NAICS 323 - Printing and Related Support Activities

Industries in the Printing and Related Support Activities subsector print products, such as newspapers, books, labels, business cards, stationery, business forms, and other materials, and perform support activities, such as data imaging, platemaking services, and bookbinding. The support activities included here are an integral part of the printing industry, and a product (a printing plate, a bound book, or a computer disk or file) that is an integral part of the printing industry is almost always provided by these operations.

Processes used in printing include a variety of methods used to transfer an image from a plate, screen, film, or computer file to some medium, such as paper, plastics, metal, textile articles, or wood. The printing processes employed include, but are not limited to, lithographic, gravure, screen, flexographic, digital, and letterpress.

In contrast to many other classification systems that locate publishing of printed materials in manufacturing, NAICS classifies the publishing of printed products in Subsector 513, Publishing Industries. Though printing and publishing are often carried out by the same enterprise, it is less and less the case that these distinct activities are carried out in the same establishment. When publishing and printing are done in the same establishment, the establishment is classified in Subsector 513, Publishing Industries, in the appropriate NAICS industry even if the receipts for printing exceed those for publishing.

This subsector includes printing on clothing because the production process for that activity is printing, not clothing manufacturing. For instance, the printing of T-shirts is included in this subsector. In contrast, printing on fabric (or grey goods) is not included. This activity is part of the process of finishing the fabric and is included in Industry 31331, Textile and Fabric Finishing Mills.

Excluded from this subsector are establishment primarily engaged in manufacturing bare printed circuit boards. These establishments print, perforate, plate, screen, etch, or photoprint interconnecting pathways for electric current on laminates and are classified in Industry 33441, Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing. Establishments primarily providing printing brokerage services are classified in Industry 56199, All Other Support Services.

• Covers printing of newspapers, books, labels, business cards, stationery, and forms.
• Includes essential support services like data imaging, platemaking, and bookbinding.
• Utilizes diverse printing methods: lithographic, gravure, screen, flexographic, digital, letterpress.
• Excludes publishing activities and printed circuit board manufacturing.
• Includes printing on finished clothing but excludes fabric finishing processes.
• Focuses on establishments primarily engaged in printing and related support activities.

• Producing printed materials including newspapers, books, and business forms.
• Providing platemaking services essential to printing processes.
• Performing bookbinding and finishing services for printed products.
• Offering data imaging and digital printing solutions.
• Executing screen and flexographic printing on various media including textiles.
• Printing labels, stationery, and business cards for commercial and government use.
• Managing print runs from short digital jobs to large lithographic orders.
• Supplying printing services for government documentation and outreach materials.

• Commercial printing companies specializing in various printing technologies.
• Print support service providers offering platemaking, imaging, and binding.
• Digital printing firms focusing on short-run and personalized print jobs.
• Screen printing businesses producing printed apparel and promotional items.
• Contract print shops serving government and private sector clients.
• Small and medium-sized enterprises engaged in specialized printing services.