Quick Statistics

The subsector's revenue for the year 2008 was approximately $254.4 billion USD, with an estimated gross profit of 23.65%. Import was valued at $99.4 billion USD from 200 countries. The subsector also exported $58.8 billion USD worth of merchandise to 135 countries. Adding import value to and subtracting export value from the subsector's shipment value, the total domestic demand for the subsector in 2008 was $295.0 billion USD.

Reference

Industries in the Primary Metal Manufacturing subsector smelt and/or refine ferrous and nonferrous metals from ore, pig or scrap, using electrometallurgical and other process metallurgical techniques. Establishments in this subsector also manufacture metal alloys and superalloys by introducing other chemical elements to pure metals. The output of smelting and refining, usually in ingot form, is used in rolling, drawing, and extruding operations to make sheet, strip, bar, rod, or wire, and in molten form to make castings and other basic metal products.

Primary manufacturing of ferrous and nonferrous metals begins with ore or concentrate as the primary input. Establishments manufacturing primary metals from ore and/or concentrate remain classified in the primary smelting, primary refining, or iron and steel mill industries regardless of the form of their output. Establishments primarily engaged in secondary smelting and/or secondary refining recover ferrous and nonferrous metals from scrap and/or dross. The output of the secondary smelting and/or secondary refining industries is limited to shapes, such as ingot or billet, that will be further processed. Recovery of metals from scrap often occurs in establishments that are primarily engaged in activities, such as rolling, drawing, extruding, or similar processes.

Excluded from the Primary Metal Manufacturing subsector are establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing ferrous and nonferrous forgings (except ferrous forgings made in steel mills) and stampings. Although forging, stamping, and casting are all methods used to make metal shapes, forging and stamping do not use molten metals and are included in Subsector 332, Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing. Establishments primarily engaged in operating coke ovens are classified in Industry 32419, Other Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing.

6-digit Industries Within This Subsector

331111 Iron & Steel Mills
331112 Electrometallurgical Ferroalloy Product mfg
331210 Iron & Steel Pipe & Tube mfg from Purchased Steel
331221 Rolled Steel Shape mfg
331222 Steel Wire Drawing
331311 Alumina Refining
331312 Primary Aluminum Production
331314 Secondary Smelting & Alloying of Aluminum
331315 Aluminum Sheet, Plate, & Foil mfg
331316 Aluminum Extruded Product mfg
331319 Other Aluminum Rolling & Drawing
331411 Primary Smelting & Refining of Copper
331419 Primary Smelting & Refining of Nonferrous Metal (except Copper & Aluminum)
331421 Copper Rolling, Drawing, & Extruding
331422 Copper Wire (except Mechanical) Drawing
331423 Secondary Smelting, Refining, & Alloying of Copper
331491 Nonferrous Metal (except Copper & Aluminum) Rolling, Drawing, & Extruding
331492 Secondary Smelting, Refining, & Alloying of Nonferrous Metal (except Copper & Aluminum)
331511 Iron Foundries
331512 Steel Investment Foundries
331513 Steel Foundries (except Investment)
331521 Aluminum Die-Casting Foundries
331522 Nonferrous (except Aluminum) Die-Casting Foundries
331524 Aluminum Foundries (except Die-Casting)
331525 Copper Foundries (except Die-Casting)
331528 Other Nonferrous Foundries (except Die-Casting)

5-digit Industries Within This Subsector

33111X Iron & Steel Mills & Ferroalloy mfg
33122X Rolling & Drawing of Purchased Steel
33131X Alumina & Aluminum Production & Processing
33141X Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting & Refining
33142X Copper Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, & Alloying
33149X Nonferrous Metal (except Copper & Aluminum) Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, & Alloying
33151X Ferrous Metal Foundries
33152X Nonferrous Metal Foundries

4-digit Industry Groups Within This Subsector

3312XX Steel Product mfg from Purchased Steel
3314XX Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production & Processing
3315XX Foundries

Subsector Report

331XXX Primary Metal manufacturing