NAICS 331314 Quarterly Industry Report
Secondary Smelting and Alloying of Aluminum
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 331314Sector: 33Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
This industry profile for Secondary Smelting and Alloying of Aluminum (NAICS 331314) draws on data from the U.S. Census Bureau[5], Bureau of Labor Statistics[9], and SBA size standards database[6]. Published by Fair Market Value and updated quarterly, it provides valuation professionals, metals recycling analysts, and aluminum industry investors with current market data. All quantitative claims are sourced to publicly verifiable databases.
Industry Definition & Overview
Secondary Smelting and Alloying of Aluminum (NAICS 331314) encompasses establishments primarily engaged in recovering aluminum and aluminum alloys from scrap or dross through secondary smelting, making billet or ingot, and manufacturing alloys, powder, paste, or flake from purchased aluminum per the U.S. Census Bureau[4]. Activities include used beverage can remelting, aluminum dross processing, alloy specification blending, degassing and fluxing of molten aluminum, aluminum powder atomization, and ingot casting for foundry and fabrication customers.
Secondary aluminum production consumes roughly 95% less energy than primary smelting from alumina, making scrap recovery a cost-effective and environmentally favorable supply source for downstream fabricators and die casters. Operations range from large-scale tolling smelters processing industrial scrap streams to smaller foundry alloy producers blending specific chemistry specifications for automotive casting and extrusion applications. Aluminum recycling has grown in importance as beverage can recycling programs, automotive shredder operations, and industrial manufacturing scrap streams provide reliable feedstock. Per Census Bureau[5] data, secondary aluminum operations generate nearly $6 billion in annual revenue, with the industry serving as a critical link between scrap collection infrastructure and the aluminum fabrication supply chain. Alloy specification management requires precise chemistry control through spectrographic analysis, flux addition, and degassing treatment before casting into ingot or billet forms.
Per the SBA Table of Size Standards[6], the size standard is 750 employees. The EPA[7] regulates air emissions from melting furnaces, dross processing, and fluxing operations under National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants. OSHA[8] enforces safety standards for molten metal handling, furnace operations, and chemical exposure in secondary smelting environments.
What's Included in This Industry
- Used beverage can remelting and processing
- Aluminum dross recovery and processing
- Alloy specification blending and casting
- Aluminum powder and paste atomization
- Foundry ingot production from scrap
- Degassing and fluxing treatment operations
- Billet casting for extrusion feedstock
- Industrial scrap stream processing
- Aluminum flake manufacturing
- Molten aluminum tolling services
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Subsector | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 331 |
| Industry Group | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 3313 |
| NAICS Industry | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 33131 |
| National Industry | Secondary Smelting and Alloying of Aluminum | 331314 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 331313 | Alumina Refining and Primary Aluminum Production | Alumina Refining and Primary Aluminum Production manufactures virgin aluminum from bauxite ore that secondary smelters supplement with recycled metal, providing primary and secondary supply sources for downstream aluminum fabrication markets |
| 331315 | Aluminum Sheet, Plate, and Foil Manufacturing | Aluminum Sheet, Plate, and Foil Manufacturing consumes both primary and secondary aluminum ingot for flat-rolled product manufacturing, with sheet mills purchasing recycled alloy ingot from secondary smelters for can stock and building product applications |
| 331318 | Other Aluminum Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding | Other Aluminum Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding purchases billet from secondary smelters for extrusion into profiles and shapes, with extrusion alloy specifications requiring precise chemistry control during secondary melting and casting operations |
| 423930 | Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers | Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers collects and sorts aluminum scrap from industrial and post-consumer sources for sale to secondary smelters, with scrap dealer grading and preparation affecting melting yield and alloy recovery rates |
| 331524 | Aluminum Foundries (except Die-Casting) | Aluminum Foundries use secondary aluminum alloy ingot as primary casting feedstock for automotive, aerospace, and industrial components, with foundry alloy specifications driving secondary smelter product mix and chemistry targets |
| 331492 | Secondary Smelting, Refining, and Alloying of Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum) | Secondary Smelting, Refining, and Alloying of Nonferrous Metal operates parallel scrap recovery operations for copper, zinc, and other nonferrous metals alongside aluminum secondary smelting within the broader metals recycling sector |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana | 15.4% | 12 |
| 2 | Kentucky | 15.4% | 12 |
| 3 | Texas | 11.5% | 9 |
| 4 | Michigan | 10.3% | 8 |
| 5 | Ohio | 10.3% | 8 |
| 6 | Illinois | 7.7% | 6 |
| 7 | Alabama | 7.7% | 6 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 6.4% | 5 |
| 9 | California | 6.4% | 5 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 5.1% | 4 |
% Of Establishments
0%
15%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[3]
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What is the NAICS code for aluminum recycling?
NAICS 331314 covers secondary smelting and alloying of aluminum, including scrap recovery, alloy production, and powder manufacturing from purchased or recycled aluminum per the U.S. Census Bureau[4].
What is the SBA size standard?
Per the SBA size standard[6], the threshold is 750 employees for federal small business contracting eligibility and SBA lending products for secondary aluminum smelting operations.
How much energy does secondary aluminum save?
Secondary aluminum production from scrap consumes roughly 95% less energy than primary smelting from alumina per Bureau of Labor Statistics[9] industry analysis, making recycled aluminum a cost-effective and lower-emission supply source.
How large is the secondary aluminum industry?
Per Census Bureau[5] data, secondary aluminum operations generate nearly $6 billion in annual revenue, with the industry processing used beverage cans, industrial manufacturing scrap, and automotive shredder residue into specification alloy ingot and billet.
What scrap sources feed secondary smelters?
Feedstock includes used beverage cans, automotive shredder output, industrial manufacturing trim and turnings, construction demolition salvage, and aerospace scrap per Census Bureau[5] material flow classification.
What environmental regulations apply?
The EPA[7] regulates air emissions from melting furnaces under National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, with additional standards for dross processing emissions, wastewater discharges, and solid waste management at secondary smelting facilities.
What is the difference between primary and secondary aluminum?
What safety standards apply?
OSHA[8] enforces workplace safety standards for molten metal handling, rotary and reverberatory furnace operations, chemical flux exposure, and heavy material handling in secondary aluminum smelting and casting environments.
Sources & References
Government datasets and editorial sources used in this report.
- [1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages bls.gov
- [2]U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census census.gov
- [3]U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns census.gov
- [4]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [5]Census Bureau data.census.gov
- [6]SBA Table of Size Standards sba.gov
- [7]EPA epa.gov
- [8]OSHA osha.gov
- [9]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [10]SBA lending programs sba.gov
- [11]SBA 7(a) loans sba.gov
- [12]504 loans sba.gov
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