§1The market
Pennsylvania had 189 private establishments in NAICS 321920, wood container and pallet manufacturing, in the 2025 annual average, 6.0% of the U.S. total of 3,143. That ranks 4th of the 50 states with QCEW data for the industry.
That is up 1.1% from 187 in 2020, against +5.8% nationally.
Employment averaged 3,737 in 2025 (+5.7% since 2020), at an average annual pay of $53,952, 0.7% below the industry's national average.
For raw material, Pennsylvania had 253 sawmill establishments (NAICS 321113) in 2025, employing 3,149 in 2025. Sawmills outnumber pallet plants in the state.
Pallet plants were recorded in 53 counties in 2025.
Freight context: retail diesel in the Central Atlantic (PADD 1B) region averaged $6.490 a gallon in October 2026, +67.2% on a year earlier (EIA).
§2Pennsylvania by year
| Year | Plants | Employment | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 187 | 3,537 | $41,728 |
| 2021 | 189 | 3,564 | $45,417 |
| 2022 | 190 | 3,761 | $49,961 |
| 2023 | 184 | 3,760 | $50,549 |
| 2024 | 191 | 3,770 | $52,541 |
| 2025 | 189 | 3,737 | $53,952 |
Sawmills (NAICS 321113) in Pennsylvania: 2020 253, 2021 257, 2022 263, 2023 258, 2024 254, 2025 253.
§3What it means for buyers
With 189 plants, Pennsylvania supports a competitive RFQ inside the state: invite suppliers close to each delivery point, since freight is a large share of delivered price.
Supply clusters in Philadelphia, PA, Pittsburgh, PA, Scranton, PA; see the metro pages below.
States with a similar number of plants: Illinois (169), Ohio (189), Tennessee (132), Texas (190).
Ask each bidder which plant will ship to you, and price delivery as its own line in the bid-leveling sheet.
§4Metro areas
| Metro area | Plants | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 34 | 664 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 30 | 252 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | 12 | not disclosed |
| Erie, PA | 9 | 125 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 8 | 121 |
| Lancaster, PA | 8 | 109 |
| York-Hanover, PA | 8 | 200 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 7 | 469 |
| Reading, PA | 6 | 65 |
§5Neighbouring states
| State | Plants | Average pay (latest disclosed) |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 189 | $51,124 |
| New York | 95 | $58,674 |
| New Jersey | 60 | $53,999 |
| Maryland | 23 | $62,160 |
| West Virginia | 15 | $43,005 |
| Delaware | 4 | $53,591 |