Advances will be driven in part by the growing presence of value-added product types, such
as higher performing insulated shipping containers and environmentally friendly products.
US demand to rise 5%
annually through 2016
Protective packaging demand in the US
is projected to increase 5.0 percent per
year to $5.9 billion in 2016, fueled by a
rebound in manufacturing output,
especially for durable goods, along with
continued solid growth for Internet
shopping. These factors will necessitate
heightened requirements for costeffective
packaging used in the protection
of goods from shock, vibration,
abrasion and other damaging effects of
shipping and handling.
Advances will
also be driven by the growing presence
of value-added product types, such as
higher performing insulated shipping
containers and environmentally friendly
products. Green products such as those
made from recycled or biodegradable
materials tend to be more costly than
their conventional counterparts. While
interest in green products will increase,
pressures to control packaging costs will
limit gains to some extent.
Recovery in durable goods
manufacturing to benefit
foam products, molded pulp
Recovery in the manufacturing sector,
particularly a substantial improvement in
durable goods output, will fuel accelerated
gains for protective packaging,
especially foam products and molded
pulp. Advantages of molded foams
include light weight, excellent cushioning
and blocking and bracing capabilities,
along with the ability to be customized to
conform to the shape of sensitive
electronics and appliances. Opportunities
for paperboard protectors will be
assisted by healthy growth for warehouse
clubs and home center stores,
boosting demand for edge protection
products, which are used by these
establishments to unitize and stack
pallets.
Internet shopping to favor
protective mailers, air
pillows, bubble packaging
The increasing popularity of Internet
shopping will be one of the most important
trends influencing protective packaging
demand. Products expected to
benefit include protective mailers, air
pillows and bubble packaging. Mailers
are valued as an alternative to boxes,
providing reduced material and postage
costs, source reduction and space
savings. Solid gains for air pillows will be
the result of advantages over other voidfill
materials in terms of cost and material
use, and consumer preference for the
product over traditional materials such
as loose-fill. Growing requirements for
cost-effective, lightweight cushioning will
propel gains for bubble packaging, which
also offers greater ease of use than
alternatives such as foam-in-place
polyurethane.
Study Scope
This study analyzes the $4.6 billion US protective packaging industry. It presents historical demand data for the years 2001, 2006 and 2011, and forecasts for 2016 and 2021 by function, market and product (e.g., protective mailers, bubble packaging, insulated shipping containers, paperboard protectors, molded foam, foam-in place polyurethane, loose-fill).
The study also considers market environment factors, details industry structure, evaluates company market share and profiles 42 industry players, including Sealed Air, Sonoco Products and Pregis.
