rolling, drawing, and extruding of nonferrous metals to create finished products like wires, rods, sheets, bars, tubes, foils, and mesh.
Which industries rely on products from NAICS 331491 companies?
Key industries include aerospace, automotive, electronics, construction, and specialized manufacturing requiring corrosion-resistant or lightweight metals.
What is the maximum number of employees for a small business under this NAICS code?
The size standard is 900 employees; businesses with fewer employees are typically considered small businesses for contracting and regulatory purposes.
Can companies involved in copper or aluminum rolling or drawing use this code?
No, copper and aluminum processing is classified under separate NAICS codes. NAICS 331491 specifically excludes those metals.
Conclusion
NAICS code 331491 plays a vital role in the manufacturing sector by encompassing businesses that roll, draw, and extrude a diverse range of nonferrous metals except copper and aluminum. From producing specialty wires to creating precision metal shapes for complex applications, companies operating under this classification contribute significantly to multiple high-tech and industrial markets. Understanding the specifications and scope of NAICS 331491 is essential for businesses, contractors, and government agencies working within or alongside the nonferrous metal manufacturing industry.
Keywords: NAICS 331491, Nonferrous Metal Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, Nonferrous Metal Manufacturing, Nonferrous Metal Industry, Nickel Rolling, Zinc Extrusion, Titanium Bar Manufacturing, Nonferrous Wire Drawing, Metal Fabrication, Industrial Metal Processing.
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