Forrest Gump famously referenced life’s uncertainty with an analogy to a box of chocolates. A similar comparison could be made now for containerboard and box markets: “You never know what you’re gonna get.”  A sustained down cycle for fiber markets could soon end, in part due to this year’s uncommonly large containerboard capacity reductions and a milder-than-feared tariff environment, analysts cautiously suggest. “Time will tell, but this complexion of results suggests that we are approaching an inflection (hopefully positive) based on our experience,” said George Staphos, BofA Securities research analyst. The capacity reductions could help to rebalance supply and demand, correcting a yearslong oversupply that has plagued both North American and global markets. Yet improvements are not expected to be robust or materialize quickly, analysts say. RaboResearch expects containerboard demand to experience a “modest” recovery, with a 0.53% compound annual growth rate through the second quarter of 2027.

Independent German paper mill Feldmuehle Uetersen has filed for insolvency. The business filed for insolvency at the Pinneberg district court yesterday (January 24) and Hamburg-based Tjark Thies of Reimer Rechtsanwälte…

When retail giant Amazon jumped into meal-kit delivery last summer, it was the clearest signal yet that consumer convenience is the new North Star for products and services across all categories. From consumer packaged goods (CPGs) going online to personal care brands and retailers exploring subscription models, the industry is now further investing in e-commerce by embracing a new "last mile" to reach consumers. So, if our first interaction with a product takes place on our front porch instead of in a store, how does that change how we choose brands and develop preferences? One of the greatest challenges for emerging retail models is that consumers buy products without seeing them first. It's crucial to consider what a leap of faith it is for a consumer to buy a product sight unseen. A retailer's success is contingent on the notion of trust among the consumer, the brand and the retailer; yet trust is hard to build and easy to lose. In this new marketplace with so much upside and an equal amount of risk, how can brands establish sustainable competitive advantage? Click Read More below for additional information.