The first steel mill in North America was built in the 1600s, making the industry one of the oldest in the country. During much of the twentieth century the steel industry served as the measure of the U.S.
This category covers establishments primarily engaged in drawing wire from purchased iron or steel rods, bars, or wire, as well as those which may be engaged in the further manufacture of products made from wire. Establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing steel nails and spikes from purchased materials are also included in this industry.
The demand for cold finished steel comes primarily from the automotive, aerospace, construction, housing, and home appliance industries.
This classification covers establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing gray and ductile iron castings, including cast iron pressure and soil pipes and fittings.
This industry is made up of establishments primarily engaged in the manufacturing of malleable iron castings.
This classification covers establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing steel investment foundries.
This classification covers establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing steel castings, not elsewhere classified.
Copper has excellent properties that make it useful to many industries. As a base metal, copper is used both alone and in alloyed combinations with other metals.
With global production of 32 million metric tons in 2001, aluminum is the world's second most used metal, following steel. Divided into product groups, the aluminum industry comprises three distinct segments: primary aluminum manufacturers, semi-fabricated aluminum manufacturers, and secondary, or scrap aluminum manufacturers.
This classification covers establishments primarily engaged in smelting and refining nonferrous metals, except copper and aluminum. Establishments primarily engaged in rolling, drawing, and extruding these nonferrous primary metals are classified in SIC 3356: Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding of Nonferrous Metals, Except Copper and Aluminum, and the production of bullion at the site of the mine is classified in various mining classifications.
This industry consists of establishments that roll, draw, or extrude copper, brass, bronze, and other copperbased alloys. These establishments create basic shapes such as plate, sheet, strip, bar, and tubing.
This classification covers establishments primarily engaged in flat rolling aluminum and aluminum-alloy basic shapes, such as sheet, plate, and foil, including establishments producing welded tube. Also included are establishments primarily producing similar products by continuous casting.
This classification covers establishments primarily engaged in extruding aluminum and aluminum-based alloy basic shapes, such as rod and bar, pipe and tube, and tube blooms, including establishments producing tube by drawing.
Overall, the domestic aluminum industry struggled with waning industry shipments in the late 1990s and early 2000s. According to the Aluminum Association, a global surplus of 558,000 metric tons of primary aluminum was expected to exist by 2003.
This classification is comprised of establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing die-castings of aluminum (including alloys).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 278 establishments operated in this category in the late 1990s.
Aluminum foundries create castings by pouring heated, liquefied metal into hollowed-out molds. As the molten metal cools, it hardens and assumes the shape created by the mold's cavity.
This industry consists of companies primarily engaged in manufacturing copper and copper-alloy castings, except die-castings. Establishments that produce copper castings and also are engaged in fabricating operations for a specific product are classified in the industry of the specific product.
This industry includes establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing nonferrous metal castings, including alloys, except aluminum and copper castings and all die-castings.
This category covers establishments primarily engaged in heat treating of metal for the trade.