Gitnux/Report 2026

Pulp Industry Statistics

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Pulp Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Before any source is gathered, an editor locks the question, what qualifies, and how the piece will be judged.

02Source Research

Search agents collect the source set and pull each data point out with its provenance attached.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 39 days

01 Industry overview

The pulp industry at a glance

The pulp industry produced 189 million tonnes of wood pulp in 2024, with global output, trade and investment increasingly centered on Brazil, China and other low-cost eucalyptus producers.

189M tonnes[71]
Global wood pulp production, 2024
73M tonnes[71]
Global wood pulp exports, 2024
29.4M tonnes[70]
Brazil pulp production, 2025
$1,570/t[72]
US NBSK price, September 2026
Market size
Global wood pulp production reached 189 million tonnes in 2024, up 3% from 2023, while exports reached 73 million tonnes. The broader global pulp-and-paper market was valued at $351.7 billion in 2025, although that figure includes paper and paperboard as well as pulp.[71][73]
Forecast & CAGR
Global market-pulp shipments are forecast to increase by approximately 2.8 million tonnes between 2026 and 2030, equivalent to a 0.8% CAGR. Fluff pulp is expected to grow faster, reaching 8.62 million air-dried tonnes and $11.5 billion by 2029, with 2024–2029 volume and value CAGRs of 3.4% and 3.6%, respectively.[74][75]
Market share & regions
China accounted for 41.9% of world pulp imports in 2024, importing 30.26 million tonnes out of 72.24 million tonnes. In Europe, 53% of pulp consumed in 2023 originated within Europe, while Brazil supplied 27%.[76][77]
Segmentation
The industry is segmented mainly into chemical pulp and mechanical or semi-chemical pulp. In Europe in 2024, chemical pulp production totaled 26.657 million tonnes, including 25.465 million tonnes of sulphate pulp and 1.192 million tonnes of sulphite pulp; mechanical and semi-chemical pulp production totaled 6.922 million tonnes.[53]
Key players & concentration
Brazil produced 29.4 million tonnes of pulp and exported 20.7 million tonnes in 2025, making it the leading export-oriented producer. The global competitive structure is shaped by major producers in Brazil, the United States, China, Canada, Sweden, Indonesia, Finland, Russia and Chile; the ten countries listed in Ibá’s 2025 industry report together account for most of the leading production base.[70]
Pricing
In September 2026, list prices for northern bleached softwood kraft pulp were $1,570 per tonne in the United States, $1,620 in Europe and $650 in China. For 2025, Mercer reported average NBSK list prices of approximately $1,710 per air-dry metric tonne in North America and $1,525 in Europe, while China’s average net price was approximately $722.[72][78]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Growth is supported by packaging, tissue, hygiene and e-commerce demand, while the main risks are oversupply, weak paper markets, new hardwood capacity, energy and logistics costs, trade-policy uncertainty and volatile inventories. Global softwood-pulp producer inventories rose from 42 days of supply at the start of 2025 to 51 days in August before ending the year at 47 days.[78][79]
Consumer behavior & competition
Demand is increasingly concentrated in China and in packaging, tissue and hygiene applications rather than traditional graphic paper. China represented 41.9% of global pulp imports in 2024, while Brazilian short-fiber pulp production reached 26.1 million tonnes in 2025 and was linked to products used in hygiene, health, education and packaging.[76][70]
M&A
International Paper agreed in 2025 to sell its global cellulose-fibers business to American Industrial Partners for $1.5 billion. The transaction reflects a broader portfolio shift toward packaging and continued consolidation among pulp and paper producers.[80]
Regulation
The EU Deforestation Regulation is scheduled to apply to medium and large operators from 30 December 2026 and to most micro and small operators from 30 June 2027. For pulp and paper supply chains, compliance requires traceability and due-diligence information demonstrating that relevant wood is not linked to deforestation or forest degradation.[81][82]
Latest news
Ibá reported in October 2026 that Brazil produced a record 29.4 million tonnes of pulp in 2025, up 6.9% year over year, and exported a record 20.7 million tonnes, up 11.6%. The report also highlighted 57,500 hectares undergoing native-forest regeneration, linking sector expansion with restoration activity.[70]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Pulp Industry

The leading companies in the pulp industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026

Verdict

Royal Golden Eagle leads Gitnux's 2026 pulp ranking with an Overall score of 9.7, with 6% revenue growth, and operating margin 21.3%. CMPC is the runner-up at 9.6, with USD 3.03 billion pulp revenue reported for 2025.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in market pulp

    Royal Golden Eagle

    SG

    Ranked #1 · 9.7 · Market pulp

    Why we picked it: Its pulp platform integrates APRIL and Bracell high-capacity operations alongside revenue and margin signals.

    See in ranking ↓Visit rgei.com ↗

  2. #2 overall

    CMPC

    CL

    Ranked #2 · 9.6 · Market pulp

    Why we picked it: Its global pulp and forestry footprint centers on market pulp, reflected by 2025 revenue.

    See in ranking ↓Visit cmpc.com ↗

  3. #3 overall

    Suzano

    BR

    Ranked #3 · 9.5 · Market pulp

    Why we picked it: Its eucalyptus market pulp and paper focus links directly to 2025 producer scale and margin signals.

    See in ranking ↓Visit suzano.com.br ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. No other segment places in the top 5, so picks 2 and 3 follow rank.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the pulp industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Royal Golden Eagle

Market pulp · SG

9.7
2

CMPC

Market pulp · CL

9.6
3

Suzano

Market pulp · BR

9.5
4

Klabin

Market pulp · BR

9.0
5

Metsä Group

Market pulp · FI

8.8
6

Arauco

Market pulp, Chile and global · CL

8.0
7

Ilim Group

Softwood and hardwood pulp, Russia and Asia · RU

8.0
8

Södra

Softwood and hardwood pulp, Europe · SE

7.9
9

The Navigator Company

Eucalyptus pulp and paper, Portugal · PT

7.8
10

Mercer International

NBSK and hardwood pulp, Europe and Canada · CA

7.4

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Top 10 companies in the pulp industry. In Pulp Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pulp-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

World total pulp production share by region

Asia holds the largest share at 28.7%.

Asia28.7%
North America27.7%
Latin America19%
Cepi18.1%
Other Europe5%
Rest of the world1.6%
source-verifiedsustainability.cepi.org

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

We see mill-intelligence and optimizer pilots tied to measurable throughput, yield, and cost impacts, alongside blockchain traceability activity and traceable pulp economics.

AI in the pulp industry

  • 345,000 tonnes per year is the capacity of the Whitecourt, Alberta, BCTMP mill used in an AI plate-positioner project.[1]
  • 4–5 percentage points of sustained EBITDA improvement followed an advanced-analytics transformation covering pulp-and-paper operations, according to McKinsey.[2]
  • 15–20% lower costs were achieved across pulp-and-paper digital use cases using advanced analytics, according to a 2021 McKinsey case study.[2]
  • 1 AI-powered mill-intelligence platform, MILLMIND, was launched specifically for pulp-and-paper manufacturing at Paperex 2025 in India.[3]
  • 8–10% higher pulp-mill throughput was achieved in a McKinsey advanced-analytics transformation, according to the 2021 case study.[2]

Automation in the pulp industry

  • $4–6 billion was estimated as the near-term value opportunity from digital technologies in the pulp-and-paper industry.[2]
  • More than 25 pulp-and-paper digital use cases were already generating value across the value chain, according to McKinsey.[2]
  • 600,000 tonnes of paper per year was the approximate output of Billerud’s Gruvön mill during ABB’s optimizer trial.[4]
  • More than 2% higher paper production was recorded in an ABB optimizer trial at Billerud’s Gruvön mill in Sweden.[4]
  • More than 10% chemical-consumption savings were recorded in ABB’s pulp-and-paper optimizer trial at Billerud’s Gruvön mill.[4]
  • Up to 5 percentage points of yield improvement was identified as achievable through digital technologies in pulp and paper.[2]

Digital Transformation in the chemicals and materials sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among ASUG chemicals-industry members, 57% identified moving to SAP S/4HANA as a top focus area in 2025.[5]
  • Among ASUG chemicals-industry members, 46% ranked automation among their leading technology focus areas in 2025.[5]
  • Across European chemical subindustries, 65% of companies viewed digitalization as an opportunity that would significantly impact their activities in 2024.[6]
  • Among EII businesses, 68% reported adopting AI in 2024, with an estimated 10% productivity increase.[6]

Technology Adoption in the chemicals and materials sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among chemicals organizations surveyed by IBM, 53% had implemented AI for real-time process control and optimization in 2025.[7]
  • Among chemicals organizations surveyed by IBM, 49% had implemented AI for quality inspection or defect detection in 2025.[7]
  • Among chemicals organizations surveyed by IBM, 45% had implemented AI for supply-chain optimization in 2025.[7]
  • Among chemicals organizations surveyed by IBM, 49% had implemented AI for production planning and scheduling in 2025.[7]

Cloud Computing in the chemicals and materials sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across chemical-sector companies surveyed by Arthur D. Little and Cefic, more than 35% had at least partially migrated to cloud computing in 2023.[8]
  • Among EII businesses, 2% reported decreased productivity from cloud computing in 2024.[6]
  • Among EII businesses, 52% reported increased productivity from cloud computing in 2024, while 46% reported no change.[6]
  • Across chemical-sector companies surveyed by Arthur D. Little and Cefic, 15% planned to migrate to cloud computing in coming years in 2023.[8]

Big Data in the chemicals and materials sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among ASUG chemicals-industry members, 49% cited gaining actionable insights from data and analytics as a current challenge in 2025.[5]
  • Among EII businesses, 6% reported decreased productivity from big data in 2024.[6]
  • Among EII businesses, 44% reported no productivity change from big data in 2024.[6]
  • Among EII businesses, 48% reported increased productivity from big data in 2024.[6]

Blockchain in the pulp industry

  • 5% of textile brand owners were estimated by Sappi to trace raw materials to origin when describing the blockchain opportunity for dissolving pulp.[9]
  • More than 40 companies used Biond’s blockchain-based WoodChain solution every day for certified-wood traceability.[10]
  • $19.28 million was Sappi’s estimated potential financial impact from improved dissolving-pulp traceability and market expansion.[9]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

We track operational-data integration and model deployment, including reported throughput gains such as 8% to 10% from advanced-analytics transformations.

Business intelligence in the pulp industry

  • 4,500 assets are represented in Fastmarkets’ mill-intelligence cost, profitability and competitive-positioning data for the global forest-products industry.[11]
  • More than 25 digital use cases were already generating value across the pulp and paper value chain, according to McKinsey.[2]
  • More than 20% of the workforce participated in the first year of an internal analytics academy at a multi-asset pulp and paper company.[2]
  • More than 50 analytics models were deployed across over 20 use cases in the multi-asset pulp and paper transformation described by McKinsey.[2]
  • 20+ GB of operational data were integrated, cleaned and analyzed in one multi-asset pulp and paper analytics transformation.[2]
  • 24 pulp, paper and fibre-industry company representatives participated in the ZELLCHEMING digital-maturity survey conducted at Expo 2024.[12]

Data analytics in the pulp industry

  • 8% to 10% higher pulp-mill throughput resulted from one advanced-analytics transformation described by McKinsey.[2]
  • 0.20 kappa points or less was the average value at one Suzano mill after data analysis and advanced digester controls stabilized production.[13]
  • 50% fewer web breaks were achieved at a paper mill using AI-powered analytics for quality and process optimization.[14]
  • Up to 5 percentage points of yield improvement were reported for successful digital innovators in pulp and paper.[2]
  • $4 billion to $6 billion was estimated as the near-term value opportunity from digital technologies in the pulp and paper industry.[2]
  • 5% higher production-line speed was reported after AI-powered analytics were implemented at a paper mill.[14]

Data Quality in the chemicals and materials sector (sector benchmark)

  • 67% of supply-management organizations said their data quality was better or significantly better than two years earlier in 2024.[15]
  • 44% of companies in the manufacturing survey reported AI-project failures caused by poor data quality in 2025, across surveyed manufacturers.[16]
  • 80% of manufacturers reported a measured value for their operational data in 2026, across the surveyed manufacturing sector.[17]
  • 89% of manufacturers said data use improved their decision-making processes in 2026, across the surveyed manufacturing sector.[17]
  • 42% of manufacturers had a process to verify manufacturing-data accuracy and quality in 2026, while 51% did not.[17]
  • 49% of supply-management organizations rated their data quality as good or excellent in 2024, based on an Institute for Supply Management survey.[15]

Data Governance in the chemicals and materials sector (sector benchmark)

  • 90% of supply-management organizations agreed or strongly agreed that data governance was necessary in 2024.[15]
  • 28% of manufacturers had a data-governance leader in 2026, across the Manufacturing Leadership Council survey.[17]
  • 52% of global chemical companies had established performance management or KPIs around digital supply chains in 2022.[18]
  • 61% of supply-management organizations had a dedicated data-governance function in 2024, based on a survey of more than 121 respondents.[15]
  • 46% of GCC chemical companies had established common data standards with collaboration partners in 2022.[18]
  • 67% of GCC chemical companies had established performance management or KPIs around digital supply chains in 2022.[18]

KPIs in the pulp industry

  • 94.062 was the U.S. labor-productivity index for pulp, paper and paperboard mills in 2020, with 2017 equal to 100.[19]
  • 320,000 tonnes was UPM Communication Papers’ recycled-fibre-pulp input in 2024.[20]
  • 1,300 kWh per tonne was UPM Communication Papers’ electricity consumption intensity in 2024.[20]
  • 3 kilograms per tonne was UPM Communication Papers’ COD intensity in 2024.[20]
  • 88.507 was the U.S. labor-productivity index for pulp, paper and paperboard mills in 2024, with 2017 equal to 100.[19]
  • 753,000 tonnes was UPM Communication Papers’ chemical-pulp input in 2024.[20]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

We connect capacity exits and investment commitments to fiber-cost and pulp cash-cost benchmarks, using dated figures like R$817 per tonne for 2025.

Growth in the pulp industry

  • R$817 per tonne was Suzano’s 2025 annual pulp cash cost excluding downtime, its lowest annual level since 2021.[21]
  • R$22.2 billion was Suzano’s total investment in the Ribas do Rio Pardo pulp project in Brazil.[21]
  • 2.55 million tonnes per year is the capacity of Suzano’s Ribas do Rio Pardo single-line pulp mill in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.[21]
  • 3.4 million tonnes per year of market-bleached-pulp capacity exited globally in 2024, according to UPM’s industry analysis.[22]
  • 14.2 million tonnes was Suzano’s combined pulp and paper sales in 2025, a 15% increase from 2024.[21]
  • 13.44 million tonnes per year is Suzano’s listed market-pulp production capacity across Brazil and the United States.[23]

Differentiation in the pulp industry

  • 1,000,000 tonnes of chemical pulp was produced at the UPM mill group covered by its 2024 environmental indicators.[20]
  • 1.53 million tonnes per year is Stora Enso’s combined deinked and recycled-fibre pulp capacity at Langerbrugge, Ostrołęka and Varkaus.[24]
  • 2.3 billion dollars was Global Cellulose Fibers’ revenue in 2024 from its differentiated absorbent fluff-pulp business.[25]
  • 3,300 employees supported Global Cellulose Fibers’ specialized fluff-pulp business across the United States, Canada and Poland in 2024.[25]
  • 560,000 tonnes per year is the planned capacity cited for a Suzano bioproduct facility, equivalent to 50% of the plant’s total capacity.[26]
  • 335,000 tonnes per year is Varkaus mill’s pulp capacity in Finland, where pulp production is integrated with containerboard manufacturing.[24]

Mergers and acquisitions in the pulp industry

  • 3,300 employees were transferred with International Paper’s Global Cellulose Fibers business to American Industrial Partners in 2026.[25]
  • 5 million dollars was the consideration paid by Mondi to acquire the Hinton pulp mill in Alberta, Canada, in 2024.[27]
  • 9 manufacturing facilities were included in American Industrial Partners’ 2026 acquisition of Global Cellulose Fibers.[25]
  • 2.3 billion dollars was Global Cellulose Fibers’ 2024 revenue when American Industrial Partners completed its acquisition from International Paper.[25]
  • 250,000 tonnes per year was Hinton pulp mill’s capacity when Mondi completed its acquisition from West Fraser in Canada.[27]
  • 20% was the stake acquired by Japan Pulp and Paper Company in Masuko Seishi in March 2025.[28]

Strategic partnerships in the pulp industry

  • 1 deinked-pulp line was planned in India through the Kadant Lamort and Venkatalakshmi Paper & Boards partnership for high-grade newsprint production.[3]
  • 1 long-term partnership with West Fraser was associated with Mondi’s acquisition of Hinton pulp mill and its access to local fibre in Alberta, Canada.[27]
  • 2 loop systems were planned for Kadant Lamort’s deinked-pulp line partnership with Venkatalakshmi Paper & Boards in India.[3]
  • 2 countries—the United States and Canada—were the initial target markets for Aker Carbon Capture and CO280’s 2024 pulp-and-paper carbon-removal alliance.[29]
  • 1 European partnership initiative was announced in 2025 to advance chemical-pulping technologies among technology providers and pulp manufacturers.[30]
  • 1 preferred-partner arrangement was established by Aker Carbon Capture and CO280 for project-by-project carbon-removal development in the pulp-and-paper industry.[29]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

We capture hiring and turnover rates in Brazil and training-hour intensity, with workforce engagement and remote/hybrid distribution indicators for 2025–2026.

Hiring in the pulp industry

  • 316 new hires represented a 31.85% new-hire rate at Northeast Paper Operations in Brazil in 2024.[31]
  • 241 new hires represented a 22.67% new-hire rate at Northeast Paper Operations in Brazil in 2025.[31]
  • 2,343 new hires represented a 33.28% new-hire rate at São Paulo Pulp in Brazil in 2025.[31]
  • 221 new hires represented an 11.66% new-hire rate at Bahia Pulp in Brazil in 2025.[31]
  • 290 new hires represented a 14.73% new-hire rate at Bahia Pulp in Brazil in 2024.[31]

Employee retention in the pulp industry

  • 409 female employees left São Paulo Pulp, resulting in a 39.24% female turnover rate in Brazil in 2024.[31]
  • 168 male employees left Bahia Pulp, resulting in a 12.07% male turnover rate in Brazil in 2024.[31]
  • 253 terminations produced a 13.79% turnover rate at Bahia Pulp in Brazil in 2024.[31]
  • 305 terminations produced a 13.88% turnover rate at Bahia Pulp in Brazil in 2025.[31]
  • 225 terminations produced a 27.27% turnover rate at Northeast Paper Operations in Brazil in 2024.[31]

Remote Work in the chemicals and materials sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. remote-capable employees, 25% worked exclusively remotely in August 2026.[32]
  • Among U.S. energy, natural-resources and chemicals workers, 8% preferred fully remote work in 2025.[33]
  • Among U.S. energy, natural-resources and chemicals workers, 25% preferred mostly remote work in 2025.[33]
  • Across U.S. chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing employers, 5.7% of positions were fully remote in 2024.[34]

Hybrid Work in the chemicals and materials sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing employers, 44.5% of positions were fully hybrid in 2024.[34]
  • Across U.S. remote-capable employees, 54% worked in a hybrid arrangement in August 2026.[32]
  • U.S. hybrid employees spent an average of 46% of their workweek on-site in 2026.[32]
  • Across U.S. hybrid employees, 48% said their team had not discussed a formal or informal collaboration plan in 2026.[32]
  • Across U.S. remote-capable employees, 61% preferred a hybrid work arrangement in November 2025.[32]

Upskilling in the pulp industry

  • 15,530.12 training hours averaged 32.63 hours per female employee at Bahia Pulp in Brazil in 2025.[31]
  • 53,517.20 training hours averaged 28.24 hours per employee at Bahia Pulp in Brazil in 2025.[31]
  • 8,116.30 training hours averaged 7.64 hours per employee at Northeast Paper in Brazil in 2025.[31]
  • 6,832 technical and safety training hours were completed by 1,295 employees in Sappi's Southern Africa operations in 2024.[9]
  • 206,890 training hours averaged 36.66 hours per male employee at São Paulo Pulp in Brazil in 2025.[31]

Employee Engagement in the chemicals and materials sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among global managers, 22% were engaged at work in 2025, compared with 19% of non-managers.[32]
  • Across employees worldwide, 20% were engaged at work in 2025.[32]
  • Across best-practice organizations recognized by Gallup, 70% of employees were engaged in 2025.[32]
  • Across employees in the United States and Canada, 31% were engaged at work in 2025.[32]
  • Across employees in the United States, 32% were engaged at work in 2025.[32]

DEI in the pulp industry

  • 81.7% of White workers in U.S. pulp, paper and paperboard mills were men in 2024.[35]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Customer experience in the pulp industry

  • 68% was Navigator’s customer-satisfaction index among pulp clients surveyed in May and June 2017.[36]
  • 87% of CMPC Pulp customers were very satisfied overall in 2024, according to the company’s customer survey.[37]
  • 88% of CMPC Pulp customers were very satisfied overall in 2023, according to the company’s customer survey in Chile and international markets.[37]
  • 38% was CMPC Pulp’s customer-complaint rate in 2024.[37]
  • 92% was CMPC Pulp’s customer-service-quality score in 2023.[37]

Customer loyalty in the pulp industry

  • 58% was CMPC Pulp’s 2024 Net Promoter Score after the company changed to a 0–10 measurement scale.[37]
  • 91% was CMPC Pulp’s customer-loyalty score in 2023.[37]
  • 2nd among 11 competitors was Suzano Eucafluff’s NPS ranking in 2021, up from 3rd place.[38]
  • 90% was CMPC Pulp’s customer-loyalty score in 2024.[37]
  • 4.5% was the improvement in Suzano Eucafluff’s average international-market NPS in 2021.[38]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

We track customer-facing survey benchmarks and outreach cadence, including CMPC pulp NPS changes and complaint-resolution timelines.

Marketing in the pulp industry

  • 46 was UPM Pulp’s latest customer-survey NPS reported in 2023, versus an industry benchmark average of 39.[39]
  • 36 days was CMPC Pulp’s average complaint-resolution time in 2024.[37]
  • 32% of Rottneros’ customers were in the rest of Europe in 2023, its largest reported customer region.[40]
  • 8% of Rottneros’ customers were in North America in 2023.[40]
  • 91% of CMPC Pulp customers rated customer loyalty positively in 2024, Chile and international markets.[37]

Digital marketing in the pulp industry

  • 2 customer-satisfaction surveys per year are conducted by UPM Pulp using its digital feedback process.[39]
  • 60% of one Chinese hygiene producer’s fluff-pulp demand was supplied by Stora Enso in 2026 through a digitally coordinated customer partnership.[24]
  • 500 customer contacts are included in UPM Pulp’s recurring customer-survey outreach.[39]

Branding in the pulp industry

  • 1 new Spring brand for mechanical pulp was launched by Rottneros in early 2023.[40]
  • 86% was CMPC Pulp’s Net Promoter Score in 2020.[41]
  • 94% was CMPC Pulp’s Net Promoter Score in 2022, reflecting customer advocacy and brand strength.[41]
  • 87% was CMPC Pulp’s Net Promoter Score in 2021.[41]
  • 60+ countries were served by Stora Enso’s customer base in 2025, supporting its global pulp and biomaterials brand positioning.[24]

Influencer Marketing in the chemicals and materials sector (sector benchmark)

  • In U.S. manufacturing, 19% of marketers used influencer marketing among paid channels in the prior 12 months, according to a 2025 industry benchmark.[42]
  • Across B2B companies, 55% of marketers used creators in 2025, based on a March 2025 Ipsos survey of 1,500 marketing professionals.[43]
  • Across B2B companies, 81% of marketers had a dedicated influencer-marketing budget in a September 2024 U.S. survey of firms with at least 100 employees.[44]
  • Across B2B companies, 29% of marketers planned to adopt influencer marketing within the following year in a March 2025 Ipsos survey.[43]
  • Across B2B companies, 43% of marketers reported outstanding results from influencer programs in the 2025 B2B Influencer Marketing Report.[45]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

We focus on energy and operating constraints, including electricity consumption share and measured productivity availability improvements after system upgrades.

Process optimization in the pulp industry

  • 27–33 kWh per tonne is required for flotation in pulp and paper processing.[46]
  • 7% lower combined Scope 1 and 2 emissions are expected at International Paper’s Riegelwood pulp mill after its turbine-generator project in 2024.[47]
  • 10 kWh per tonne is required by wire and screw presses for dewatering in pulp and paper processing.[46]
  • 4% higher pulp yield per tonne of wood can result from pulping aids, according to Australian pulp-industry guidance.[48]
  • 80% of electricity use in pulp and paper mills can be consumed by motor-driven systems such as pumps, fans and conveyors.[48]

Operational efficiency in the pulp industry

  • 77% of Canfor Pulp’s 2024 mill energy came from renewable sources.[49]
  • 98,765,180 GJ of ARAUCO’s 2024 energy consumption came from renewable sources.[50]
  • 27,329,825 GJ was Canfor Pulp’s total energy consumption across its pulp mills in 2024.[49]
  • 5.8 million tonnes is UPM’s annual pulp production capacity in Finland and Uruguay.[51]
  • 402 MW was ARAUCO’s capacity for grid injection from its mainly biomass-powered plants.[50]

Quality management in the pulp industry

  • 82 customer-satisfaction questionnaires were distributed by Chunghwa Pulp in 2024.[51]
  • 77% of P&G’s global wood pulp purchases carried FSC Chain of Custody certification in fiscal 2025.[52]
  • 90% of P&G’s North American tissue-and-towel wood pulp carried FSC Chain of Custody certification in fiscal 2023.[52]
  • 100% of Canfor Pulp’s products are tested by independent laboratories for food-grade standards.[49]
  • 100% of P&G’s wood pulp purchases were third-party certified in fiscal 2025.[52]

Supply chain in the pulp industry

  • 8.168 million tonnes was the volume of market-pulp trade flows in 2024.[53]
  • 16 countries imported Indonesian pulp in 2022.[54]
  • 6 pulp mills operated as exporters in Indonesia in 2022.[54]
  • 68 companies imported Indonesian pulp in 2022.[54]
  • 43% of Indonesian pulp production was processed domestically in 2022.[54]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the chemicals and materials sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across North American specialty chemicals, 43% of customer respondents actively drove onshoring projects with suppliers and achieved some success in 2025.[55]
  • Across North American specialty chemicals, 100% of customer respondents allocated only 0–25% of company capital expenditure to reshoring projects in 2025.[55]
  • Across 22 EU countries and Norway, 72.8% of enterprises engaged in international sourcing moved business functions to other EU countries during 2021–2023.[56]
  • Across 22 EU countries and Norway, 34.1% of enterprises engaged in international sourcing cited labour-cost reduction as a motivation during 2021–2023.[56]
  • Across North American specialty chemicals, 50% of customer respondents were actively pushing onshoring projects in 2025.[55]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

We compare regionally divided list pricing and pulp cash-cost benchmarks, anchored to September 2026 NBSK $1,570/t in the US.

Pricing strategy in the pulp industry

  • $572 per ton was Suzano’s average net pulp export price in the first quarter of 2024, down 31% year over year.[57]
  • $761 per ADMT was Mercer International’s average pulp sale price in 2023.[57]
  • $1,500 per ton was the average US NBSK pulp list price reported for 2024 by Mativ, whose SAS segment uses wood pulp as its largest raw-material component.[57]
  • $762 per ADMT was Mercer International’s forecast net mill realization for its pulp segment in 2027.[57]
  • $715 per ADMT was Mercer International’s average pulp sale price in 2025.[57]

Cost reduction in the pulp industry

  • $347 per ADMT was Mercer International’s fiber cost in 2025, up from $216 per ADMT in 2021.[57]
  • R$329 per tonne was Suzano’s 2024 wood-cost component of consolidated pulp cash cost excluding downtime.[38]
  • R$149 per tonne was the 2024 fiber-cost reduction attributed by Valor to Project Caetê synergies.[58]
  • R$828 per tonne was Suzano’s consolidated pulp cash cost excluding downtime in 2024, 6% below 2023.[38]
  • R$35 per tonne was Suzano’s 2024 energy-cost contribution to consolidated pulp cash cost excluding downtime.[38]

Profitability in the pulp industry

  • 16.1% was Mercer International’s pulp-segment operating EBITDA margin in 2024.[57]
  • 4.3% was Mercer International’s pulp-segment operating EBITDA margin in 2023.[57]
  • R$20.866 billion was Suzano’s pulp adjusted EBITDA in 2024, with a 56% adjusted EBITDA margin.[38]
  • 1.0% was Mercer International’s pulp-segment operating EBITDA margin in 2025.[57]
  • 24.3% was Mercer International’s pulp-segment operating EBITDA margin in 2022.[57]

Financial planning in the pulp industry

  • R$16.5 billion was Suzano’s estimated 2024 capital expenditure, including sustaining, expansion, modernization and the Cerrado project.[38]
  • $59 million was Mercer International’s forecast pulp-segment net capital expenditure in 2031.[57]
  • R$7.7 billion was Suzano’s estimated 2024 sustaining land-and-forest capital expenditure.[38]
  • R$4.6 billion was Suzano’s estimated 2024 capital expenditure for the Cerrado project.[38]
  • $97 million was Mercer International’s forecast pulp-segment net capital expenditure in 2029.[57]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

We track certification coverage, pulp product attributes, and R&D footprints, including compostability and dissolving-pulp traceability disclosures.

Product development in the pulp industry

  • UPM had two pulp mills in Uruguay supported by its forestry R&D center and three tree nurseries in 2025.[20]
  • 80% of International Paper’s front-end innovation concepts supported renewable solutions in 2024.[47]
  • More than 2,000 patents had been granted to Stora Enso by 2025, supporting innovation across its renewable-materials businesses.[24]
  • UPM operated specialized pulp R&D capabilities at two research centers, in Changshu, China, and Lappeenranta, Finland, in 2025.[20]
  • 100% of International Paper’s pulp products were certified compostable in 2024, including Helix and Supersoft modified pulp-fiber products.[47]

Product lifecycle in the pulp industry

  • 49% of International Paper’s manufacturing waste was beneficially used rather than landfilled in 2024.[47]
  • Suzano planned to redo pulp life-cycle assessments in 2026, including products from the Ribas do Rio Pardo mill.[59]
  • 98% of International Paper’s pulp and packaging products were recyclable, reusable or compostable in 2024.[47]
  • 52.1 million tonnes of paper for recycling were collected in the Cepi region in 2024.[53]
  • 46.2 million tonnes of paper for recycling were utilised in the Cepi region in 2024.[53]

After-sales in the pulp industry

  • 87% of CMPC pulp customers were very satisfied overall in 2023.[37]
  • 92% of CMPC pulp customers were very satisfied overall in 2024.[37]
  • 38% was CMPC’s pulp complaint rate in 2023.[37]
  • 36 days was CMPC’s average pulp-complaint resolution time in 2024.[37]
  • 53 was UPM Pulp’s target Net Promoter Score, intended to place the business in the top 25% of its industry.[39]

Value proposition in the pulp industry

  • 2.6% is the projected 2024–2035 compound annual growth rate for global UKP demand.[24]
  • 16% of global UKP demand was linked to electrical and filter applications in 2024.[24]
  • $10 billion is the projected increase in global pulp-market value between 2024 and 2035.[24]
  • 62% of global UKP demand was linked to packaging applications in 2024.[24]
  • More than 2 billion people use products supplied by Suzano’s pulp, paper and renewable-solutions businesses across more than 100 countries.[21]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

We quantify process and supplier sustainability indicators, including Cepi pulp-and-paper direct CO2 emissions of 22.05 million tonnes in 2023.

Sustainability in the pulp industry

  • 96% of waste from UPM Specialty Papers’ mills was recycled or recovered as energy in 2024.[20]
  • 300,000 cubic meters of fresh water were saved at UPM’s Changshu mill in China in 2024.[20]
  • 88% of fibers used in UPM Specialty Papers’ production came from FSC- or PEFC-certified forests in 2024.[20]
  • 93% of UPM’s renewable fuels in 2024 came from UPM processes such as bark, fiber sludge and black liquor.[20]
  • 200 hectares of nature-oriented areas were owned or managed by UPM Specialty Papers’ mills in 2024.[20]

ESG in the pulp industry

  • 5,200 tonnes of seven-day biological oxygen demand were discharged by UPM’s pulp and paper operations in 2024.[20]
  • 22.05 million tonnes of direct CO₂ emissions were reported by Cepi countries’ pulp and paper industry in 2023.[53]
  • 200 million cubic meters of process wastewater were recorded by UPM in 2024.[20]
  • 56,600 tonnes of chemical oxygen demand were discharged by UPM’s pulp and paper operations in 2024.[20]
  • 100% of UPM’s 5 million tonnes of chemical pulp production used renewable raw materials in 2024.[20]

Ethics in the pulp industry

  • 26% of assessed timber and pulp companies reported a process for prioritizing, assessing or engaging suppliers in 2018.[60]
  • 18% of assessed timber and pulp companies committed not to use WHO Class 1A and 1B pesticides in 2018.[60]
  • 91% of UPM’s total supplier spend was covered by its supplier code, which includes anti-corruption and human-rights requirements, in 2024.[20]
  • 70% of assessed timber and pulp companies committed to respecting Indigenous and local-community rights in 2018.[60]
  • 72% of assessed timber and pulp companies extended human-rights commitments to outgrowers or independent suppliers in 2018.[60]

CSR in the pulp industry

  • 0.1 kilograms of sulfur per tonne of pulp was UPM Kymi’s 2024 sulfur-dioxide and total-reduced-sulfur target, which the mill achieved.[20]
  • 1.0 tonne per day was UPM Kymi’s 2024 solids-to-river target, which the mill achieved.[20]
  • 12.5 kilograms of dry matter per tonne of pulp was UPM Kymi’s 2024 solid-waste-to-landfill target, which the mill achieved.[20]
  • 0.10 kilograms per tonne of pulp was UPM Kymi’s 2024 adsorbable-organic-halogen emissions target, which the mill achieved.[20]
  • 8.5 kilograms of chemical oxygen demand per tonne of pulp was UPM Kymi’s 2024 target, which the mill did not achieve.[20]

Circular economy in the pulp industry

  • 5.4 percentage points was the increase in recycled-fiber utilization by AF&PA members between 2005 and 2022.[61]
  • 56% of total fiber production in the European Union came from recycled fibers in 2021.[62]
  • 53.399 million tonnes of paper for recycling were collected in Europe in 2023.[53]
  • 25 recycling cycles were estimated as possible for some pulp fibers used in cardboard.[62]
  • 15% recycled content was found in some graphic paper grades in the European Union’s paper sector.[62]

Carbon footprint in the pulp industry

  • 8,600 GWh of fossil-fuel energy were consumed by UPM in 2024.[20]
  • 39.05 million tonnes of direct CO₂ emissions were reported by Cepi countries’ pulp and paper industry in 2005.[53]
  • 34,000 GWh of renewable-fuel energy were consumed by UPM in 2024.[20]
  • 9,700 GWh was UPM’s total electricity consumption in 2024.[20]
  • 88% of UPM’s renewable fuels in 2024 came from UPM processes, including bark, fiber sludge and black liquor.[20]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

We follow trade flows and sourcing footprint signals, including 8.2 million tonnes of market pulp imports into Cepi countries in 2024.

Globalization in the pulp industry

  • 8.2 million tonnes of market pulp were imported into Cepi countries in 2024.[53]
  • 6.4 million tonnes of market pulp were exported from Cepi countries in 2024.[53]
  • US pulp production totaled 48 million tonnes in 2024, including 8 million tonnes exported.[70]
  • 33.7 million tonnes of pulp were produced in Cepi countries in 2024.[53]
  • Indonesia produced 10.1 million tonnes of pulp and exported 7 million tonnes in 2024.[70]

Cultural adaptation in the pulp industry

  • UPM’s pulp and paper operations covered 13 mills with EMAS reports in 2025, spanning locations in Europe, China and Uruguay.[20]
  • 14,500 private forest owners supplied wood to UPM in 2024.[20]
  • 64% of UPM’s €2.3 billion primary raw-material spend was purchased from local suppliers in 2024.[20]
  • UPM operated pulp and paper mills with local-language reporting available in Chinese, Finnish, German, Spanish and Swedish in its 2025 EMAS reporting program.[20]
  • UPM’s pulp supplier requirements required annual environmental-performance reporting from suppliers in 2025.[20]

Supplier management in the pulp industry

  • 23.3 million tonnes of wood were purchased by UPM in 2024.[20]
  • 28.6 million tonnes of raw materials were purchased by UPM in 2024, including wood, market pulp, chemicals and recovered paper.[20]
  • 930,000 tonnes of chemicals were purchased by UPM in 2024.[20]
  • 23,000 business-to-business suppliers supplied UPM globally in 2024.[20]
  • 64% of UPM’s primary raw-material spend was purchased from local suppliers in 2024.[20]

Stakeholder management in the pulp industry

  • More than 4,000 acres of forests in South Carolina and Georgia were included in International Paper’s Savannah River conservation partnership in 2024.[47]
  • 100% compliance was reported for Chung Hwa Pulp’s 586 supplier evaluations conducted in 2024.[51]
  • 89% of water used in International Paper’s manufacturing operations was returned to the environment in 2024.[47]
  • 700,000 tonnes of recovered paper were sourced by UPM through European waste-management companies, printers and local authorities in 2024.[20]
  • 78% of Chung Hwa Pulp’s procurement was classified as green procurement in 2024.[51]

Distribution channels in the pulp industry

  • $3.5 billion was the value of Indonesian pulp exports in 2024.[70]
  • $10.6 billion was the value of Brazilian pulp exports in 2024.[70]
  • 8 million tonnes of Canadian pulp were exported in 2024.[70]
  • 73 million tonnes of wood pulp were exported globally in 2024.[71]
  • 8 million tonnes of US pulp were exported in 2024.[70]

16 Statistics

Regional markets

We use regional production and export records, including Brazil’s 20.7 million tons of pulp exports in 2025 and 11.6% growth.

The pulp industry in Brazil

  • 29.4 million tons of pulp were produced in Brazil in 2025, up 6.9% from 2024.[70]
  • 25.5 million tons of pulp were produced in Brazil in 2024, a record and 5.2% increase from 2023.[70]
  • 43.6% of Brazil’s pulp exports from the planted-tree sector went to China in 2024, followed by Europe with 26.7%.[70]
  • 20.7 million tons of pulp were exported by Brazil in 2025, 11.6% more than in 2024.[70]
  • US$10.6 billion in pulp exports were generated by Brazil in 2024, an increase of 33.2% from 2023.[70]

Key questions about the pulp industry

How big is the global pulp market in terms of production and exports?
Global wood pulp production reached 189M tonnes in 2024, and exports reached 73M tonnes in 2024.
How fast is market pulp expected to grow between 2026 and 2030?
Global market-pulp shipments are forecast to increase by approximately 2.8 million tonnes between 2026 and 2030, equivalent to 0.8% CAGR.
Which companies lead the pulp industry?
Royal Golden Eagle leads Gitnux's 2026 pulp ranking with an Overall score of 9.7, with 6% revenue growth, and operating margin 21.3%. CMPC is the runner-up at 9.6, with USD 3.03 billion pulp revenue reported for 2025.
What technology shifts are showing measurable effects in pulp-and-paper operations?
Advanced analytics reports include 8% to 10% higher pulp-mill throughput and up to 5 percentage points of yield improvement. Digital use cases are also linked to $4–6 billion estimated near-term value opportunity.
What does the competitive market structure look like for pulp supply?
Brazil is the leading export-oriented producer, with Brazil producing 29.4 million tonnes of pulp and exporting 20.7 million tonnes in 2025. Competitive supply is shaped by major producers across Brazil, the United States, China, Canada, Sweden, Indonesia, Finland, Russia, and Chile.
What compliance timeline affects pulp and paper supply chains in 2026?
EU Deforestation Regulation scheduled applicability begins 30 December 2026 for medium and large operators, requiring traceability and due-diligence information.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Pulp Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pulp-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Pulp Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 10 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/pulp-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Pulp Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pulp-industry-statistics.

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