Analysis of the Current State of the Paper Packaging Industry in 2023: The Industry Is Moving Upmarket
- Paper packaging materials mainly fall into three categories: cartons, folding cartons, and cigarette labels.
- China's packaging paper output increased from 6.65 million tonnes in 2015 to 7.15 million tonnes in 2021, representing a CAGR of 1.22%.
- In 2021, China's paper packaging segment reached RMB 319.203 billion, up 10.65% YoY and accounting for 26.51% of the total packaging industry, with a 2016-2021 CAGR of -0.9%.
- In H1 2022, China's paper packaging segment generated RMB 155.862 billion in revenue, up 1.48% YoY, while total industry profit fell 14.06% YoY to RMB 4.985 billion, mainly due to rising raw material prices in H1 2022.
- In H1 2022, China's paper and paperboard container exports totaled US$4.606 billion, up 25.44% YoY; the top five destinations by export value were the US (23.80%), Australia (5.10%), the UK (4.20%), Hong Kong, China (4.09%), and Vietnam (4.03%).
Paper packaging materials fall mainly into three categories: cartons, folding cartons and cigarette labels.
Analysis of the main product characteristics of the paper products packaging and printing industry
Source: compiled by Ruiguan Consulting
Paper packaging is the most widely used packaging material in the world. In recent years, China's packaging paper industry has seen steady growth in output: from 2015 to 2021, China's packaging paper output rose from 6.65 million tonnes to 7.15 million tonnes, with an average annual compound growth rate of 1.22%. China's packaging paper output and growth rate, 2015-2021.
Source: China Paper Association, compiled by Ruiguan Consulting
According to data from the China Packaging Federation, in 2021 the national packaging industry reached a scale of 1,204.181 billion yuan, of which the paper packaging segment reached 319.203 billion yuan, up 10.65% year on year, accounting for 26.51% of the total packaging industry scale, with an industry CAGR of -0.9% from 2016 to 2021; in H1 2022 the paper packaging segment reached 155.862 billion yuan, up 1.48% year on year, with total industry profit of 4.985 billion yuan, down 14.06% year on year. The decline in profit was mainly due to rising raw material prices in the first half of 2022. Scale and total profit of China's paper packaging industry, 2017-2022 H1
Source: China Packaging Federation, compiled by Ruiguan Consulting
In terms of exports, in H1 2022 the national paper and paperboard container industry recorded cumulative export value of US$4.606 billion, up 25.44% year on year. Since 2019, export growth rates have all been higher than the growth rate of the domestic paper packaging industry scale, and domestic paper packaging companies continue to benefit from growing demand in overseas paper packaging markets. China's paper packaging export value and growth rate, 2019-2022 H1
Source: China Packaging Federation, compiled by Ruiguan Consulting
In terms of export distribution, the top five destination countries and regions by export value in H1 2022 were the United States (23.80%), Australia (5.10%), the United Kingdom (4.20%), Hong Kong, China (4.09%) and Vietnam (4.03%). In H1 2022, export growth to Singapore (157.1%), Malaysia (62.1%), the United States (31.0%) and Germany (28.3%) was higher than total export growth (25.44%). Share of China's paper packaging export value by destination in H1 2022
Source: China Packaging Federation, compiled by Ruiguan Consulting
In 2020, only 20 companies in China's paper packaging segment had annual operating revenue of 1 billion yuan or more, of which the top three reached 10 billion yuan. In 2021, there were 2,517 companies with annual paper packaging operating revenue of more than 20 million yuan. The distribution of the paper packaging industry shows a long-tail pattern, mainly because barriers to entry in the industry are low and packaging quality is difficult to assess; small workshops in various regions still hold a large market share thanks to cheap, low-quality pulp costs and lower labour costs in tier-three and tier-four cities. In recent years, under regulatory oversight of eco-friendly packaging policies, the operating costs of some small workshops have risen, accelerating the exit of small and medium-sized enterprises. Number of companies with paper packaging revenue above 20 million yuan in China, 2019-2021
Source: compiled by Ruiguan Consulting
High-end companies in the folding carton packaging industry are mainly concentrated in the Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta and the Bohai Rim region, and are mostly foreign-funded or joint-venture enterprises. In recent years, more and more multinational companies have taken a liking to the Chinese market, and many have already built or are planning to build their own plants in China. In this industry, a number of high-end representative companies have emerged across various sub-sectors.
Leading high-end companies and their competitive advantages in folding carton packaging sub-sectors
Source: compiled by Ruiguan Consulting
Analysis of development trends in China's paper products packaging industry
Development trends in the sub-sectors of China's folding carton packaging industry
Source: compiled by Ruiguan Consulting
— This article is reprinted from the China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-379446.html
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