2022 NAICS national industry in sector 31-33 Manufacturing
322120 Paper Mills
NAICS 322120 is the US industry code for paper mills. It covers establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing paper from pulp.
- Code
- 322120 (2022 NAICS)
- Title
- Paper Mills
- Part of
- Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills
- SBA small business limit
- Up to 1,250 employees
- Closest UK SIC
- 23990 (details)
Changes coming. The NAICS 2027 revision applies to data from 1 January 2027, and SBA proposed new size standards on 20 August 2026. The values on this page are the ones in force today; we update this page when the official files change.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing paper from pulp. These establishments may manufacture or purchase pulp. In addition, the establishments may convert the paper they make. The activity of making paper classifies an establishment into this industry regardless of the output.
When to use a different code
Census classifies these close-sounding activities somewhere else. Businesses mainly engaged in:
- Manufacturing pulp without manufacturing paper are classified in Industry 322110, Pulp Mills.
- Manufacturing paperboard are classified in Industry 322130, Paperboard Mills.
- Converting paper without manufacturing paper are classified in Industry Group 3222, Converted Paper Product Manufacturing.
- Manufacturing photographic sensitized paper from purchased paper are classified in U.S. Industry 325992, Photographic Film, Paper, Plate, Chemical, and Copy Toner Manufacturing.
Activities listed under 322120
The Census index assigns these 51 activities to this code. If your business matches one, this is your code.
- Absorbent paper stock manufacturing
- Asphalt paper made in paper mills
- Bond paper made in paper mills
- Book paper, coated, made in paper mills
- Bristols paper stock manufacturing
- Building paper stock manufacturing
- Cigarette paper made in paper mills
- Construction paper, school and art, made in paper mills
- Cotton fiber paper stock manufacturing
- Diapers, disposable, made in paper mills
- Facial tissues made in paper mills
- Felts, asphalt, made in paper mills
- Glassine wrapping paper made in paper mills
- Groundwood paper products (e.g., publication and printing paper, tablet stock, wallpaper base) made in newsprint mills
- Groundwood paper, coated, laminated, or treated in paper mills
- Groundwood paper, coated, made in paper mills
- Groundwood paper, newsprint, made in paper mills
- Kraft paper stock manufacturing
- Looseleaf fillers and paper made in paper mills
- Napkins, table, made in paper mills
- Newsprint mills
- Newsprint paper, manufacturing
- Office paper (e.g., computer printer, photocopy, plain paper) made in paper mills
- Paper manufacturing
- Paper mills
- Paper mills, newsprint
- Paper mills, uncoated groundwood
- Paper products made in paper mills
- Paper stock for conversion into paper products (e.g., bag and sack stock, envelope stock, tissue stock, wallpaper stock) manufacturing
- Paper towels made in paper mills
- Paper, asphalt, made in paper mills
- Paper, coated, laminated or treated, made in paper mills
- Paper, newsprint and uncoated groundwood, manufacturing
- Pulp and newsprint combined manufacturing
- Pulp and paper combined manufacturing
- Pulp mills and groundwood paper, uncoated and untreated, manufacturing
- Pulp mills producing newsprint paper
- Pulp mills producing paper
- Sanitary napkins and tampons made in paper mills
- Sanitary paper products made in paper mills
- Sanitary paper stock manufacturing
- Sanitary products made in paper mills
- Saturated felts made in paper mills
- Sheathing paper made in paper mills
- Tablets (e.g., memo, note, writing) made in paper mills
- Tar paper, building and roofing, made in paper mills
- Tissue paper stock manufacturing
- Toilet paper made in paper mills
- Towels, paper, made in paper mills
- Uncoated groundwood paper mills
- Writing paper made in paper mills
SBA size standard for 322120
To count as a small business for SBA loans and federal contracts under NAICS 322120, your business (including affiliates) must not exceed 1,250 employees. Check your business.
Source: SBA table of size standards, effective March 17, 2023.
Closest UK SIC 2007 codes
There is no official one-to-one link between NAICS and UK SIC. These codes share the same international class (ISIC Rev. 4: 1701, 1702, 1709, 2399), so treat them as a starting point and check the definition.
Built from Census concordances 2022→2017 NAICS and 2017 NAICS→ISIC Rev. 4.
Similar codes to compare
Data last changed November 14, 2026. How this page is built.