Clearwater Paper
- Company typePublic
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersSpokane, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Clearwater Paper firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clearwater Paper
- Legal name
- Clearwater Paper Corporation
- Website
- http://clearwaterpaper.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clearwater Paper industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Paperboard Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Paperboard Mills (32213), Paperboard Container Manufacturing (32221)
- SIC
- Paperboard Mills (2631)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS) Paperboard Manufacturing (IMAMAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Paperboard Sheet & Roll Converting (Slitting/Sheeting/Rewinding) (IMAMAFAM), Folding Cartons & Paperboard Packaging Converting (IMAMAHAB)
Keywords
Where Clearwater Paper is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Spokane
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices12 records
Markets served
Clearwater Paper business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Paperboard Product Sales: Clearwater Paper generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of bleached paperboard packaging products. Revenue is derived from volume-based product sales to North American converters. The company experienced 2025 full year net sales of $1.6 billion, up 12% compared to 2024, with volumes up 14% primarily from operating the Augusta facility for the full year. Q1 2026 net sales were $360 million.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Clearwater Paper product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clearwater Paper manufactures and sells branded bleached paperboard products—premium solid bleached sulfate (SBS) paperboard, recycled-content folding carton paperboard, lightweight folding carton paperboard, and cupstock—to North American converters serving folding carton, foodservice, and carded packaging end markets. After divesting its tissue business in November 2024, the company is now a focused independent supplier of paperboard packaging products operating approximately 1.4 million tons of production capacity across U.S. manufacturing facilities.
Product overview
Clearwater Paper is a premier independent supplier of paperboard packaging products to North American converters. The company's product portfolio includes multiple branded paperboard product lines: Velora™ (lightweight folding carton paperboard for everyday packaging), Candesce® (flagship premium SBS paperboard for high-performance applications), ReMagine® (SBS folding carton with 30% post-consumer recycled fiber), and NuVo® (cupstock with 35% post-consumer recycled fiber). These products serve food service, folding carton, and carded packaging applications. The company also provides converting solutions, sheeting, and regional sales services through Manchester Industries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Candesce: Flagship brand of renewable SBS paperboard for premium, high-performance packaging applications with exceptional printability, strength, and consistency
- ReMagine
- NuVo
- Velora
Products and services
- Velora™ Lightweight Folding Carton Paperboard Lightweight folding carton paperboard engineered for everyday packaging applications, combining strength, versatility, and lower basis weights. Designed for converters and brand owners seeking reliable packaging performance without premium SBS grades; targets folding carton and foodservice applications and supports sustainability commitments through reduced fiber use.
- Candesce® Premium SBS Paperboard Flagship brand of renewable solid bleached sulfate (SBS) paperboard designed for premium, high-performance packaging applications. Engineered for exceptional printability, strength, and consistency; ideal for high-end consumer goods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and premium product packaging. BPI certified compostable.
- ReMagine® Next-Generation SBS Folding Carton Next-generation SBS folding carton featuring 30% post-consumer recycled fiber, delivering circular packaging solutions without compromising quality. FDA-compliant for food contact, available in a range of grades combining sustainability with premium performance. Includes ReMagine Blister and ReMagine Value variants.
- NuVo® Cupstock Solution Cupstock solution combining 35% post-consumer recycled fiber with FSC chain-of-custody certification and a high-definition print surface. Offers exceptional print quality alongside a broad range of performance and environmental benefits for foodservice cup applications.
- Manchester Industries Paperboard Sheeting Services Paperboard sales, sheeting, slitting, and cutting services supplying the packaging and commercial print industries. Provided through wholly-owned subsidiary Manchester Industries (acquired 2016) to extend reach to small and mid-sized folding carton plants.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduces packaging weight by up to 20% compared to standard paperboard while maintaining strength and durability
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Clearwater Paper
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Clearwater Paper technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Clearwater Paper partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Paper Cup AlliancecoreClearwater Paper is a founding member of the Paper Cup Alliance, established in 2018. The Alliance has driven significant expansion of North American end markets for recycled paper cups from 4 in 2017 to 35 today, contributing to 20% of U.S. population now having access to recycling programs that accept paper cups.
- Neff Packaging SolutionsminorCustomer partnership where Neff Packaging Solutions transitioned to ReMagine® paperboard and received a sustainability award from Niterra recognizing efforts to improve packaging performance and reduce environmental impact.
- Ducks UnlimitedminorPartnership established in 2024 to support conservation near the Augusta, Georgia mill. Clearwater Paper's financial contribution helps advance Ducks Unlimited's work to place conservation easements on nearly 3,900 acres of high conservation value bottomland hardwoods and wetlands along the Savannah River corridor.
- Charter Next GenerationminorCollaboration to include advanced recycled polyethylene in private label tissue packaging offerings. Both companies earned ISCC Plus certifications in 2023 to ensure proper chain of custody and tracking of material through the mass balance approach for circular packaging solutions.
- Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC)coreClearwater Paper is a proud member of SPC, which brings together businesses, educational institutions, organizations, and government agencies comprising the entire packaging lifecycle from sourcing to end-of-life considerations. SPC creates collaborative environment to introduce new product ideas and partnerships.
- Forest Stewards GuildminorPartnership dedicated to promoting responsible forestry management through education, training, policy analysis, research and advocacy. Clearwater Paper partners with the Guild to promote responsible forestry and achieve on-the-ground progress.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Clearwater Paper competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Graphic Packaging Holding Company: Graphic Packaging is the largest producer of folding cartons and paperboard in North America, competing head-to-head with Clearwater in SBS and CRB grades sold to consumer-goods converters. Direct overlap in product mix, customer base, and converting-industry focus.
- Pactiv Evergreen: Pactiv Evergreen operates paperboard mills producing SBS and CRB (Everest™) grades alongside foodservice and carton converting. Closely comparable mill-level paperboard offering to Clearwater's Candesce and NuVo lines.
- Cascades Inc. Cascades produces specialty paperboard, tissue, and packaging products in North America, including folding carton board. Comparable product mix and North American converter customer base, with similar emphasis on recycled fiber and sustainability.
Broad incumbents
- Smurfit Westrock: Post-merger global paper-based packaging leader with significant SBS, CRB and containerboard capacity, and integrated converting operations. Broader portfolio than Clearwater but directly competes in paperboard supply to converters.
- Sonoco Products Company: Sonoco operates paperboard mills (including recycled paperboard) plus an extensive global converting footprint serving consumer and industrial end markets. Competes with Clearwater for paperboard supply to converters and brand owners.
- Packaging Corporation of America: PCA is a major North American containerboard and corrugated packaging producer with adjacent uncoated free-sheet and paperboard operations. Overlaps with Clearwater in paper-based packaging substrate supply, though primarily containerboard-focused.
Regional players
- Mondi plc: Mondi is a European-based global packaging and paper group producing folding boxboard and kraft paper. Comparable SBS/folding boxboard product types, but primarily serves EMEA rather than directly competing in North America.
- Mayr-Melnhof Karton: Mayr-Melnhof is one of Europe's largest producers of folding boxboard with converting operations. Directly comparable in SBS/folding boxboard product lines, though European-focused and not a direct North American competitor.
- Stora Enso Oyj: Stora Enso is a European biomaterials and paperboard group with folding boxboard and food service board capacity. Comparable SBS and cupstock product lines to Clearwater, but primarily EMEA-geographic focus.
- Billerud AB: Billerud produces kraft and sack paper plus folding boxboard in Europe and North America (via acquired assets). Comparable paperboard product portfolio, though geographic focus is heavier in Europe.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Clearwater Paper social profiles
Digital presenceClearwater Paper compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance10 records
Clearwater Paper financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clearwater Paper leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Clearwater Paper subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Clearwater Paper funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clearwater Paper M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Clearwater Paper
What does Clearwater Paper do?
Clearwater Paper manufactures and sells branded bleached paperboard products—premium solid bleached sulfate (SBS) paperboard, recycled-content folding carton paperboard, lightweight folding carton paperboard, and cupstock—to North American converters serving folding carton, foodservice, and carded packaging end markets. After divesting its tissue business in November 2024, the company is now a focused independent supplier of paperboard packaging products operating approximately 1.4 million tons of production capacity across U.S. manufacturing facilities.
Is Clearwater Paper a public or private company?
Clearwater Paper is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Clearwater Paper founded?
Clearwater Paper was founded in 2005. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Clearwater Paper based?
Clearwater Paper is headquartered in Spokane, United States, in the North America region.
How does Clearwater Paper make money?
One revenue line is on record: paperboard Product Sales.
Who are Clearwater Paper's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Graphic Packaging Holding Company, Pactiv Evergreen and Cascades Inc.. Broad incumbents are Smurfit Westrock, Sonoco Products Company and Packaging Corporation of America. Regional players are Mondi plc, Mayr-Melnhof Karton, Stora Enso Oyj and Billerud AB.
Does Clearwater Paper have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clearwater Paper.
What industry is Clearwater Paper in?
Clearwater Paper's product category is Paperboard Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAMAFAF, Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS) Paperboard Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMAMAFAM, Paperboard Sheet & Roll Converting (Slitting/Sheeting/Rewinding). Its NAICS code is 32213 and its SIC code is 2631.