Dive Brief:
- North American containerboard prices stayed flat in October, according to Fastmarkets RISI’s monthly data release in Pulp & Paper Week on Oct. 16.
- This lack of additional recognition for producers’ third wave of price hikes in 2026 follows substantial recognition in September, when Fastmarkets RISI showed linerboard prices rose $70 per ton month over month and medium prices rose $100 per ton.
- Monday also marks the formal launch of Fastmarkets RISI’s new corrugated box cost index. The company announced in September it was exploring this new index, and confirmed the addition earlier this month.
Dive Insight:
The industry has been abuzz about the third wave of price hikes since Packaging Corporation of America became the first to disclose its $140 per ton bump in July, slated to take effect in September. Days after PCA’s move, other companies including Cascades, International Paper and Smurfit Westrock followed suit with their own increase announcements that ranged from $80 to $140 per ton.
During a conference in September, days before that month’s PPW data was released, PCA CEO Mark Kowlzan said the company would stick to its guns on pricing and was prepared to lose customers over it. Executives expected the price increase would begin showing up in PCA’s financials in the fourth quarter.
So far in 2026, Fastmarkets RISI has recognized a net increase of $170 per ton for linerboard and $200 per ton for medium. The company’s contacts anticipate implementation of the third price hikes will continue through March 2027.
Certain analysts suggest the upward pricing trend could continue. Last week, Truist Securities released a new prediction that containerboard producers would increase their prices by $50 per ton in April 2027.
As far as boxboard, PPW showed flat prices in October as well. Solid bleached sulfate prices didn’t move for a second consecutive month even though producers had announced $60 per ton increases. Similarly, both coated and uncoated recycled paperboard prices were again flat in October despite producers announcing $50 and $60 per ton increases, respectively, to take effect in September.
