NAICS 332112 Quarterly Industry Report
Nonferrous Forging
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 332112Sector: 33Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
This industry profile for Nonferrous Forging (NAICS 332112) 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, aerospace supply chain analysts, and forging sector investors with current market data. All quantitative claims are sourced to publicly verifiable databases.
Industry Definition & Overview
Nonferrous Forging (NAICS 332112) encompasses establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing nonferrous forgings from purchased nonferrous metals by hammering, pressing, or rolling mill shapes per the U.S. Census Bureau[4]. Activities include aluminum alloy die forging for aerospace and automotive structures, titanium forging for jet engine and airframe components, copper alloy forging for electrical and marine hardware, and nonferrous forging finishing operations including surface cleaning and deburring. Nonferrous forging produces lightweight, high-strength components where aluminum and titanium alloys provide weight savings critical to aerospace and transportation applications. Aluminum forgings serve as aircraft structural fittings, automotive suspension components, and military vehicle armor brackets, while titanium forgings produce jet engine fan blades, landing gear beams, and bulkhead structures requiring exceptional strength-to-weight ratios. Copper alloy forgings serve electrical switchgear, marine propeller shaft, and plumbing fitting applications where conductivity or corrosion resistance drives material selection. Forging temperatures and press tonnage requirements vary widely by alloy, with titanium requiring higher temperatures and slower deformation rates than aluminum. Per Census Bureau[5] data, nonferrous forging operations serve demanding aerospace and defense customers requiring extensive metallurgical testing, traceability documentation, and quality system certification for flight-critical structural components. Based on the SBA Table of Size Standards[6], the size standard is 750 employees. OSHA[7] enforces forging machinery safety standards covering press and hammer operation, die maintenance, and material handling procedures. The EPA[8] regulates air emissions from furnace heating and die lubrication at nonferrous forging operations.
What's Included in This Industry
- Aluminum alloy closed die forging
- Titanium forging for aerospace components
- Copper alloy forging production
- Magnesium forging operations
- Nonferrous open die forging
- Rolled ring forging in nonferrous alloys
- Forging heat treatment and aging
- Nonferrous forging die design and build
- Surface cleaning and deburring operations
- Ultrasonic and radiographic inspection services
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Subsector | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332 |
| Industry Group | Forging and Stamping | 3321 |
| NAICS Industry | Forging and Stamping | 33211 |
| National Industry | Nonferrous Forging | 332112 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 332111 | Iron and Steel Forging | Iron and Steel Forging produces ferrous forgings through similar press and hammer operations, with both classifications sharing die technology, press equipment, and workforce skills across the metalforming sector |
| 331318 | Other Aluminum Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding | Other Aluminum Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding produces extruded and drawn aluminum shapes that compete with aluminum forgings in structural applications where extrusion provides continuous profiles and forging provides discrete high-strength components |
| 336412 | Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing | Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing purchases titanium and aluminum forgings for fan blades, compressor disks, and structural frames requiring forged grain flow for fatigue-critical rotating and structural jet engine components |
| 336413 | Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing | Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing consumes aluminum and titanium structural forgings for landing gear beams, wing fittings, and bulkhead components where forging provides superior fatigue life for airframe applications |
| 331420 | Copper Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, and Alloying | Copper Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, and Alloying supplies copper alloy bar stock that forging operations purchase for forming into electrical switchgear components, marine hardware, and plumbing fittings through hot and warm forging processes |
| 336414 | Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing | Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing purchases specialty nonferrous forgings in titanium and high-strength aluminum alloys for missile airframes and space vehicle structures requiring certified metallurgical properties |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 36.7% | 11 |
| 2 | Michigan | 23.3% | 7 |
| 3 | Illinois | 16.7% | 5 |
| 4 | Ohio | 13.3% | 4 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 10.0% | 3 |
% Of Establishments
0%
37%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[3]
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What is the NAICS code for nonferrous forging?
NAICS 332112 covers nonferrous forging including aluminum, titanium, copper, and magnesium forgings produced by hammering, pressing, or rolling purchased nonferrous metals 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 nonferrous forging manufacturing operations.
What metals are forged?
Aluminum alloys, titanium alloys, copper and brass alloys, and magnesium alloys per Bureau of Labor Statistics[9] product data, with aerospace applications driving titanium and high-strength aluminum forging demand.
Why forge instead of cast?
Forging aligns grain structure along stress paths to maximize fatigue strength and impact resistance per Census Bureau[5] process analysis, producing components up to 30% stronger than equivalent castings in safety-critical structural applications.
What is the largest end market?
Aerospace and defense represent the largest end market per Census Bureau[5] shipment data, with titanium jet engine components and aluminum airframe fittings requiring the metallurgical quality and traceability that forging processes deliver.
How does titanium forging differ from aluminum?
Titanium requires higher forging temperatures, slower deformation rates, and more press tonnage per Bureau of Labor Statistics[9] process data, with titanium die preheating and controlled cooling necessary to achieve target mechanical properties.
What safety regulations apply?
OSHA[7] enforces forging machinery safety standards under 29 CFR 1910.218 for press and hammer operations, die change procedures, lockout-tagout requirements, and noise exposure in nonferrous forging production environments.
What environmental regulations apply?
The EPA[8] regulates air emissions from billet heating furnaces, die lubricant application, and scale removal operations at nonferrous forging facilities, with additional oversight of wastewater from chemical cleaning and etch processes.
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]OSHA osha.gov
- [8]EPA epa.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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