NAICS 335911: Complete Guide to Storage Battery Manufacturing

Table of Contents#

1. What Is NAICS, and Why Do NAICS Codes Matter?
2. Official Definition of NAICS 335911: Storage Battery Manufacturing
3. Products and Operations Covered Under NAICS 335911
4. Operations Excluded From NAICS 335911
5. Key Use Cases for NAICS 335911 Classification
6. 2024 Industry Trends for NAICS 335911 Businesses
7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
8. References

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1. What Is NAICS, and Why Do NAICS Codes Matter?#

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is a standardized 6-digit coding framework developed jointly by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to categorize business establishments by their primary economic activity. Updated every 5 years, NAICS codes are used for:

• Federal, state, and local government regulatory reporting
• Small Business Administration (SBA) loan and contracting set-aside eligibility
• Tax incentive qualification
• Market size and competitor analysis
• Lending and insurance risk assessment
• Cross-border trade data tracking

For fast-growing sectors like storage battery manufacturing, correct NAICS classification directly impacts a business’s ability to access public and private funding, comply with regulations, and qualify for industry-specific benefits.

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2. Official Definition of NAICS 335911: Storage Battery Manufacturing#

NAICS 335911 falls under the broader manufacturing sector hierarchy:

Per the 2022 NAICS revision (the most current version as of 2024), NAICS 335911 is defined as establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing rechargeable storage batteries (including both cells and finished packs). Prior to 2022, this code was split to separate lead-acid and other storage battery types, but the revised code unifies all rechargeable storage battery manufacturing under a single 6-digit classification standardized across all three North American countries.

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3. Products and Operations Covered Under NAICS 335911#

Establishments classified under NAICS 335911 may engage in any combination of the following activities, as long as manufacturing rechargeable storage batteries is their primary revenue driver:

Core Products Included#

• Lead-acid batteries for passenger vehicles, commercial trucks, forklifts, and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems
• Lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), residential solar storage, utility-scale grid storage, power tools, and consumer electronics
• Nickel-cadmium (NiCd) and nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries for industrial and transportation use cases
• Flow batteries and other next-generation rechargeable storage chemistries
• Custom battery packs assembled from in-house manufactured cells for industrial or commercial clients
• Reconditioned/remanufactured storage batteries produced at the same facility as new battery manufacturing

Core Operations Included#

• Battery cell fabrication and electrolyte processing
• Pack assembly and quality testing for finished storage batteries
• On-site recycling of manufacturing scrap to recover raw materials for new battery production
• Research and development of new storage battery chemistries conducted at the manufacturing facility

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4. Operations Excluded From NAICS 335911#

Misclassification of NAICS codes can lead to lost incentives or non-compliance, so it is important to note the following activities fall under separate codes:

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5. Key Use Cases for NAICS 335911 Classification#

For Business Owners#

• Access to industry-specific tax incentives: U.S. facilities classified under NAICS 335911 qualify for up to $35 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in production tax credits for domestically manufactured battery cells under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), cutting production costs by 30-40% for eligible facilities.
• SBA loan and government contracting eligibility: The SBA sets size standards for small business set-asides, and NAICS 335911 has a 1,250 employee size threshold for small business classification.
• Regulatory compliance: Environmental and OSHA reporting requirements for battery manufacturing facilities are tied to this NAICS code.

For Researchers and Investors#

• Accurate market sizing: As of 2024, the U.S. NAICS 335911 sector generates $42B in annual revenue, with 18% year-over-year growth driven by EV and grid storage demand.
• Competitor and supply chain analysis: Investors use NAICS 335911 to identify pure-play storage battery manufacturers for investment or partnership opportunities.

For Government Agencies#

• Tracking employment and economic output: The U.S. Census Bureau uses NAICS 335911 to track job growth in the clean energy sector, which has added 38,000 new manufacturing jobs since 2021 per Department of Energy data.
• Cross-border trade tracking: North American regulators use the code to monitor imports and exports of storage batteries and enforce trade tariffs.

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6. 2024 Industry Trends for NAICS 335911 Businesses#

1. IRA-driven domestic expansion: Over 30 new large-scale NAICS 335911 facilities are under construction in the U.S. as of 2024, with $128B in announced private investment since the IRA passed.
2. Shift to next-gen chemistries: Lithium-ion batteries now account for 65% of NAICS 335911 output, up from 42% in 2018, with flow battery and sodium-ion production growing 72% year-over-year in 2023.
3. Circular economy integration: 78% of NAICS 335911 establishments now operate on-site material recovery programs to recycle end-of-life batteries, reducing raw material costs by an average of 22% per facility.
4. Supply chain localization: 62% of U.S. NAICS 335911 manufacturers have shifted raw material sourcing from overseas to North American suppliers since 2022 to meet IRA domestic content requirements for EV tax credits.

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7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)#

Q: Is NAICS 335911 the same across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico?#

A: Yes, the 6-digit NAICS 335911 code is fully standardized across all three North American countries under the 2022 NAICS revision, making cross-border industry analysis consistent.

Q: Can a business have multiple NAICS codes?#

A: Yes. If your facility manufactures storage batteries and also operates a standalone end-of-life battery recycling program that generates more than 50% of your revenue from third-party recycling, you will list both NAICS 335911 and 562920, with your primary code being the one associated with your largest revenue stream.

Q: What is the average size of a NAICS 335911 establishment?#

A: 42% of NAICS 335911 facilities have fewer than 20 employees (mostly small specialty battery manufacturers), while 12% have 500+ employees (large EV and grid storage gigafactories).

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References#

1. U.S. Census Bureau. (2022). NAICS 335911: Storage Battery Manufacturing Official Definition. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/naics
2. U.S. Department of Energy. (2024). 2024 Domestic Battery Manufacturing Industry Report. Retrieved from https://www.energy.gov
3. U.S. Small Business Administration. (2023). NAICS Code Eligibility Guidelines for SBA Lending and Contracting. Retrieved from https://www.sba.gov
4. Statistics Canada. (2023). NAICS 335911 Sector Performance Profile. Retrieved from https://www.statcan.gc.ca