SPRINGFIELD, MA - On September 19, 2013, Ben Markens, President of the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), delivered a talk to over 150 attendees at the European Carton Makers Association (ECMA) Congress in Dubrovnik, Croatia. In his presentation, Markens described the results of PPC’s newly released Trends 2013 Industry Outlook and Market Data Report, the 2013 Business Sentiment Report, and discussed the legislative changes and challenges currently affecting the North American paperboard packaging industry.

Highlights from his presentation included the 1.2% increase in 2012 of North American folding carton shipments—an encouraging uptick after four consecutive years of decline. He also noted that based on a recent Business Sentiment survey, which tracks data from North American and European folding carton manufacturers, North American converters are significantly more hopeful about business growth than their European counterparts.

“It was an honor to be invited to present at ECMA again this year, said Ben Markens. “As our European counterparts in the industry, it is important that we learn about their latest advancements and what obstacles they are encountering, and share the latest trends we’ve observed here in North America.”

Produced by RISI, the leading provider of paperboard packaging industry market forecasts and analysis, the Trends 2013 Industry Outlook and Market Data Report is organized into business conditions, folding carton industry forecasts, and the trends for 17 key end-use markets such as pharmaceuticals, tobacco, and dairy products. While the Trends report is FREE to PPC members, a summary of the findings is available at paperbox.org/trends.