§1The market
The Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan statistical area had 25 private wood container and pallet manufacturing establishments (NAICS 321920) in the 2024 QCEW annual average, 23% of Wisconsin's 107. Among the 128 metro areas with at least five such plants, it ranks 18th by count.
That is up from 23 in 2020 (+8.7%).
BLS disclosed employment of 700 for 2023, with average annual pay of $52,453, against $48,244 statewide and $52,196 nationally.
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 | 23 | not disclosed | not disclosed |
| 2021 | 23 | not disclosed | not disclosed |
| 2022 | 24 | 655 | $52,622 |
| 2023 | 25 | 700 | $52,453 |
| 2024 | 25 | not disclosed | not disclosed |
BLS had not published 2025 metro-area figures when this page was built; state pages carry 2025.
§3Buying here
With 25 plants, the Milwaukee, WI area can usually support a local RFQ with several bidders inside a short delivery radius. An establishment is a location, not a company, so two plants may belong to one supplier.
Other metro areas in Wisconsin: Green Bay, WI (12), Madison, WI (10), Appleton, WI (8).
Larger metro clusters in neighbouring states: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (111).