The largest pulp and paper manufacturing companies play an important role in the development of the paper industry. Every giant company in the paper industry is responsible for the growth of the industry.
The pulp and paper manufacturing sector and the machinery manufacturing sector are together responsible for maintaining the economical balance of the industry.
As paper was developed in Asia, the Asian countries got acquainted with paper manufacturing in the early stages. Later, the papermaking process was spread to the rest of the world gradually.
Since then, the Asian-Pacific countries hold the major share of contribution to the global paper industry. China, India, South Korea, and Japan are some of the world’s largest paper manufacturing countries.
These countries also contribute as the world’s largest paper consumers as they generate high demand for paper and paper products every year.
Which are the top 10 Pulp & Paper Producing Countries?
According to a report generated in 2020, here is the list of the top 10 paper-producing countries in the world ranked according to their production quantity.
Check out top 10 pulp & paper producing countries in the world
Which are World’s Largest Paper Manufacturing Companies?
Now that you know which are the world’s largest paper-producing countries, let’s talk about the world’s largest paper-producing companies. Certain giant companies which were started decades ago are running on full fledge for manufacturing paper.
Some of the paper mills were built lately but have established themselves as a big player over time. As Asia is the world’s largest paper manufacturing zone, most Asian paper companies highly contribute to the industry. Here’s a list of the world’s largest paper manufacturing companies.
| Rank | Company | Country | Production (1000 tons) |
| 1 | International Paper | United States | 23315 |
| 2 | Nine Dragons Paper Holdings | China | 12630 |
| 3 | WestRock | United States | 12487 |
| 4 | UPM | Finland | 9771 |
| 5 | Stora Enso | Finland | 9188 |
| 6 | Oji Paper Company | Japan | 9115 |
| 7 | Sappi | South Africa | 7306 |
| 8 | Smurfit Kappa | Ireland | 7000 |
| 9 | DS Smith | United Kingdom | 6802 |
| 10 | Nippon Paper | Japan | 6542 |
1. International Paper Company
International Paper Company is the world’s largest paper manufacturing company based in Memphis, Tennessee in the United States of America. The company is 123 years old as it was founded in 1898. The company mainly produces printer and copier paper, envelopes, corrugated packaging, and pulp.
Revenue: US $20.580 billion (2020)
Number of employees: 49,300 (2020)
Website: internationalpaper.com
2. Nine Dragons Paper Holdings Ltd.
Nine Dragons Paper Holdings Ltd. is a Chinese papermaking company located in Hong Kong, China. The company mainly serves the markets of China, the United States, and Vietnam. The Nine Dragons primarily use 10 million tonnes of fiber annually to manufacture recycled paper.
Annual Revenue: US $2.7 Billion (2010)
Net income: US $333.4 Million (2010)
Website: ndpaper.com
3. WestRock
WestRock is a corrugated packaging-based company with its headquarters located in Georgia in the United States. The company focuses on manufacturing corrugated packaging items from recycled paper.
Annual Revenue: US $14.86 billion (2017)
Number of employees: 51,100 (2020)
Website: westrock.com
Also Read: How To Start Successful Paper Mill [2021]
4. UPM-Kymmene Oyj
UPM-Kymmene Oyj is a Finland-based company that was formed by the merger of Kymmene Corporation with Repola Oy and its subsidiary United Paper Mills Ltd. in 1996. This 25-year-old company mainly produces pulp, paper, plywood, sawn timber, labels and composites, bioenergy, biofuels for transport, biochemicals, and nano-products.
Annual Revenue: €10.238 billion (2019)
Number of employees: 18,700 (2019)
Website: upm.com
5. Stora Enso Oyj
Stora Enso was founded in 1998 and is located in Helsinki, Finland. This paper company is the fifth-largest company mainly producing pulp, paper, packaging materials, biomaterials, wood products, and other forest products. The company majorly sells its products in Europe, Asia, South America, and the United States.
Annual Revenue: € 8.553 billion (2020)
number of employees: 24,455 (2020)
Website: storaenso.com
6. Oji Paper Company
Oji Paper Company is a 148-year-old pulp and paper company founded around 1873. Oji Paper Company is a huge manufacturer of writing and printing paper, packaging paper, and paper products (mainly containers). The company also produces chemicals used for manufacturing paper and packaging equipment.
Annual Revenue: US $13.20 billion (FY 2012)
Number of employees: 27,360 (2013)
Website: ojiholdings.co.jp
7. Sappi Limited
Sappi Limited is a South African Pulp and Paper Industries company found in 1936 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Sappi Ltd. mainly produces commodity paper products, pulp, dissolving pulp, and forest and timber products and exports to the Southern African markets.
Annual Revenue: US $5,296 million (2017)
Number of people: 12,800 (2018)
Website: sappi.com
8. Smurfit Kappa Group
Smurfit Kappa Group is a European packaging company established in 1934. The company specializes in manufacturing paper packaging products with recycled and forest material. The company has its presence in more than 35 countries with its headquarter in Dublin, Ireland.
Annual Revenue: €8,530 million (2020)
Number of employees: 46,000 (2020)
Website: smurfitkappa.com
9. DS Smith
DS Smith Public Limited Company is in the world’s top 10 paper manufacturing companies. Founded in 1940, DS Smith focuses on manufacturing corrugated packaging, plastic packaging, and paper recycling.
Annual Revenue: £6,043 million (2020)
Number of employees: 29,397 (2020)
Website: dssmith.com
10. Nippon Paper Industries
Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd. is a pulp and paper company found in 1949. The company mainly manufactures paper, paperboard, household paper products, specialty papers, logs and lumber, chemicals, and functional films. The products are served worldwide in national and international markets.
Annual Revenue: US $10.905 billion (2012)
Number of employees: 13,052 (2013)
Website: nipponpapergroup.com
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