Paper and cardboard (Russian market)

2024

Paper production in Moscow has grown more than 3 times

Capital producers of paper and paper products in 2024 increased production by more than 3 times. This was announced on February 27, 2025 by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport and Industry Maxim Liksutov.

As of February 2025, over 700 companies in the capital are engaged in the production of paper, cardboard, packaging, books and other pulp products. In 2024, the industry showed significant growth, with output increasing by 314.4 percent. Effective support measures contribute to the progressive development of Moscow industrialists. Manufacturers have access to preferential investment loans, special statuses, offset contracts and other incentive mechanisms, - said Maxim Liksutov.

A large assortment of paper goods is produced in the capital, they are used in the printing, textile, automotive, electrical and food industries.

Paper and cardboard products of the capital production are in demand in the food industry both on the domestic and foreign markets. For example, Moscow companies supply packaging for perishable goods such as kefir, milk and drinking yogurt. Every year, demand for products is growing. So, in 2024, the shipment of goods increased by 27 percent. The companies delivered products worth more than 55.7 billion rubles to customers, "said Governments of Moscow Anatoly Garbuzov, Minister, Head of the City Department of Investment and Industrial Policy.

Thanks to the developed investment climate of the capital, companies invest in their own development, due to which they regularly increase the pace of production and shipment of goods, as well as expand the range.

Thus, since 2018, the Moscow company Lambumiz has been assigned the status of an industrial complex, which gives significant tax benefits. The company has been producing cardboard, flexible and role-playing packaging, as well as disposable dishes made of laminated cardboard and much more for more than 50 years. In 2024, the plant increased the production of laminated cardboard by 70 percent compared to the same period in 2023.

Milk producers are increasingly favoring cardboard laminated packaging, which is starting to replace the PET bottle. In 2024, due to an increase in demand from external customers and the modernization of the plant's equipment, the production of laminated cardboard increased 1.7 times. In the direction of disposable cardboard dishes, an increase of 5.1 percent was recorded. The largest increase occurred in the category "Salatnik with PET-lid" - by 80.2 percent, - said the executive director and member of the Board of Directors of the company Andrei Dyakov.

Paper products of the capital's industrialists are in demand not only in the specialized sector, but also in social projects.

Thus, the company, ISBC a manufacturer of RFID products for various industries industries and, economies has issued "smart" passports that are issued to visually impaired people for a guide dog at the Russian School for Training Guide Dogs of the All-Russian Society of the Blind.

Using "smart" RFID paper developed by our engineers, it was possible to place an NFC chip and leave the certificate form established by the order of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Russian Federation unchanged. The NFC label, which is read using a smartphone, allows you to instantly go to the school's official website in the section "Guide to the ownership and use of a guide dog," where all the necessary information on working with a guide dog is collected in a form accessible to blind people, "said Anastasia Levchenko, director of corporate communications.

"Smart" passports, along with four-legged assistants, have already been issued to ten streams of visually impaired people who have been trained in working with a guide dog.

Growth in paper production by 18.9% to 1.68 trillion rubles

The total revenue of paper and paper manufacturers Russia in 2024 reached 1.68 trillion, rubles which is 18.9% more than a year earlier. Actual shipments of products increased by 19.6%, to 1.62 trillion rubles. Such data Rosstat were published in February 2025.

According to the department's materials, the total output of paper and cardboard amounted to 10.7 million tons, which is 5.4% more than in 2023. The main indicators of production in the industry for 2024 are as follows:

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Фото: Freepik

• Pulp: The production of wood and other pulp from fibrous materials reached 8.5 million tons, which corresponds to the level in 2023;
• Newsprint: production amounted to 930 thousand tons, which is 2.8% less than in 2023;
• Offset paper: output reached 452 thousand tons, showing an increase of 2.2%;
• Container cardboard (kraft liner): production increased by 18%, amounting to 2,126 thousand tons.
• Corrugated paper boxes and boxes: output amounted to 9,100 million m ², which is 5.4% more than in 2023.
• Boxes and boxes made of unfinished paper: production decreased by 8.9%, amounting to 589 million square meters. meters.
• Sanitary and hygienic products: the production of towels and tampons from paper pulp amounted to 2,629 million pieces, which is 1.3% higher than in 2023.
• Wallpaper: their production in 2024 amounted to 162 million conventional pieces, which is 6.8% less than in 2023.

Of course, the preservation of pulp production indicators at the level of 2023, and albeit small, but still the growth in paper and cardboard production in the context of a difficult market indicate that domestic enterprises were able to adapt, find new segments for the sale of their products both in the domestic and foreign markets, - said the President of RAO "Bumprom" Alexander Spiridonov, commenting on the data of Rosstat.

2023

The Russian market for paper bags, bags and bags reached 55.5 billion rubles. Leaders

In January 2025, a study by AnalyticResearchGroup was published, according to which the revenue of more than 60 leading companies producing paper bags, bags and bags in 2023 amounted to 55.5 billion rubles. The largest market share was occupied by companies with revenues from 100 to 500 million rubles (40% of the total). The leader in revenue was Segezhskaya Packaging with a result of 13.7 billion rubles in 2023. The Scandi Pak company is on the second line in terms of revenue, this manufacturer of paper and plastic glasses, containers, bags and egg packaging earned 10.2 billion rubles.

Growth in pulp exports by 0.7% to 2.14 million tons. 90% of supplies are in China

In 2023, the export of wood kraft pulp from Russia amounted to 2.14 million tons. For comparison, a year earlier this figure was 2.13 million tons. Thus, an increase of 0.7% was recorded, as stated in the BusinesStat review, published in mid-June 2024.

Wood sulphate cellulose is used in the production of absorbent materials (such as fluffy cellulose and diapers for children), as well as paper and cardboard with high requirements for tear, tear and push strength. The rating of leading domestic suppliers includes Ilim Group JSC, Syktyvkar LPK JSC, Svetogorsk Pulp and Paper Division JSC, Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Division JSC and Segezhsky Pulp and Paper Division JSC.

It is noted that the Russian pulp market is largely export-oriented: the share of supplies abroad in the total production volume during 2019-2023 ranges from 34.1% to 38.3%. The key buyer of such products is China, which in 2023 accounted for almost 90% of the total export volume.

In 2019, it is estimated that the export of wood kraft pulp from Russia amounted to about 2.04 million tons. A year later, an increase of 12.9% was recorded - up to 2.3 million tons. However, in 2021, a 12.3% decline followed with a final result of 2.02 million tons. In 2022, exports returned to growth, showing an annual increase of 5.3%.

The BusinesStat study says that the development of export relations with China in 2019-2023 led to an increase in pulp supplies to this country by 485.2 thousand tons (plus 33.9% over the specified period). This had a positive impact on the overall export dynamics of these products from Russia. However, in 2023, a new package of EU sanctions had a negative impact on the volume of supplies abroad, which includes a ban on shipments of Russian pulp and certain types of paper and cardboard to European countries.^[1]

Exports of Russian pulp and paper products to China soared by 25.4% to 3.6 million tons over the year

The export of Russian pulp and paper products to China in 2023 soared by 25.4% compared to 2022 and reached 3.6 million tons. This was reported in Roslesinforg on February 7, 2024. Read more here.

2022: Paper bag production growth by 10.4% to 4.6 billion units

The volume of production of paper bags, bags and bags in Russia in 2022 reached 4.6 billion units, an increase of 10.4% compared to a year ago. Such data in early December 2023 led to the research company AnalyticResearchGroup.

According to experts, in the period 2021-2022. the largest market growth was recorded in 2021, when the volume of production increased by 83.4% compared to the previous year. The decline during this period was recorded only once, in 2015 (-5%).

According to experts, despite the challenges associated with the general uncertainty of the economic situation in Russia, there are growth prospects for the market. New environmental initiatives could lead to the phasing out of plastic packaging. It is expected that the demand for eco-packaging will grow, since this market segment in Russia has not yet received significant development. In general, while maintaining the dynamics of recent years, the production of paper bags, bags and bags in Russia may show an annual increase until 2027 at 5.32%, analysts predict.

According to Roslesinforg, the growth in the production of paper bags in 2022 amounted to 10.37% and was accompanied by an increase in sales revenue, as evidenced by an increase in prices - since the beginning of the year, the average price of one paper bag increased by 18.9% and amounted to 18.1 rubles. The department also noted that the market for paper bags and bags is one of the most important components of the container and packaging market.

It follows from the materials of Roslesinforg that there was a decrease in the main pulp and paper production in 2022, although an increase of about 7-10% was recorded in some segments, but the production of hygiene products (toilet paper and napkins) increased the most - by 30%.^[2]

2018: Print paper consumption cuts

Printing paper consumption in CIS, Europe and USA

2013

According to the calculations of DISCOVERY Research Group, it was revealed that in 2013 the volume of the paper market in Russia exceeded 3.6 million tons, and the volume of the cardboard market amounted to over 3.1 million tons. Compared to the previous year, it is possible to note the growth of the paper and cardboard market by 14%. In terms of value, the paper market in 2013 amounted to more than $2.35 billion, and the cardboard market - $2.02 billion.

In 2013, Russia maintained high production rates in the paper and cardboard markets. Over 4.8 million tons of paper and 3.3 million tons of cardboard were produced during the year. In value terms, the market for produced paper amounted to $2.77 million, and the market for cardboard - $1.89 million.

In 2013, OJSC Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill retained its leading position in the production of paper and cardboard in Russia. This plant operates in the following key areas: the production of cardboard, paper, pulp, as well as fiberboard. Over the past few years, the share of cardboard production by Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill in the scale of Russian production has been approximately 20-25%.

In 2013, 740.9 thousand tons of paper of all types were imported into Russia, which in value terms exceeded 778.9 million US dollars. In the same year, 545.2 tons of cardboard of all categories were imported, which in value terms amounted to 547.9 million dollars.

Paper exports in 2013 in physical terms amounted to about 1.9 million tons, and cardboard exports - 660.3 thousand tons. In value terms, exports amounted to: for the paper market - $1.2 million, for the cardboard market - $412 thousand. It should be noted that the export indicators exceed the import indicators in this year in both markets.

In general, production, import and export indicators for 2013 increased compared to the previous year.

According to estimates by analysts at DISCOVERY Research Group, further development of both the paper and cardboard markets is expected. One of the leading drivers of market development will be the improvement of technologies in domestic production: market players continue to carry out a number of upgrades in production technologies, as a result of which the production of high-quality Russian paper and cardboard is developing, successfully competing with foreign manufacturers not only in price, but also as products.

2012

According to DISCOVERY Research Group, the paper and cardboard market in Russia in 2012 amounted to 5.9 million tons in physical terms. At the same time, 3.1 million tons accounted for paper, 2.8 million tons - for cardboard. Compared to 2011, the volume of both the paper and cardboard markets increased - by 3 and 5%, respectively. The main reason for the increase in the volume of the paper market in 2012 was a decrease in its exports from Russia, while the volume of its production and imports remained practically unchanged compared to 2011.

The volume of cardboard production in Russia in 2012, according to DISCOVERY Research Group estimates based on FSGS data, amounted to just under 3 million tons. At the same time, the leading entity for the production of cardboard was the Arkhangelsk region, which accounted for about a third of the total volume of cardboard produced in Russia in 2012. The largest manufacturers of cardboard in this region are OJSC Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill, OJSC Solombalsky Pulp and Paper Mill and Ilim Group.

In 2012, all categories of paper were imported to Russia in the amount of $627.7 million, with 78% of the import volume coming from the category of paper for writing, printing and other graphic purposes. The leading importers of this type of paper in 2012 were SAPPI, UPM and STORA ENSO. The volume of imports of these manufacturers of paper for writing, printing and other graphic purposes in 2012 amounted to 100.4, 93.4 and 78.8 million dollars, respectively.

The leading category in terms of exports from Russia in 2012 was newspaper paper. In 2012, more than 1.7 million tons of this category of paper were exported from Russia.

One of the largest Russian producers of paper and cardboard is OJSC Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill, which operates in four main areas: the production of paper, cardboard, pulp and fiberboard. The company is located in Novodvinsk and is a city-forming. The share of cardboard production of this plant in the all-Russian production is about 22%. If we consider the world's largest producers of paper and cardboard, the first two places are occupied by the American companies International Paper and Kimberly-Clark, whose sales volumes in 2012 amounted to $27.8 and 21.1 million, respectively.

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