Specialty Paper Market Analysis & Forecast: 2025-2032

Paper is a versatile product and has applications in education, communication, information, and packaging. Specialty papers are special grades papers exhibiting properties such as strength, dimensional stability, density, porosity, smoothness, wet strength, and absorptivity. They are manufactured and designed for a special purpose. Based on product type specialty paper is segmented into décor paper, release liner, label paper, packaging paper, and printing paper. Printing and writing papers include paper used for books, magazines, wedding invitations, office and home printers, birthday cards, printed photos and vital documents such as birth certificates, social security cards, and diplomas.

Increasing concern regarding environmental sustainability is encouraging use of recycled paper and recycled paper products. Utilization of renewable resource-based materials, lightweight materials, and functional materials for specialty papers is gaining significant traction. Plants such as hemp, kenaf, and bamboo yield fiber faster than trees and agricultural waste such as sugar cane, straw from wheat and rice, and byproducts from coffee, banana, and coconut plants are also used for the specialty paper production. Various economies like United Kingdom, Australia have banned plastic bags, owing to their adverse side effects on the environment. This provides a choice to customers for paper bags and specialty papers provide the required strength to carry the household goods. Handmade paper, recycled paper are used for these applications.

Market Dynamics

• A major driver for growth of the global specialty paper market is growing food and beverage sector. For instance, according to Food Drink Europe, food and drink industry in European Union (EU) in 2016, was valued over US$ 1265 billion. Furthermore, food and drinks products of over US$ 106 billion were exported to non-EU market in 2016.
• However, carbon emissions arising from paper manufacturing process may hamper growth of the global specialty paper market. Many paper units in China closed down sue to the ban on waste paper due to pollution issues. According to United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is mandatory for owners or operators of facilities that produce pulp or paper and emit 25,000 metric tons or more of Green House Gases per year from pulp and paper manufacturing processes, stationary combustion, miscellaneous uses of carbonate, and other source categories must report emissions. Stringent regulations on food and beverage packaging is another restraint for global specialty paper market growth.

Market Outlook

• According to the Coherent Market Insights analysis, Europe held the dominant position in the market in 2017, and Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest growing region in the global specialty paper market, owing to high consumption of tea, which is propelling demand for specialty paper in packet tea application. According to Food Drink Europe, In European Union (EU), there was 9% increase in processed tea and coffee import from 2014-2015.
• Among applications, the packaging and labeling segment is projected to gain major traction over the forecast period, owing to high demand for specialty paper from the packaging industry.

Key players in Global Specialty Paper Market

• Key players operating in the global specialty paper market include Nippon Paper Group, Inc, ITC Ltd, Munksjo Group, International Paper Company, Stora ENSO Oyj, Domtar Corporation, Mondi Plc., Oji Holdings Corporation, Asia Pulp & Paper Co. Limited, Sappi Limited, Verso Corporation, and Potsdam Specialty Paper Inc.
• Manufactures are expanding their production capacity and product portfolio as a part of strategic planning. For instance, in December 2017, ITC ltd planned to expand the capacity of its decorative paper making facility in West Bengal, India. This unit is known for manufacturing low density paper used to print Bibles, which is also exported by the company.
• In August 2018, KPS Capital Partners, LP announced that it sold Expera Specialty Solutions, LLC to Ahlstrom-Munksjö Oyj a global leader in fiber-based materials. Expera is a manufacturer of specialty paper products for the industrial & technical, food and pressure-sensitive release liner segments.

Key Developments

• Key players are adopting in-organic growth strategies such as new product launch and product development in order to gain market share in the global specialty paper market. For instance, in 2018, the company verso launched specialty label papers at Labelexpo America 2018. Labelexpo America 2018 is the largest event for the label and package printing industry in North America. The company has launched three new label papers, OptiLable HB, OptiLitho C1S, OptiPrime Inkjet WS to satisfy the growing needs of our specialty paper customers.
• In 2018, Kruger specialty papers has planned to expand its product portfolio in specialty paper. As, Kruger’s Trois-Rivières facility delivered its first shipment of bleached thermomechanical pulp (TMP) which enabled the Wayagamack Mill to expand its product portfolio into a wider range of brightness levels. In this project the company invested around US$ 40 million to build the new bleached TMP plant at Kruger Trois-Rivières and to upgrade production at Wayagamack.

Market Taxonomy

On the basis of raw material, global specialty paper market is segmented into:

• Pulp
• Binder
• Fillers
• Additives

On the basis of application, global specialty paper market is segmented into:

• Industrial
• Construction
• Packaging
• Labeling
• Printing
• Writing

On the product type, global specialty paper market is segmented into:

• Décor Paper
• Release Liner
• Label Paper
• Packaging Paper
• Printing Paper

On the basis of region global specialty paper market is segmented into:

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
  • Mexico
• South America
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Rest of South America
• Europe
  • U.K.
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • France
  • Spain
  • Russia
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • ASEAN
  • Australia
  • Rest of Asia Pacific
• Middle East & Africa