China's Ivory Board Exports Jump 23% in May as Overseas Demand Remains Strong

We, Golden Paper, find that China's ivory board exports continued to gain momentum in May, reflecting resilient demand from overseas packaging manufacturers despite a challenging global economic environment.

According to data released by the General Administration of Customs of China, exports of ivory board reached 484,000 tons in May, an increase of 23% compared with the same month last year. The figure also represented a 6% rise from April. During the first five months of the year, cumulative exports totaled 2.126 million tons, up 7.3% year on year.

Rather than being driven by temporary purchasing activity, the latest figures suggest that demand for Chinese paperboard continues to expand across multiple international markets.

Southeast Asia continues to account for the largest share of China's ivory board exports. Packaging demand has been growing steadily in countries such as Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, where manufacturing activity continues to expand alongside rising consumer spending.

Although several countries have invested in domestic paper production, new capacity has largely focused on containerboard and corrugated grades. High-quality coated paperboard such as Folding Box Board (FBB) still depends heavily on imports because new production lines require substantial investment and several years before commercial operation begins. As a result, the supply gap is unlikely to disappear in the near future, allowing imported paperboard to remain competitive.

Export growth is no longer concentrated in Southeast Asia. Buyers across Latin America and Africa have also increased their purchases during recent months, making these regions an increasingly important source of new demand.

Many of these countries are experiencing steady growth in packaged food, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods, while local paperboard manufacturing has not expanded at the same pace. Under these conditions, imported paperboard has become an important solution for converters seeking stable quality and reliable supply.

At the same time, Chinese suppliers continue to benefit from competitive export pricing. While manufacturing costs have risen in several overseas markets, Chinese paperboard prices have remained relatively attractive, encouraging more international buyers to place long-term orders.

Although global pulp prices remain at relatively low levels, several major Chinese paper producers announced price increases in July. Under normal market conditions, lower raw material costs would be expected to push finished paper prices downward. This time, however, the strength of export orders has reduced pricing pressure on manufacturers, allowing mills to improve margins instead of competing aggressively for volume.

This shift suggests that export demand is becoming an increasingly important factor in determining market prices.

Another factor supporting long-term demand is the worldwide transition toward more sustainable packaging.

As governments introduce stricter regulations on plastic packaging, brand owners are accelerating the use of paper-based alternatives. Ivory board has become one of the preferred materials because it combines excellent printability with sufficient stiffness for a wide range of packaging applications.

Since these regulatory changes are expected to continue over the coming years, demand is likely to remain supported by structural rather than short-term market factors.

Despite recent price adjustment announcements, China's ivory board market remains close to its lowest pricing level in recent years.

Industry analysts believe that export growth has helped absorb part of the industry's excess production capacity, but the market has not yet fully returned to balance. As supply gradually tightens and mills continue adjusting production strategies, further downward movement in prices may become increasingly limited.

For overseas buyers, the current market therefore represents a favorable procurement window before supply and demand move toward a healthier equilibrium.

The latest customs data demonstrates that international demand for Chinese ivory board remains fundamentally strong. Instead of relying on a single export destination, China's suppliers are now benefiting from broader demand across Asia, Latin America and Africa.

As sustainability regulations continue to reshape global packaging markets and investment in downstream manufacturing increases, Chinese ivory board is expected to remain an important source of supply for converters and packaging producers around the world.

For global buyers planning future procurement, the latest export figures indicate that market fundamentals continue to support long-term demand, while current pricing remains historically competitive.