Industries & Supply Chains

Librarian: Shaun Bennett

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Identifying an Industry

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes are a standardized classification system for various industries. Finding the NAICS for your industry can be helpful since you can use that code in other databases to find related materials. NAICS are also used extensively by the Census bureau and many GIS programs.

Although the NAICS codes were meant to replace the older system of Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), these codes are still in use by some information sources.

Industry & Supply Chain Reports

  • IBISWorld and ProcurementIQ have merged into one platform. It now contains reports for most industries and supply chains, and utilizes the NAICS code system. Note: smaller industries may not be represented, so it is recommended to search at a wide level before trying to drill down. A report on thermoforming may not exist, but plastic manufacturing likely does.  
  • Statista has reports on a wide variety of industries with downloadable data in easily-understood formats.
  • Mintel Reports focuses on the consumer side, with survey-backed reports for most industries. Going deeper into the "Explore Demographics" section allows fine-grain control of the questions and the answering demographic.
  • DataAxle is an easy to use database with geographically-based industry information. For example, you could limit to a specific NAICS or SIC code in a geographic area, showing how many of a specific industry are in an area. This is a NC Live resource, so anyone in North Carolina with a public library card can access it.
  • ESRI’s Business Analyst Online similar to DataAxle, has geographically-based industry information that limits. Note: you’ll need to sign up for an ArcGIS account before using this database.
  • The Statistical Abstract of the United States has large-scale industry and population statistics. Look for "Section 15: Business Enterprise."
  • If you're still not able to find much, try PitchBook's Market Size Estimates on the left menu, which offers estimates for just about every market in existence. 

Sources for Industry Statistics & Import/Export Data

  • Statista contains industry data with statistics and market reports, though the number of industries covered is on the small side. Still a good place to start for getting detailed data.
  • ESRI’s Business Analyst Online contains geographically-based data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The information can be found under the Reports -> Build a Report functionality, and you can search for variables within those menus. Note: you'll need to sign up for an ArcGIS account.
  • USATrade Online is the US Government's portal for high-level import and export data, sorted by commodity and/or NAICS. Keep in mind that this is only for the United States, but it's incredibly useful if you're looking for what types of goods are being imported/exported to the United States. It requires a login, but is completely free to register for and use.
  • ImportGenius offers detailed bill-of-lading reports by port, shipper, and many other variables for the United States and a dozen other countries. To get access, you must first sign up on campus at the link. Once you have a login and password, you can access ImportGenius off-campus at this link. 

Tariffs

The most up-to-date version of current tariffs can be found under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. You can search the entire database at the top, but if you have an edge case or if you're not sure how something is classified, try the Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS). This allows you to search the text of rulings done in previous years, so you can figure out exactly how the US government might classify a specific good. 

Additional resources

Finding Articles

  • Business Source Complete  is a great place to start for scholarly and trade publications.
  • The ABI/INFORM Collection offers popular articles, trade journals, and blog posts on business & management topics. ABI/INFORM Collection contains ads for market reports. These can be removed by clicking on the “Exclude Wire Feeds” button on the left side of the search results.
  • Journal List: search for journal titles related to supply chain or industry topics such as manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and procurement, by using the Libraries' Journal List.

Specialized Supply Chain Resources

  • ThomasNet is a directory of suppliers, which allows comparison between 2-5 different manufacturers.
  • Procurement IQ has reports on indirect purchasing lines. The reports range from 15-20 pages (updated at least 1-3 times per year), covering product/service pricing dynamics, product characteristics that affect the purchasing decision, supplier benchmarking and supply chain risks, and negotiation questions and tactics.
  • The Supply Chain Resource Cooperative (SCRC) serves as a thought leader in the supply chain industry; documenting and disseminating new supply chain management knowledge to help companies, practitioners, and students. Available resources from the SCRC include interviews and discussions with experts and practitioners in the field.
  • The Bloomberg Terminal on the 9th floor of the D. H. Hill Jr. Library has information on commodities, futures, imports, and exports and full access to the Bloomberg Market Concepts certification course. Access is restricted to NC State faculty, students, and staff. 

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