368
employer establishments
reported in the U.S. office-supplies manufacturing industry in 2023.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023Reference page
U.S. Writing Instrument Manufacturing Statistics
A small, sourced snapshot of the U.S. industry that includes pen, pencil, refill, and related office-supplies manufacturing.
Last updated October 9, 2026. Latest underlying business data: 2023.
130,250
employees
reported across that industry in 2023.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023$532,187,000
annual payroll
reported for the industry in 2023.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023164
very small establishments
had fewer than five employees, together employing 326 people in 2023.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023What this covers
A useful look at the business behind everyday writing tools.
The U.S. Census Bureau places pens, pencils, pen refills and cartridges, felt-tip markers, crayons, pencil sharpeners, and several related products in its Office Supplies, except Paper, Manufacturing industry, code 339940. That is a wider category than handmade pens alone, so these figures are best used as a clear picture of the broader manufacturing landscape, not as a count of individual pen makers.
For anyone writing about stationery, giftable writing tools, craftsmanship, or the changing role of a physical pen, this page provides a compact set of figures that can be checked against the original government data.
How to read the numbers
Big enough to matter. Broad enough to need context.
The 368 establishments are locations with paid employees, not a count of every independent maker working from a home studio. The smallest size group in the Census file, establishments with fewer than five employees, contained 164 locations and 326 workers. That is a useful reminder that the category holds businesses of very different sizes.
Payroll is reported by Census in thousands of dollars. This page states the published 2023 total as $532,187,000, rather than turning it into a rounded estimate. The figures describe the whole industry category, which includes more than pens, and they should not be used to estimate sales for a particular maker or shop.
Methodology and sources
Where these figures come from.
Every number on this page comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 County Business Patterns national file for NAICS 339940. County Business Patterns counts businesses with paid employees. Census labels the industry Office Supplies, except Paper, Manufacturing.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 County Business Patterns national data file, accessed October 9, 2026. Used for establishment, employment, and annual-payroll figures.
- U.S. Census Bureau industry profile for NAICS 339940, accessed October 9, 2026. Used to confirm the current industry label and profile context.
- 2022 NAICS Manual, U.S. Census Bureau, accessed October 9, 2026. Used to confirm that pens, pencils, and pen refills are included in this classification.
Suggested citation: Rob the Pen Dude, “U.S. Writing Instrument Manufacturing Statistics,” updated October 9, 2026, https://robthependude.com/pen-industry-statistics.
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