Solid Bleached Sulfate (Paperboard) Price Trend and Forecast

Solid Bleached Sulfate (Paperboard) Regional Price Overview

Get comprehensive insights into the Solid Bleached Sulfate (Paperboard) market, with a focused analysis of the Solid Bleached Sulfate (Paperboard) price trend across Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

Solid Bleached Sulfate (Paperboard) Price Trend for Q1 of 2025

During the first quarter of 2025, India's SBS paperboard industry faced inflationary pressures due to a weaker Indian Rupee (INR). The depreciation of the INR increased the cost of imported raw materials such as pulp, adding to the challenges of an already constrained supply chain. As a result, major paper manufacturers, including BGPPL, Emami Paper Mills, and Khanna Paper Mill, were compelled to raise prices to offset these rising costs. Pulp prices, in particular, saw their third consecutive increase within a short period. Additionally, the rising costs of wood and woodchips, the primary inputs for SBS production, further contributed to price hikes.
 

Solid Bleached Sulfate (Paperboard) Price Chart

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Beyond domestic challenges, the Indian market also contended with an influx of lower-cost paperboard imports, primarily from Indonesia and China. These imports, priced lower than domestically produced SBS paperboard, intensified competition, making it harder for local manufacturers to maintain their market position.

Despite these obstacles, demand for SBS paperboard remained stable, primarily driven by packaging needs in industries such as FMCG and e-commerce. However, the combination of rising production costs and increased competition from imports made the first quarter of 2025 a particularly challenging period for the Indian paperboard market.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the Solid Bleached Sulfate (Paperboard) price curve is expected to continue the upward trend in the near future as well until the costs of feedstock normalize in the upstream market.
 

Solid Bleached Sulfate (Paperboard) Price Trend for the Second Half of 2024

During the latter half of 2024, the Indian market for SBS paperboard continued to experience an upward trend, driven by rising feedstock costs. The packaging industry—particularly led by FMCG and e-commerce—sustained high demand, keeping most mills operating at full capacity. However, some mills in Northern India, notably those in Western Uttar Pradesh, scheduled production halts to address overcapacity and mitigate rising material costs. These shutdowns were also intended to support price stabilization, allowing mills to recover expenses associated with materials such as wastepaper and chemicals.

Additionally, imports from countries such as China and Indonesia, facilitated by trade agreements, further strained the domestic market. The availability of cheaper imports intensified competition, pressuring Indian manufacturers to remain viable despite their rising costs. The Indian Paper Manufacturers Association (IPMA) raised concerns about the potential impact of these imports on domestic pricing and profit margins.

Despite these challenges, demand for paperboard remained strong, particularly from the food and pharmaceutical industries. While inexpensive imports introduced some instability, the Indian SBS paperboard market remained resilient, with major producers focusing on capacity expansion and adapting to market fluctuations.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the Solid Bleached Sulfate (Paperboard) price curve is expected to maintain the upward trend in the upcoming quarter in the Indian market as the raw material costs continue to increase.
 

Solid Bleached Sulfate (Paperboard) Price Trend for Q2 of 2024

Stay updated with the latest Solid Bleached Sulfate (Paperboard) prices, historical data, and tailored regional analysis
 

During the second quarter of 2024, the Indian Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS) paperboard industry witnessed a price increase, mainly because of the increasing raw material costs. The prices were about 911 USD/MT (FOB) in April and around 917 USD/MT (FOB) in May in the Indian markets. The hike in the price of hardwood pulp and other raw materials exerted upward pressure on manufacturers, who struggled to keep production costs stable. Besides, supply chain disruptions fueled by increased freight rates and logistical bottlenecks further affected the prices.

Domestic mills had limited options, and price changes were made in an effort to keep up with the increasing cost burden. A few of India's top paper manufacturers reacted by announcing price increases to cover their added costs. Circulars from major companies cited surging raw material prices and escalating transportation costs as key factors necessitating these adjustments. Although demand from sectors such as packaging and consumer products was stable, buyers faced increased procurement costs. Most manufacturers decided on marginal price increases to balance the financial burden while maintaining continued supply to the market.

In addition, external forces like high global freight rates and geopolitical tensions also had an impact on the cost dynamics. Importers were confronted with more difficult times in finding shipments at stable rates, leading to tighter market conditions. In general, the second quarter experienced a sustained uptrend in SBS paperboard prices, with market participants having to cope with the effects of volatile input costs and logistical difficulties.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the Solid Bleached Sulfate (Paperboard) is likely to continue on the upward trajectory until the feedstock supply stabilizes in the upcoming months.
 

Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS) Paperboard Price Trend for Q1 of 2024

In the first quarter of 2024, solid bleached sulfate paperboard prices saw stability in the domestic Indian market as they settled at their quarter initial mark of approximately 919 USD/MT. Changes in pricing and production mirrored shifts in consumer spending habits, with wholesale prices sustaining due to heightened demand for physical goods.

In China, however, with the onset of the new year, consumer interest in the sector surged again, prompting price hikes by companies like Sonoco in Europe due to rising raw material costs and limited availability. Particularly, the market benefits from downstream consumption by the vaping industry, given its extensive use in cigarette boxes and liners. With a large global smoker base projected to persist, the solid-bleached sulfate paperboard market is expected to remain robust in the future. Additionally, challenges persisted in ensuring a stable supply of wood pulp from sustainable sources and addressing environmental and social risks associated with paper manufacturing.

In North America, the Packaging Corporation of America and International Paper noted an increased demand for the paperboard commodity during Q1 of 2024. The majority of market players also reported a rise in the cost of production, laying a base for the expected surge in the adjacent quarters.

Analyst Insight

According to procurement resources, the price of Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS) Paperboard is likely to continue in the upward direction in the subsequent quarters, driven by growing demand and constrained production, providing opportunities for traders to increase profit margins and resulting in a global price surge for solid bleached sulfate paperboard.

Procurement Resource provides latest prices of Solid Bleached Sulfate (Paperboard). Each price database is tied to a user-friendly graphing tool dating back to 2014, which provides a range of functionalities: configuration of price series over user defined time period; comparison of product movements across countries; customisation of price currencies and unit; extraction of price data as excel files to be used offline.