What International Paper does

International Paper is a publicly traded global packaging and paper company (NYSE: IP, LSE: IPC) headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, founded in 1898. The company manufactures corrugated packaging, containerboard, and complementary fiber-based products, supported by a closed-loop recycling network that processes approximately seven million tons of recovered fiber annually. IP operates dozens of paper mills, hundreds of box plants, sheet plants, preprint operations, and converting facilities across North America, with a recent expansion into EMEA via the January 2025 acquisition of DS Smith for approximately $7.1 billion. Core products include corrugated boxes, bulk packaging, solid fiber, corrugated sheets, and retail packaging & display, with containerboard (linerboard and kraft medium) produced both for captive consumption and sale to third-party converters. Ancillary services span structural design, graphic design, preprint flexographic printing, testing, fulfillment and assembly, and mechanical packaging systems, served through direct field sales targeting enterprise customers in e-commerce, food and beverage, grocery, manufacturing, and personal care end-markets.

IP generates revenue through transaction-based sales of corrugated packaging and containerboard, with pricing negotiated on a per-order, multi-year contract basis reflecting volume, specification, fiber grade, and region. Distribution is anchored by direct field sales across regional box plants and converting facilities, with containerboard sold to third-party converters including export customers. The company is undergoing a strategic transformation: in 2026 it announced a plan to separate into two independent publicly traded companies — one focused on North America (retaining the International Paper name) and one on EMEA — and is actively rationalizing its footprint, with approximately 31 EMEA facility closures, 2,800+ position eliminations, and additional US plant closures announced through Q3 2026. Concurrently, IP is investing in capacity expansion through greenfield facilities (Brandon, MS; Waterloo, IA) and acquisitions (NORPAC at $360M and Delmarva Corrugated Packaging), while divesting non-core assets such as the $1.1 billion Global Cellulose Fibers business. Suzano S.A. shareholders approved acquisition of IP's global paper business, further reshaping the portfolio toward fiber-based packaging.

The company maintains a 56-year streak of consecutive quarterly dividend payments, has been recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies 20 times (the only honoree in the Forestry, Packaging & Paper industry), and has earned multiple FTA Excellence in Flexography Awards demonstrating print-quality leadership. Recent financial performance shows Q1 2026 net sales of $5.97 billion (+13.4% YoY) with earnings from continuing operations turning positive at $76M versus a $124M loss a year earlier, though adjusted EBITDA margin compressed to 11.3% from 13.1% YoY due to macro headwinds and restructuring costs.

Name

International Paper

Legal name

International Paper Company

Website

https://internationalpaper.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

International Paper is a global manufacturer of corrugated packaging, containerboard, and recycling services, producing fiber-based packaging solutions from sustainably managed forests and serving enterprise customers in e-commerce, food and beverage, grocery, manufacturing, and personal care across North America and EMEA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Corrugated Packaging Sales: Sale of corrugated packaging products including boxes, bulk packaging, solid fiber, sheets, and retail packaging & display. Revenue is driven by volume (tons/containerboard pounds) and price per unit, with customers across e-commerce, food & beverage, grocery, manufacturing, and shipping sectors.
2. Containerboard Sales: Production and sale of containerboard (linerboard and medium/kraft medium) to converting plants and third-party box manufacturers, both domestically and for export to West Coast and international customers.
3. Recovered Fiber / Recycling Services: Collection, processing, and sale of recovered fiber (OCC, mixed paper) to paper mills, plus commercial recycling services for businesses and industrial customers, including equipment placement (balers, compactors) and waste audits.
4. Packaging Services: Ancillary services including structural design, graphic design, printing, testing, fulfillment & assembly, and mechanical packaging systems sold to packaging customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

International Paper manufactures and sells corrugated packaging, containerboard, bulk packaging, solid fiber, retail packaging and display products through paper mills and box plants in North America and EMEA. It complements these physical products with structural and graphic design, preprint flexographic printing, testing, fulfillment and assembly, and mechanical packaging systems. Through its commercial recycling business the company collects, sorts and processes nearly seven million tons of recovered paper annually, providing end-to-end fiber-based packaging solutions to e-commerce, food and beverage, grocery, manufacturing and personal care customers.

Product overview

International Paper is a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, operating as a platform-based business offering corrugated packaging as its core product alongside complementary services. The portfolio includes corrugated boxes, bulk packaging, solid fiber, and retail displays as primary product lines, supported by containerboard production and recycling services. Packaging services (structural design, graphic design, printing, testing, fulfillment, mechanical systems) enhance the core packaging offerings. Recent acquisitions of NORPAC and Delmarva Corrugated Packaging expand West Coast and East Coast manufacturing capabilities, while the DS Smith acquisition created a global enterprise spanning North America and EMEA regions. The company also offers digital services through OrderIP for customer order management and operates recycling solutions for closed-loop sustainability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OrderIP: Online ordering platform for customers to place orders and track shipments
• My-IP
• IP GoBox
• NORPAC

Products and services

• Corrugated Packaging Corrugated boxes and packaging solutions manufactured by International Paper from containerboard for shipping, protecting, and promoting customer brands across e-commerce, food and beverage, grocery, and manufacturing industries.
• Bulk Packaging Heavy-duty corrugated packaging solutions designed for industrial and large-scale shipping applications requiring reinforced structural integrity.
• Solid Fiber Paperboard-based packaging solutions offering durability and protection for various consumer and industrial applications.
• Corrugated Sheets Flat corrugated sheet materials that can be converted into custom packaging shapes and sizes by customers or in-house converting operations.
• Retail Packaging & Display Point-of-purchase displays and retail-ready packaging solutions designed to enhance product visibility and consumer engagement at retail locations.
• Containerboard Containerboard paper material (linerboard and medium) including kraft liner and semi-chem medium grades, sold to converting plants and third-party box manufacturers domestically and for export.
• Recycling Solutions End-to-end commercial recycling services including waste audits, equipment placement (balers, compactors), and collection and processing of recovered fiber for reintroduction into manufacturing.
• OrderIP Customer-facing digital platform providing real-time order status, advance shipment notices, and carrier tracking for International Paper packaging customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• International Paper outperformed a declining industry by nearly 3 percentage points for the third consecutive quarter in North American box volumes (Q1 2026: +2% YoY).
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CPKC RailwaycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026CPKC Railway serves as the strategic rail partner for International Paper's new Brandon, Mississippi sustainable packaging facility. CPKC provides integrated supply chain connectivity through its transnational rail network, enabling efficient and sustainable transportation of packaging products across North America.
• Delmarva Corrugated PackagingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026International Paper acquired Delmarva Corrugated Packaging's 500,000-square-foot converting facility in Dover, Delaware, expanding its East Coast sustainable packaging footprint. Financial terms were not disclosed. Dennis Mehiel, president and CEO of Delmarva, did not transition with the company following the ownership change.
• Suzano S.A.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Suzano S.A. shareholders approved the acquisition of International Paper's global paper business, a transaction expected to reshape the scale and geographic footprint of Suzano's paper segment. Suzano's NYSE-listed ADRs (ticker: SUZ) provide US investors access to the combined entity following completion.
• DS SmithcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026International Paper acquired DS Smith in January 2025 for approximately $7.1 billion, creating a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions. As part of the transaction, IP announced a planned separation into two independent publicly traded companies — one focused on North America and one on Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) — each retaining DS Smith and legacy IP assets respectively.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Regional players

• Cascades Inc. Cascades is a Canadian-based manufacturer of containerboard, corrugated packaging, tissue, and specialty products. Comparable as a North American fiber-based packaging producer, though smaller and more regionally focused than IP.
• Klabin S.A. Klabin is the largest paper producer and exporter in Latin America with integrated containerboard, kraftliner, and corrugated operations. Comparable to IP's containerboard and corrugated platform, though primarily serving South American markets.

Broad incumbents

• Georgia-Pacific LLC: Georgia-Pacific is a privately held Koch subsidiary with leading positions in containerboard, corrugated, tissue, and building products. Comparable to IP as a broad incumbent in North American containerboard and corrugated packaging.

Direct peers

• Packaging Corporation of America: PCA is the largest U.S. pure-play containerboard and corrugated packaging producer with vertically integrated mills and box plants. Highly comparable to International Paper's North American Packaging Solutions segment on product mix, customer base, and end-market exposure.
• Mondi plc: Mondi is a European-listed integrated paper and packaging group with containerboard, corrugated, and uncoated fine paper operations. Highly comparable to IP's planned EMEA-focused entity following the DS Smith acquisition.
• Smurfit Westrock: Formed by Smurfit Kappa's combination with WestRock, Smurfit Westrock is the world's largest containerboard and corrugated packaging company. Directly comparable to IP's combined DS Smith and legacy operations across both North America and EMEA.
• Sonoco Products Company: Sonoco is a global provider of consumer packaging, industrial products, and protective solutions with both fiber-based and rigid container offerings. Comparable to IP across industrial and consumer packaging customer segments.
• Graphic Packaging Holding Company: Graphic Packaging is a leading paperboard packaging manufacturer serving consumer goods, food and beverage, and beverage end markets. Comparable to IP's folding carton and solid fiber businesses with overlapping customers and similar converting capabilities.
• Stora Enso Oyj: Stora Enso is a Nordic renewable packaging materials company with significant containerboard, packaging, and biomaterials operations in Europe. Comparable to IP/DS Smith's EMEA footprint in containerboard and corrugated packaging segments.

Emerging players

• Suzano S.A. Suzano is the world's largest hardwood pulp producer and is acquiring IP's global paper business. Highly relevant as a strategic acquirer and as a producer of market pulp that feeds into the same paper value chain as IP's containerboard operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/intlpaperco
• Facebookfacebook.com/InternationalPaper
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-paper
• Instagraminstagram.com/internationalpaper/?hl=en

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A13 records

Investments7 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Paper