Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills
NAICS Code: 322100
BLS projects Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills to contract -13.1% through 2034 - 15.5 points slower than the 2.4% average across 291 U.S. industries, faster-growing than 5% of them. It ranks among the contracting industries projected through 2034.
Where Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills sits among all industries
Projected 2024-2034 growth across 291 U.S. industries (BLS). This industry is marked in rose.
Where Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills sits by projected growth
Projected employment change across tracked industries
-13.1% Top 95% higher than 5% of 291 industries
Industries, banded by projected growth
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more industries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source BLS Employment Projections · 2026-05-15
Contraction read
Signature: 36.9% mean employer AI exposure across 13 tracked public companies .
BLS projects contraction even though many public companies still map to this sector - read employer grades as residual corporate exposure, not proof the industry will keep the same staffing footprint.
NAICS 322100 · 84,700 workers (2024, ×1k) · source BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034. Employer AI grades are occupation-weighted scores from our SEC cohort, not automation predictions for every establishment in Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills.
Public companies near this industry
SEC industry labels matching tokens from Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills. 13 companies scored · mean AI exposure 36.9%.
| Company | AI grade |
|---|---|
| Avery Dennison Corp | B |
| Graphic Packaging Holding Co | B |
| International Paper Co /New/ | B |
| Kimberly Clark Corp | B |
| New York Times Co | B |
| News Corp | B |
| Packaging Corp Of America | B |
| Reynolds Consumer Products Inc. | B |
Grades are occupation-weighted AI exposure from our employer corpus - not a claim that every establishment in Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills shares the same risk. Source: SEC company metadata + O*NET-weighted scores · as of 2026-05-15.
Peer Industries by Employment
How Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills (NAICS 322100) compares to industries of similar size, ordered by 2024 BLS employment.
| Industry | 2024 | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Textile mills | 86,600 | -9.5% |
| Iron and steel mills and ferroalloy manufacturing | 85,600 | +1.5% |
| Business schools and computer and management training; private | 85,500 | +9.9% |
| Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills | 84,700 | -13.1% |
| Apparel manufacturing | 84,500 | -30.4% |
| Communications equipment manufacturing | 83,000 | -6.6% |
Peers are selected by similarity in 2024 employment. Figures in thousands. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people work in Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills?
As of 2024, the Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills industry employs approximately 84,700 workers in the United States, according to BLS Employment Projections data.
Is Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills growing or declining?
The Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills industry is projected to decline by 13.1% from 2024 to 2034, a net change of -11,100 jobs over the decade.
Which public companies sit near Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills?
13 tracked public companies whose SEC industry label matches Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills. Sample names include Avery Dennison Corp, Graphic Packaging Holding Co, International Paper Co /New/. Grades are occupation-weighted AI exposure scores, not company-specific automation forecasts.
How will AI affect the Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills industry?
Among 13 tracked public companies tied to this industry's sector, the mean occupation-weighted AI exposure score is 36.9% (most common grade B). That is a staffing-pattern signal from our employer corpus, not a forecast for every firm in Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills. Pair it with occupation-level AI exposure scores for role-specific risk.
Where to look next under contraction
What to do with this
Use Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills' employment and exposure numbers above to look up individual employers and occupations, not just the industry aggregate.
- See how public employers in this and other industries rank nationwide by AI displacement risk. Employer AI risk rankings
- Browse individual occupations to see exposure and wage detail below the industry level. Browse all occupations
- Compare this industry's outlook against a specific occupation or employer using the interactive tool. Workforce comparison tool
Industry-level figures are aggregates; individual employer and occupation outcomes vary.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034; SEC employer metadata for AI grades Employment figures in thousands. Employer grades are occupation-weighted exposure scores, not firm automation forecasts