- Define an Industry
- Compile a list of Philadelphia-area companies
- Researching a specific Philadelphia-area company
Define an Industry
Finding your Industry
SIC / NAICS Codes are numerical classification systems which group like companies and industries together.
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) consists of 4-digit numbers that apply to a company based on the type of products or services it produces. Companies that do the same thing have the same SIC code.
Examples of SIC Codes:
* 2731 Book publishing
* 7372 Prepackaged software
* 2844 Toilet preparations
Newer industries, such as many of the high-tech industries, are not well defined using SIC codes, so there is a transition to another classification system — North American Industry Classification System which uses 6-digit numbers for more details.
Examples of NAICS Codes:
* 541320 Landscape Architectural Services
* 325412 Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing
* 336111 Automobile Manufacturing
The best way to find SIC or NAICS codes are by using a database such as Hoover’s or Business and Company Resource Center to search for the name of a company which you know is the kind of service or product you are interested in. These databases will include classification codes for the company’s industry. You can also try searching the US Census Bureau’s NAICS Webpage.
Note: Hoover’s information is fully accessible through Lexis Nexis Academic: Once you are in the database, you can click on “Companies” from the list along the left side of the screen. In the Companies section, click on “Company Profiles” and on the next screen you can specifically choose Hoover’s Company and Industry Reports.
Lists of Companies
D&B Million Dollar Database — ELECTRONIC
You can use this database to search for companies in the metropolitan Philadelphia area by using the Advanced Search feature. Enter the city, county, or a range of zip codes to limit your search geographically and the industry search to only find companies within an specific industry using SIC codes. Company directory with over one million US public and private businesses. Company records include industry information with up to 24 8-digit SICs, number of employees, annual sales, type of ownership, and biographies of principal executives. Limited to companies with sales greater than $1 million or more than 20 employees.- D&B Regional Business Directory: Philadelphia area — PRINT
Presents the general information described above for our area’s largest local establishments (including branches). Ranks top 1,000 by sales and number of employees. Organized geographically. Indexed by SIC and business name. - Book of Business Lists — PRINT
From the Philadelphia Business Journal, this essential resource provides lists of the biggest and the best businesses in the Philadelphia area, according to industry or specialty. - Dalton Philadelphia metro directory: business/industry – PRINT
Provides basic contact information for companies in and around the Philadelphia metro area including South Jersey and Delaware.
Researching a specific Philadelphia Company
- You should start with the library resources offered in the Researching a Company resource guide.Other Philadelphia-area publications
Philadelphia Inquirer (Daily) — PRINT/ELECTRONIC
Philadelphia Business Journal (Weekly) — PRINT/ELECTRONIC
Philadelphia Magazine (Monthly) — PRINT
