Fibre Box Association
Fibre Box Association is a non-profit trade association founded in 1940 that represents North American corrugated packaging manufacturers, providing industry data, standards, training, publications, and advocacy to member companies across the U.S. and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1940
- HeadquartersItasca, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Fibre Box Association does
Fibre Box Association (FBA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1940 and headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, representing North American corrugated packaging manufacturers. The association serves both independent and integrated producers across the U.S. and Canada, providing industry-wide data services, advocacy, training, and publications. Its member roster includes major industry players such as International Paper, Smurfit Westrock, Georgia-Pacific, Pratt Industries, Packaging Corporation of America, Menasha, and Liberty Diversified International.
FBA's core product surface is informational and educational rather than technology-based. Flagship offerings include the Fibre Box Handbook (24th edition, originally published since 1919), Data and Research Services covering over 90% of the corrugated industry, the Hazmat Training Program for regulatory compliance, a Weekly Newsletter, an AI Webinar Series, and annual Safety Achievement Awards. The association also co-sponsors the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (ICPF) with AICC and participates in the Corrugated Packaging Alliance (CPA), producing joint standards and life cycle assessments. FBA is governed by a Board of Directors drawn from member companies, with leadership including President/CEO Bob McIlvaine and Executive Vice President Cory Martin, supported by a professional staff of approximately 13.
FBA's revenue model is primarily subscription-based through annual membership dues paid by corrugated packaging manufacturers, supplemented by professional services revenue from publications and training sales via the FBA Store. The association operates in a mature U.S. corrugated industry valued at approximately $35.5 billion annually, which produced 401 billion square feet of material in 2022 and employs roughly 100,000 people across 1,145 manufacturing facilities. FBA's role is fundamentally collaborative: aggregating industry data, setting standards, advocating on regulatory matters, and coordinating workforce development through ICPF.
Fibre Box Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fibre Box Association
- Legal name
- Fibre Box Association
- Website
- https://fibrebox.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1940
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Fibre Box Association is a non-profit trade association founded in 1940 that represents North American corrugated packaging manufacturers, providing industry data, standards, training, publications, and advocacy to member companies across the U.S. and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fibre Box Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Packaging Industry Trade Association
- NAICS
- Corrugated and Solid Fiber Box Manufacturing (322211)
- SIC
- Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corrugated Packaging & Boxes (RSC, die-cut, bulk bins) (IMAMAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fiber-Based Sustainable Packaging (Recycled Paper, Molded Fiber, Bagasse) (IMALAMAA), Fiber Recycling & Pulping (Paper, OCC, Mixed Paper) (BPALADAD)
Keywords
Where Fibre Box Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Itasca
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Fibre Box Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: FBA generates revenue through membership dues paid by corrugated packaging manufacturers. The association provides exclusive access to key statistics, benchmarking studies, networking opportunities, and member cooperation on industry issues.
- Publications and Training Sales: FBA sells publications including the Fibre Box Handbook and offers training programs such as the Hazmat Training Program through the FBA Store. Members receive discounted prices on select products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Membership dues for corrugated packaging manufacturers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Fibre Box Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fibre Box Association is a non-profit trade association that represents North American corrugated packaging manufacturers. It delivers industry-wide statistical data and benchmarking services, publishes the Fibre Box Handbook and related reference materials, offers regulatory and technical training (including the Hazmat Training Program), runs webinars and committee work on technical, environmental, safety, regulatory, and policy issues, and provides networking and advocacy services funded through annual membership dues.
Product overview
Fibre Box Association (FBA) is a non-profit trade association representing North American corrugated packaging manufacturers. The organization offers a portfolio of industry resources including the Fibre Box Handbook as its core reference publication, Data and Research Services providing industry-wide statistics and benchmarking, the Hazmat Training Program for regulatory compliance, the AI Webinar Series for technology education, Weekly Newsletters for ongoing industry communication, and Innovation in Safety Achievement Awards for recognizing workplace safety. FBA does not offer a software product but provides educational, research, and training services to its member companies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fibre Box Handbook (24th Edition) Comprehensive industry reference publication covering corrugated packaging history, applications, box styles, rules and guidelines, performance testing procedures, and environmental sustainability. Available in printed, digital, and bundle formats; published since 1919. Sold to member companies and the broader corrugated packaging industry via the FBA Store.
- Hazmat Training Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 90% industry participation in data services
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Fibre Box Association
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Fibre Box Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Fibre Box Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (ICPF)coreFBA co-sponsors ICPF, a 501(c)(3) foundation, with AICC - The Independent Packaging Association. ICPF's mission is to grow the corrugated packaging industry's workforce, now and into the future. ICPF works with colleges and universities to advance student and faculty knowledge of the industry, places equipment and resources at institutions, and focuses on improving industry education at two-year colleges, trade schools, high schools, and middle schools. ICPF has donated $12.5 million in equipment and curriculum materials to post-secondary packaging schools over the last decade.
- AICC - The Independent Packaging AssociationcoreFBA co-sponsors ICPF with AICC. FBA and AICC collaborate on industry initiatives including antitrust training video production.
- Foley & Lardner LLPcoreFoley & Lardner serves as FBA's legal counsel, providing antitrust guidance and compliance support.
- Anthesis GroupminorIndependent sustainability consultancy that conducted the 2025 Comparative Life Cycle Assessment and 2020 LCA studies for the Corrugated Packaging Alliance, analyzing environmental impacts of corrugated packaging.
- Corrugated Packaging Alliance (CPA)coreIndustry alliance that commissioned comprehensive life cycle assessments comparing corrugated packaging to reusable plastic containers (RPCs). FBA participates in CPA initiatives.
- American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA)coreDeveloped the Full Disclosure software package with FBA to provide objective cost analysis of shipping container alternatives. Also jointly developed the 2025 Voluntary Standard for Repulping and Recycling Coated or Treated Corrugated Fibreboard.
- FEFCO (European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers)minorFEFCO is the voice of the European corrugated packaging industry. FBA President Bob McIlvaine presented at the 2026 FEFCO Summit in Madrid on corrugated packaging's circularity benefits.
- FEFCO and ESBOminorEuropean Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers collaborated with European Solid Board Organisation to develop the International Fibreboard Case Code for standardized box style identification.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fibre Box Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Flexible Packaging Association: U.S. trade association representing flexible packaging manufacturers (plastic films, pouches, laminates). It is the principal competing material-category voice against FBA's corrugated narrative in U.S. retail and e-commerce.
- American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA): AF&PA is the broader U.S. forest and paper industry association; FBA co-develops the Full Disclosure software and recycling standards with AF&PA, and they share many integrated-company members like International Paper and Georgia-Pacific.
- Sustainable Packaging Coalition: A project of GreenBlue that convenes packaging stakeholders across materials (paper, plastic, glass, metal) on sustainability. FBA competes for narrative share on packaging sustainability against this broader coalition.
Regional players
- FEFCO - European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers: FEFCO is the European counterpart of FBA and the voice of the European corrugated industry. FBA's president has presented at FEFCO summits, and the two collaborated on the International Fibreboard Case Code, making FEFCO the closest functional equivalent in another geography.
- INCPEN (Industry Council for Packaging & the Environment): UK-based packaging-industry council that addresses packaging sustainability and recycling policy. It parallels FBA's advocacy role on environmental issues but from a UK/European regulatory perspective.
- European Solid Board Organisation (ESBO): ESBO represents European solid board packaging manufacturers and collaborated with FEFCO on the International Fibreboard Case Code, positioning it as a regional functional analogue of FBA on the solid board side.
Direct peers
- Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC): PPC represents North American folding carton and rigid paperboard manufacturers, a closely adjacent segment of the converted paper products industry that overlaps with FBA's corrugated members on end customers and policy issues.
- Corrugated Packaging Alliance (CPA): CPA is an industry alliance that commissioned the comparative LCAs pitting corrugated against reusable plastic containers, in which FBA actively participates. CPA operates as a complementary advocacy body to FBA on sustainability messaging.
- AICC - The Independent Packaging Association: AICC is the trade association for independent corrugated and folding carton manufacturers in North America, directly competing with FBA for the same manufacturer segment while also collaborating on antitrust training and the ICPF workforce foundation.
- International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (ICPF): ICPF is the 501(c)(3) workforce-development foundation co-sponsored by FBA and AICC. It is organizationally separate but operationally entwined with FBA's talent pipeline and education strategy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Fibre Box Association social profiles
Digital presenceFibre Box Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fibre Box Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Fibre Box Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fibre Box Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fibre Box Association
What does Fibre Box Association do?
Fibre Box Association is a non-profit trade association that represents North American corrugated packaging manufacturers. It delivers industry-wide statistical data and benchmarking services, publishes the Fibre Box Handbook and related reference materials, offers regulatory and technical training (including the Hazmat Training Program), runs webinars and committee work on technical, environmental, safety, regulatory, and policy issues, and provides networking and advocacy services funded through annual membership dues.
Is Fibre Box Association a public or private company?
Fibre Box Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Fibre Box Association founded?
Fibre Box Association was founded in 1940. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Fibre Box Association based?
Fibre Box Association is headquartered in Itasca, United States, in the North America region.
How does Fibre Box Association make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are publications and Training Sales.
Who are Fibre Box Association's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Flexible Packaging Association, American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) and Sustainable Packaging Coalition. Regional players are FEFCO - European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers, INCPEN (Industry Council for Packaging & the Environment) and European Solid Board Organisation (ESBO). Direct peers are Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), Corrugated Packaging Alliance (CPA), AICC - The Independent Packaging Association and International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (ICPF).
Does Fibre Box Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fibre Box Association.
What industry is Fibre Box Association in?
Fibre Box Association's product category is Packaging Industry Trade Association. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAMAHAA, Corrugated Packaging & Boxes (RSC, die-cut, bulk bins), with a secondary code of IMALAMAA, Fiber-Based Sustainable Packaging (Recycled Paper, Molded Fiber, Bagasse). Its NAICS code is 322211 and its SIC code is 2650.