εταιρικά νέα για Industry News: Latest Developments of the Corrugated Board Industry (2026)

In the first half of 2026, China’s corrugated board industry has shown a development trend featuring oscillating and rising prices, optimized supply structure, accelerated technological and green upgrades, and growing industrial concentration. Entering June, leading paper mills have successively raised product prices amid scheduled production overhauls and a steady recovery in downstream demand, driving market prosperity higher. Meanwhile, the iteration of intelligent equipment, stricter environmental regulations and expanded overseas markets are pushing the industry to shift its focus from capacity expansion to quality improvement.
 

Corrugated paper prices have seen a clear upward trend recently, with June becoming a major price hike window for the year. As of June 10, more than ten leading and regional paper manufacturers including Nine Dragons Paper, Zhejiang Jinli, Shandong Fengyuan Zhongke and Zibo Yongfeng have issued price increase notices for corrugated paper, recycled paper and kraft linerboard, with a single increase ranging from 20 to 50 yuan per ton. Some enterprises also applied the new prices to pending orders. Nine Dragons Paper implemented phased adjustments across its production bases: its Taicang and Shenyang bases raised corrugated paper prices by 50 yuan per ton starting June 12, followed by its Tianjin and Hebei bases on June 18.

The price surge is jointly fueled by rising costs and tightened supply. On the cost side, the purchase price of grade A waste cardboard in Zhejiang posted a month-on-month increase of 12.6% in May. Although prices edged down in early June, continuous rainfall hindered waste paper collection, keeping raw material supplies tight and curbing further declines. On the supply side, June marks the traditional maintenance season. Production lines at Nine Dragons’ Taicang base (June 1–7) and Hebei base (20-day overhaul), as well as facilities of Shanying Paper and Jingxing Paper, were shut down for maintenance, leading to a temporary reduction in effective production capacity and tight spot supply. As of June 4, the average ex-factory price of 140g corrugated medium reached 2,901 yuan per ton, up over 1% month-on-month and more than 12% year-on-year.

 

After intensive capacity expansion from 2023 to 2025, large-scale new capacity construction has slowed markedly in 2026, with the net capacity growth rate dropping to 1.7%. Major players including Nine Dragons Paper, Shanying International and Lee & Man Paper have suspended massive capacity expansion plans. Only Sun Paper plans to launch a 700,000-ton production line by the end of the year.

Against this backdrop, small and medium-sized manufacturers are exiting the market at an accelerated pace. So far this year, 17 small factories with an annual capacity below 300,000 tons have shut down in North China and Henan Province, removing a total of 860,000 tons of production capacity. Industrial concentration continues to climb, with the combined market share of the top five enterprises expected to hit 41.3%. Benefiting from the commissioning of the second phase of its Beihai base and intelligent renovation, Nine Dragons Paper is projected to hold a 12.1% market share. Shanying International consolidated its presence in southern Fujian via the acquisition of Fujian Liansheng Paper, with its share standing at 10.5%. The newly operational production line at Lee & Man Paper’s Zhaoqing base has lifted its market share to 7.9%. Leveraging integrated pulp and paper production, solid cost control and mature sales channels, leading enterprises have gained stronger pricing power and order advantages, amplifying the Matthew effect across the sector.

2026 has witnessed breakthroughs in equipment and product technology, with intelligent operation, high strength, light weight and environmental friendliness becoming the core development directions. At the South China International Corrugated Exhibition held in April, Fosber Asia launched the new S/Line 3350 wide intelligent corrugator. Equipped with advanced global technologies, the production line delivers high-speed operation and precise quality control, representing the industry’s shift toward ultra-high speed, intelligence and low energy consumption.

In terms of products, the newly developed D+ flute (3.2mm in thickness, 42 flutes per inch) has achieved major technological progress. With the same basis weight, its vertical compressive strength is 28% higher than traditional C-flute board. It has been widely adopted for double-stacked cartons in cross-border e-commerce, accounting for 67% of certified export cartons shipped to Vietnam and Mexico. Bio-based starch adhesives have gradually replaced formaldehyde-containing resins, with a penetration rate of 89% among tier-one suppliers. These adhesives maintain over 95% bonding strength in high-humidity environments, well-suited for long-distance sea transportation. In addition, NFC smart tags are embedded into corrugated boards to monitor real-time stacking load and warn of strength attenuation, effectively improving logistics safety management.

 

The officially implemented Standards for Carbon Emission Accounting of the Paper Packaging Industry in 2026 has set rigid access requirements for low-carbon, recyclable and pollution-free production, pushing enterprises to phase out outdated high-energy-consuming capacity. Corrugated board features 100% recyclability and a far lower carbon footprint than plastic packaging. Supported by the updated plastic ban policies, it has seen growing replacement demand in food, pharmaceutical and e-commerce packaging sectors.

Green products now command a premium of 100 to 150 yuan per ton for high-grade recycled containerboard. Leading enterprises have built competitive edges by obtaining FSC and PEFC forest certification, and 32 major manufacturers have acquired relevant certifications to date. The industry is also stepping up efforts to develop a circular economy. The recycling rate of waste paper and the utilization rate of recycled fiber keep rising. In 2026, the industry’s unit energy consumption is expected to drop by 5.2% year-on-year, while the product yield has increased to over 98%, making green production a core competitive strength.

 

The market presents a pattern of stable domestic demand and growing export volume. Domestically, e-commerce logistics, food & beverage, home appliances and electronic products remain the main driving forces. The market size of the corrugated board industry is expected to reach 8.494 billion yuan in 2026, a year-on-year increase of 4.5%. The national trade-in policy for home appliances has boosted packaging demand, driving an additional consumption of 1.2 million tons of corrugated paper. Cold chain logistics and heavy equipment transportation have lifted the penetration rate of heavy-duty triple-wall corrugated board to 15.3%.

Exports have become a new growth driver, with China’s corrugated paper export volume projected to maintain a solid single-digit year-on-year growth. Major export destinations include Southeast Asia, the Middle East and other countries along the Belt and Road Initiative. Southeast Asia relies heavily on Chinese paper products, and the recovery of global manufacturing has further lifted packaging demand overseas, which effectively absorbs domestic excess capacity and eases supply-demand pressure at home.

 

In the short term, ongoing production overhauls and recovering demand will keep supporting corrugated paper prices in mid-to-late June, with the average price expected to approach 2,950 yuan per ton by the end of the month. July will enter the traditional off-season, bringing slight price corrections with limited downside. Order volumes will pick up again starting August ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays. For the whole year, prices will follow a mild V-shaped trend, with the annual average price hovering around 2,800 yuan per ton.

 

In the long run, the industry will move away from cut-throat price competition and embrace comprehensive competition centered on technology, green development and customized services. Leading enterprises will continue to invest in intelligent and green renovation to expand their share in the high-end market. Small and medium-sized manufacturers will accelerate transformation and focus on customized services for niche segments. Meanwhile, overseas layout and circular economy development will become new growth engines, guiding the corrugated board industry toward high-quality development.