§1The market
Virginia had 60 private establishments in NAICS 321920, wood container and pallet manufacturing, in the 2025 annual average, 1.9% of the U.S. total of 3,143. That ranks 21st of the 50 states with QCEW data for the industry.
That is up 1.7% from 59 in 2020, against +5.8% nationally.
Employment averaged 1,467 in 2025 (+18.9% since 2020), at an average annual pay of $53,621, 1.3% below the industry's national average.
For raw material, Virginia had 119 sawmill establishments (NAICS 321113) in 2025, employing 2,733 in 2025. Sawmills outnumber pallet plants in the state.
Pallet plants were recorded in 33 counties in 2025.
Freight context: retail diesel in the Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C) region averaged $5.744 a gallon in October 2026, +58.3% on a year earlier (EIA).
§2Virginia by year
| Year | Plants | Employment | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 59 | 1,234 | $41,251 |
| 2021 | 57 | 1,287 | $43,836 |
| 2022 | 57 | 1,432 | $47,813 |
| 2023 | 60 | 1,507 | $50,130 |
| 2024 | 58 | 1,576 | $50,837 |
| 2025 | 60 | 1,467 | $53,621 |
Sawmills (NAICS 321113) in Virginia: 2020 138, 2021 143, 2022 149, 2023 142, 2024 132, 2025 119.
§3What it means for buyers
With 60 plants, Virginia 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 Richmond, VA, Virginia Beach, VA; see the metro pages below.
States with a similar number of plants: Arkansas (48), New Jersey (60), Washington (46), Oregon (61).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | 14 | 455 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 6 | 78 |
§5Neighbouring states
| State | Plants | Average pay (latest disclosed) |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 132 | $50,325 |
| North Carolina | 99 | $49,542 |
| Kentucky | 85 | $56,370 |
| Maryland | 23 | $62,160 |
| West Virginia | 15 | $43,005 |