According to the recent industry report, "World Corrugated Boxes", released by market research organization Freedonia Group, the global demand for corrugated boxes is expected to increase at a rate of 3.4% per year, reaching 213 billion sqm in 2013. The development of the corrugated industry, especially in terms of manufacturing, will be key to this increase in carton demand.

Josephine Lee, Vice President of Reed Exhibitions East China, the organizers of SinoCorrugated, the world’s largest corrugated packaging exhibition, believes that from April to June this year, the paper industry showed strong signs of recovery.  Forty listed companies in the Chinese paper and packaging industry achieved a turnover of RMB 19.45 billion (USD 2.85 billion) with a sequential growth rate of 26.18%. The recovery of the paper industry further proves that the corrugated box industry is realizing its potential. Influenced by the growth of global corrugated box demand, the number of exhibitors and visitors at Shanghai’s International Corrugated Exhibition 2009 hit a record high. According to the post-exhibition statistics, from April to August, the revenue generated by exhibition-related business was RMB 1.12 billion (USD 164 million).

Chen Jianzhen, the former Secretary-General of the Guangzhou Packaging and Printing Industry Association, believes that packaging and printing companies have been impacted in differing degrees by the economic crisis of 2009.   Yet at the same time, they have been presented with several opportunities. The corrugated packaging industry in many developing countries has benefited from the financial crisis. More and more international orders have transferred to carton in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and other regions, because of lower production costs. These carton mills currently only meet intermediate and low-end requirements, and, as the demand for such boxes increases, so the manufacturers of such boxes will have to purchase more Chinese equipment. The overseas purchasing orders placed at the International Corrugated Exhibition are increasing year on year in. Sun Fengxian, General Manager of Qingdao Meiguang Machinery Co., Ltd., told journalists that the orders placed at the exhibition this year reached RMB 30 million (USD 4.4 million). For the upcoming SinoCorrugated 2010 in Dongguan City, several exhibitors, including Shanghai Eterna Machinery Co., Ltd., Nantai Industrial Company Ltd, of Nanhai, Qingdao Justu Packing Machinery Co., Ltd., have already applied to showcase their latest equipment and technologies at this event.

Some experts believe that the revival of the corrugated equipment industry is proof that the Asian economy has also recovered. According to the report published on September 22 by the Asian Development Bank, the recovery of economic giants like China and India has been better than expected. The overall growth of Asian developing economies in 2009 is expected to reach 3.9%. The report also predicts that the growth of Asian developing economies in 2010 will reach 6.4%, while China’s economic growth will reach 8.9% in 2010. Domestic enterprises are also gaining in confidence due to the Asian economies recovery.   However, some experts have warned against over-optimism during the recovery phase. Domestic enterprises should step up the technological content of their products to meet international standards. Ms. Lee emphasized that participating in the exhibition is a shortcut for companies to “internationalize” by attending the show.

Since coming under the management of Reed Exhibitions in 2008, the scale and influence of SinoCorrugated has grown rapidly. Reed’s strong international marketing network is certainly a solid foundation for the internationalization of domestic enterprises.

SinoCorrugated 2010 will take place at Guangdong Modern International Exhibition Center, Houjie, Dongguan City, from April 7 to 9, 2010.