§1The market
Illinois had 169 private establishments in NAICS 321920, wood container and pallet manufacturing, in the 2025 annual average, 5.4% of the U.S. total of 3,143. That ranks 5th of the 50 states with QCEW data for the industry.
That is up 9.0% from 155 in 2020, against +5.8% nationally.
Employment averaged 3,076 in 2025 (+26.1% since 2020), at an average annual pay of $56,434, 3.9% above the industry's national average.
For raw material, Illinois had 45 sawmill establishments (NAICS 321113) in 2025, employing 281 in 2025. Pallet plants outnumber sawmills in the state.
Pallet plants were recorded in 39 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).
§2Illinois by year
| Year | Plants | Employment | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 155 | 2,439 | $42,111 |
| 2021 | 160 | 2,589 | $49,561 |
| 2022 | 167 | 2,631 | $53,454 |
| 2023 | 174 | 2,782 | $53,322 |
| 2024 | 180 | 3,202 | $54,306 |
| 2025 | 169 | 3,076 | $56,434 |
Sawmills (NAICS 321113) in Illinois: 2020 52, 2021 55, 2022 55, 2023 52, 2024 46, 2025 45.
§3What it means for buyers
With 169 plants, Illinois 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 Chicago, IL, Rockford, IL; see the metro pages below.
States with a similar number of plants: Tennessee (132), Pennsylvania (189), Indiana (130), Ohio (189).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 111 | 1,616 |
| Rockford, IL | 9 | not disclosed |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 22 | 315 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 5 | 278 |