Top Packaging Materials Suppliers in the U.S.

The product gets the credit, but the packaging does the work. Packaging materials protect the product, communicates the brand, satisfies regulatory requirements, and survives a supply chain that can span continents, and the companies that manufacture and supply those materials are essential partners to virtually every industry that makes or moves physical goods.

This article examines the current state of the packaging materials industry using data collected directly from U.S. packaging materials suppliers, explores the key trends shaping the sector in 2026, and highlights the largest companies and top suppliers serving buyers across the country.

Key Facts on U.S. Packaging Materials Suppliers

MNI, compiler and publisher of industrial business profiles for the U.S. industrial sector and the informational engine behind IndustryNet, directly collects key data points on this essential industry. The following are key findings drawn from MNI's direct, company-by-company verification of U.S. packaging materials suppliers.

• There are 460+ verified packaging materials suppliers currently listed on IndustryNet.
• These companies collectively employ more than 21,000 workers nationwide.
• Total reported sales among these companies with available data reach approximately $23.2 billion, reflecting an industry with significant revenue concentration at the top, where large public companies operate alongside hundreds of smaller regional and specialty suppliers.
• 31% of suppliers distribute internationally, consistent with the global nature of packaging supply chains.
• Nearly 14% of suppliers import raw materials from outside the United States.
• The average packaging materials supplier operates out of approximately 91,800 square feet of facility space.
• The average U.S. packaging materials company has been in business for 46 years, with a median founding year of 1984.
• 7.8% of suppliers hold ISO or related quality certifications.
• Women-owned businesses represent 1.6% of the sector; minority-owned businesses account for 0.9% and veteran-owned businesses for 0.7%.
• The Midwest leads the industry geographically, accounting for 38% of all suppliers, followed by the South at 30%, the Northeast at 17%, and the West at 15%.
• Illinois dominates among states with 66 suppliers, more than double the next closest, followed by Ohio (31), California (30), Pennsylvania (26), and Texas (21).

What Packaging Materials Suppliers Do

Packaging materials suppliers design, manufacture, and distribute the materials and containers used to protect, contain, transport, and present products across every segment of the commercial and industrial economy. The industry is defined less by a single production process than by the diversity of materials, formats, and end applications it serves.

The product range is broad. On the rigid side, the industry produces plastic containers, bottles, jars, pails, drums, protective cases, and injection-molded packaging components. Flexible packaging includes films, bags, pouches, wraps, and laminates made from polyethylene, polypropylene, and other plastic resins, as well as paper and foil-based materials. Corrugated boxes and folding cartons represent the largest volume category by unit count, serving virtually every industry that ships physical products. Foam packaging, including expanded polystyrene and polyurethane, provides cushioning and thermal protection for fragile or temperature-sensitive goods. Specialty materials such as honeycomb kraft paper, woven polypropylene bags, and stretch and shrink films round out a product portfolio that touches nearly every point in the supply chain.

Suppliers in this industry range from large integrated manufacturers that produce raw packaging materials at scale to distributors and converters that source base materials and transform or resell them to end users. Many suppliers offer design and engineering services alongside materials supply, helping customers develop packaging solutions that meet performance, cost, and sustainability requirements simultaneously.

The end markets are as diverse as manufacturing itself. Food and beverage packaging accounts for the largest share of demand, followed by e-commerce and retail packaging, industrial and logistics packaging, pharmaceutical and medical device packaging, and specialty applications in defense, aerospace, and consumer electronics.

Largest Packaging Materials Companies in the U.S.

About the Largest Packaging Materials Companies in the U.S.

The following companies represent the largest packaging materials suppliers in the United States by workforce size. Their scale reflects the capital intensity of materials manufacturing, the breadth of product lines required to serve major national and international customers, and in several cases decades of investment in production and distribution infrastructure.

Novipax, LLC
Oak Brook, IL | 800 Employees

Founded in 2015, Novipax serves as the corporate headquarters for a manufacturer of polystyrene foam food trays and absorbent pads, distributing internationally from its Illinois base. Despite its relatively recent founding, the company operates at significant scale in the food packaging segment, serving meat, poultry, and seafood processors that depend on absorbent tray technology to meet food safety and presentation standards.

Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
Champaign, IL | 650 Employees

Established in 1976, Plastipak Packaging produces plastic packaging materials for regional customers from its Champaign, Illinois, facility. The company is part of a broader privately held enterprise that is one of the largest rigid plastic container manufacturers in the world, with the Champaign operation representing one of its domestic production locations.

Amcor Flexibles, LLC
Oshkosh, WI | 600 Employees

Founded in 1978, Amcor Flexibles operates from a 275,000-square-foot facility in Oshkosh and produces polyethylene packaging materials for national customers, with reported annual sales of $5.3 billion reflecting its position as a subsidiary of one of the largest global packaging companies. The facility serves food, pharmaceutical, and consumer goods customers with flexible packaging solutions built on Amcor's global materials platform.

American Greetings Corp.
Afton, TN | 600 Employees

Established in 1963, this American Greetings facility operates from a 1,033,000-square-foot plant and produces gift packaging materials including wrapping paper for international customers. As part of a major privately held consumer products company, the Afton operation is one of the largest manufacturing footprints in the series, supporting the seasonal and everyday gift wrap market through national retail distribution.

Stephen Gould Corporation
Madison, NJ | 590 Employees

Founded in 1939, Stephen Gould operates from a 115,000-square-foot headquarters and provides a comprehensive range of packaging services for international customers, including retail packaging, product development and manufacturing, industrial packaging, point-of-purchase displays, assembly, kitting and fulfillment, design and engineering services, promotional marketing items, and commercial printing. Holding ISO 9001 certification and reporting annual sales of $1.1 billion, the company functions as a full-service packaging partner for brands across consumer goods, retail, and industrial markets.

Gary Plastic Packaging Corp.
Bronx, NY | 400 Employees

Established in 1963, Gary Plastic Packaging operates from a 300,000-square-foot facility in the Bronx and produces plastic injection-molded packaging materials for national customers. Its large facility footprint and New York location position it to serve the dense concentration of consumer goods, retail, and food industry customers in the Northeast.

Pelican Products, Inc.
South Deerfield, MA | 375 Employees

Founded in 1954, Pelican Products manufactures high-performance rigid plastic molded protective cases and containers alongside foam packaging materials for demanding end markets including fire safety, law enforcement, life sciences, defense, military, aerospace, entertainment, industrial, and consumer applications. Operating from a 20,500-square-foot facility and distributing internationally, the company has built a globally recognized brand around the durability and reliability of its protective packaging products.

Clear Lam Packaging, Inc.
Elk Grove Village, IL | 350 Employees

Established in 1969, Clear Lam Packaging operates from a 500,000-square-foot facility and produces flexible films and rigid rollstock packaging materials through a vertically integrated manufacturing model. The company's product line includes flexible, stackable, and reclosable packaging under brand names including PrimaPak Packaging, SealChoice PET Lidding Film, and Peel & ReSeal reclosable lidding, serving food and consumer goods customers that require innovative shelf-ready packaging formats.

Packaging Corp. of America
Filer City, MI | 350 Employees

Founded in 1947, this Packaging Corp. of America facility produces packaging materials for national customers and operates as part of one of the largest publicly traded containerboard and corrugated packaging companies in the United States. The Filer City location contributes to a national production network that serves industrial and consumer goods customers across the country.

Veritiv Operating Co.
Fairfield, OH | 350 Employees

Established in 1998, Veritiv Operating Co. operates as a publicly traded wholesaler of packaging materials, graphic supplies and equipment, and office, janitorial, and sanitary supplies from its Fairfield, Ohio, location, with reported annual sales of $6.5 billion placing it among the highest-revenue companies in the series. The company distributes internationally and serves a broad base of commercial and industrial customers through its national distribution infrastructure.

IndustryNet's Top Packaging Materials Suppliers

Beyond the largest manufacturers and distributors, a network of specialized and regional packaging suppliers serves buyers with product-specific expertise, flexible order minimums, and the ability to source and supply materials that larger distributors may not prioritize. These suppliers are particularly valuable for buyers with specialized material requirements, regional sourcing preferences, or custom packaging development needs.

Aspen Packaging & Forest Products, Inc. (Dallas, TX):

Aspen Packaging distributes packaging materials for manufacturers, distributors, and the retail food industry, carrying corrugated boxes, folding cartons, paper and plastic bags, bottles, tapes, stretch wraps, and foam packaging from its Texas base.

Cushioneer, Inc. (DeKalb, IL):

Cushioneer manufactures corrugated and foam cushion packaging, serving industrial and commercial customers that need protective interior packaging solutions for fragile or damage-sensitive products.

TDC Supply, Inc. (Des Plaines, IL):3661808

TDC Supply stocks more than 20,000 name-brand packaging supplies alongside new and used Gaylord boxes, providing nationwide service to industrial and commercial buyers with broad packaging needs.

Citation Box & Paper Co. (Chicago, IL):

Citation Box & Paper Co. carries one of the largest selections of stock boxes, packaging materials, and shipping supplies in the Chicago market, serving industrial and commercial customers with in-stock availability across a wide range of standard packaging formats.

McGregor Packaging (Sylvania, GA):

McGregor Packaging supplies steel and plastic strapping and tools, stretch film, and related packaging supplies from multiple Georgia locations, serving industrial and agricultural customers in the Southeast.

OSI Packaging, LLC (Shreveport, LA):

OSI Packaging operates as a wholesaler of packaging materials, equipment, and supplies, serving industrial and commercial customers in Louisiana and the surrounding Gulf South region.

Stickel Packaging Supply (Lakewood, NJ):

Stickel Packaging Supply provides packaging, janitorial, and safety supplies to industrial and commercial customers in the Northeast, offering a combined supply offering that simplifies procurement for facilities with multiple sourcing needs.

Pioneer Packaging Worldwide (Phoenix, AZ):

With more than 35 years of experience engineering packaging solutions, Pioneer Packaging Worldwide serves customers across industries with custom and stock packaging development from its Arizona base.

St. Louis Paper & Box Co., Inc. (Hazelwood, MO):

St. Louis Paper & Box Co. distributes packaging materials, supplies, equipment, and related MRO products, serving industrial and commercial customers in the greater St. Louis region with a broad supply offering.

Fox Valley Containers, Inc. (Crystal Lake, IL):

Fox Valley Containers distributes plastic and metal containers for the packaging of paint, coatings, adhesives, chemicals, printing ink, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food products, carrying pails, jars, bottles, drums, F-style cans, and corrugated cartons for industrial and commercial buyers.

H.D. Carry, Inc. (Aliso Viejo, CA):

H.D. Carry produces modular, laminated, and multisectional packaging materials, serving customers in Southern California and beyond with specialty packaging formats suited to industrial and consumer applications.

Honey Cell, Inc. (Shelton, CT):

Honey Cell manufactures kraft paper honeycomb packaging materials, providing a lightweight, recyclable cushioning and void-fill solution for industrial and commercial customers seeking sustainable alternatives to foam and plastic-based protective packaging.

JohnPac, LLC (Crowley, LA):

JohnPac manufactures American-made woven polypropylene bags and distributes a broad range of industrial packaging products including BOPP bags, FIBCs, corrugated boxes, slip sheets, stretch films, shrink and PE films, pails, paper bags, dunnage, and related products to customers across the country.

Stamar Packaging, Inc. (Elgin, IL):

Stamar Packaging distributes packaging, shipping, and industrial supplies from its Elgin, Illinois, location, serving the greater Chicago market and surrounding region as a full-line packaging distributor.

Wunderlich Fibre Box Manufacturing Co.

(St. Louis, MO): Wunderlich Fibre Box Manufacturing produces corrugated boxes and packaging for industrial and commercial customers in the St. Louis region, offering a locally made alternative to national box distributors for buyers who value regional sourcing relationships.

See all 460+ U.S. packaging materials suppliers on IndustryNet.

Recent Trends in Packaging Materials 

1. Sustainability Pressure Reshaping Material Choices

Sustainability requirements from major retailers, brand owners, and increasingly from regulatory bodies are driving significant material substitution across the packaging industry. Plastic reduction mandates, recycled content requirements, and extended producer responsibility programs are pushing buyers toward recyclable, compostable, or reduced-material packaging formats. Suppliers that can offer credible sustainable alternatives, whether paper-based, honeycomb, bio-based film, or post-consumer recycled content materials, are finding growing demand from customers under pressure to demonstrate progress on packaging sustainability goals.

2. E-Commerce Demand Sustaining Corrugated and Protective Packaging Volume

The sustained growth of direct-to-consumer e-commerce continues to drive demand for corrugated boxes, protective foam and paper cushioning, void fill, and mailer packaging. E-commerce packaging requirements differ from retail shelf packaging in important ways: the package must survive parcel carrier handling without the outer packaging layer that protects products in pallet-based retail distribution. Suppliers with expertise in right-sizing, protective performance, and the economics of ship-ready packaging are well positioned as e-commerce continues to represent a growing share of total packaging volume.

3. Food Safety and Shelf Life Requirements Driving Flexible Film Innovation

Packaging specification in food applications is increasingly driven by shelf life extension, modified atmosphere requirements, and food safety standards that demand high-barrier, contamination-resistant materials. Advances in multilayer flexible films, active packaging technologies, and resealable formats are responding to consumer demand for fresher products with less food waste. Suppliers with materials science capability and the ability to co-develop film structures with food manufacturers are differentiated from commodity distributors in this segment.

4. Tariffs and Supply Chain Disruption Accelerating Domestic Sourcing

Recent tariff activity on imported packaging materials and the residual effects of global supply chain disruptions have pushed more buyers toward domestic suppliers. This is particularly evident in categories such as woven polypropylene bags, flexible films, and specialty containers, where dependence on imported supply created significant availability and cost problems in recent years. Domestic manufacturers and distributors with reliable inventory and the ability to quote quickly are capturing business from buyers who experienced the risk of extended international supply chains firsthand.

5. Pharmaceutical and Medical Packaging Growing as a High-Value Segment

Growth in pharmaceutical manufacturing, biologics production, and medical device output is expanding demand for specialized packaging materials that meet FDA requirements for sterility, traceability, and material compatibility. Suppliers serving this segment must navigate a complex regulatory environment and often provide detailed material documentation, certificates of compliance, and validation support alongside the packaging itself. The barriers to entry are high, but the margins and customer relationships that come with established pharmaceutical packaging programs are correspondingly strong.

6. Lightweighting and Material Reduction Becoming Standard Practice

Beyond sustainability, operational cost reduction is driving systematic lightweighting efforts across industrial and consumer packaging categories. Thinner films that maintain barrier performance, optimized corrugated board grades that reduce material without sacrificing stacking strength, and right-sized packaging that eliminates void fill are all gaining adoption as buyers look to reduce material spend and transportation costs simultaneously. Suppliers with the engineering capability to help customers achieve material reduction without compromising protection are adding measurable value to procurement relationships.

7. Automation and Smart Packaging Integration Changing Specification Requirements

Increasing adoption of automated packaging lines is changing the way buyers specify packaging materials. Materials must perform consistently in high-speed automated equipment, which places new requirements on dimensional tolerances, surface properties, and material consistency that handpacking operations rarely demanded. At the same time, smart packaging technologies including QR codes, RFID tags, and freshness indicators are creating new functional requirements for packaging substrates. Suppliers that understand automation compatibility and can support customers through equipment transitions are becoming more valuable than those who simply supply materials to order.

The Easiest Way to Find Packaging Materials Suppliers

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About This Data

MNI collects detailed information firsthand, making direct contact with each industrial company in the U.S. to verify multiple data points about their business. This data powers IndustryNet, an industrial sourcing platform connecting buyers with suppliers across thousands of product categories, and IndustrySelect, which offers real-time access to detailed company and executive profiles for sales, marketing, recruiting, and research.