Analysis
NAICS 326111 is the 2022 national industry for plastics bag and pouch manufacturing, part of 32611 (Plastics Packaging Materials and Unlaminated Film and Sheet Manufacturing). Census lists 6 example activities under it in the official index.
By establishments it ranks 3rd of the 3 codes at this level within Plastics Packaging Materials and Unlaminated Film and Sheet Manufacturing, with 30.8% of them.
County Business Patterns counts 376 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 40,114 people at an average annual payroll of $64,724 per employee (42nd percentile of national industries). 14% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which points to larger operations.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 10% and employment rose 26%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include bags, plastics film, single wall or multiwall, manufacturing, food storage bags, plastics film, single wall or multiwall…, frozen food bags, plastics film, single wall or multiwall… and grocery bags, plastics film, single wall or multiwall…, among 6 in all.
Its goods appear in 7 statistical lines of the US tariff schedule, mostly under headings 3923 (articles for the conveyance or packing of goods, of…). That link is how import data is matched to domestic producers, for example in trade-remedy cases.
Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in (1) converting plastics resins into plastics bags or pouches and/or (2) forming, coating, or laminating plastics film or sheet into single-web or multiweb plastics bags or pouches. Establishments in this industry may print on the bags or pouches they manufacture.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing laminated or coated combinations of plastics, foils, and paper (except plastics film to plastics film) materials into single wall or multiwall bags | 322220 Paper Bag and Coated and Treated Paper Manufacturing |
| Printing on purchased packaging materials | 3231 Printing and Related Support Activities, based on the printing process used |
Index entries (6)
- Bags, plastics film, single wall or multiwall, manufacturing
- Food storage bags, plastics film, single wall or multiwall, manufacturing
- Frozen food bags, plastics film, single wall or multiwall, manufacturing
- Grocery bags, plastics film, single wall or multiwall, manufacturing
- Merchandise bags, plastics film, single wall or multiwall, manufacturing
- Trash bags, plastics film, single wall or multiwall, manufacturing