Corrugated Board Industry Reports Slight Decline in Sales for 2025

Political uncertainties in the markets, a lack of economic momentum, and renewed price increases have negatively impacted the corrugated board industry’s performance in 2025. The effects of the war in the Middle East threaten to further exacerbate the situation in 2026. The Association of the Corrugated Board Industry (VDW) is therefore appealing to the federal government to provide greater protection for sectors dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises against excessive burdens.

“Germany’s overall economic development in 2025 was once again marked by extremely difficult conditions. As a supplier of the country’s most important transport packaging, the corrugated board industry also felt the consequences acutely,” notes VDW Chairman Dr. Steffen P. Würth. “Factors such as unpredictable U.S. trade policy and the ongoing tariff dispute weighed heavily on key industrial customers in our sector. Other factors, such as high unit labor costs and energy prices, as well as the burden of bureaucracy, not only dimmed the outlook for relevant customers but also had a significant direct impact on corrugated board manufacturers,” said the VDW chairman.

Overall, VDW members reported a slight 0.1 percent decline in sales volume for 2025, totaling approximately 7,403 million square meters of corrugated board compared to 2024. In terms of revenue, however, there was a 1.0 percent increase compared to 2024—a trend that must be viewed in the context of a significant revenue decline in the previous year. Furthermore, according to VDW members’ estimates, the increase in revenue is not sufficient to offset the rise in raw material costs.

In 2025, the corrugated board industry faced a significant price surge for corrugated base paper for the second consecutive year. From January to June 2025, the average weighted price of corrugated base paper rose by 12.9 percent; on an annual average, it was 4.2 percent higher than in 2024. “This placed a significant additional burden on the corrugated board industry amid an already tense macroeconomic situation,” emphasizes Würth.

Based on the current global political situation, the VDW takes a cautious view of the outlook for 2026. The war in the Middle East and the resulting energy price shock have already prompted leading economic institutes to significantly revise their GDP forecasts downward. “The corrugated cardboard industry is already feeling the severe impact of skyrocketing energy prices, production and logistics costs, and new market uncertainties. Nor can the risk of a new wave of rising raw material costs be dismissed,” warns the VDW chairman. “In these challenging times, it is of essential importance, particularly for sectors dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises such as the corrugated cardboard industry, that the federal government provides effective relief and strengthens Germany as an attractive business location,” adds Würth.