North-America

Illustration of the corrugated plant groundbreaking ceremony in Rankin County, Mississippi

International Paper Breaks Ground on USD 225M Mississippi Plant: North American Corrugated Supply Scenarios and Negotiation Cards for Korean Exporters

International Paper held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 20, 2026 for a roughly USD 225 million corrugated plant in Rankin County, Mississippi. The 468,000-square-foot facility, 150 jobs, and Q4 2027 startup are the key numbers. Read alongside the current North American containerboard price cycle, this post organizes how Korean exporters can use the news as negotiation cards for second-half quoting.

Visualization of the second-wave price-hike domino across five North American mills and its expected impact on Korean containerboard import prices

North America Containerboard Second-Wave Hike Effective June 1, 2026: A June-September Import-Price Simulation for Korean Box Buyers

Smurfit Westrock at $50, IP at $70, and PCA, GP, and Pratt each at $50: the second-wave containerboard price increase took effect on June 1, 2026, restarting the North American price domino. This post simulates how Korean export packaging companies should run import-price expectations and quote policy through June-September.

International Paper acquires NORPAC containerboard mill in Longview Washington

International Paper Acquires NORPAC for $360M: North American Containerboard Consolidation and What It Means for Korea's Packaging Industry

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.