Asia Pacific Folding Carton Market Size

APAC Folding Carton Market Analysis

Asia Pacific Folding Carton Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.1% during the forecast period. Most containers use a folding carton, which is a cylinder board manufactured from the pulp from reprocessed discarded paper. Food cartons are manufactured from a higher-grade, lighter solid sulfate board that is coated with plastic. The thickness of the board is limited to 0.81 mm (0.032 in) due to cutting machine limits. Thus, folding cartons are often limited to containing a few pounds or kilos of material.

• Folding cartons continue to be one of the most versatile and cost-effective formats to package and deliver goods, with diverse possibilities in a visually appealing product. Also, folding carton packaging is one of the most used eco-friendly packaging solutions due to its ability to be produced in many sizes with a small footprint compared to other bulkier packaging options, thus making it feasible for use in almost all end-user industries.
• Furthermore, regulatory agencies worldwide are increasingly banning single-use plastic packaging, which, combined with the rising consumer awareness of sustainability, is compelling end-users to switch to eco-friendly and non-plastic packaging. This trend is projected to increase the demand for folding cartons in the next few years.
• Several market players rely on a variety of raw materials based on the required foldable carton packaging. Typically, the core elements are included in the thick middle pulp, and surface properties are fine-tuned with the outer layers. The layered structure of boards makes it possible to use a wide variety of fiber materials.
• Price is also affected by the types of pulps used because of the yield and cost of pulp raw materials. However, when the packaging needs to be utilized for food, chemical pulp offers a suitable printing surface when coated. Chemical pulps price fluctuations heavily impact the business operations of market players. Chemical pulps are generally split into two categories: hardwood and softwood pulps.
• However, in countries such as Japan, the market witnessed unfavorable seasonal changes, and the impact of COVID-19 reduced the demand for milk packaging cartons used for school lunch offerings. The market observed stagnation until the lowdown period. Yet, the market is expected to grow further in the forecast period post normalization of the region's pandemic. For instance, SIG witnessed a decline in the cartons' sales as many of the school milk programs were suspended, which temporarily affected the company.