Fibre Box Association

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.

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

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

• Corrugated packaging association
• Trade association services
• Industry statistics research
• Packaging training programs
• Industry reference handbook

Headquarters

HQ city

Itasca

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (ICPF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFBA 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 AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFBA co-sponsors ICPF with AICC. FBA and AICC collaborate on industry initiatives including antitrust training video production.
• Foley & Lardner LLPcoreOthersFoley & Lardner serves as FBA's legal counsel, providing antitrust guidance and compliance support.
• Anthesis GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent 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)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry 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)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped 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)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFEFCO 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 ESBOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean 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

Broad 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0PukB-2FswhdlZxypfXrmw
• Xx.com/FibreBoxAssn
• Facebookfacebook.com/FibreBoxAssociation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Fibre Box Association