Demand for rigid bulk packaging is projected to increase 2.1% annually through 2013. Gains will be bolstered by a shift toward larger, higher-value containers that offer enhanced performance and cost savings. RIBCs and material handling containers will register the fastest gains. The durable goods market will outpace nondurables.

This study analyzes the $6.3 billion US rigid bulk packaging industry. It presents historical demand data for the years 1998, 2003 and 2008, and forecasts for 2013 and 2018 by material (e.g., plastic, steel, paperboard and wood panels), product (e.g., drums, pails, material handling containers, bulk boxes, rigid intermediate bulk containers) and market (e.g., nondurable goods, durable goods).

The study also considers market environment trends and indicators, details industry structure, evaluates company market share and profiles 36 industry players, including Greif, MAUSER and BWAY.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                           
SECTION                                                                          PAGE

                 INTRODUCTION                                                      ix
                 
          I.     EXECUTIVE SUMMARY                                                  1
                 
         II.     MARKET ENVIRONMENT                                                 4
                 General                                                            4
                 Macroeconomic Outlook                                              5
                 Demographic Trends                                                 9
                 Manufacturing Outlook                                             12
                 Packaging Trends                                                  15
                 Competitive Bulk Packaging                                        19
                 Historical Market Trends                                          21
                 Pricing Trends                                                    23
                 Environmental Issues                                              26
                 Regulatory Considerations                                         30
                     Transport & Handling                                          30
                     Other Regulations                                             33
                 Foreign Trade                                                     34
                 International Activity                                            36
                 
        III.     MATERIALS                                                         39
                 General                                                           39
                 Plastic                                                           42
                 Steel                                                             47
                 Paperboard & Wood Panels                                          50
                 
         IV.     PRODUCTS                                                          54
                 General                                                           54
                 Drums                                                             58
                     Fibre Drums                                                   60
                       Recycling                                                   64
                       Markets                                                     65
                       Producers                                                   68
                     Steel Drums                                                   69
                       Liners & Coating Technologies                               73
                       Reconditioning & Recycling                                  74
                       Markets                                                     76
                       Producers                                                   79
                     Plastic Drums                                                 80
                       Reconditioning & Recycling                                  83
                       Markets                                                     84
                       Producers                                                   88
                 Pails                                                             90
                     Plastic Pails                                                 91
                       Markets                                                     93
                       Producers                                                   96
                     Steel Pails                                                   97
                       Markets                                                    100
                       Producers                                                  102
                 Material Handling Containers                                     103
                     Plastic Totes & Crates                                       107
                     Steel Material Handling Containers                           110
                     Markets                                                      113
                     Producers                                                    117
                 Bulk Boxes                                                       119
                     Markets                                                      122
                     Producers                                                    125
                 Rigid Intermediate Bulk Containers                               128
                     Plastic Body RIBCs                                           131
                     Plastic RIBC Producers                                       134
                     Metal Body RIBCs                                             135
                     Metal RIBC Producers                                         138
                     Other RIBCs                                                  139
                     Producers of Other RIBCs                                     142
                     Markets                                                      143
                     
          V.     MARKETS                                                          148
                 General                                                          148
                 Nondurable Goods                                                 151
                     Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals                                  153
                       Chemical & Pharmaceutical Industry Outlook                 154
                       Rigid Bulk Packaging Demand by Type                        158
                          Drums                                                   161
                          Pails                                                   163
                          RIBCs & Other                                           164
                       Rigid Bulk Packaging Demand by Chemical Type               165
                          Industrial Chemicals                                    167
                          Paints & Coatings                                       170
                          Detergents & Cleaners                                   172
                          Pharmaceuticals                                         174
                          Agricultural Chemicals                                  177
                          Other                                                   180
                     Food & Beverages                                             183
                       Food & Beverage Industry Outlook                           184
                       Rigid Bulk Packaging Demand                                186
                     Plastic, Rubber & Fiber                                      192
                       Plastic, Rubber & Fiber Outlook                            193
                       Rigid Bulk Packaging Demand                                195
                     Petroleum & Lubricants                                       197
                       Petroleum & Lubricant Outlook                              198
                       Rigid Bulk Packaging Demand                                199
                     Agricultural & Horticultural Products                        202
                       Agricultural & Horticultural Industry Outlook              203
                       Rigid Bulk Packaging Demand                                205
                 Durable Goods                                                    209
                     Durable Goods Outlook                                        209
                     Rigid Bulk Packaging Demand                                  212
                 Other Markets                                                    215
                 
         VI.     INDUSTRY STRUCTURE                                               218
                 General                                                          218
                 Industry Composition                                             219
                 Market Share                                                     223
                     Greif                                                        224
                     MAUSER                                                       225
                     BWAY                                                         226
                     International Paper                                          226
                     Menasha                                                      227
                     Letica                                                       227
                     Other Leaders                                                228
                 Acquisitions & Divestitures                                      228
                 Competitive Strategies                                           232
                 Manufacturing & Development                                      235
                 Marketing & Distribution                                         237
                 Cooperative Agreements                                           241
                 Company Profiles                                                 243
                     Akro-Mils, see Myers Industries                                 
                     American Fiber Drum, see MAUSER                                 
                     Atorka Group hf                                              244
                     Ball Corporation                                             246
                     Berenfield Containers Incorporated                           247
                     Berry Plastics Corporation                                   248
                     Buckhorn, see Myers Industries                                  
                     BWAY Corporation                                             249
                     Chem-Tainer Industries Incorporated                          251
                     Cleveland Steel Container Corporation                        253
                     Containers America, see General Steel Drum and North 
                       Coast Container                                               
                     General Steel Drum Corporation                               254
                     Georgia-Pacific, see Koch Industries                            
                     Greif Incorporated                                           255
                     Hedwin Corporation                                           260
                     Hoover Materials Handling Group Incorporated                 261
                     IBC North America Incorporated                               263
                     International Paper Company                                  264
                     IPL Incorporated                                             267
                     Koch Industries Incorporated                                 269
                     Letica Corporation                                           271
                     LINPAC Group Limited                                         272
                     Longview Fibre Paper and Packaging Incorporated              273
                     MAUSER AG                                                    275
                     Menasha Corporation                                          278
                     Molded Fiber Glass Companies                                 281
                     Myers Container LLC                                          282
                     Myers Industries Incorporated                                284
                     NAMPAC, see BWAY                                                
                     Nashville Wire Products Manufacturing Company                288
                     Norseman Plastics Holdings, see Menasha                         
                     North American Container Corporation                         289
                     North Coast Container Corporation                            290
                     ORBIS, see Menasha                                              
                     Packaging Corporation of America                             291
                     Plastican Incorporated                                       293
                     Promens North America, see Atorka Group                         
                     Protexic Brands, see Tegrant                                    
                     Ropak Packaging, see LINPAC Group                               
                     Schoeller Arca Systems Group BV                              294
                     SCHUETZ GmbH & Company KGaA                                  295
                     Sharpsville Container Corporation                            297
                     Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation                          298
                     Snyder Industries Incorporated                               300
                     Tegrant Corporation                                          302
                     Temple-Inland Incorporated                                   304
                     ThermoSafe Brands, see Tegrant                                  
                     Trilla Steel Drum, see Greif                                    
                     Weyerhaeuser Company                                         305
                 Other Companies Mentioned in Study                               307
                 

                                    LIST OF TABLES
                                          
TABLE NUMBER                                                                     PAGE

                 SECTION I -- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
                 Summary Table                                                      3

                 SECTION II -- MARKET ENVIRONMENT
           1     Macroeconomic Indicators                                           9
           2     Population & Households                                           12
           3     Manufacturers' Shipments                                          15
           4     Packaging Supply & Demand                                         19
           5     Rigid Bulk Packaging Market, 1998-2008                            22
           6     Rigid Bulk Packaging Prices                                       26
           7     Foreign Trade in Rigid Bulk Packaging                             36

                 SECTION III -- MATERIALS
           1     Raw Material Use in Rigid Bulk Packaging                          41
           2     Plastic Use in Rigid Bulk Packaging by Product                    46
           3     Steel Use in Rigid Bulk Packaging by Product                      49
           4     Paperboard & Wood Panel Use in Rigid Bulk Packaging 
                     by Product                                                    53

                 SECTION IV -- PRODUCTS
           1     Rigid Bulk Packaging Demand by Type                               57
           2     Drum Shipments by Type                                            60
           3     Fibre Drum Shipments                                              64
           4     Fibre Drum Demand by Market                                       67
           5     Steel Drum Shipments by Type                                      73
           6     Steel Drum Demand by Market                                       78
           7     Plastic Drum Shipments                                            82
           8     Plastic Drum Demand by Market                                     87
           9     Pail Shipments by Type                                            91
          10     Plastic Pail Shipments by Type                                    93
          11     Plastic Pail Demand by Market                                     95
          12     Steel Pail Shipments by Type                                      99
          13     Steel Pail Demand by Market                                      101
          14     Material Handling Container Shipments by Type                    107
          15     Plastic Tote & Crate Shipments by Type                           110
          16     Steel Material Handling Container Shipments                      113
          17     Material Handling Container Demand by Market                     116
          18     Bulk Box Shipments                                               122
          19     Bulk Box Demand by Market                                        124
          20     Rigid Intermediate Bulk Container Shipments by Type              131
          21     Plastic Body RIBC Shipments                                      133
          22     Metal Body RIBC Shipments                                        138
          23     Other RIBC Shipments by Type                                     142
          24     Rigid Intermediate Bulk Container Demand by Market               146

                 SECTION V -- MARKETS
           1     Rigid Bulk Packaging Demand by Market                            150
           2     Nondurable Goods Market for Rigid Bulk Packaging                 153
           3     Chemical & Pharmaceutical Product Shipments                      158
           4     Chemical & Pharmaceutical Products Market for 
                     Rigid Bulk Packaging by Type                                 160
           5     Chemical & Pharmaceutical Products Market for 
                     Rigid Bulk Packaging by Chemical                             166
           6     Industrial Chemical Market for Rigid Bulk Packaging              170
           7     Paints & Coatings Market for Rigid Bulk Packaging                172
           8     Detergent & Cleaner Market for Rigid Bulk Packaging              174
           9     Pharmaceutical Market for Rigid Bulk Packaging                   177
          10     Agricultural Chemical Market for Rigid Bulk Packaging            180
          11     Other Chemical Markets for Rigid Bulk Packaging                  183
          12     Food & Beverage Shipments                                        186
          13     Food & Beverage Market for Rigid Bulk Packaging                  188
          14     Plastic, Rubber & Fiber Shipments                                195
          15     Plastic, Rubber & Fiber Market for Rigid Bulk Packaging          197
          16     Petroleum & Lubricant Product Supply & Demand                    199
          17     Petroleum & Lubricants Market for Rigid Bulk Packaging           202
          18     Agricultural & Horticultural Indicators                          205
          19     Agricultural & Horticultural Market for Rigid 
                     Bulk Packaging                                               208
          20     Durable Goods Shipments                                          212
          21     Durable Goods Market for Rigid Bulk Packaging                    215
          22     Other Markets for Rigid Bulk Packaging                           217

                 SECTION VI -- INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
           1     US Rigid Bulk Packaging Sales by Company, 2008                   221
           2     Selected Acquisitions & Divestitures                             231
           3     Selected Cooperative Agreements                                  242

                                    LIST OF CHARTS
                                          
CHART NUMBER                                                                     PAGE

                 SECTION II -- MARKET ENVIRONMENT
           1     Rigid Bulk Packaging Market, 1998-2008                            23
                 
                 SECTION III -- MATERIALS
           1     Raw Material Use in Rigid Bulk Packaging, 1998-2018               42
           2     Plastic Use in Rigid Bulk Packaging by Product, 2008              46
           3     Steel Use in Rigid Bulk Packaging by Product, 2008                50

                 SECTION IV -- PRODUCTS
           1     Rigid Bulk Packaging Demand by Type, 2008                         58
           2     Fibre Drum Demand by Market, 2008                                 68
           3     Steel Drum Demand by Market, 2008                                 79
           4     Plastic Drum Demand by Market, 2008                               88
           5     Plastic Pail Demand by Market, 2008                               96
           6     Steel Pail Demand by Market, 2008                                102
           7     Material Handling Container Demand by Market, 2008               117
           8     Bulk Box Demand by Market, 2008                                  125
           9     Rigid Intermediate Bulk Container Demand by 
                     Market, 2008                                                 147
                 
                 SECTION V -- MARKETS
           1     Rigid Bulk Packaging Demand by Market, 2008                      151
           2     Chemical & Pharmaceutical Products Market for 
                     Rigid Bulk Packaging by Type, 2008                           161
           3     Chemical & Pharmaceutical Products Market for 
                     Rigid Bulk Packaging by Chemical, 2008                       166

                 SECTION VI -- INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
           1     US Rigid Bulk Packaging Market Share, 2008                       224