US folding carton costs rise as packaging lead times stretch and supply tightens

Fastmarkets

Aug 27

Key takeaways: US SBS folding carton prices increased by a further $20 per ton in August, completing the announced $60 per ton rise. Buyers and sellers reported strong SBS market conditions, with ...

Source Link

Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.

Most Discussed

{"basename":"","ssrTDKData":{"titleTemplate":"%s - Tiger Brokers","title":"Tiger Brokers | Global Stocks, Options & Futures Trading App","description":"Tiger Brokers, one-stop investment in US stocks, SGX stocks, HK stocks, A-shares & other global assets. One of the best stock trading platforms in Singapore.","keywords":"tiger brokers,tiger trade,tiger brokers singapore,broker online,stock trading in singapore,share trading singapore,brokerage firm singapore,trading app,stock broker singapore,stock trading platforms,trading account","social":{"ogDescription":"Tiger Brokers, one-stop investment in US stocks, SGX stocks, HK stocks, A-shares & other global assets. One of the best stock trading platforms in Singapore.","ogImage":"https://c1.itigergrowtha.com/portal5/static/media/og-logo.0a0bd8dc.png","ogUrl":"https://sg.tigeractivity.com/news/2662470408"},"companyName":"Tiger Brokers"},"pageData":{"isMobile":false,"isTiger":false,"isTTM":true,"region":"SGP","license":"TBSG","edition":"fundamental"},"isCrawlerRequest":true,"__swrFallback__":{"@#url:\"https://stock-news.skytigris.cn/v3/news\",params:#id:\"2662470408\",edition:\"fundamental\",auth_exemption:1,,,undefined,":{"share":"https://ttm.financial/m/news/2662470408?lang=en_US&edition=fundamental","thumbnail":"","is_english":true,"pubTime":"2026-08-27 12:00","share_image_url":"https://static.laohu8.com/e9f99090a1c2ed51c021029395664489","id":"2662470408","market":"us","top_or_hot":-1,"title":"US folding carton costs rise as packaging lead times stretch and supply tightens","media":"Fastmarkets","content":"<div>\n<p>Key takeaways:\n\nUS SBS folding carton prices increased by a further $20 per ton in August, completing the announced $60 per ton rise.\nBuyers and sellers reported strong SBS market conditions, with ...</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://www.fastmarkets.com/insights/us-folding-carton-costs-rise-as-packaging-lead-times-stretch-and-supply-tightens/\">Source Link</a>\n\n</div>\n","source":"fastmarkets_highlight","html":"<!DOCTYPE html>\n<html>\n<head>\n<meta http-equiv=\"Content-Type\" content=\"text/html; charset=utf-8\" />\n<meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width,initial-scale=1.0,minimum-scale=1.0,maximum-scale=1.0,user-scalable=no\"/>\n<meta name=\"format-detection\" content=\"telephone=no,email=no,address=no\" />\n<title>US folding carton costs rise as packaging lead times stretch and supply tightens</title>\n<style type=\"text/css\">\na,abbr,acronym,address,applet,article,aside,audio,b,big,blockquote,body,canvas,caption,center,cite,code,dd,del,details,dfn,div,dl,dt,\nem,embed,fieldset,figcaption,figure,footer,form,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6,header,hgroup,html,i,iframe,img,ins,kbd,label,legend,li,mark,menu,nav,\nobject,ol,output,p,pre,q,ruby,s,samp,section,small,span,strike,strong,sub,summary,sup,table,tbody,td,tfoot,th,thead,time,tr,tt,u,ul,var,video{ font:inherit;margin:0;padding:0;vertical-align:baseline;border:0 }\nbody{ font-size:16px; line-height:1.5; color:#999; background:transparent; }\n.wrapper{ overflow:hidden;word-break:break-all;padding:10px; }\nh1,h2{ font-weight:normal; line-height:1.35; margin-bottom:.6em; }\nh3,h4,h5,h6{ line-height:1.35; margin-bottom:1em; }\nh1{ font-size:24px; }\nh2{ font-size:20px; }\nh3{ font-size:18px; }\nh4{ font-size:16px; }\nh5{ font-size:14px; }\nh6{ font-size:12px; }\np,ul,ol,blockquote,dl,table{ margin:1.2em 0; }\nul,ol{ margin-left:2em; }\nul{ list-style:disc; }\nol{ list-style:decimal; }\nli,li p{ margin:10px 0;}\nimg{ max-width:100%;display:block;margin:0 auto 1em; }\nblockquote{ color:#B5B2B1; border-left:3px solid #aaa; padding:1em; }\nstrong,b{font-weight:bold;}\nem,i{font-style:italic;}\ntable{ width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:1px;margin:1em 0;font-size:.9em; }\nth,td{ padding:5px;text-align:left;border:1px solid #aaa; }\nth{ font-weight:bold;background:#5d5d5d; }\n.symbol-link{font-weight:bold;}\n/* header{ border-bottom:1px solid #494756; } */\n.title{ margin:0 0 8px;line-height:1.3;color:#ddd; }\n.meta {color:#5e5c6d;font-size:13px;margin:0 0 .5em; }\na{text-decoration:none; color:#2a4b87;}\n.meta .head { display: inline-block; overflow: hidden}\n.head .h-thumb { width: 30px; height: 30px; margin: 0; padding: 0; border-radius: 50%; float: left;}\n.head .h-content { margin: 0; padding: 0 0 0 9px; float: left;}\n.head .h-name {font-size: 13px; color: #eee; margin: 0;}\n.head .h-time {font-size: 11px; color: #7E829C; margin: 0;line-height: 11px;}\n.small {font-size: 12.5px; display: inline-block; transform: scale(0.9); -webkit-transform: scale(0.9); transform-origin: left; -webkit-transform-origin: left;}\n.smaller {font-size: 12.5px; display: inline-block; transform: scale(0.8); -webkit-transform: scale(0.8); transform-origin: left; -webkit-transform-origin: left;}\n.bt-text {font-size: 12px;margin: 1.5em 0 0 0}\n.bt-text p {margin: 0}\n</style>\n</head>\n<body>\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<header>\n<h2 class=\"title\">\nUS folding carton costs rise as packaging lead times stretch and supply tightens\n</h2>\n\n<h4 class=\"meta\">\n\n\n2026-08-27 12:00 GMT+8&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=https://www.fastmarkets.com/insights/us-folding-carton-costs-rise-as-packaging-lead-times-stretch-and-supply-tightens/><strong>Fastmarkets</strong></a>\n\n\n</h4>\n\n</header>\n<article>\n<div>\n<p>Key takeaways:\n\nUS SBS folding carton prices increased by a further $20 per ton in August, completing the announced $60 per ton rise.\nBuyers and sellers reported strong SBS market conditions, with ...</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://www.fastmarkets.com/insights/us-folding-carton-costs-rise-as-packaging-lead-times-stretch-and-supply-tightens/\">Source Link</a>\n\n</div>\n\n\n</article>\n</div>\n</body>\n</html>\n","isBrief":false,"type":0,"news_type":1,"symbol":"LU2240825500.USD","symbol_name":"AZ EQUITY - WATER & RENEWABLE RESOURCES \"A-AZ\" (USD) ACC","start_time":0,"source_url":"https://www.fastmarkets.com/insights/us-folding-carton-costs-rise-as-packaging-lead-times-stretch-and-supply-tightens/","article_id":"2662470408","we_media_id":null,"thumbnails":[],"rights":{"source":"fastmarkets_highlight","url":"https://www.fastmarkets.com/insights/us-folding-carton-costs-rise-as-packaging-lead-times-stretch-and-supply-tightens/","rn_cache_url":null,"directOrigin":true},"url":"https://stock-news.laohu8.com/highlight/detail?id=2662470408","pubTimestamp":1787803200,"columns":[],"sourceInfo":{"source_id":"fastmarkets_highlight","name":"Fastmarkets"},"weMediaInfo":null,"summary":"US SBS folding carton prices increased for a second consecutive month in August, while tight lead times, capacity constraints and mixed demand signals shaped broader boxboard market conditions.","collect":0,"end_time":0,"defaultTopTitle":"fastmarkets.com","property":[],"viewcount":null,"language":"en","relate_stocks":{"LU2240825500.USD":"AZ EQUITY - WATER & RENEWABLE RESOURCES \"A-AZ\" (USD) ACC","BK4142":"酒店、度假村与豪华游轮","SBS":"Sabesp","IE00B1B80R65.USD":"柏瑞拉丁美洲股票A","BK4172":"水公用事业","CUK":"嘉年华存托凭证"},"translate_title":"随着包装交货时间延长和供应紧张，美国折叠纸箱成本上升","themeId":null,"isJumpTheme":false,"ttsUrl":null,"symbols_score_info":{"CUK":1,"SBS":1},"content_text":"Key takeaways:\n\nUS SBS folding carton prices increased by a further $20 per ton in August, completing the announced $60 per ton rise.\nBuyers and sellers reported strong SBS market conditions, with domestic lead times extending to approximately 11-14 weeks.\nLonger lead times have prompted some buyers to reassess imported alternatives, although domestic demand remains largely intact.\nURB prices remained unchanged despite differing views on supply conditions and reports of increased competition in some applications.\nCRB and CUK assessments were unchanged in August, even as producers announced September price increases tied to higher operating costs.\n\nFor procurement teams, packaging availability and pricing remain important considerations in budgeting, procurement planning and supplier negotiations. August’s boxboard market developments point to continued tightness in SBS folding cartons, while other grades present a more mixed supply and demand picture.\nFastmarkets raised its US solid bleached sulfate (SBS) folding carton assessment by another $20 per short ton in August, fully recognizing the $60 per ton increase announced by producers. Fastmarkets recognized the first $40 per ton in July.\nNo other boxboard assessment changed this month.\nThe final $20 per ton was reported widely enough in August to complete the increase, although several contacts said the full amount had not reached every account. Buyers and sellers agreed that SBS folding carton conditions remained strong.\n“Not happy about paying a higher amount, but it was warranted,” one converter said of the increase.\nContacts placed domestic lead times at about 11-14 weeks, with mills scheduling some orders into November. Several buyers said machine space was filling quickly.\n“It’s the tightest I have seen it in a very long time,” another converter said.\nContacts pointed to demand across several end markets, less available domestic capacity and competition for machine time from cup stock and other bleached board products. One producer reported record volume in July, while a converter said all of its major domestic suppliers were busy.\nLonger domestic lead times have led some buyers to reconsider imported folding boxboard. One converter said a customer had asked, “If we’re going to have to plan ahead, then why not get the cheaper option?”\nDomestic SBS and imported FBB can now both require 12-14 weeks of planning, the converter said. Contacts said any shift would take time and had not yet caused a broad decline in domestic SBS demand. Other buyers said imports remained below 2025 levels and had not provided widespread relief.\nThe SBS cup stock assessment was unchanged. Fastmarkets recognized the full $60 per ton cup stock increase in July, and contacts continued to report strong demand and tight supply. The SBS Laredo crossing assessment was also unchanged.\nUncoated recycled boxboard (URB) prices were unchanged after buyers and sellers gave different reports about supply, lead times and spot pricing.\nSome sellers said their mills were full or sold out through the fourth quarter, with some orders extending into 2027. \n“Our system hasn’t been this busy since post-Covid,” one supplier said.\nSuppliers tied much of the tightness to reduced domestic capacity and mill downtime rather than a broad increase in end-user demand. One producer described August as slightly softer than July but still as tight as it had seen in recent years.\nOthers on the buy side gave a different account. They said new domestic URB output from Graphic Packaging’s Waco machine, which primarily produces CRB, had reduced lead times by about one week and made board easier to source.\n“We can get paper pretty easily now,” one buyer said.\nReported spot discounts ranged from $20 per ton to more than $50 per ton for URB. Some sellers reported deeper reductions of $60-100 per ton, particularly for folding-box URB and other lower-strength applications targeted by the new supply.\nHowever, the effect was not consistent across URB end uses. Those in tube and core and other strength-sensitive applications continued to report full order books and said the new material had not taken business from them. Contacts mostly said the new supply had made more progress in folding-box, lamination and other applications with different strength requirements.\nOne buyer also said summer backlogs had been driven partly by scheduled downtime, maintenance and customers ordering ahead rather than stronger underlying demand. The buyer’s own sales were flat to lower year on year.\nThe lower spot price reports could be signaling some growing competition in certain parts of the URB business, according to contacts. However, as of August, they had not established a change in transaction levels across the board. \nCoated recycled boxboard (CRB) prices also were unchanged in August. Producers announced increases of $50 per ton effective in early September, citing higher fiber, freight, energy and labor costs.\nContacts generally agreed that costs had risen, but reports on demand and mill availability were mixed.\n“Purely from supply demand there is no justification for CRB, but from cost pressure it makes sense,” one converter said.\nSellers reported low inventories and strong backlogs for the grade this month.\nA converter described the market as steady, with lead times of four to five weeks and rush orders still available. Other buyers said US mills were slow and continued to offer spot deals or lower prices. Merchants also pointed to new imported CRB offers as another source of competition.\nSome contacts said a couple of mills had been making URB on machines that normally produce CRB because CRB demand was weak. Buyers also pointed to softer demand from packaged-food customers, an important end market for CRB.\nThose conflicting demand and backlog reports, along with the early September effective date of the announced increase, supported keeping the CRB assessment unchanged in August. \nCoated unbleached kraft (CUK) remained the quietest grade and prices were unchanged. Producers announced increases of $60 per ton effective in early September.\nBoth buyers and sellers described CUK backlogs as solid. Some buyers said lead times had remained unchanged for several months.\nOne converter reported strong CUK business, including beverage packaging, while another said seasonal beverage demand was close to last year and below stronger historical levels. A merchant also said CUK was appearing in some dry-food, refrigerated-food and frozen-food applications that traditionally used CRB, which could be contributing to firmer CUK backlogs.\nFastmarkets held the assessment unchanged ahead of the announced September increase.\nPackaging market conditions continue to vary across boxboard grades, but extended lead times and evolving supply dynamics remain important factors for buyers, including food and beverage businesses monitoring costs and planning future requirements. Explore the latest market developments to better understand shifting packaging conditions and procurement risks.","kind":"highlight","is_publish_news":true,"is_publish_highlight":false,"is_publish_live":false,"is_publish_wemedia":false,"editions":null,"column":"","sentiment":"0","news_tag":"","news_rank":0,"isVideo":false,"video":null,"symbols":[],"gpt_button":0,"need_auth":false,"need_login_tip":false,"code":"91000000","status":"200"}}}