Sonoco Products Company announced that it will raise the price of all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) by $70 per ton in the United States and Canada, effective with shipments beginning April 3 2026. The company will also increase the price of all converted paperboard products—including tubes, cores, cones, partitions, protective packaging and other specialty products—by 8%, effective with shipments on and after April 15 2026.
The company said the hikes are needed to offset tightening market conditions, higher mill utilization rates, and inflationary input costs. The move aligns with Sonoco’s strategy to focus on high‑margin, sustainable packaging solutions and to protect profitability amid macroeconomic softness in key regions.
Sonoco’s Q4 2025 adjusted EBITDA margin was 15.1% and the full‑year 2025 margin was 17.3%. The price increases are expected to improve the gross‑margin profile of the paperboard businesses by counterbalancing rising material costs, thereby supporting the company’s earnings outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Taylor Lane, Vice President and General Manager of Industrial Paper Packaging North America, said, “The price change is necessitated by tightening market conditions, increased mill utilization rates, and inflationary input costs. We will continue to service our customers with the highest levels of quality and reliability that they are accustomed to when working with Sonoco.” Howard Coker, President and CEO, added that Sonoco is a simpler company focused on sustainable growth, margin improvement and efficient capital allocation, and that the company is positioned for consistent earnings growth.
The price increase follows a similar move by competitor Cascades, which raised its uncoated recycled paperboard price by $60 per ton the previous month, underscoring a broader industry trend of adjusting prices to manage cost pressures.
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