MANUFACTURING

This section includes the physical or chemical transformation of materials, substances, or components into new products, although this cannot be used as the single universal criterion for defining manufacturing (see remark on processing of waste below). The materials, substances, or components transformed are raw materials that are products of agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining or quarrying as well as products of other manufacturing activities. Substantial alteration, renovation or reconstruction of goods is generally considered to be manufacturing. Units engaged in manufacturing are often described as plants, factories or mills and characteristically use power-driven machines and materials-handling equipment. However, units that transform materials or substances into new products by hand or in the worker’s home and those engaged in selling to the general public of products, such as bakeries and custom tailors, are also included in this section. Manufacturing units may process materials or may contract with other units to process their materials for them. Both types of units are included in manufacturing. The output of a manufacturing process may be finished in the sense that it is ready for utilization or consumption, or it may be semi-finished in the sense that it is to become an input for further manufacturing. For example, the output of alumina refining is the input used in the primary production of aluminium; primary aluminium is the input to aluminium wire drawing; and aluminium wire is the input for the manufacture of fabricated wire products. Assembly of the component parts of manufactured products is considered manufacturing. This includes the assembly of manufactured products from either self-produced or purchased components. Manufacture of specialized components and parts of, and accessories and attachments to, machinery and equipment is, as a general rule, classified in the same class as the manufacture of the machinery and equipment for which the parts and accessories are intended. Manufacture of unspecialized components and parts of machinery and equipment, e.g. engines, pistons, electric motors, electrical assemblies, valves, is classified in the appropriate class of manufacturing, without regard to the machinery and equipment in which these items may be included. Assembly of the component parts of manufactured products is considered manufacturing. This includes the assembly of manufactured products from either self-produced or purchased components. Remark: The boundaries of manufacturing and the other sectors of the classification system can be somewhat blurry. As a general rule, the activities in the manufacturing section involve the transformation of materials into new products. Their output is a new product. However, the definition of what constitutes a new product can be somewhat subjective.