Analysis
NAICS 424130 is the 2022 national industry for industrial and personal service paper merchant wholesalers, part of 42413 (Industrial and Personal Service Paper Merchant Wholesalers). Census lists 41 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 3,770 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 66,154 people at an average annual payroll of $88,886 per employee (76th percentile of national industries). 45% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 13% and employment fell 7%. 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, paper and disposable plastics, merchant wholesalers, boxes, paperboard and disposable plastics, merchant…, cardboard products merchant wholesalers and cartons, paper and paperboard, merchant wholesalers, among 41 in all.
For example, merchant wholesale distribution of stationery, office supplies, and/or gift wrap are classified in 424120 (Stationery and Office Supplies Merchant Wholesalers) instead.
Census lists 2 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 424120 and 423840. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of kraft wrapping and other coarse paper, paperboard, converted paper (except stationery and office supplies), and/or related disposable plastics products.
Illustrative Examples:
Corrugated paper merchant wholesalers Paper and disposable plastics tableware (e.g., utensils, dishes, cups) merchant wholesalers Paper napkins merchant wholesalers Paperboard and disposable plastics boxes and containers merchant wholesalers Plastics bags merchant wholesalers Paper and disposable plastics shipping supplies merchant wholesalers Paper towels merchant wholesalers Paper bags merchant wholesalers Sanitary paper products merchant wholesalers Wrapping paper (except gift wrap) merchant wholesalers Waxed paper merchant wholesalers Plastics foam products, disposable (except packaging, packing), merchant wholesalers
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
Index entries (41)
- Bags, paper and disposable plastics, merchant wholesalers
- Boxes, paperboard and disposable plastics, merchant wholesalers
- Cardboard products merchant wholesalers
- Cartons, paper and paperboard, merchant wholesalers
- Closures, paper and disposable plastics, merchant wholesalers
- Containers, paper and disposable plastics, merchant wholesalers
- Converted paper (except stationery and office supplies) merchant wholesalers
- Corrugated paper merchant wholesalers
- Crates, paperboard and disposable plastics, merchant wholesalers
- Cups, paper and disposable plastics, merchant wholesalers
- Diapers, disposable, merchant wholesalers
- Dishes, paper and disposable plastics, merchant wholesalers
- Disposable plastics products (e.g., boxes, cups, cutlery, dishes, sanitary food containers) merchant wholesalers
- Eating utensils, disposable plastics, merchant wholesalers
- Egg cartons, paper and disposable plastics, merchant wholesalers
- Facial tissue merchant wholesalers
- Fiber cans and drums merchant wholesalers
- Filter papers merchant wholesalers
- Foam plastic trays merchant wholesalers
- Gummed tapes (except cellophane) merchant wholesalers
- Industrial supplies, disposable plastics, paper, merchant wholesalers
- Knives, disposable plastics, merchant wholesalers
- Napkins, paper, merchant wholesalers
- Paper (except office supplies, printing paper, stationery, writing paper) merchant wholesalers
- Paper bags merchant wholesalers
- Paper towels merchant wholesalers
- Paperboard and paperboard products (except office supplies) merchant wholesalers
- Personal sanitary paper products merchant wholesalers
- Plastics bags merchant wholesalers
- Plastics foam products, disposable (except packaging, packing), merchant wholesalers
- Pressed and molded pulp goods (e.g., egg cartons, shipping supplies) merchant wholesalers
- Sacks, paper, merchant wholesalers
- Sanitary food containers (e.g., disposable plastics, paper, paperboard) merchant wholesalers
- Sanitary paper products merchant wholesalers
- Shipping supplies, paper and disposable plastics, merchant wholesalers
- Shopping bags, paper and plastics, merchant wholesalers
- Tableware, disposable, merchant wholesalers
- Tissue paper, toilet and facial, merchant wholesalers
- Toilet tissue merchant wholesalers
- Waxed paper merchant wholesalers