§1The market
The Rockford, IL metropolitan statistical area had 9 private wood container and pallet manufacturing establishments (NAICS 321920) in the 2024 QCEW annual average, 5% of Illinois's 180. Among the 128 metro areas with at least five such plants, it ranks 62nd by count.
That is up from 7 in 2020 (+28.6%).
BLS did not disclose employment or wages for this metro in any year from 2020 to 2024.
Diesel in the Midwest (PADD 2) region averaged $6.344 a gallon in October 2026 (EIA), the freight context for deliveries here.
§2By year
| Year | Plants | Employment | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 7 | not disclosed | not disclosed |
| 2021 | 7 | not disclosed | not disclosed |
| 2022 | 8 | not disclosed | not disclosed |
| 2023 | 9 | not disclosed | not disclosed |
| 2024 | 9 | not disclosed | not disclosed |
BLS had not published 2025 metro-area figures when this page was built; state pages carry 2025.
§3Buying here
With 9 plants, the Rockford, IL area has a small local field; invite bidders from the wider state as well, and compare delivered cost, not price at the plant. An establishment is a location, not a company, so two plants may belong to one supplier.
Other metro areas in Illinois: Chicago, IL (111).
Larger metro clusters in neighbouring states: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN (30), Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI (25), St. Louis, MO-IL (22).