November 6, 2026
For independent boxmakers, paper has always been more than a raw material. It is the foundation of our product, our cost structure, and ultimately, our ability to compete.
That is why AICC recently took the unusual step of publicly opposing the latest round of announced containerboard price increases.
This is the third round of increases announced in just five months. Packaging Corp. of America (PCA) announced a $140-per-ton increase for linerboard and medium, International Paper announced $80 per ton, and Smurfit Westrock announced $100 per ton. All were scheduled for September, and the announcements came within days of one another.
August open-market linerboard pricing remained essentially unchanged, and industry sources described demand growth as less significant than the supply constraints created by capacity reductions.
AICC believes the increases are not supported by the traditional fundamentals of supply, demand, and input costs.
That matters because the containerboard market is highly concentrated. PCA, International Paper, and Smurfit Westrock together represent approximately 63% of North American containerboard and linerboard supply. When such a large percentage of supply is controlled by a relatively small number of producers, their pricing decisions carry enormous influence throughout the marketplace.
Independent converters feel that influence directly. We recognize that paper producers are entitled to operate profitable businesses. They invest billions of dollars in mills, equipment, energy, people, and technology. A healthy paper industry is essential to a healthy corrugated industry.
But the health of one segment of the supply chain cannot come at the expense of another. Demand for corrugated products remains uneven. AICC members continue to face intense customer resistance to higher box prices while absorbing increases in labor, insurance, freight, energy, and other operating costs. The first two containerboard increases announced earlier this year were still working their way through the marketplace when the third round arrived.
Independent converters occupy a unique position. We purchase paper in an open market while competing, in many cases, against companies that manufacture their own containerboard. That makes the availability of competitively priced paper essential to maintaining a vibrant independent sector.
AICC’s decision to speak out is not anti-supplier. Our supplier partners are vital to our success, and strong relationships between mills and independents have helped build this industry.
It is, however, pro-market. Prices should reflect legitimate economic conditions. They should respond to sustainable changes in supply, demand, and costs, not simply to the ability of a concentrated market to withstand another increase.
Independent boxmakers have proven their resilience repeatedly, but resilience should not be mistaken for unlimited capacity to absorb costs.
A strong corrugated industry needs strong paper producers. It also needs strong independents. The long-term health of our industry depends on both.
Michael D’Angelo
AICC President
