There’s no getting around it, 2020 was a huge year for everyone. Unprecedented happenings like a global pandemic and disruptive weather patterns shook the economy to its core. As a leading voice within the industry, it is important for us to discuss the past year and examine its effects. Join us as we look at the state of packaging for the new year through the lens of common materials like plastic and paper.

What We Can Anticipate From Paper & Plastic Materials
At first glance, global news regarding paper and plastic may seem they wouldn’t affect you or your business. However, if you consider the amount of paper and plastic you come across on a daily basis – from a simple cardboard box to a single-sized cupcake container – you’d be surprised how often these materials touch our daily lives. That’s why we’ve chosen to focus on paper and plastic to help shape our thoughts on the upcoming year.
Observation 1: High Demand Brings Shortages
The COVID-19 pandemic has made e-commerce an essential within our everyday lives. With restrictions and safety concerns implemented worldwide, common necessities like food and household supplies were being delivered or shipped versus being picked up from brick and mortar locations. While this led to a significant rise in demand for items made from paper and recovered packaging materials, it also meant a shortage in paper production worldwide.
FYI: To learn more about the trickle-down effect the COVID-19 pandemic has upon the corrugated industry, visit the Packaging World coverage here.
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Observation 2: Prices May Fluctuate To Reflect The Supply Landscape
Plastic and resin has become especially scarce lately due to high demand and low production. Disruptive weather patterns have affected us in unexpected ways in both the past and current year. Areas where plastics and resins are typically produced have experienced delays and shortages due to events like pipelines freezing over or power grids being shut down. Unfortunately delays and shortages like these affect the overall price landscape of resin and plastic materials.
FYI: To learn more about the price of resin, visit the PlasticsToday coverage here.
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Paper Mart As A Leading Voice Within The Packaging Industry
Since 1921, Paper Mart has grown to be a leading voice within the packaging industry. From a family catalog business to the largest discount packaging supply company in the United States, we’ve seen it all. To keep up with the ever growing demands of the market, we are constantly stocking our selection of quality packaging supplies to include a variety of boxes, bags, and shipping essentials. For the latest on industry trends for business, new products, and sales, join our email list today.