Containerboard Market by Material (Virgin Fibers, Recycled Fibers, and Mixed Fibers), by Type (Kraftliners, Testliners, and Flutings), by Packaging Type (Linerboard, Corrugating Medium, Chemical Medium, and White Tops), by Wall Type (Single Wall, Double Wall, and Trippel Wall), by End-User (Consumer Goods, e-Commerce, Industrial, Food & Beverage, Cosmetics & Personal Care, Agriculture, Healthcare, Logistics, and Others)- Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2024-2030

Market Definition

The Containerboard Market size was valued at USD 141.39 billion in 2023 and is predicted to reach USD 168.32 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 2.52% from 2024-2030.

Containerboard is a type of paperboard that is used to manufacture corrugated cardboard. It is made from wood pulp or recycled fibers, which are processed into a sturdy, layered material with a fluted or ribbed layer between two flat layers. It is made by combining multiple layers of paper to create a material that is strong, durable, and able to withstand the rigors of shipping and handling.

Containerboard typically consists of two main components, namely linerboard and corrugating medium. The linerboard is the outer layer of the containerboard and provides the smooth, printable surface for the container. The corrugating medium is the wavy layer between the linerboard layers, which provides strength and cushioning. Containerboard is manufactured in a variety of grades and weights, and can be tailored to meet specific packaging requirements for a wide range of products.

Market Dynamics and Trends

The demand for packaging materials such as containerboard is significantly increasing due to the growing e-commerce industries across the world as containerboard is widely used for shipping and delivering products sold online.

Moreover, the increasing demand for environmentally-friendly packaging solution is further driving the growth of the containerboard market. Companies across the globe are shifting towards sustainable packaging solutions such as containerboard to reduce their carbon footprints.

Furthermore, with the growth of international trade, the demand for containerboard packaging is also increasing, as containerboard is widely used for transporting goods across borders. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, global trade across countries reached USD 28.5 trillion in 2021.

However, the limited moisture-resistancy and less durability of containerboards are the major factors restraining the growth of the containerboard market. On the contrary, the introduction of arcwise containerboard packaging that provides more durability and shock resistancy to packaged products is expected to create ample opportunities for the containerboard market in the coming years.

Market Segmentations and Scope of the Study

The containerboard market share is segmented on the basis of material, type, packaging type, wall type, and end-user. On the basis of material, the market is divided into virgin fibers, recycled fibers, and mixed fibers. On the basis of type, the market is segmented into kraftliners, testliners, and flutings. On the basis of packaging type, the market is classified into linerboard, corrugating medium, and chemical medium, and white tops. On the basis of wall type, the market is divided into single wall, double wall, and trippel wall. On the basis of end-user, the market is segmented into consumer goods, industrial, food & beverage, cosmetics & personal care, agriculture, healthcare, logistics, and others. Geographic breakdown and analysis of each of the aforesaid segments include regions comprising of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW.

Geographical Analysis

Asia Pacific holds the lion share of containerboard market and is expected to continue its dominance during the forecast period. This is attributed to factors such as the growing e-commerce industry in countries such as China, India, and Japan. The demand for containerboard is increasing in this region due to the growth of e-commerce and online shopping, which requires more packaging materials for shipping and handling products.

According to the International Trade Administration, China is the largest e-commerce market globally as it reached USD 2.29 trillion in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 3.56 trillion by 2024. Moreover, the large cosmetics & personal care industry in countries such as China, India, and South Korea is further driving the growth of the containerboard market to for storage and shipment of the products across the globe.

According to the International Trade Administration, Cosmetics and Toiletries industry reached USD 52.3 billion in 2020, making China world's second-largest beauty and personal care products market in the world. On the other hand, North America is expected to show a steady rise in the growth of the containerboard market.

This is due to the growing agriculture and food & beverage companies in North America that are increasingly adopting corrugated board packaging, as they can withstand long shipping time and keep moisture away from food products, is further driving the growth of the containerboard market.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, food & beverage, agriculture, and related industries contributed roughly $1.264 trillion to U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021. Moreover, the presence of key players such as Georgia-Pacific LLC and Packaging Corporation of America plays a major role in the growth of the containerboard market in this region.

For instance, in December 2022, Georgia-Pacific LLC announced to invest USD 160 million to upgrade their containerboard manufacturing facility. Through this investment, the company aims to upgrade pulp processing systems and reduce energy and chemicals consumption to support environment sustainability while also allowing for more paper production.

Competitive Landscape

Various market players operating in the containerboard market include CellMark AB, WestRock, DS Smith plc, Mondi Group, SCG Packaging Public Company Limited, Lee & Man Paper Manufacturing Ltd., Smurfit Kappa, International Paper, Oji Fibre Solutions Ltd., Rengo Co. Ltd. Georgia-Pacific LLC, Hamburger Containerboard, Nine Dragons Paper, Packaging Corporation of America, Cascade Inc., and others. These market players are adopting various strategies such as product launches and business expansion to remain dominant in the containerboard market.

For instance, in January 2023, CellMark launched new combined packaging and paper division to offer marketing and distribution, supply chain efficiency and logistics and financing solutions to customers worldwide.  producing publishing papers, office and book papers, containerboard, linerboard, tissue and packaging papers, speciality packaging and food boards.

Moreover, in February 2022, WestRock built a new corrugated box plant in Longview, Washington. Through this new production facility, the company aims to fulfill the market demand for eco-friendly packaging solutions in the Pacific Northwest region.

Furthermore, in April 2022, DS Smith launched corrugated cardboard box that features a single-material solution instead of glued packaging with a single-use plastic insert. The new packaging box was launched for e-commerce shipments of medical devices.

Key Benefits

• The report provides quantitative analysis and estimations of the containerboard market from 2024 to 2030, which assists in identifying the prevailing market opportunities.

• The study comprises a deep dive analysis of the containerboard market including the current and future trends to depict prevalent investment pockets in the market.

• Information related to key drivers, restraints, and opportunities and their impact on the containerboard market is provided in the report. 

• Competitive analysis of the players, along with their market share is provided in the report.

• SWOT analysis and Porters Five Forces model is elaborated in the study.

• Value chain analysis in the market study provides a clear picture of roles of stakeholders.

Key Market Segments

By Material 

• Virgin Fibers

• Recycled Fibers

• Mixed Fibers

By Type 

• Kraftliners

• Testliners

• Flutings

By Packaging Type 

• Linerboard

• Corrugating Medium 

• Chemical Medium

• White Tops

By Wall Type 

• Single Wall

• Double Wall

• Trippel Wall

By End-User 

• Consumer Goods

• E-Commerce

• Industrial

• Food & Beverage

• Cosmetics & Personal Care

• Agriculture

• Healthcare

• Logistics

• Others

By Region

• North America

  • The U.S.

  • Canada

  • Mexico

• Europe

  • The UK

  • Germany

  • France        

  • Italy        

  • Spain        

  • Denmark        

  • Netherlands        

  • Finland        

  • Sweden

  • Norway        

  • Russia        

  • Rest of Europe

• Asia-Pacific

  • China

  • Japan

  • India

  • South Korea

  • Australia

  • Indonesia

  • Singapore

  • Taiwan

  • Thailand

  • Rest of Asia Pacific

• RoW

  • Latin America

  • Middle East

  • Africa

REPORT SCOPE AND SEGMENTATION:

Test