Paper Bag and Coated and Treated Paper Manufacturing Revenue Benchmarks
The average paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing business in the United States generates $38.3M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 529 paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing businesses in the U.S., employing 55,913 workers with an average profit margin of 10.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $72K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Paper Bag and Coated and Treated Paper Manufacturing Business Actually Do?
Paper Bag and Coated and Treated Paper Manufacturing: Businesses that transform raw materials or components into finished products.
Who buys: Wholesalers, retailers, other manufacturers, and government.
Sector-level description — a more specific write-up is available for high-traffic industries.
Average Revenue
$38.3M
per year
Profit Margin
10.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$363K
per year
Total Businesses
529
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$3.8M
small business avg
Labor Cost
18.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$72K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.2
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Paper Bag and Coated and Treated Paper Manufacturing Charge?
Paper Bag and Coated and Treated Paper Manufacturing: Manufacturers sell in bulk to wholesalers, distributors, or direct to businesses. Pricing is negotiated by SKU volume. The specifics vary within the paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing category — the ranges below are typical for the sector.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Contract manufacturing markup | 15–35% over materials + labor |
Own-brand product margin | 25–60% gross margin |
Custom / low-volume run | 40–150% over direct costs |
Sector-typical ranges — individual services within this industry may fall higher or lower.
Complete paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Raw materials & components | $50 | $19.3M | Steel, chemicals, electronics, packaging — the physical inputs that become the product. |
Wages & benefits | $18 | $6.9M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $2.2M | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $1.4M | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $12 | $4.7M | Depreciation on equipment, energy, R&D, quality control, freight. |
Net profit | $10 | $3.8M | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
3.69%
openings/year
Closure Rate
4.26%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-2%
annual
Businesses Closed
99
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Paper Bag and Coated and Treated Paper Manufacturing Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
0 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing business do?
- Paper Bag and Coated and Treated Paper Manufacturing: Businesses that transform raw materials or components into finished products. Wholesalers, retailers, other manufacturers, and government.
- How much do paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing charge?
- Paper Bag and Coated and Treated Paper Manufacturing: Manufacturers sell in bulk to wholesalers, distributors, or direct to businesses. Pricing is negotiated by SKU volume. The specifics vary within the paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing category — the ranges below are typical for the sector. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing make per year?
- The average paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing business generates $38.3M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $3.8M per year at a 10.0% profit margin.
- How many paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing businesses are there in the US?
- There are 529 paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 55,913 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing business?
- Startup costs for a paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing industry?
- The average employee in the paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing industry earns $72K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing industry is contracting — losing jobs at a net rate of 2.0% per year. More establishments are closing (4.3%) than opening (3.7%), suggesting market challenges.
Approximately 80% of paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 99 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing industry earns $72,195/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 1,082 establishments employing 54,217 people, the typical business has about 50 employees. These tend to be larger operations requiring significant staffing investment.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The paper bag and coated and treated paper manufacturing industry has declined 43% since 2000 (from 3,386 to 1,942 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Paper Bag and Coated and Treated Paper Manufacturing revenue with other industries: