Corrugated Boxes Market Size

Corrugated Boxes Market size was estimated at USD 171.9 billion in 2024 and is expected to surpass USD 340.4 billion by the end of 2037, rising at a CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period, i.e., 2025-2037. In 2025, the industry size of corrugated boxes will be valued at USD 181.1 billion.

The corrugated boxes market is primarily driven by steep growth in the e-commerce and logistics sectors and the rising demand for sustainable packaging solutions. The recycling track record of corrugated boxes is miles ahead of all other packaging materials. They have gained widespread traction as they are sturdy, economically viable, customizable, and highly sustainable. In 2020, the U.S.'s recovery rate for all paper and paper-based packaging was 65.7% and the recovery rate of corrugated boxes was 88.8%, as per the American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA). Furthermore, it also suggests that paper and paper packaging was the most recycled product in the U.S. solid waste segment, which also included glass (25%), plastics (8.7%), and metals (34.1%). Canada also recycles over 70% of its cardboard and other paper packaging materials, making it a top contender in the global geographical market space. Canada’s corrugated box recovery rate is estimated at 85%.

Waste paper can supply approximately 67% to 73% of fibrous inputs and the rest is virgin fibers to make recycled paper products, as 15% of one-time-use paper materials are permanently eliminated from the fiber cycle such as tissues, medical supplies, and sanitary products. Books or files are often recycled more than once and the fibers get weaker and shorter with each recycle. However, upcycled fiber production requires lower energy compared to fresh fiber yield.  In 2020, 41.5% of the recycled paper in the U.S. was used to manufacture corrugated boxes or containerboards, 12.6% to produce boxboard for medicine and cereal boxes, and gypsum wallboard or facings and drywalls, 5.6% for newsprint, and 8% for tissues. Exports accounted for 32.2%, in 2020, depicting the global rise in sustainable packaging adoption and subsequent boom in the corrugated boxes market.

Investments in modern machinery, adopting cutting-edge technologies such as automation and AI, and integrating more efficient and sustainable production processes, are becoming pivotal for manufacturers to stay competitive.  In March 2022, Mondi, a global player in paper and packaging, announced an investment of USD 291 million in corrugated packaging assembly lines and other operations to serve a wider range of customers. The strategic investment comprised USD 193.8 million in the eastern and central Europe plant network and USD 99.5 million at Poland-based Mondi Świecie’s containerboard mill. Corrugated boxes and packaging demand in Europe is estimated to expand at a 2-4% y-o-y rate, owing to a major shift toward environmentally friendly alternatives.  In the wake of corrugated boxes market trend, many other companies like Mondi are heavily investing in developing end-of-line packaging capabilities across online retail, FMCG, and other industrial sectors.  

The Shapiro Administration also showcased support for manufacturing prospects with an investment of USD 52.7 million in collaboration with Corrugated Partners Group, in August 2023. The facility will be spread across a 420,000-square-foot space in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and particularly cater to customers in the mid-Atlantic area. Corrugated Partners Group has a sheet feeder network and renders over 20% of the U.S. corrugated sheet and box requirements.

Another development in the private sector included Grigeo Packaging’s December 2023 investment in containerboard production technologies and equipment. The company aims to go beyond domestic applications and reach foreign market distribution across food and beverages, pharmaceutical, furniture, chemical, and e-commerce packaging. Fosber and Grigeo have been working in close collaboration over the past decade to make responsible and prudent use of natural resources, minimize their influence on the environment, and encourage the use of renewable energy sources and secondary raw materials.

The increasing product diversity spanning all branches of industry, an increasing focus on sustainability on behalf of both the consumer and the industry, as well as the growing role of online trade, are opening significant industry potentials for the corrugated cardboard market.