NAICS 331420 Quarterly Industry Report
Copper Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, and Alloying
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 331420Sector: 33Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
This industry profile for Copper Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, and Alloying (NAICS 331420) 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 industry analysts, and copper sector investors with current market data. All quantitative claims are sourced to publicly verifiable databases.
Industry Snapshot
Key metrics for the copper rolling, drawing, extruding, and alloying industry.
Industry Definition & Overview
Copper Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, and Alloying (NAICS 331420) encompasses establishments primarily engaged in recovering copper from scrap, alloying purchased copper, and rolling, drawing, or extruding shapes from purchased copper per the U.S. Census Bureau[4]. Activities include copper wire rod continuous casting and rolling, copper tube drawing, copper sheet and strip rolling, brass and bronze alloy production, copper bar extrusion, and copper powder manufacturing.
Copper fabrication converts refined cathode and recycled scrap into mill products serving electrical, plumbing, HVAC, automotive, and electronics industries. Wire rod production represents the largest product segment, with continuous cast rod mills supplying magnet wire, building wire, and power cable manufacturers. Copper tube mills draw tube for residential and commercial plumbing, refrigeration systems, and HVAC condenser coils. Brass and bronze alloy production blends copper with zinc, tin, and other elements for fastener, marine hardware, and ammunition component applications. Per Census Bureau[5] data, roughly 43 establishments employ over 24,200 workers in this capital-intensive fabrication sector. COMEX copper futures pricing directly affects raw material costs, with copper typically representing 60-70% of product cost and driving revenue fluctuation independent of volume changes.
Per the SBA Table of Size Standards[6], the size standard is 1,000 employees. The EPA[7] regulates air emissions from melting and alloying furnaces, wastewater from pickling and cleaning operations, and solid waste management at copper fabrication facilities. OSHA[8] enforces safety standards for molten metal handling, heavy equipment operation, and chemical exposure in copper rolling and drawing environments.
What's Included in This Industry
- Copper wire rod continuous casting and rolling
- Copper tube drawing and production
- Copper sheet and strip rolling
- Brass alloy production and fabrication
- Bronze alloy production and fabrication
- Copper bar extrusion
- Copper powder manufacturing
- Copper alloy ingot casting
- Copper scrap recovery and remelting
- Aircraft and automotive copper wire production
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Subsector | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 331 |
| Industry Group | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 3314 |
| NAICS Industry | Copper Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, and Alloying | 33142 |
| National Industry | Copper Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, and Alloying | 331420 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 331410 | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining | Nonferrous Metal Smelting and Refining produces refined copper cathode that rolling and drawing mills purchase as primary raw material for fabrication into wire rod, tubing, sheet, and alloy products |
| 331492 | Secondary Smelting, Refining, and Alloying of Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum) | Secondary Smelting, Refining, and Alloying of Nonferrous Metal recovers copper from scrap for sale to fabricators alongside primary refined cathode, with recycled copper providing a significant share of total fabrication feedstock |
| 335921 | Fiber Optic Cable Manufacturing | Fiber Optic Cable Manufacturing competes with copper wire in telecommunications applications, while copper wire maintains advantages in power distribution where electrical conductivity requirements favor copper conductor products |
| 335929 | Other Communication and Energy Wire Manufacturing | Other Communication and Energy Wire Manufacturing converts copper wire rod from rolling mills into insulated building wire, power cable, and magnet wire, representing the largest downstream market for copper rod production |
| 332919 | Other Metal Valve and Pipe Fitting Manufacturing | Other Metal Valve and Pipe Fitting Manufacturing uses brass and bronze castings and forgings from copper alloy producers for valve bodies, fittings, and plumbing components requiring corrosion resistance and machinability |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 11.8% | 25 |
| 2 | Texas | 9.0% | 19 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | 8.5% | 18 |
| 4 | California | 6.2% | 13 |
| 5 | Indiana | 6.2% | 13 |
| 6 | Illinois | 5.7% | 12 |
| 7 | Ohio | 5.2% | 11 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 4.7% | 10 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 4.7% | 10 |
| 10 | New Jersey | 4.7% | 10 |
% Of Establishments
0%
12%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[3]
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What is the NAICS code for copper fabrication?
NAICS 331420 covers copper rolling, drawing, extruding, and alloying including wire rod, tubing, sheet, and brass and bronze alloy production per the U.S. Census Bureau[4].
What is the SBA size standard?
Per the SBA size standard[6], the threshold is 1,000 employees for federal small business contracting eligibility and SBA lending products for copper rolling and drawing manufacturing operations.
How large is the copper fabrication industry?
Per Census Bureau[5] data, roughly 43 establishments employ over 24,200 workers in this capital-intensive fabrication sector, with operations concentrated among a relatively small number of large-scale producers.
What is the largest copper product category?
Wire rod represents the largest product segment per Bureau of Labor Statistics[9] industry data, with continuous cast copper rod supplying manufacturers of building wire, magnet wire, and power cable across electrical applications.
What copper alloys are produced?
Brass (copper-zinc), bronze (copper-tin), and specialty alloys blending copper with nickel, beryllium, and phosphorus are produced for fastener, marine, ammunition, and electronics applications per Census Bureau[5] product classification.
How does copper pricing affect fabricators?
COMEX copper futures pricing directly determines raw material costs representing 60-70% of product value per Bureau of Labor Statistics[9] data, with fabrication premiums over metal price establishing processing margins.
What environmental regulations apply?
The EPA[7] regulates air emissions from copper melting and alloying furnaces, wastewater from acid pickling and chemical cleaning operations, and solid waste management at copper rolling, drawing, and alloying facilities.
What safety standards apply?
OSHA[8] enforces workplace safety standards for molten copper handling, heavy rolling and drawing equipment operation, chemical exposure during pickling and cleaning, and noise control in copper fabrication production 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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