The global paper packaging market is projected to expand from roughly USD 480 billion in 2026 to about USD 600 billion by 2031. Asia Pacific remains the largest regional engine of growth, anchored by China, India, and Southeast Asia.
KOREA PACK & ICPI WEEK 2026 ran from March 31 to April 3 at KINTEX with 1,500 companies from 24 countries across 5,000 booths. Sustainability, automation, and digital transformation framed the show. Here is what it means for Korean packaging exports.
Although closures continue in Korea’s paper tube and core industry in 2026, downstream industries such as film, textiles, paper rolls, and corrugated packaging report few supply disruptions. This report analyzes three key variables–profitability erosion, base-paper price increases, and succession gaps–and explains how the market is being reorganized around larger suppliers. It also summarizes the real value B2B purchasing teams are losing and four conditions that define resilient suppliers.
International Paper announced on April 16, 2026, its $360 million acquisition of NORPAC (North Pacific Paper Company), a Washington State containerboard mill. The deal strengthens IP’s West Coast footprint and accelerates the shift to lightweight recycled containerboard. We analyze what this means for North American market dynamics and Korea’s paper packaging sector.
PVAc emulsion adhesive (locally known as ‘PoriZol’) is the workhorse of Korean paper packaging. But when waterproofing matters, the right choice is a cross-linked PVAc, PUR hot melt, or PUD: explained through the EN 204 grading system.
How waterproof paper angle boards keep their strength in cold-chain logistics, ocean export, and high-humidity environments: coating chemistry, applications, and the eco-friendly alternatives now replacing PE and wax.
International pulp prices are up over 20% year-on-year. With the won at ₩1,500/USD, container freight up 30%, and a ₩338.3B antitrust fine on top, Korea’s paper industry is facing a four-front squeeze.
WEPACK 2026 in Shenzhen closed with a record 137,157 visitors. Corrugated, folding cartons, labels, automation, carbon neutrality: every major current of the paper packaging industry was on display. Here is what mattered for global packaging buyers.
The EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation applies in full from August 12, 2026. Packaging that fails to meet the new rules cannot enter the EU market. Here is what the regulation requires and how Korean exporters are preparing.
Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has imposed a record ₩338.3 billion fine on six paper manufacturers for price-fixing that drove printing paper prices up 71% over nearly four years. Here is what happened and what it means for the industry.