Discover your next big idea in food packaging & processing this Sept.
Experience a breakthrough in food packaging & processing—explore solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries at PACK EXPO Las Vegas.
REGISTER TODAY & SAVE

Paperboard folding carton growth predicted through 2022

New study reports that tariffs on China will factor into the equation. Meanwhile, e-commerce is expected to boost corrugated and paperboard box demand.

New study reports that tariffs on China will factor into the equation. Meanwhile, e-commerce is expected to boost corrugated and paperboard box demand.
New study reports that tariffs on China will factor into the equation. Meanwhile, e-commerce is expected to boost corrugated and paperboard box demand.

In 2018, the Trump administration levied a 10% tariff on folding cartons from China that was scheduled to increase to 25% on January 1, 2019; however, in December 2018, China and the U.S. agreed on a temporary suspension of tariff increases. If tariffs continue to rise as planned, they will result in increases in domestic production as well as a more rapid transition to flexible packaging formats. These and other trends are presented in Corrugated & Paperboard Boxes, a new study from The Freedonia Group.

The report predicts demand for folding paperboard boxes to grow 3.9% per year through 2022 to $12.8 billion.

Freedonia’s study notes that the U.S. maintains a trade deficit in folding paperboard boxes that accounted for about 5% of demand in 2017. By value, Canada supplies almost half of the folding cartons imported to the U.S. due to its geographic proximity and abundant forestry resources and processing facilities. China is the second-largest source of folding cartons—in both volume and value terms—because the country’s low manufacturing costs offset the cost of shipping these products.

The report forecasts demand for all types of corrugated and paperboard boxes (i.e., corrugated and solid fiber, folding paperboard and set-up paperboard) will increase 2.6% annually to $42.5 billion in 2022.

Here, Freedonia says nearly half of all new demand will stem from the food and beverage market, with 16% of new box sales coming from what it says is “the small but rapidly growing e-commerce segment.”

Published in January, 2019, the 212-page Corrugated & Paperboard Boxes report is available for $5,500 from The Freedonia Group.

Food safety excellence on a budget: The smart approach
When material costs rise and margins shrink, efficient cleaning becomes critical. Learn cost-effective sanitation strategies that enhance food safety while reducing resource consumption.
Read More
Food safety excellence on a budget: The smart approach
Liquid Foods Innovations Report
Welcome to the inaugural Packaging World/ProFood World Innovations Report on liquid food packaging, drawn from nearly 300 PACK EXPO International booth visits (Chicago, Nov. 3–6, 2024). Our editors highlight the most groundbreaking equipment and materials—supported by video demos—that promise to transform how liquid foods are processed, packaged, and delivered.
Learn More
Liquid Foods Innovations Report