The global pulp and paper industry is dominated by North American (United States, Canada), northern European (Finland, Sweden) and East Asian countries (such as China, Japan, South Korea). Australasia, South East Asia and Latin America also have significant pulp and paper industries.
The industry is criticized by environmental groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council for unsustainable deforestation and clearcutting of old-growth forest.[1] The industry trend is to expand globally to countries like Russia, China and Indonesia with low wages and low environmental oversight.[2] According to Greenpeace, farmers in Central America illegally rip up vast tracts of native forest for cattle and soybean production without any consequences[3] and companies who buy timber from private land owners contribute to massive Deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest.[4]
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According to statistic data by RISI, main producing countries of paper and paperboard, not including pulp, in the world are as follows [5]:
| Rank | Country | Production in 2010(1,000 ton) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 92,599 |
| 2 | United States | 75,849 |
| 3 | Japan | 27,288 |
| 4 | Germany | 23,122 |
| 5 | Canada | 12,787 |
| 6 | Finland | 11,789 |
| 7 | Sweden | 11,410 |
| 8 | South Korea | 11,120 |
| 9 | Indonesia | 9,951 |
| 10 | Brazil | 9,796 |
World's main paper and paperboard company groups are as follows. (Some figers are estimation.)[6]:
| Rank | Company Group | Country | Production in 2010 (1,000 ton) |
Rank by Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | International Paper | United States | 11,922 | 1 |
| 2 | Stora Enso | Finland | 10,812 | 3 |
| 3 | UPM | Finland | 9,914 | 7 |
| 4 | Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget | Sweden | 8,948 | 6 |
| 5 | Smurfit Kappa Group | United States | 7,650 | 9 |
| 6 | Nippon Paper | Japan | 7,292 | 5 |
| 7 | Nine Dragons Paper | China | 7,280 | 31 |
| 8 | Sappi | South Africa | 6,900 | 11 |
| 9 | Oji Paper | Japan | 6,861 | 4 |
| 10 | Smurfit-Stone Container | United States | 5,896 | 13 |
| 11 | Abitibi Bowater | Canada | 5,318 | 20 |
| 12 | NewPage | United States | 4,400 | 23 |
| 13 | Norske Skog | Norway | 3,998 | 30 |
| 14 | Mondi | United Kingdom/ South Africa |
3,697 | 10 |
| 15 | Temple-Inland | United States | 3,660 | 28 |
| 16 | Lee & Man Paper | China | 3,500 | 46 |
| 17 | Domtar | Canada | 3,482 | 15 |
| 18 | Shandong Chenming Paper Holdings | China | 3,350 | 35 |
| 19 | Cascades | Canada | 3,330 | 22 |
| 20 | Siam Cement (SCC) | Thailand | 3,191 | 51 |
In 2007, the top 10 forest, paper & packaging products companies were:[7]
| Rank | Company | Country | 2007 Net Sales (US$M) |
2007 Net Income (Loss) (US$M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | International Paper | United States | 21,890 | 1,168 |
| 2 | Stora Enso | Finland | 18,322 | (291) |
| 3 | Kimberly-Clark | United States | 18,266 | 1,822 |
| 4 | SCA | Sweden | 15,675 | 1,056 |
| 5 | Weyerhaeuser | United States | 13,949 | 462 |
| 6 | UPM | Finland | 13,748 | 111 |
| 7 | Oji Paper | Japan | 10,439 | 146 |
| 8 | Metsäliitto | Finland | 10,507 | (12) |
| 9 | Nippon Unipac | Japan | 9,990 | 195 |
| 10 | Smurfit Kappa | Ireland | 9,963 | 202 |
In 2008, some orders changed:[8]
| Rank | Company | Country | 2008 Net Sales (US$M) |
2008 Net Income (Loss) (US$M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | International Paper | United States | 24,829 | (1,282) |
| 2 | Kimberly-Clark | United States | 19,415 | 1,690 |
| 3 | SCA | Sweden | 16,965 | 857 |
| 4 | Stora Enso | Finland | 16,227 | (991) |
| 5 | UPM | Finland | 13,920 | (263) |
| 6 | Oji Paper | Japan | 12,788 | 114 |
| 7 | Nippon Unipac | Japan | 11,753 | 55 |
| 8 | Smurfit Kappa | Ireland | 10,390 | (73) |
| 9 | Metsäliitto | Finland | 9,335 | (313) |
| 10 | Mondi Group | UK/ South Africa | 9,466 | (310) |
Leading manufacturers of capital equipment for the pulp and paper industry include: