Corrugated & Paperboard Boxes

Featuring 77 tables and 56 figures – now available in Excel and Powerpoint! Learn More

Boxes

Through 2026, demand for boxes in the US is forecast to increase 2.0% yearly from a high 2021 base to $49.9 billion, with volume demand reaching 31.9 million tons. Although the corrugated and paperboard box market in the US is mature, there are notable growth opportunities in nonmanufacturing applications such as e-commerce, foodservice, and delivery. In addition, suppliers will continue to introduce higher value boxes to the market in order to meet the sustainability and efficiency needs of their customers.

E-Commerce Will Provide the Best Opportunities for Corrugated Boxes

Demand for boxes in e-commerce applications will grow at a double-digit pace, the fastest rate of any market. E-commerce continues to account for an increasing share of retail sales, a trend that accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic when more people took advantage of these services to stay at home. Corrugated boxes will account for nearly all demand in this market due to their predominance as shipping containers.

Several e-commerce trends are expected to have a large impact on corrugated and paperboard box design and innovation, including:

direct-to-consumer shipments, which will boost demand for primary packaging that can also act as a shipping container
right-sizing of packaging, which will act to limit the volume of packaging used

Foodservice & Carryout Applications Will Bolster Demand for Folding Cartons

Rising use of multi-restaurant delivery platforms such as DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats – along with subsequent increased delivery and takeout options offered by restaurants themselves – will boost healthy gains in demand for folding cartons in foodservice and carryout applications. New municipal regulations and manufacturers’ efforts to reduce the amount of single-use plastics used in the foodservice segment will also benefit demand for folding cartons; however, cartons will continue to face some competition from single-use plastics due to consumer preferences for packaging that reduces the occurrence of food spills and leaks.

Better Aesthetics, Sustainability, & Advanced Features Support Use of Higher Value Boxes

Although they are essentially a commodity product, boxes are increasingly enhanced to improve their aesthetics and functionality:

Digital printing is increasingly used to add photo-quality images to both the interior and exterior of boxes in order to catch a customer’s eye, and graphics can be easily altered for short production runs or personalized packaging.
Concerns over the sustainability of boxes has led suppliers to continue to shift from wax coatings to higher cost water-based or biobased alternatives, which enhance moisture-resistance while enabling boxes to be recycled.
Boxes are increasingly being equipped with features such as radio-frequency identification (RFID) sensors, which help with inventory management and shipment tracking.

Printer Friendly

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary

2. COVID-19 Pandemic

Overview

Impact on the Economy

Impact on the Corrugated & Paperboard Box Industry

3. Overview

Study Scope

Historical Trends

Box Types

Markets Overview

Pricing Trends & Product Mix

Production Trends

International Trade

US Supply & Demand

Imports

Exports

Impact of Tariffs

4. Raw Materials

Paperboard

Product Description

Supply & Demand

Consumption in Box Production

Other Materials

Consumption of Adhesives, Coatings, & Inks During Box Production

Adhesives

Protective Coatings

Inks

5. Factors Impacting Corrugated & Paperboard Box Demand

Growth of E-Commerce

Retail-Ready Packaging

Development of Value-Added Features

Examples of Value-Added Features

Coated Boxes

Smart Boxes

Digital Printing

Competitive Products

Sustainability Initiatives

Recycling & Recycled Content

Compostability

Renewable Resource & Forest Management

Regulations

Regulatory Bodies

Renewable Energy Tax Credits

6. Corrugated Boxes

Scope & Product Description

Supply & Demand

Production Trends

Applications (Shipping vs. Packaging)

Markets

Market Share & Key Suppliers

7. Folding Cartons

Scope & Product Description

Supply & Demand

Markets

Market Share & Key Suppliers

8. Set-Up Paperboard Boxes

Scope & Product Description

Supply & Demand

Markets

Market Share & Key Suppliers

9. Food & Beverage Markets

Market Scope

Demand by Market

Grain Mill Products

Meat, Poultry, & Seafood

Beverages

Fresh Produce

Frozen Food

Bakery Products

Canned Food

Dairy Products

Candy & Confections

Other Foods

10. Nonfood Nondurable Goods Markets

Market Scope

Demand by Market

Paper & Publishing

Rubber & Plastic Products

Pharmaceuticals

Chemical Products

Cosmetics & Toiletries

Other Nonfood Nondurable Goods

11. Durable Goods Markets

Market Scope

Demand by Market

Machinery & Equipment

Glass & Ceramic Products

Fabricated Metal Products

Furniture, Lumber, & Wood Products

Toys & Sporting Goods

Silverware & Jewelry

Motor Vehicle Parts

Music, Entertainment, & Software

Instruments & All Other Durable Goods

12. Nonmanufacturing Markets

Market Scope

Demand by Market

Foodservice & Carryout

E-Commerce

Moving, Storage, & Other Nonmanufacturing Markets

13. Industry Structure

Key Findings & Industry Composition

Market Share

Mergers & Acquisitions

Competitive Strategies

Distribution Strategies

Regional Dynamics

List of Industry Participants

14. Appendix

Report Details

Definitions

Abbreviations

Freedonia Methodology

Study-Specific Methodology

Data Changes from Previous Version

Sources

Associations & Agencies

Related Studies & Reports

Macroeconomic Assumptions

Economic Environment

Demographics

Consumer Spending

Manufacturers' Shipments

E-Commerce Sales

Retail Sales

List of Tables

2. COVID-19 Pandemic

Table 2-1 | Macroeconomic Indicators, 2019 - 2023 (billion 2012 dollars)

Table 2-2 | Annual Corrugated & Paperboard Box Demand by Product, 2019 - 2022 (million dollars)

Table 2-3 | Annual Corrugated & Paperboard Box Demand by Market, 2019 - 2022 (million dollars)

3. Overview

Table 3-1 | Corrugated & Paperboard Box Demand, 2006 - 2021 (thousand tons & million dollars)

Table 3-2 | Corrugated & Paperboard Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars & thousand tons)

Table 3-3 | Corrugated & Paperboard Box Demand by Market, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars & thousand tons)

Table 3-4 | Corrugated & Paperboard Box Average Price by Product, 2011 - 2031 (dollars per ton)

Table 3-5 | Corrugated & Paperboard Box Production by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars & thousand tons)

Table 3-6 | Corrugated & Paperboard Box Supply & Demand, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

4. Raw Materials

Table 4-1 | Paperboard Supply & Demand by Type, 2011 - 2031 (thousand tons)

Table 4-2 | Paperboard Consumption in Corrugated & Paperboard Box Production by Grade & Box Type, 2011 - 2031 (thousand tons)

Table 4-3 | Selected Other Materials Consumption in Corrugated & Paperboard Box Production by Material, 2011 - 2031 (million pounds & million dollars)

Table 4-4 | Protective Coatings Consumption in Corrugated & Paperboard Box Production by Type, 2011 - 2031 (million pounds & million dollars)

6. Corrugated Boxes

Table 6-1 | Corrugated Boxes: Advantages, Disadvantages, & Competitive Products

Table 6-2 | Corrugated Box Supply & Demand, 2011 - 2031 (thousand tons & million dollars)

Table 6-3 | Corrugated Box Shipments & Production, 2011 - 2031 (thousand tons & billion square feet)

Table 6-4 | Corrugated Box Demand by Application, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 6-5 | Corrugated Box Demand by Market, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

7. Folding Cartons

Table 7-1 | Folding Cartons: Advantages, Disadvantages, & Competitive Products

Table 7-2 | Folding Paperboard Carton Supply & Demand, 2011 - 2031 (thousand tons & million dollars)

Table 7-3 | Folding Paperboard Carton Demand by Market, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

8. Set-Up Paperboard Boxes

Table 8-1 | Set-Up Paperboard Boxes: Advantages, Disadvantages, & Competitive Products

Table 8-2 | Set-Up Paperboard Box Supply & Demand, 2011 - 2031 (thousand tons & million dollars)

Table 8-3 | Set-Up Paperboard Box Demand by Market, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

9. Food & Beverage Markets

Table 9-1 | Food & Beverage Box Demand by Market, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 9-2 | Grain Mill Products: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 9-3 | Industry Codes Related to Grain Mill Products

Table 9-4 | Meat, Poultry, & Seafood Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 9-5 | Industry Codes Related to Meat, Poultry, & Seafood

Table 9-6 | Beverage Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 9-7 | Industry Codes Related to Beverages

Table 9-8 | Fresh Produce Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 9-9 | Frozen Food Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 9-10 | Industry Codes Related to Frozen Food

Table 9-11 | Bakery Product Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 9-12 | Industry Codes Related to Baked Goods

Table 9-13 | Canned Goods Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 9-14 | Industry Codes Related to Canned Goods

Table 9-15 | Dairy Product Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 9-16 | Industry Codes Related to Dairy Products

Table 9-17 | Candy & Confection Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 9-18 | Industry Codes Related to Candy & Confections

Table 9-19 | Other Foods Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 9-20 | Industry Codes Related to Selected Other Foods

10. Nonfood Nondurable Goods Markets

Table 10-1 | Nonfood Nondurable Goods Box Demand by Market, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 10-2 | Paper & Publishing Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 10-3 | Rubber & Plastic Product Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 10-4 | Pharmaceuticals Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 10-5 | Chemical Products: Box Demand by Application & Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 10-6 | Cosmetics & Toiletries Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 10-7 | Other Nonfood Nondurable Goods Market: Box Demand by Application & Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

11. Durable Goods Markets

Table 11-1 | Durable Goods Box Demand by Market, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 11-2 | Machinery & Equipment Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 11-3 | Glass & Ceramic Products Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 11-4 | Fabricated Metal Products Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 11-5 | Furniture, Lumber, & Wood Products: Box Demand, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 11-6 | Toys & Sporting Goods Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 11-7 | Silverware & Jewelry Products Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 11-8 | Motor Vehicle Parts Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 11-9 | Music, Entertainment, & Software Products Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 11-10 | Instruments & All Other Durable Goods Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

12. Nonmanufacturing Markets

Table 12-1 | Nonmanufacturing Box Demand by Market & Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 12-2 | Foodservice & Carryout Market: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 12-3 | E-Commerce Market: Box Demand, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

Table 12-4 | Moving, Storage, & Other Nonmanufacturing Markets: Box Demand by Product, 2011 - 2031 (million dollars)

13. Industry Structure

Table 13-1 | US Corrugated & Paperboard Box Sales by Company, 2021 (million dollars)

Table 13-2 | Selected Mergers & Acquisitions

Table 13-3 | Selected Industry Participants

14. Appendix

Table 14-1 | Relevant Industry Codes

Table 14-2 | Relevant HS Codes

Table 14-3 | Abbreviations & Acronyms Used in Study

Table 14-4 | Macroeconomic Indicators, 2011 - 2031 (billion 2012 dollars)

Table 14-5 | Population & Households, 2011 - 2031 (million persons)

Table 14-6 | Personal Consumption Expenditures, 2011 - 2031 (billion dollars)

Table 14-7 | Manufacturers' Shipments, 2011 - 2031 (billion dollars & billion 2012 dollars)

Table 14-8 | E-Commerce Sales by Market, 2011 - 2031 (billion dollars)

Table 14-9 | Retail Sales by Market, 2011 - 2031 (billion dollars)

List of Figures

1. Executive Summary

Figure 1-1 | US Corrugated & Paperboard Box Market

2. COVID-19 Pandemic

Figure 2-1 | Real GDP by Economic Sector, 2020 - 2023 (% annual change)

Figure 2-2 | Annual Corrugated & Paperboard Box Value Demand by Market, 2019 - 2022 (% annual change)

3. Overview

Figure 3-1 | Corrugated & Paperboard Boxes: Product Examples

Figure 3-2 | Corrugated & Paperboard Box Demand, 2005 - 2021 (million dollars)

Figure 3-3 | Corrugated & Paperboard Box Average Price by Product, 2011 - 2031 (dollars per ton)

Figure 3-4 | US Corrugated & Paperboard Box Imports Share by Source, 2021 (billion dollars)

Figure 3-5 | US Corrugated & Paperboard Box Exports Share by Destination, 2021 (billion dollars)

5. Factors Impacting Corrugated & Paperboard Box Demand

Figure 5-1 | Product Example: Boxes Used for E-Commerce Orders

Figure 5-2 | Product Example: Retail-Ready Boxes

Figure 5-3 | Product Examples: Coated Boxes

Figure 5-4 | Product Example: Smart Boxes

Figure 5-5 | Product Examples: Digital Printing

6. Corrugated Boxes

Figure 6-1 | Corrugated Boxes: Product Examples

Figure 6-2 | US Corrugated Boxes Market Share by Company, 2021 (billion dollars)

7. Folding Cartons

Figure 7-1 | Folding Cartons: Product Examples

Figure 7-2 | US Folded Paperboard Cartons Market Share by Company, 2021 (billion dollars)

8. Set-Up Paperboard Boxes

Figure 8-1 | Set-Up Paperboard Boxes: Product Examples

Figure 8-2 | US Set-Up Paperboard Box Market Share by Company, 2021 (million dollars)

9. Food & Beverage Markets

Figure 9-1 | Food & Beverage Applications for Corrugated & Paperboard Boxes, 2021

Figure 9-2 | Grain Mill Products: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 9-3 | Meat, Poultry, & Seafood: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 9-4 | Beverages: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 9-5 | Fresh Produce: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 9-6 | Frozen Foods: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 9-7 | Bakery Products: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 9-8 | Canned Foods: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 9-9 | Dairy Products: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 9-10 | Candy & Confections: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 9-11 | Other Foods: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

10. Nonfood Nondurable Goods Markets

Figure 10-1 | Nonfood Nondurable Goods Applications for Corrugated & Paperboard Boxes, 2021

Figure 10-2 | Paper & Publishing Products: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 10-3 | Rubber & Plastic Products: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 10-4 | Pharmaceuticals: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 10-5 | Chemical Products: Examples & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 10-6 | Cosmetics & Toiletries: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 10-7 | Other Nonfood Nondurable Goods: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

11. Durable Goods Markets

Figure 11-1 | Durable Goods Applications for Corrugated & Paperboard Boxes, 2021

Figure 11-2 | Machinery & Equipment: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 11-3 | Glass & Ceramic Products: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 11-4 | Fabricated Metal Products: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 11-5 | Toys & Sporting Goods: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 11-6 | Silverware & Jewelry Products: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 11-7 | Motor Vehicle Parts: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 11-8 | Music, Entertainment, & Software Products: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 11-9 | Instruments & All Other Durable Goods: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

12. Nonmanufacturing Markets

Figure 12-1 | Nonmanufacturing Applications for Corrugated & Paperboard Boxes, 2021

Figure 12-2 | Foodservice & Carryout: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

Figure 12-3 | E-Commerce: Applications

Figure 12-4 | Moving, Storage, & All Other Nonmanufacturing Markets: Applications & Box Demand by Product, 2021

13. Industry Structure

Figure 13-1 | US Corrugated & Paperboard Box Market Share by Company, 2021 (billion dollars)

Figure 13-2 | US Corrugated & Paperboard Box Market: Leading Supplier, 2021

Figure 13-3 | US Corrugated & Paperboard Box Market: Second Leading Supplier, 2021

Figure 13-4 | US Corrugated & Paperboard Box Market: Third Leading Supplier, 2021

Figure 13-5 | US Corrugated & Paperboard Box Market: Fourth Leading Supplier, 2021

Figure 13-6 | US Corrugated & Paperboard Boxes Market: Fifth Leading Supplier, 2021

Corrugated & Paperboard Boxes

Featuring 77 tables and 56 figures – now available in Excel and Powerpoint! Learn More

E-Commerce Will Provide the Best Opportunities for Corrugated Boxes

Foodservice & Carryout Applications Will Bolster Demand for Folding Cartons

Better Aesthetics, Sustainability, & Advanced Features Support Use of Higher Value Boxes

Purchase Corrugated & Paperboard Boxes by the Section