§1The market
Wisconsin had 103 private establishments in NAICS 321920, wood container and pallet manufacturing, in the 2025 annual average, 3.3% of the U.S. total of 3,143. That ranks 10th of the 50 states with QCEW data for the industry.
That is down 5.5% from 109 in 2020, against +5.8% nationally.
Employment averaged 2,369 in 2025 (−3.8% since 2020), at an average annual pay of $50,320, 7.3% below the industry's national average.
For raw material, Wisconsin had 94 sawmill establishments (NAICS 321113) in 2025, employing 1,705 in 2025. Pallet plants outnumber sawmills in the state.
Pallet plants were recorded in 36 counties in 2025.
Freight context: retail diesel in the Midwest (PADD 2) region averaged $6.344 a gallon in October 2026, +74.3% on a year earlier (EIA).
§2Wisconsin by year
| Year | Plants | Employment | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 109 | 2,463 | $39,073 |
| 2021 | 103 | 2,479 | $43,555 |
| 2022 | 102 | 2,607 | $46,739 |
| 2023 | 101 | 2,575 | $48,244 |
| 2024 | 107 | 2,478 | $49,583 |
| 2025 | 103 | 2,369 | $50,320 |
Sawmills (NAICS 321113) in Wisconsin: 2020 101, 2021 99, 2022 99, 2023 102, 2024 98, 2025 94.
§3What it means for buyers
With 103 plants, Wisconsin 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 Milwaukee, WI, Green Bay, WI, Madison, WI; see the metro pages below.
States with a similar number of plants: Michigan (101), Missouri (108), North Carolina (99), Florida (109).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 25 | 700 |
| Green Bay, WI | 12 | not disclosed |
| Madison, WI | 10 | 198 |
| Appleton, WI | 8 | not disclosed |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 28 | 683 |