Middle-East and Africa Paper and Paperboard Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

The Middle-East and African paper and paperboard market is expected to register a CAGR of 4% over the forecast period (2021 - 2026).

The paper and forest-products industry is experiencing growth, but at a slower pace, as compared to before as other products are filling the gaps left by the graphic paper market, with the packaging industry gaining momentum in leveraging its eco-friendly material, along with tissue papers and pulp for hygiene products.

Although the market within the Middle-East and African region is relatively small, the vendors in the region leverage each other by the means of imports and exports and are constantly looking for new applications and use for wood and its components. For instance, according to the United Nation Comtrade database, the United Arab Emirates accounted USD 12.26 million in 2018, for the import of paper and paperboard from Kuwait.

As with the food and beverage industry, with the growth of health-conscious consumers opting to grocery delivery services and meal kits, there has been a significant gain in the trend of take out choices by food suppliers. This has evidently impacted the food delivery vendors and the environmental safety to consider paper-based packaging options.

For instance, fast food chains with restaurants across the world, such as McDonald, are capitalizing on the popularity of eco-friendly food packaging options, thereby, levering the growth of the market.

Additionally, with the increase of e-commerce, technological advancements may foster the growth of transport and industrial packaging. Owing to promising future aspects of the market, both domestic and foreign investors within the paper-based industries are looking to strengthen their business in the region and uplight the product capacity.

Moreover, with the recent outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and declaration of nationwide lockdown in major countries in the Middle-East and African region, from March 2020, has led people to stockpile emergency supplies, causing a surge demand for products, such as disposable surgical masks, tissue, sanitary wipes, toiler paper, and other paper-based hygiene products.

Key Market Trends

Container Board to Witness the Fastest Market Growth

• Consumer good manufacturers in the region are opting to eco-friendly packaging materials, as they support sustainability. The corrugated boxes manufactured with containerboard maintain their sustainable form of packaging and serve as an eco-friendly option.
• Since the corrugated boxes are made of recyclable material, they help manufacturers to reduce the environmental cost and also comply with several industrial standards and government regulations, including Federal Environment Agency ( FEA) and Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD).
• Furthermore, countries across the region, including the United Arab Emirates, are experiencing key development in sustainability, with consumers and companies becoming complaints to zero waste, boost the growth of the market.
• Additionally, the increasing incomes of consumers led them to opt for premium products, thereby, raising the demand for premium packaging for consumer products, such as cosmetics and skincare, together with the presence of major supermarkets, such as LULU Group, remains the main channel for the distribution of premium products across the region.

Processed Food to Witness the Fastest Market Growth

• Advancements in quality and accessibility of digital printing on paperboard enabled processed food manufacturers of all sizes to leverage the paperboard packaging, as printing large quantities of paperboard packaging without a constant change of graphic/coat is cost-effective
• The land and ocean litters, associated with foodservice packaging of alternative sources, leverage the adoption of recyclable single-serve paperboard packaging, as it holds the potential to consume less resources than non-recycle packaging materials, such as plastic.
• For instance, in June 2019, the Board of Directors of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) standardized new regulation, which states that products and packaging, made with polyethylene, must be made up of approved oxo-biodegradable material and the supplier has to be approved by the Saudi government.
• However, the inherent property of paperboard, to nurture odors and flavors, acts as a restraint to the market. Moreover, the presence of many substitute biodegradable packaging material halt the growth of the market.

Competitive Landscape

The Middle-East and African paper and paperboard market is moderately fragmented. It consists several major players, owing to similar portfolio offerings, accounting as the threat of substitutes. Vendors with a focus toward sustainability are enhancing the product line, leveraging strategic collaborative initiatives and acquisitions as a competitive advantage, to further expand their customer base and gain market share.

• December 2019 - United Carton Industries Company, based in Saudi Arabia, announced its achievement for its corrugated packaging operations, with the installation of Nozomi C1800, a single-pass, six-color LED inkjet printer developed by electronics for Imaging Inc. The print offers three modes, in order to optimize the ink consumption and print quality. It allows photo mode matching with 90% PANTONE Colors in six variations, with no limit on ink consumption. This allows the company to enter new markets, as it strategically uses it as a competitive advantage.
• October 2019 - Hotpack Packaging Industries LLC, based in the United Arab Emirates, announced that it has been awarded ISO 22000 ( Food Safety) and HACCP ( Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) by the United Registrar of Systems (URS) ME. The company leverages these certifications to showcase its commitment, in order to produce safe and quality products.

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