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North American domestic linerboard pricing was settled and unchanged this month after a tumultuous February through April, when prices both decreased and increased back-to-back to a net $50 per short ton increase by April.
On top of the net $50 per ton increase, the largest six integrated containerboard and corrugated box companies announced a second price increase this year for the domestic market in North America. They announced $50, $60 and $70 per ton increases effective on June 1 and on June 8, depending on the producer.
From May 11-14, linerboard buyers and sellers told of a firm containerboard supply condition where in some cases buyers struggled to find what they wanted. Most reported steady corrugated box business in North America, with some uptick in April that appeared to be continuing into May. Also, US unbleached kraft linerboard (KLB) prices were on the rise this month for the second straight month on the export market to Mexico and South and Central America.
But the box demand seemed less important because of the reduced containerboard supply. US producers since February 2025 retired 10% of their capacity, or a total of 3.9 million tons of capacity. This reduction was being felt in the market today like never before as box demand improved slightly and as some buyers wanted tons quickly.
Various contacts told Fastmarkets that major integrateds were in the open market seeking tons, a unique occurrence for companies that run multi-million-ton containerboard capacity mill systems. One large integrated company official told of already charging a June price increase of $50 per ton this week, to a customer who needed tons fast.
“There’s a lot of people looking for paper,” a source with the large integrated company told Fastmarkets on Thursday May 14.
“I don’t know what’s driving the increased box demand. I think it’s a little perplexing,” the source added.
“May [is] as good or better than April,” another source with a large integrated company said of their company’s box demand on Friday May 15. “Orders are very strong. Our [box pricing] increases … will be near 100% implemented by July 1. Costs continue to be one of the biggest challenges.”
“It’s not a supply and demand increase, that’s for sure,” a linerboard seller said on Wednesday May 13.
Since January, sources called box demand slow at the start of the year, but noted a slight pickup in March and a greater pickup in April.
“It’s been a very quick turnaround: We have higher demand and less inventory,” a large integrated containerboard company official said. “Our mills are booked to mid-June and July.”
Sources said the retirement of 10% of US containerboard capacity along with continuing inflation and higher manufacturing and transport cost were key drivers for an increase in a market, where first-quarter US box shipments were down by 1.8% on an actual basis and down by 0.3% on an average week basis, compared with first-quarter 2025 shipments, according to Fibre Box Association figures.
Even with the tight containerboard supply condition, some contacts, including boxmakers and national account box buyers, remained confused about the price increases, with the US in a war in Iran and concerns reeling in that US consumers eventually will pull back on spending as a result of increasing costs for staples. The US consumer price index increased to 3.8% for the 12 months through April, up from a 3.3% 12-month level in March, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Tuesday May 12.
“I think the June thing is irresponsible,” an Eastern boxmaker proclaimed on Monday May 11, regarding the second containerboard price increase for the North American market. “Business isn’t better this month than it was last month for me.”
“We’re seeing some uproar for sure in the market, mainly due to the fact that box pricing has been slow to move up [after the March/April linerboard price increases]. Most [box] plants are still nervous and do not want to lose a big customer,” a linerboard seller said on May 11.
“However, it seems the second increase for containerboard will be achieved, as […] demand is good to strong [and] we continue to see cut up improving. […] If fuel costs remain this high, it may be the full $50 [per ton] for the third week of June,” the linerboard seller said.
A US linerboard buyer said the “current pricing environment still appears to be driven more by cost inflation and supply-side discipline than by a meaningful recovery in underlying demand. Having said this, we do believe the current price adjustments are sticking.”
The net $50 per ton price increase was reported in the North American market in March and April, in what was a first linerboard increase since February 2025. Virgin and recycled linerboard prices increased by $40 per ton in March and $30 per ton in April. These two increases followed a $20 per ton linerboard decrease in February.
Fastmarkets’ monthly assessments of pricing for recycled linerboard in the open market in North America was $890-900 per short ton for May, unchanged from April’s level, for containerboard, recycled linerboard, 30-31 lb, delivered US East. And Fastmarkets monthly assessment of pricing for virgin linerboard in the open market in North America in May was $990-1,000 per short ton, unchanged from April’s level, for containerboard, kraftliner, unbleached 42 lb, open market, delivered US East.
From the Fastmarkets survey this week, 60% of buyers and sellers reported that their recycled lightweight linerboard prices were unchanged for May from levels in April. A total of 20% reported slightly higher prices for May than in April and another 20% reported slightly lower prices for May from April.
For 42-lb unbleached kraft linerboard, 80% of buyers and sellers reported no change in their price levels for May compared with April and 20% reported some slightly higher pricing in May from April.
May pricing also was unchanged on corrugating medium from levels reported in April. Sixty percent of buyers and sellers reported no change in their medium prices for May, compared with April, while 30% reported lower pricing in May and 10% reported higher pricing in May.
“The costs are rising so high that the first increase of $50 [per ton] hardly had an impact,” one executive told Fastmarkets on Tuesday. “The demand for [containerboard] is pretty good. […] People are in wait and see mode [about the June price increase].”
“Everyone is looking at June and input costs,” a large integrated company official said, referring to the chances for implementing the June containerboard price increase.
Mill backlogs were reported at about the same levels as last month. Specifically, the Fastmarkets assessment found the mill backlog average to be 4.5 weeks to 5.5 weeks, as of May 14
“I don’t know if [the price increases] will sustain,” a containerboard mill contact said on Thursday, echoing what some buyers and sellers said this week. “Box demand is steady […] but you have mill maintenance outages and the 4 million tons retired so there is shrinkage in mill supply. […] Our freight cost is $22 per ton over budget. It’s not just freight [that is up in cost], it’s OCC, fuel and natural gas and chemicals.”
Also, this week, TRG Packaging and Display Solutions acquired full-service corrugated manufacturer Columbia Container, which is based in Baltimore, Maryland, the companies said on Monday.
“Columbia Container serves national, regional, and local customers with a broad range of products, from traditional brown boxes to litho-mounted point-of-purchase displays,” TRG said.
“This acquisition strengthens our network in the Mid-Atlantic market and adds a team with a proven ability to execute,” Kevin Miller, chief executive officer of TRG Packaging and Display Solutions, said. “It allows us to better align capacity, enhance responsiveness, and further extend our capabilities across the region.”
Brendan Moynihan, president of Columbia Container, said, “Partnering with TRG expands our scale and operational platform, allowing us to do more for our customers while maintaining the service and execution they expect.”
Columbia Container’s leadership team remains in place, TRG said.
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