321920 - Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
Introduction
If you're involved in the manufacturing or supply chain sector, understanding NAICS codes is crucial for business classification, compliance, and contracting opportunities. NAICS Code 321920 represents the Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing industry, an essential block supporting global shipping and storage needs. This sector manufactures durable wood containers such as crates, boxes, pallets, and other wooden shipping supplies critical for protecting goods during transportation and storage.
What is NAICS Code 321920?
NAICS 321920 includes establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing a variety of wood containers. These containers range from simple wooden pallets to complex crates, boxes, and coopered products designed to safely store and transport goods. The wood products are often designed for industrial, agricultural, and commercial applications focusing on secure shipping, handling, and storage.
Key Characteristics:
- Manufacturing wooden crates, boxes, pallets
- Producing coopered wood products like barrels, kegs, and tubs
- Creating wirebound wooden containers for fruits, vegetables, and poultry
- Fabricating both nailed and lock corner wood packing cases and shipping drums
Sector and Typical Business Activities
NAICS 321920 falls under the Manufacturing sector.
Common Business Types and Activities:
- Wooden crate manufacturing
- Pallet production (wood or wood-metal combinations)
- Wood box manufacturing (including cigar boxes, jewelry boxes, and tool chests)
- Cooperage manufacturing (barrels, kegs, tubs, and related stock)
- Production of wirebound containers for shipping produce and poultry
These products are integral to logistics, distribution centers, agriculture, and various industries relying on secure shipping and storage solutions.
Size Standards and Eligibility
The Small Business Size Standard for NAICS Code 321920 is:
- Up to 500 employees
This means businesses with employee counts at or below this threshold may qualify as small businesses for SBA certifications, government contracting, and other set-aside programs.
Examples of Businesses Under NAICS 321920
- Companies specializing in wooden crate manufacturing for agricultural fruits and vegetables
- Businesses producing pallets used in warehousing and shipping operations
- Manufacturers of wooden boxes used in packaging for industries like tobacco, jewelry, and tools
- Cooperage operations manufacturing barrels and kegs for food and beverage industries
Detailed NAICS Code 321920 Manufacturing Product List
| Product / Manufacturing Activity | Description |
|---|---|
| Ammunition boxes, wood, manufacturing | Wood boxes designed for ammunition storage |
| Barrel heading and staves manufacturing | Components for barrel construction |
| Barrels, wood, coopered, manufacturing | Fully formed wooden barrels |
| Baskets, wood (round stave, veneer), manufacturing | Various wooden baskets for produce |
| Berry crates, wood, wirebound, manufacturing | Wirebound crates tailored for berries |
| Berry cups, veneer and splint, manufacturing | Small containers for berries |
| Box cleats, wood, manufacturing | Wooden reinforcements for boxes |
| Box shook manufacturing | Flat wooden pieces ready for box assembly |
| Boxes, cigar, wood or part wood, manufacturing | Specialty boxes for cigars |
| Boxes, jewelry, wood or part wood, manufacturing | Decorative or protective jewelry boxes |
| Boxes, wood, manufacturing | Standard wooden boxes |
| Boxes, nail or lock corner, plain/fabric covered, manufacturing | Various corner joinery boxes |
| Buckets, wood, coopered, manufacturing | Wood buckets with coopered sides |
| Cases, shipping, wood, wirebound, manufacturing | Wirebound shipping cases |
| Casks, wood, coopered, manufacturing | Large coopered wood containers |
| Chests for tools, wood, manufacturing | Durable wooden tool chests |
| Chicken coops (crates), wood, wirebound for shipping poultry, manufacturing | Specialized poultry shipping crates |
| Containers, wood, manufacturing | Various wooden containers |
| Cooperage stock manufacturing | Raw materials for barrel making |
| Coopered tubs manufacturing | Wooden tubs made with cooperage techniques |
| Crates (berry, butter, fruit, vegetables) wood, wirebound | Wirebound wooden crates for assorted produce |
| Drums, plywood, manufacturing | Plywood wooden drums for storage and shipping |
| Egg cases, wood, manufacturing | Wooden containers for egg transport |
| Flats, wood, greenhouse, manufacturing | Wooden flat trays for greenhouse use |
| Fruit baskets, veneer and splint, manufacturing | Baskets made from veneer or splint wood |
| Fruit crates, wood, wirebound, manufacturing | Wirebound wooden crates for fruit shipping |
| Heading, barrel (cooperage stock), wood, manufacturing | Barrel head components |
| Hogsheads, coopered wood, manufacturing | Large wooden barrels historically used in tobacco/wine |
| Hoops, sawed or split wood for cooperage | Wood bands used for barrel constriction |
| Hot tubs, coopered, manufacturing | Wood hot tubs formed with cooperage methods |
| Kegs, wood, coopered, manufacturing | Smaller barrel-like containers |
| Packing cases, wood, nailed or lock corner, manufacturing | Wooden packing boxes with secure corners |
| Packing crates, wood, manufacturing | General wood crates for shipping and storage |
| Pails, coopered wood, manufacturing | Wood pails assembled with cooperage techniques |
| Pallet containers, wood or wood-metal combination, manufacturing | Wood pallets and pallet-style containers |
| Pallet parts, wood, manufacturing | Components for pallet assembly |
| Pallets, wood or wood-metal combination, manufacturing | Platforms for goods transport |
| Round stave baskets (fruit, vegetable), manufacturing | Circular baskets for produce |
| Shipping cases and drums, wood, wirebound, manufacturing | Wirebound drums and cases for shipping |
| Shipping crates, wood, manufacturing | General wooden shipping crates |
| Shook, box, manufacturing | Flat wooden pieces prepared for box assembly |
| Skids and pallets, wood or wood-metal combination, manufacturing | Similar to pallets, for heavy-duty transport |
| Splint baskets for fruits and vegetables, manufacturing | Narrow wood strip baskets for produce |
| Staves, barrel, sawed or split, manufacturing | Barrel side wooden pieces |
| Tanks, wood, coopered, manufacturing | Large wooden tanks using cooperage |
| Tobacco hogshead stock, manufacturing | Barrel components for tobacco storage |
| Tobacco hogsheads, manufacturing | Completed wooden barrels for tobacco curing |
| Tool chests, wood, manufacturing | Portable wooden chests for tools |
| Trays, carrier, wood, manufacturing | Wooden trays for transporting goods |
| Vegetable baskets, veneer and splint, manufacturing | Specialty baskets for vegetables |
| Vegetable crates, wood, wirebound, manufacturing | Wirebound crates for vegetable shipping |
| Veneer baskets for fruits and vegetables, manufacturing | Lightweight veneer baskets for produce |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What does NAICS 321920 cover?
NAICS 321920 includes businesses engaged in manufacturing wood containers such as crates, boxes, pallets, barrels, and coopered products primarily used for shipping, storage, and product transportation.
Which sector does this NAICS code fall under?
It falls under the Manufacturing sector.
What kinds of products are made under this code?
Products include wooden crates, pallets, box shook, barrels, wirebound fruit crates, tool chests, and other wood-based shipping and storage containers.
What is the small business size standard for NAICS 321920?
The size standard is 500 employees.
Who uses these wood containers?
They are used by manufacturers, distributors, agricultural producers, logistic companies, and exporters who need secure, durable packaging solutions.
Can cooperage manufacturing be classified under this code?
Yes, cooperage manufacturing (barrels, kegs, tubs, staves, hoops) is included in NAICS 321920.
Conclusion
NAICS Code 321920 – Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing – represents a vital segment of the manufacturing industry that produces essential wood packaging products. Whether it's pallets supporting warehouse logistics or custom wooden crates for specialty goods, this industry supports efficient and secure goods movement worldwide. Understanding the scope of this NAICS code helps businesses identify their sector classification, qualify for government programs under the 500-employee size standard, and engage with the expansive network surrounding wood shipping containers.
If you're planning to enter this industry or explore contracting opportunities, knowing your NAICS code and its specific business activities is the first step to success!
