Containerboard Market Report 2025

This Containerboard market report provides a comprehensive analysis of the market’s characteristics, size, and growth, including segmentation, regional and country-level breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends, and strategies. It also tracks historical and forecasted market growth across various geographies.

The containerboard market size has grown steadily in recent years. It will grow from $133.7 billion in 2024 to $139.51 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.3%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to the increasing demand for packaging materials, price and availability of key raw materials, development the environmental regulations and recycling mandates, Increasing demand for sustainable packaging solutions, and changes in consumer behavior towards sustainable packaging.

The containerboard market size is expected to see steady growth in the next few years. It will grow to $164.04 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.1%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to economic growth, the rise of online shopping, population growth, changes in international trade policies, trends towards lightweight packaging and global trade expansion. Major trends in the forecast period include innovations in containerboard production, adoption of digital technologies, investment in infrastructure and capacity expansion, multi-functional packaging and packaging efficiency and optimization.

The containerboard market is poised for growth driven by increasing demand for electronic items. Electronic items, which utilize electronic circuits to perform specific functions, are experiencing rising consumption due to factors such as enhanced connectivity, digital transformation, expanding e-commerce, and the emergence of new markets. Containerboard plays a crucial role in the electronics industry by providing durable and eco-friendly packaging solutions that ensure protection during shipping and handling. Its recyclable nature also aligns with sustainability goals within the electronics sector. For example, the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association reported a significant increase in total consumer electronics production from May 2022 to May 2023, underscoring the growing demand driving the containerboard market.

Key players in the containerboard market are focusing on innovation to meet sustainability standards and enhance product offerings. Recyclable containerboard, designed for easy recycling and reuse to minimize environmental impact, is a pivotal development in this regard. Mondi, a UK-based packaging company, introduced ProVantage SmartKraft Brown and White in June 2024. These innovative containerboard grades combine fresh and recycled fibers, a fresh-fiber top layer ensures strength, tunability, and printability, while the underlayer consists entirely of recycled fiber to uphold sustainability and environmental responsibility. This blend of materials ensures high performance and quality while meeting diverse packaging needs without compromise.

In January 2023, Stora Enso Oyj, a packaging company based in Finland, acquired De Jong Verpakking B.V. for approximately $1.09 billion (€1.02 billion). This acquisition is aimed at accelerating Stora Enso's growth in renewable corrugated packaging and expanding its market presence in Europe. By integrating De Jong Packaging Group, Stora Enso intends to enhance its capabilities in fresh produce, e-commerce, and industrial packaging while increasing its market share in key European regions. De Jong Verpakking B.V. is a packaging company based in the Netherlands, specializing in containerboard production.

Major companies operating in the containerboard market are International Paper and Power Corporation, WestRock Co., Georgia-Pacific Plywood & Lumber Company, Smurfit Kappa Group, Oji Holdings Corporation, Stora Enso Oyj, Mondi Group plc, Packaging Corporation of America (PCA), Nine Dragons Paper (Holdings) Limited, South African Pulp and Paper Industries Limited (SAPPI), Rengo Co.Ltd., Greif Inc., Klabin S.A., Cascades Inc., Lee and Man Paper Manufacturing Ltd., Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget (SCA), Cheng Loong Corp., Europac Group, Seshasayee Paper and Boards Limited, Siam Kraft Industry Co. Ltd., Hamburger Containerboard, Sun Paper Co.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the containerboard market in 2024. The regions covered in the containerboard market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the containerboard market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Containerboard is a type of paperboard specifically engineered for manufacturing corrugated boxes and packaging materials. It is valued for its strength, durability, and ability to withstand the rigors of stacking and handling during transportation. Containerboard typically comprises multiple layers of paper, featuring linerboard on the outer surfaces and corrugating medium as the inner layer.

The main types of containerboard include kraftliners, testliners, and fluting. Kraftliners are robust, coarse papers used primarily as the outer layers of containerboard, prized for their high strength and resilience in packaging applications. These materials are crafted from both recycled and virgin fibers, serving diverse end-use industries such as food and beverage, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics, and others.

The containerboard market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides containerboard market statistics, including the containerboard industry's global market size, regional shares, competitors with a containerboard market share, detailed containerboard market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the containerboard industry. This containerboard market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

The containerboard market consists of sales of dual-use boards, high-performance containerboard, preprinted linerboards, and wax-free containerboard. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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