Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing Revenue Benchmarks
The average wood container and pallet manufacturing business in the United States generates $6.0M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 2,302 wood container and pallet manufacturing businesses in the U.S., employing 57,063 workers with an average profit margin of 10.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $52K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing Business Actually Do?
Wood Container and Pallet 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
$6.0M
per year
Profit Margin
10.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$244K
per year
Total Businesses
2,302
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$605K
small business avg
Labor Cost
18.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$52K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.7
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing Charge?
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing: Manufacturers sell in bulk to wholesalers, distributors, or direct to businesses. Pricing is negotiated by SKU volume. The specifics vary within the wood container and pallet 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 wood container and pallet manufacturing business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a wood container and pallet 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 wood container and pallet 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 | $3.0M | Steel, chemicals, electronics, packaging — the physical inputs that become the product. |
Wages & benefits | $18 | $1.1M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $348K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $218K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $12 | $740K | Depreciation on equipment, energy, R&D, quality control, freight. |
Net profit | $10 | $605K | 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
7.97%
openings/year
Closure Rate
7.4%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-4.02%
annual
Businesses Closed
500
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
3 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a wood container and pallet manufacturing business do?
- Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing: Businesses that transform raw materials or components into finished products. Wholesalers, retailers, other manufacturers, and government.
- How much do wood container and pallet manufacturing charge?
- Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing: Manufacturers sell in bulk to wholesalers, distributors, or direct to businesses. Pricing is negotiated by SKU volume. The specifics vary within the wood container and pallet 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 wood container and pallet manufacturing make per year?
- The average wood container and pallet manufacturing business generates $6.0M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $605K per year at a 10.0% profit margin.
- How many wood container and pallet manufacturing businesses are there in the US?
- There are 2,302 wood container and pallet manufacturing businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 57,063 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a wood container and pallet manufacturing business?
- Startup costs for a wood container and pallet manufacturing business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the wood container and pallet manufacturing industry?
- The average employee in the wood container and pallet manufacturing industry earns $52K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The wood container and pallet manufacturing industry is contracting — losing jobs at a net rate of 4.0% per year. More establishments are closing (7.4%) than opening (8.0%), suggesting market challenges.
Approximately 68% of wood container and pallet manufacturing businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 500 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the wood container and pallet manufacturing industry earns $52,196/year. This is near the national average of ~$65K. With 3,166 establishments employing 64,312 people, the typical business has about 20 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The wood container and pallet manufacturing industry has declined 17% since 2000 (from 9,204 to 7,671 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing revenue with other industries: