The Global Paperboard Materials Market was valued at USD 93.5 Billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 121.7 Billion by 2030, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4% during the forecast period (2023–2030). This growth is being driven by the global e-commerce boom, rising demand for sustainable packaging, and stringent regulations phasing out single-use plastics across key regions.

As the packaging industry pivots decisively towards circular economy models and environmentally responsible solutions, the focus intensifies on the key manufacturers who are driving material innovation, operational efficiency, and renewable resource utilization. In this blog, we profile the Top 10 Companies in the Paperboard Materials Industry—a mix of industry giants, integrated producers, and recycling pioneers shaping the future of global packaging substrates.

🔟 10. Mondi Group

Headquarters: Vienna, Austria
Key Offering: Corrugated Packaging, Consumer Flexibles, Kraft Paper

Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, renowned for its integrated business model from managing forests and producing pulp to manufacturing transformative packaging and paper solutions. The company operates across more than 100 countries, providing innovative and sustainable paperboard-based packaging for various industries, including e-commerce, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and industrial applications.

Sustainability Initiatives:

• Committed to 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable products by 2025

• Circular Designed Solutions portfolio with reduced environmental footprint

• Ambitious 2030 sustainability targets including climate action and circular systems

9️⃣ 9. Nine Dragons Paper (Holdings) Ltd.

Headquarters: Dongguan, China
Key Offering: Recycled Kraft Linerboard, Coated Duplex Board, High-performance Corrugating Medium

Nine Dragons Paper is the largest containerboard producer in China and a major global player in paperboard manufacturing. The company specializes in recycled paper products, leveraging one of the most extensive recovered paper collection networks in the world to feed its massive production capacity.

Sustainability Initiatives:

• Significant investments in recycled fiber-based paperboard production

• Strategic expansion into pulp manufacturing to secure raw material supply

Download FREE Sample Report: Paperboard Materials Market – View in Detailed Research Report

8️⃣ 8. DS Smith Plc

Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Key Offering: Recycled Corrugated Case Materials, Solid Bleached Sulfate Board, Folding Carton Board

DS Smith is a leading provider of sustainable, fiber-based packaging worldwide, serving a vast range of sectors from retail and consumer goods to industrial packaging. The company’s closed-loop recycling model is a benchmark in the industry, collecting used packaging and converting it into new products.

Sustainability Initiatives:

• Pioneering circular business model with partners like Mondelēz International and Nestlé.

  Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Closed-loop recycling system with major FMCG partners

  • Target: Manufacture 100% reusable or recyclable packaging

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  7️⃣ 7. Kimberly-Clark Corporation

  Headquarters: Irving, Texas, USA
  Key Offering: Tissue and Towel Paperboards, Fluff Pulp, Specialty Paperboard

  Kimberly-Clark is a global hygiene products company with a substantial paperboard manufacturing base for its personal care and consumer tissue products. The company produces high-quality paperboard used in products like Kleenex tissues, Huggies diapers, and Kotex feminine care products, with a strong focus on product stewardship and sustainable forestry.

  Sustainability Initiatives:

  • 2030 Sustainability Strategy focused on social and environmental impact

  • Commitment to reduce natural forest fiber use by 50% by 2025

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  6️⃣ 6. UPM-Kymmene Corporation

  Headquarters: Helsinki, Finland
  Key Offering: Folding Boxboard, Label Papers, Bleached Kraft Pulp

  UPM is a global forest industry leader with a diverse portfolio of paperboard products, particularly excelling in high-quality folding boxboards for luxury packaging, pharmaceuticals, and graphic applications.

  Sustainability Initiatives:

  • UPM Biofore strategy: Beyond fossils towards a future beyond fossils

  • Innovations in biocomposites and biochemicals from wood-based biomass

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  5️⃣ 5. Stora Enso Oyj

  Headquarters: Helsinki, Finland
  Key Offering: Liquid Packaging Board, Carton Board, Containerboard

  Stora Enso is a leading provider of renewable products in packaging, biomaterials, and wooden construction. As a major integrated paperboard producer, Stora Enso is at the forefront of developing renewable and recyclable fiber-based solutions to replace fossil-based materials.

  Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Pioneer in lignin-based biomaterials and biodegradable barrier solutions.

    Sustainability Initiatives:

    • Focus on innovation to replace fossil-based materials with renewable ones

    • Committed to 100% regenerative materials and solutions

    Download FREE Sample Report: Paperboard Materials Market – View in Detailed Research Report

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    4️⃣ 4. Smurfit Kappa Group

    Headquarters: Dublin, Ireland
    Key Offering: Containerboard, Solid Board, Graphic Board, Bag-in-Box Packaging

    Smurfit Kappa is one of the leading integrated manufacturers of paper-based packaging in the world, with operations across Europe and the Americas. The company is renowned for its innovative and sustainable packaging solutions, particularly in the e-commerce and agricultural sectors.

    Sustainability Initiatives:

    • Better Planet Packaging initiative focused on innovation and sustainability

    • Extensive paper recycling and recovery operations across its geographic footprint

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    3️⃣ 3. Oji Holdings Corporation

    Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
    Key Offering: Corrugated Containers, Folding Cartons, Specialty Paperboards

    Oji Holdings is a comprehensive Japanese manufacturer of paper, pulp, and paperboard products, with a significant global presence. The company produces a wide variety of paperboard grades for packaging, printing, and industrial end-uses.

    Sustainability Initiatives:

    • Global expansion in packaging and resource businesses

    • Development of barrier-coated and functional paperboard materials

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    2️⃣ 2. WestRock Company

    Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
    Key Offering: Corrugated Packaging, Consumer Packaging, Kraft Paper

    WestRock is a leading provider of differentiated paper and packaging solutions with extensive operations across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

    Sustainability Initiatives:

    • 2025 Sustainability Goals including certified fiber sourcing and water stewardship

    • Innovations in connected packaging and smart solutions

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    1️⃣ 1. International Paper

    Headquarters: Memphis, Tennessee, USA
    Key Offering: Containerboard, Coated Paperboard, Pulp

    International Paper is one of the world’s largest producers of fiber-based packaging, pulp, and paper. The company operates mills across the globe and is a key supplier to the packaging, printing, and tissue industries.

    Sustainability Initiatives:

    • Global leader in renewable fiber-based packaging

    • Commitment to renewable resources and sustainable forestry practices

    Download FREE Sample Report: Paperboard Materials Market – View in Detailed Research Report

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    The companies profiled here represent the vanguard of the paperboard materials sector, combining scale, innovation, and a deepening commitment to environmental stewardship.

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    🌍 Outlook: The Future of Paperboard Materials Is Sustainable and Innovative

    The paperboard materials market is undergoing a profound transformation. While traditional packaging applications continue to drive volume, the industry is investing billions in advanced recycling technologies, bio-based barrier coatings, and smart packaging solutions that extend functionality while enhancing circularity.

    📈 Key Trends Shaping the Market:

    • Rapid growth in e-commerce and demand for protective, lightweight packaging solutions

    • Regulatory momentum for plastic alternative packaging across the EU, USA, and parts of Asia

    • Integration of digital printing and connected packaging technologies

    • Strategic investments in recycled fiber capacity and advanced paperboard recycling facilities

    • Development of bio-barriers and functional coatings to replace plastic laminates in packaging

    Get Full Report Here: Paperboard Materials Market – View in Detailed Research Report

    The companies listed above are not only supplying foundational materials for global commerce—they’re pioneering the sustainable transformation of the packaging industry.

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