To use some sources you will need a NAICS or SIC code for your industry.
North American Industry Classification System
The NAIC System assigns numerical codes to industries from two to six digits. Shorter codes represent broader industry sectors. Be sure to read the full description of the NAICS code, as it may include a broader array of products/services than you might assume.
Standard Industrial Classification Manual (at OSHA site)
The SIC system assigns numerical codes to industries from two to four digits. Shorter codes represent broader industry sectors. Be sure to read the full description of the SIC code, as it often includes a broader array of products/services than you might assume.
Tips
1. For today, use the View Data in Tables.
2. Select Michigan and submit (Go!)
3. On the next screen in the Areaname pulldown you can choose the entire state or an individual county - today we will choose any county to start.
(Change from Michigan to one of the counties.)
4. Choose Detail for Manufacturing to expand the list of NAICS codes starting with 31-33
5. Browse down the list for your code
or use your browser's find on this page search function (Ctrl+F)
6. Scan across the table to see the total number of employees, total payroll amounts, and number of establishments for this industry in the specific county.
7. Use the Compare button to retrieve a table that compares all Michigan counties for this industry.
*Note: In some cases you will see a letter code in a field instead of a payroll number. This is because the Census Bureau will withhold info at this level if there are so few companies in the county that the info would compromise the confidentiality of a specific company.
The sources below can be used to gather background info on your industry, such as industry overviews, articles, industry associations, or market share information. Business Insights is also available to Michigan citizens via mel.org and Gateway to Associations is a free web site.