{
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    "title": "BIOTEN Observer | Company News & Industry Insights",
    "home_page_url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news.html",
    "feed_url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/data/bioten-observer-feed-v7318.json",
    "language": "en",
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        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-10-22-paper-packaging-exports-trade-remedies.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-10-22-paper-packaging-exports-trade-remedies.html",
            "title": "From US Transshipment Investigations to Canadian Anti-Dumping Duties: Three Calculations for China’s Paper Packaging Exporters",
            "summary": "As China’s paper packaging industry expands globally, it should bring more than production capacity: products customers choose repeatedly, and the ability to keep solving new problems.",
            "content_text": "Building overseas does not necessarily remove exposure to trade remedies. Assess duties, delivery and manufacturing locations together, then use materials, process expertise and application capabilities to give global customers lasting reasons to choose your products.US duty orders on thermoformed molded fiber products cover China and Vietnam. A separate anti-dumping order on certain paper plates covers China, Thailand and Vietnam.The factory is operating in Vietnam or Thailand, equipment has been installed and workers hired. Why might shipments to the United States still face anti-dumping duties?Genuine overseas manufacturing may change a product’s country of origin, but it does not guarantee that the new origin is free from applicable trade measures.From the US investigation into Chinese molded fiber products allegedly transshipped through Malaysia to Canadian duties on certain molded tableware and investigations into paperboard cups and containers, businesses must reassess pricing, cash flow and investment returns.Three calculations belong together: duties, delivery and manufacturing footprint. Once those are clear, a longer-term question remains: when duty differentials change, why will customers keep choosing your products?Duties: identify your goods before focusing on headline ratesTwo Canadian cases provide a practical reminder.The first concerns thermoformed molded fiber plates, platters and bowls that meet the product definition and originate in or are exported from China. Following the Canadian International Trade Tribunal’s injury finding on June 26, 2026, the related anti-dumping and countervailing measures entered the duty-collection stage.The Canada Border Services Agency’s measures-in-force page states that, for subject imports from exporters without specific normal values, anti-dumping duty is 332.4% of the export price; for exporters without a specific amount of subsidy, the listed countervailing duty is RMB 4.83 per kilogram.One is calculated by value and the other by weight. Actual calculations must also account for the treatment applicable to the exporter and rules such as adjustments for export subsidies. These figures are not a common tax bill for every Chinese paper packaging company.For exporters with normal values, this statutory price benchmark must be compared with the export price under the applicable rules. Dumping margins reported for the investigation period in a final determination cannot simply be treated as the duty rate on every subsequent shipment.Responding to investigations, identifying product models and managing normal values are directly connected to future quotations and orders. They cannot be treated merely as paperwork to complete before customs clearance.The second is a separate investigation into certain wound paperboard cups and containers originating in or exported from China. It began on August 17, 2026, followed by a preliminary injury determination on October 16. According to the official schedule checked on October 22, the next milestone is a preliminary determination or termination of the investigations on November 16. The 332.4% figure from the molded tableware measure cannot be applied to this case.The scope also includes certain die-cut cup and container blanks ready for forming. Printed rolls that have not been die-cut fall outside the product definition. The case also specifies exclusions.For base paper suppliers, coaters and converters, this distinction matters: raw materials, intermediate products and finished goods within the same supply chain must be described and assessed separately. Tariff classification numbers help locate information, but coverage depends on the written product definition and exclusions.Accurate product identification is the starting point for calculating duties.Delivery: duty rates affect margins; collection timing affects cash flowThe US case raises another question: how much funding and documentation must be ready before the goods are released?In a notice dated September 9, 2026, US Customs and Border Protection announced the initiation of an investigation and interim measures in EAPA Consolidated Case 8308. CBP stated that it had reasonable suspicion that Chinese thermoformed molded fiber products imported by three companies had been transshipped through Malaysia to evade applicable anti-dumping and countervailing duties.This is an investigation with interim measures, not a final determination of evasion or a prohibition on all legitimate transit trade. The interim measures require the importers concerned to provide appropriate entry documentation and pay duties on covered goods before release, alongside suspension or extension of liquidation and a review of bonding arrangements.Both parties need to assess funding requirements together with release conditions. Inspections, delivery delays or additional storage may change the economics of an order that initially appeared profitable.There is also a date to watch in Canada’s paperboard cups and containers case. The statement of reasons for initiation explains that an affirmative preliminary determination could trigger provisional duties on subject imports released from that date onward.An order must remain commercially viable at release, as well as when it is signed.Businesses negotiating delivery schedules should clarify responsibilities with customers in advance: who handles import declarations, who funds additional duties and deposits, who bears inspection or delay costs, and which documents must be ready before shipment.Ordinary customs duties, additional tariffs, anti-dumping and countervailing duties, and other import taxes and charges must each be assessed under their own conditions. Cash deposits under the relevant US measures remain subject to subsequent assessment; they do not necessarily fix the final duty liability.A contract can allocate costs between the parties, but cannot alter statutory liability. Clear responsibilities and timing are essential to judging whether the margin in a quotation can actually be realized.Manufacturing footprint: why can an overseas factory still face anti-dumping duties?The US anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders on thermoformed molded fiber products published on January 27, 2026, explicitly cover China and Vietnam. Goods genuinely manufactured in Vietnam and legally determined to be of Vietnamese origin may therefore still fall under the measures applicable to Vietnam if they are within scope.In this situation, the issue is that Vietnam itself is covered by the orders, rather than an investigation into transshipment.Thailand also requires product-specific assessment. The US anti-dumping order on certain paper plates published on March 20, 2025, covers China, Thailand and Vietnam. It expressly excludes paper plates molded or pressed directly from pulp, so it must not be confused with the thermoformed molded fiber products case.Within one country, paper plates, molded tableware, paper cups and paper bags may face different measures. Each assessment should consider the specific product, origin, destination market, and producer–exporter combination.Adding a processing step in a third country does not replace this assessment. The relevant US molded fiber orders already cover certain further processing in third countries, including coating, laminating, printing and repackaging. Origin and scope must be checked against the actual manufacturing operations, applicable rules and production records.This does not mean overseas factories lack investment value. Proximity to customers, shorter lead times, access to local markets and supply-chain diversification can still create value. Actual duties may also differ by origin and company.However, if a project’s returns depend mainly on the assumption that relocation will provide lasting avoidance of these duties, that assumption needs to be tested again:If the duty advantage narrows, will the factory remain competitive in customers, efficiency, quality and service?Local materials, labor, energy, yield, logistics, taxes, duties and working capital must be assessed together to determine whether additional capacity is viable over the long term. A key risk is adding fixed costs while overestimating how long a duty advantage will last.Choosing an export market also requires more than a single tariff headline.Mexico’s tariff reform text published on December 29, 2025, effective January 1, 2026, lists a 25% rate for specified tariff lines covering corrugated cartons, non-corrugated folding cartons, and certain paper tableware and molded pulp articles. This is the rate for those tariff lines, not an additional 25 percentage points on top of an existing rate. Actual transactions still require checks for later amendments and preferential arrangements.Australia offers preferences under the China–Australia Free Trade Agreement for qualifying goods. Official guidance states that ordinary customs duties under the agreement have been eliminated for goods meeting Chinese origin and documentation requirements. Other taxes and any applicable trade remedies must be checked separately.The EU and UK also impose product and responsibility requirements beyond tariffs. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) began applying in phases on August 12, 2026, including limits on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food-contact packaging. In the UK, qualifying packaging suppliers, importers and other businesses have extended producer responsibility obligations, including data reporting and applicable fees.Exporters and customers therefore need to prepare information on material composition, packaging weight, intended use and test documentation together. Market requirements vary, and opportunities must be assessed product by product and market by market.When duty advantages change, why will customers keep choosing you?These three calculations help identify markets worth investing in. The next challenge is to make the packaging customers need and deliver it reliably and economically.Hot-drink paper cups require secure bottom and side-seam seals. Food wrapping paper must combine grease resistance with barrier performance after folding. Meal containers must also withstand forming, transport and actual use. Packaging requirements in different markets ultimately depend on how materials, base paper, coatings and finished products work together.As manufacturing crosses borders, product capabilities must travel with it.This is where BIOTEN’s PHA water-based barrier technology can create long-term value. Based on bio-based materials and aqueous coating processes, it connects base paper, barrier layers, processing conditions and end-use needs, helping partners develop paper-based packaging with defined applications, stable processes and supporting product documentation.For paper mills, this means matching fiber blends, paper strength and surface properties to specific applications. For coaters, it means developing stable processes around dry coat weight, drying, line speed and subsequent converting. For paper cup and foodservice packaging manufacturers, it means delivering barrier, heat-sealing and forming performance in the complete article, while assessing economics through yield and total cost per thousand conforming packs.In material sourcing, bio-based PHA components offer an option for reducing reliance on fossil feedstocks. In product design, material use can be optimized for the application, while appropriate fiber-recycling or composting pathways are developed with the complete paper product and target market in mind. This reflects BIOTEN’s application approach: reduction at source, recovery at end of life, and biodegradation where appropriate.These capabilities address lasting customer needs rather than a temporary duty differential. They must develop alongside trade compliance: material solutions are evaluated for the finished product’s intended use, while tariff treatment is assessed against the specific product, origin and applicable measures.BIOTEN welcomes joint development with paper mills, coaters, paper cup makers and foodservice packaging manufacturers, starting with one target market, one representative product and actual production-line conditions. Whether manufacturing is based in China or overseas, the aim is to build shared product specifications, process knowledge, quality requirements and documentation that support further applications.All three calculations must reconcile within the same order. Technical and production teams define the product; trade, compliance and import partners verify the rules; finance and commercial teams assess returns together. First identify the business worth pursuing, then use materials and application innovation to make it more valuable.As China’s paper packaging industry expands globally, it should bring more than production capacity: products customers choose repeatedly, and the ability to keep solving new problems.Research noteThis article was prepared by BIOTEN Packaging using public information from customs authorities, trade remedy agencies, governments and companies, with checks current to October 22, 2026. Tariff reform texts and historical materials are used as dated in the article. It is intended for industry research and learning and does not constitute advice on specific customs declarations, investments or legal matters, or a guarantee of product performance. Actual duties and product applicability depend on the entity, date, destination market and valid documentation concerned. For corrections, clarification or removal requests, please contact this WeChat official account; we will review and address the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Insights: data and verification sourcesUS CBP | Notice of initiation and interim measures, EAPA Consolidated Case 8308US Department of Commerce | Anti-dumping duty order on thermoformed molded fiber productsUS Department of Commerce | Countervailing duty order on thermoformed molded fiber productsUS Department of Commerce | Anti-dumping duty orders on certain paper plates from China, Thailand and VietnamUS trade remedy rules | Scope and country-of-origin determinationsCanada CBSA | Thermoformed molded fibre tableware: measures in force and duty liabilityCanada CBSA | Thermoformed molded fibre tableware: final determinations and normal valuesCanada CITT | Injury finding on thermoformed molded fibre tablewareCanada CBSA | Paperboard cups and containers: investigation scope and subsequent proceduresCanada CITT | Preliminary injury determination on paperboard cups and containersCanada CBSA | Paperboard cups and containers: investigation scheduleGovernment of Mexico | Tariff reform text of December 29, 2025Australia DFAT | China–Australia Free Trade Agreement: import and origin guidanceEuropean Commission | Start of PPWR application and PFAS restrictions for food-contact packagingUK Government | Packaging extended producer responsibility: obligated businesses and requirementsEuropean Commission | Policy framework for bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plasticsDBC | BIOTEN PHA water-based barrier engineering for paper packagingDBC | PHA bio-based aqueous functional emulsion platformRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-10-22T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-10-22T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-10-22-paper-packaging-exports-trade-remedies/cms-image-d21a8b25f02b72dc.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-10-12-flower-wrapping-paper-functional-packaging.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-10-12-flower-wrapping-paper-functional-packaging.html",
            "title": "Why Beautiful Bouquet Wrapping Is a Technical Opportunity for Paper Manufacturers",
            "summary": "Use one packaging application to identify a wider set of needs, then turn one area of expertise into a range of products.",
            "content_text": "Starting with bouquet wrapping, we explore how paper feel, moisture resistance and converting performance create customer value—and open up opportunities in plant sleeves, produce bags and surface protection for cartons.When a bouquet reaches the customer, its wrapping should complement the flowers and remain neat and clean. Residual water on stems, wet hands, folding and delivery all put that presentation to the test. For paper manufacturers, combining paper feel, moisture resistance and converting performance creates an opportunity to turn decorative paper into a product with a clearly defined purpose.Bouquets offer a visible starting point. They connect the texture, surface functionality and converting capabilities of paper with specific needs in gifting, retail and product delivery.From looking good to working wellSpecialty paper producer Ahlstrom offers Cristal horticultural wrapping paper for bouquets, potted plants and herbs. Its stated features include moisture resistance, the distinctive feel of paper, and suitability for printing and gluing. It provides a commercial reference for developing paper feel and functionality together.In a flower shop, a sheet needs to be picked up, folded and secured quickly, while retaining its appearance during carrying, transport and display. Beyond moisture resistance, ease of folding, reliable tape adhesion and resistance to colour bleeding when wet all influence whether a florist will keep using the material.The base paper’s texture, stiffness and water absorption need to work with the surface treatment. Coating placement and drying conditions must also accommodate subsequent printing and bonding. When comparing treatments, keep the base paper, tape and wrapping method constant, then assess the complete bouquet after transport and display to identify where improvements are needed.The functions also need to be clearly allocated. Where a continuous water supply is required, dedicated water-retaining bags or hydration devices should hold the water. The outer paper provides moisture resistance, shape and presentation. Placing each function where it belongs helps preserve both paper feel and practical performance.Bouquet wrapping paper must look good at the counter and perform well all the way to the recipient.The trade behind a bouquetAccording to a transcript of a Yunnan provincial press conference published in May 2026, Yunnan produced 22.15 billion cut-flower stems in 2025, accounting for approximately 70% of China’s total.In the Netherlands, flower trading platform Royal FloraHolland reported in its 2025 annual report that flowers and plants generated approximately €5.4 billion in product turnover. The same report states that the number of flowers and plants sold fell by 2% year on year, with turnover growth mainly driven by higher average unit prices.These figures describe production scale and the value of product trading. They cannot be converted directly into demand for wrapping paper. The more useful question for paper manufacturers is where, along the journey from production through distribution to retail, these products need more suitable paper packaging.Opportunities need not depend solely on growth in the number of products sold. Presentation, packing operations, protection during transport and reliable supply can all create new product requirements.Market scale shows where to look for demand; specific products determine which part of the business a supplier can serve.Three packaging opportunities beyond bouquetsRetail paper sleeves for potted plants and herbsThese sleeves contain living plants. Development must consider condensation caused by temperature changes, watering in stores, leaf protection, ventilation and barcode scanning. Experience in moisture-resistant surfaces, coating and printing can be reused, but sleeve shape, openings, paper grade and the way the sleeve is fitted and removed must be designed around the plant.Paper bags for short-distance delivery of fresh fruit and wet vegetablesBillerud already offers paper materials and bag applications for fruit and vegetables. In product development, the emphasis shifts from bouquet appearance to the load-bearing performance of a wet bag base, handles, glue lines and puncture resistance. Food-contact suitability, ventilation and the condition of the produce must also be defined for the intended use.Surface protection for retail cartonsCarton surfaces must withstand wet hands, rubbing and display while preserving graphics and tactile quality and remaining suitable for creasing and gluing. ACTEGA’s paper and board business offers coatings, primers and inks. This application builds on surface-treatment expertise, with specifications established around the board, inks and carton-gluing conditions.These applications serve florists, plant retailers, fresh-produce channels and consumer brands, giving base-paper producers, coaters and converters different routes into product development.Development capabilities can be reused; product specifications must be established for each application.Evaluate the business beyond the price per tonnePaper manufacturers typically calculate material costs by the tonne. Customers also assess the cost of delivering each bouquet, potted plant or bag of produce. Connecting these two perspectives makes the value of the material easier to see.Consider a hypothetical labour-time calculation: an extra 5 seconds per bouquet adds up to approximately 83 minutes for 1,000 bouquets. Operating time is part of the cost, alongside the unit price of paper.For bouquet wrapping, compare the total packaging cost per 1,000 bouquets that meet requirements, including paper, coating and printing, slitting, wrapping, rewrapping and packaging-related returns. For plant sleeves, assess the cost per 1,000 potted plants ready for retail display; for produce bags, per 1,000 bags delivered intact; and for cartons, per 1,000 units meeting both appearance and bonding requirements.Whether an additional treatment is worthwhile depends on whether it solves a problem with the existing solution and justifies its processing and delivery costs. Some applications need added surface functionality; others benefit more from a different paper grade, structure or handling method.BIOTEN and its partners: turning one area of expertise into a product rangeBIOTEN Packaging aims to work with papermaking, coating, printing and finished-product partners on PHA-based waterborne barrier solutions, jointly exploring paper-based products that balance paper feel, moisture resistance and converting performance.Paper manufacturers provide suitable grades, colours and batch consistency. Coating, printing and converting partners bring together surface properties, graphics, cutting, folding and bonding. End users define real operating conditions. BIOTEN contributes to defining applications, matching base papers with functional layers, and evaluating performance from paper samples through to complete packaging.A company does not need to develop every product at once. It can start with a familiar paper grade, one customer and one application, establish sound specifications, batch consistency and performance in use, then assess which experience can be transferred to adjacent markets.For China’s paper and paper-packaging supply chain, this approach can turn manufacturing strengths into the ability to develop products for different customers and markets.Bouquets are a starting point. The deeper opportunity is to keep translating paper texture, functionality and converting capabilities into products customers need.Use one packaging application to identify a wider set of needs, then turn one area of expertise into a range of products.Research NoteThis article was independently prepared by BIOTEN Packaging using public government information, company annual reports, product literature and existing application research. Information was checked as of 12 October 2026. It is intended for industry research and learning and does not constitute a procurement or performance guarantee. To request a correction, clarification or removal, please contact our WeChat official account. We will review and address the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Insights: Data and Verification SourcesAhlstrom | Horticultural wrapping paper for bouquets, potted plants and herbsYunnan Provincial Department of Transport | Transcript of the Yunnan press conferenceRoyal FloraHolland | Annual Report 2025Billerud | Paper materials and packaging applications for fruit and vegetablesACTEGA | Coatings, primers and inks for paper and boardFloraLife | Bouquet hydration systems for transport and operating instructionsChrysal | Hydration devices and water-retaining structures for bouquet deliveryBIOTEN PackagingOriginal source access restricted",
            "date_published": "2026-10-12T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-10-12T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-10-12-flower-wrapping-paper-functional-packaging/cms-image-6ffc90f56a35b251.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-10-12-bakery-paper-bags-grease-moisture-balance.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-10-12-bakery-paper-bags-grease-moisture-balance.html",
            "title": "Freshly Baked Bread: Why Paper Bags Need More Than Grease Resistance",
            "summary": "The paper bag holds the bread; the supply chain must preserve the experience the brand delivers to its customer.",
            "content_text": "Starting with grease stains and the texture of croissants, we explore how base paper, coating and bag making can work together to create bakery bags tailored to customer needs.A croissant is cooled according to the shop’s procedure, placed in a paper bag and handed to the customer. Staff want to prevent grease from seeping through; the customer expects the pastry to retain its flaky texture when the bag is opened. Both may seem to be questions of packaging quality, but they involve different technical challenges.A bag without grease stains does not necessarily mean the bread is still crisp.For papermakers, coaters and bag manufacturers, this is the opportunity: to develop grease-resistant paper into a packaging product suited to a specific food, converting process and set of use conditions.Grease resistance and texture retention are separate tasksButter in contact with the bag wall can penetrate the pores and fibre channels of the paper, creating grease stains. The base-paper structure and surface functionality must work together to limit this penetration.Moisture follows a different path. It migrates between the bread’s interior and crust, while the bread also exchanges moisture with the environment inside and outside the package. A bread study published in the Journal of Cereal Science links the moisture condition of the crust to its crispness and shows that the structure of the food itself also affects the outcome.If the product is bagged while still warm, released water vapour can condense on cooler packaging surfaces and create additional moisture. Good grease resistance alone cannot resolve these issues.In 2015, a master’s study at Lund University on croissant packaging compared 10 commercial packaging materials, examining moisture, texture and sensory performance. The study emphasised controlling moisture transfer between the food and its surroundings, rather than simply seeking the strongest possible barrier.Flaky pastries therefore require appropriate heat and vapour release, while soft bread needs protection against excessive moisture loss. Bagging time, the way the bag is closed and the intended time of consumption should all form part of the product specification.Good packaging limits unwanted grease penetration while allowing the moisture exchange the food needs.Behind each paper bag is a recurring purchasing needBillerud’s Basix range is offered for bread and pastry bags. Within the range, Basix Repel Pure has a grammage of 38–45 g/m² and is intended for grease-resistant bags and wrapping paper. This figure refers to the grammage of the supplied paper, not the coating weight. It provides a commercial reference for an application-specific product.End users also have requirements at scale. UK bakery food retailer Greggs reported in its 2025 annual report that it had 2,739 shops trading at year-end. Shop numbers do not indicate paper-bag purchasing volumes, but they illustrate how packaging must perform across repeated bagging, display and delivery operations.For suppliers, the goal should extend beyond a single sample trial: establish consistent specifications for a product category so that different paper batches and operations across different shops can meet agreed requirements.From base paper to finished bags: the opportunity lies in coordinationPapermakers: match the base paper to the applicationFibre structure, grammage, stiffness, surface uniformity and inherent grease resistance affect printing, functional treatment and bag making. Established specialty base papers should be a starting point for development, rather than an overlooked benchmark.Coaters: determine where functionality is needed and how much material to applyThe bag body, folded base and areas of concentrated grease contact perform different tasks. Full-surface versus localised treatment, material application rates and drying conditions should be compared using the actual food. More coating does not necessarily create more value.Bag manufacturers: turn paper samples into finished productsGrease penetration at creases, glue-line adhesion, base strength and ease of opening and filling all affect the customer experience. Where a transparent window is included, its material and bonding must also be considered together.Companies with expertise in lightweight food-packaging papers can add coating, printing and bag making, or work with partners for conversion. New opportunities need not begin with a major capacity expansion. Identifying a food product, a converting problem and a clear purchasing specification first makes it easier to decide which investment is worthwhile.Start development with one croissant or a bread product containing fat. Use food from the same batch, with consistent cooling times and bagging methods, then compare grease staining, condensation, eating texture and bag-base performance before adjusting one factor at a time. This produces specifications that can guide volume production.An advantage demonstrated on a paper sample becomes a product advantage only after converting and real-world use.BIOTEN: connecting materials with commercial applicationsBIOTEN Packaging’s work on PHA-based waterborne barrier solutions focuses on applications like these, where materials and converting processes must work together.Our approach to joint development is to select suitable base paper with papermakers, study coating placement and application rates with coating partners, and coordinate folded bases, glue lines and filling with bag manufacturers. Bakery customers define the food and actual conditions of use.Material use should address specific problems. Localised treatment, optimised application rates and coordinated structural design can help balance grease resistance, paper feel and eating texture, while giving material reduction at source a concrete engineering focus.To decide whether a solution is worth purchasing, assess the total cost per 1,000 bags delivered to specification: paper, coating, printing, bag-making waste, in-store operations, and packaging-related rebagging and write-offs. The unit price of the material is only one component.If grease staining decreases but bag-making rejects or in-store filling time increase, the process and structure need further adjustment. Measuring cost per conforming unit delivered makes it possible to see whether the functional treatment creates a real net benefit.When performance in use, converting consistency and total cost all meet requirements, a collaboration has the potential to grow from a batch of paper samples into an ongoing product business.Partners with bakery-bag paper or bag-making capabilities can start with an existing paper bag and a representative food product, and work with BIOTEN to define the next product iteration.From freshly baked croissants to pastries rich in fats, China’s paper-packaging supply chain can use its expertise in paper grades, coating and converting to develop products for different markets.The paper bag holds the bread; the supply chain must preserve the experience the brand delivers to its customer.Research NoteThis article was independently prepared by BIOTEN Packaging using company annual reports, public product literature, scientific papers and application research. Information was checked as of 12 October 2026. It is intended for industry research and learning and does not constitute a procurement or performance guarantee. To request a correction, clarification or removal, please contact our WeChat official account. We will review and address the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Insights: Data and Verification SourcesBillerud | Papers for bread, pastry and grease-resistant bagsGreggs | Annual Report 2025TNO Repository | Research on bread-crust moisture and crispnessLund University | Research on packaging and quality of freshly baked croissantsBIOTEN PackagingOriginal source access restricted",
            "date_published": "2026-10-12T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-10-12T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-10-12-bakery-paper-bags-grease-moisture-balance/existing-cover-en.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-10-11-alternicq-pulpex-paper-bottle-partnership.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-10-11-alternicq-pulpex-paper-bottle-partnership.html",
            "title": "Why Would a Plastic Packaging Company Adopt Paper Bottle Technology?",
            "summary": "A change in packaging need not mean a change of supplier—provided you can support your customer’s next choice.",
            "content_text": "A paper bottle partnership offers a useful perspective on how packaging companies can turn customer knowledge, materials innovation and manufacturing capabilities into opportunities for the next round of product development.Your customers may still be buying your existing products while turning to another supplier to develop their next packaging format. For a packaging company, retaining today’s orders does not necessarily mean participating in tomorrow’s growth.On 6 October 2026, Indian rigid plastic packaging manufacturer Alternicq, formerly Manjushree Technopack, and UK-based Pulpex announced an exclusive partnership to bring pulp fibre bottle technology to India and jointly assess customer demand and local manufacturing requirements.The company has not announced an exit from plastics. It is adding another packaging option for its customers. The partnership announcement explicitly describes a shift from a packaging supplier focused on scale towards a one-stop solutions partner spanning materials and product categories.Continuing the plastics business while adding paper bottle technology raises a deeper business question: how can suppliers use long-standing customer relationships to meet emerging packaging needs?Retain existing orders—and earn a place in new projectsAlternicq states on its website that it serves more than 1,000 customers across sectors including food, beverages, personal care and household cleaning. This established customer base also gives it an opportunity to identify new packaging needs among businesses it already knows.Suppliers may organise their businesses around paper grades, resins and processes. Brands, however, need a complete package: one that contains and protects the product, runs smoothly on filling lines, stands out on the shelf, offers reasonable costs and has a viable end-of-life route.When customers begin evaluating fibre packaging, new projects may go to other technology partners if their existing supplier can offer only plastic solutions. Expanding materials and manufacturing capabilities helps suppliers remain involved in their customers’ product development.At that point, the value accumulated over the years extends beyond equipment. Understanding customers’ contents, filling lines, transport conditions and quality issues—and translating those requirements into product specifications—is also a capability that is difficult to replicate.A change of packaging does not remove the need to protect the contents or meet filling, storage and transport requirements. Bringing these established requirements into discussions about materials, structure and processes allows existing customer knowledge to become a development advantage in new projects.The earlier a supplier participates in product development, the greater its opportunity to discuss what packaging is needed, rather than simply quoting a price once the specifications have been set.When customers need new packaging options, maintaining the relationship matters more than staying within the boundaries of a single material.From a formed bottle body to reliable packagingMoulding pulp fibres creates the bottle structure, but holding liquids also requires barrier performance and effective sealing. According to the Pulpex partnership announcement, the bottle uses a spray-applied internal barrier coating, and the technology platform also addresses filling-line compatibility and bottle decoration.On 22 September, UK household cleaning brand smol announced plans to launch laundry liquid in a pulp fibre bottle developed with Pulpex in autumn 2026. The brand describes a fibre body, a thin water-based inner coating and a recycled polypropylene dosing cap. For disposal in the UK, it advises separating the cap into the plastics recycling stream and the bottle into paper and card recycling.Once filled with laundry liquid, the inner surface must maintain its barrier performance, the bottle neck and cap must seal reliably, and the package must withstand filling, handling and storage. Product protection must last beyond the freshly made sample bottle.For coating and barrier specialists, performance demonstrated on flat paper samples must also be achieved in a three-dimensional bottle. Can the shoulder, inner walls and base be coated evenly? Does drying produce a continuous barrier? Does that barrier work with the structure and closure? A material that performs well on its own must also help the complete package work reliably in use.Pulpex currently states that its bottles are intended for non-carbonated liquids, while a version for carbonated drinks remains in development. This also points to a clear development sequence for the supply chain: establish reliable performance in suitable applications before expanding into others.Pulp forms the bottle body; the barrier and structure determine what it can hold; and the manufacturing system determines how many conforming units can be delivered.A partnership agreement needs a complete delivery capabilityOn 8 October, Pulpex announced the opening of its commercial manufacturing facility near Glasgow, fitted for an initial capacity of up to 40 million bottles per year. The company positions the site as a reference facility for future licensed manufacturing partners. This figure represents announced installed capacity, not annual sales already achieved.This gives partners a way to assess the technology through an operating manufacturing system, rather than judging it solely by a sample bottle.The technology company supplies the product platform and process system; the local packaging manufacturer contributes customer knowledge, production management and market support. One turns the technology into an adoptable system, while the other organises development and delivery around local demand. Connecting these capabilities gives the new product a chance to become a purchasing option for local customers.The partners in India still need to jointly determine priority categories, product and regulatory requirements, and the site and equipment requirements for local manufacturing. Experience in plastic packaging provides a foundation, but fibre bottle processes and production-line requirements still need dedicated validation.An exclusive partnership creates market development opportunities. What customers ultimately buy, however, is a consistent supply of products that meet their specifications.The cost calculation must go beyond the purchase prices of pulp and resin. Coating consumption, drying energy, equipment and tooling amortisation, licensing fees, production losses and transport all contribute to the total cost per 1,000 conforming packs delivered.Competing solutions must also be compared at the same capacity and against the same product-protection and shelf-life requirements. If reduced material use leads to more rejects or higher energy consumption, the raw-material savings may be cancelled out.Validating product protection, filling-line compatibility, delivery costs and local recycling conditions together provides a sound basis for deciding whether a packaging format merits long-term adoption.Technology partnerships open the door to a market; reliable delivery turns that access into lasting business.Bring your expertise into your customers’ new projectsFor China’s paper packaging supply chain, the more valuable lesson is how to connect existing strengths with emerging demand.Companies with fibre-processing expertise can investigate pulp formulations and their suitability for moulding. Moulded fibre producers can address bottle consistency and manufacturing efficiency. Barrier material suppliers can develop three-dimensional coating processes and product protection. Packaging companies with established customers and converting capabilities can lead joint development and commercial delivery.Not every company needs to build its own paper bottle line. The more useful question is: which area of your expertise can solve a problem in new packaging that a customer is willing to pay to address?In the next customer discussion, start by identifying which product is being considered for a packaging upgrade, which performance requirements must be maintained, and which limitations of the existing solution are hardest to overcome.Then select a suitable application in non-carbonated beverages, condiments or household cleaning products. Define the capacity, contents, conditions of use and cost targets, and evaluate materials, structure and manufacturing within the same validation programme.Identify a specific project before selecting the combination of technologies. This makes it easier to direct R&D investment towards actual customer requirements and turn technical discussions into product development.This is also why BIOTEN Packaging continues to focus on applications and barrier engineering: materials innovation must translate into products that customers can use, production lines can manufacture consistently, and economics can justify.By introducing paper bottles, Alternicq seeks a role in its customers’ next round of product development. By finding manufacturing partners, Pulpex expands the routes through which its technology can reach local markets. Connecting customers, technology and manufacturing is what gives the market access created by a partnership the potential to become a long-term business.A change in packaging need not mean a change of supplier—provided you can support your customer’s next choice.Research NoteThis article was independently researched and prepared by BIOTEN Packaging using publicly available information from the partners, brands and technology companies discussed. Information was checked as of 10 October 2026. It is intended for industry research and learning and should not be used as the basis for specific procurement or investment decisions. To request a correction, clarification or removal, please contact our WeChat official account. We will review and address the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Insights: Data and Verification SourcesPulpex | Announcement of the Alternicq pulp fibre bottle partnershipAlternicq | Company operations and customer informationsmol | Pulp fibre laundry bottle launch plans and packaging structurePulpex | Fibre bottle applications and functional specificationsPulpex | Announcement of the commercial manufacturing facility opening near GlasgowRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-10-11T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-10-11T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-10-11-alternicq-pulpex-paper-bottle-partnership/cms-image-69834f761c03997c.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-10-10-global-paper-giants-competitive-strengths.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-10-10-global-paper-giants-competitive-strengths.html",
            "title": "What Makes Three Global Paper Giants Truly Competitive?",
            "summary": "From manufacturing networks and local service to materials development, we examine how paper companies turn expertise and capacity into products customers need—and measure their investments against business results.",
            "content_text": "From manufacturing networks and local service to materials development, we examine how paper companies turn expertise and capacity into products customers need—and measure their investments against business results.Scale gives a company more production capacity. But expanding capacity alone cannot explain why customers keep choosing it.In 2025, Smurfit Westrock reported net sales of US$31.179 billion and a net income margin of approximately 2.2%. International Paper, meanwhile, states in its public business overview that most competition takes place within roughly 250 miles, or about 400 kilometers, of a customer’s facility.Research references: Annual results and customer service overview.These two facts reveal a practical reality of competition in the paper industry: even a very large business must earn an adequate return, and even a global business must win orders at individual customer sites.Chinese companies face a similar question: with advanced equipment and skilled teams, why do some products still compete mainly on price?Meeting product specifications is the starting point. Earning customers’ continued preference is the business outcome to pursue.The business strategies of Smurfit Westrock, International Paper, and Oji Holdings offer a useful perspective: how they coordinate resources, manufacturing, and specialist expertise, put those capabilities to work in customers’ products, and assess investments through business results.Smurfit Westrock:Turning a Manufacturing Network into Product CapabilitiesSmurfit Westrock’s 2025 annual report describes operations in 40 countries, with 57 paper mills, 450 converting plants, and 70 recovered fiber facilities.Paper mills supply containerboard, paperboard, and other materials; converting plants turn them into packaging; and recovery facilities help return fiber to use. Together, this network provides capabilities across several stages, from materials to finished packaging.Research reference: 2025 annual report.The network’s value, however, must ultimately be demonstrated in specific products.In the company’s Andersen EV charger packaging case study, the customer needed to protect high-value products while making handling, installation, and unpacking easier.The development team designed packaging from technical specifications and used its Paper to Box tool to determine the minimum board caliper needed for strength and rigidity. The outer box and internal fittings were then matched to the requirements of use. Both charger models shared the same internal fitting design, creating consistency across the product range.Research reference: Andersen packaging case study.A customer’s problem cannot be solved simply by assuming that thicker board is better. Materials, structure, and conversion must work together to meet requirements for protection, handling, and brand presentation.This approach gives customers reasons to assess a supplier beyond unit purchase price: Is the material used appropriately? Is the product protected reliably? Is the packaging easy to handle? Can delivery commitments be met consistently?The cost of buying paper is only one part of the customer’s total cost of use.For paper mills and packaging manufacturers, technical teams therefore need to understand more than specifications at the factory gate. They also need to know which properties matter once the paper becomes part of a customer’s product, and which investments can improve performance.Scale still requires capital discipline. Smurfit Westrock reported approximately US$3.39 billion in net cash from operating activities and approximately US$2.19 billion in capital expenditure in 2025, a difference of around US$1.2 billion. During the same year, it also closed high-cost or inefficient capacity.Research reference: 2025 full-year results.Even industry leaders must decide which capabilities to expand and which assets to adjust. The number of factories provides a foundation, but it cannot replace that judgment.International Paper:Competing Globally Means Serving Customers LocallyInternational Paper’s 2025 annual report lists net sales of US$23.634 billion and reports 159 converting and packaging plants in the United States as of the filing date. Its acquisition of DS Smith also expanded the group’s European packaging network.Research reference: 2025 annual report.Its stated competitive radius of roughly 400 kilometers gives globalization a more concrete meaning.For a customer, a global supplier’s reputation matters, but daily concerns remain local: Will packaging arrive on time? Can the supplier respond to changes in specifications? Will problems be resolved quickly?A lower purchase price may not reduce the customer’s total cost if it brings more production-line adjustments or delivery risk.Once packaging is matched to a customer’s production lines and multiple facilities, switching suppliers requires specifications, production, and delivery arrangements to be validated again. Reliable service can turn a routine purchasing relationship into closer collaboration.Research reference: Business transformation and customer service overview.Scale takes a business into more markets; service keeps it close to its customers.International Paper’s investment decisions also show how customer needs guide manufacturing. The company announced a US$250 million upgrade at its Riverdale containerboard mill in Selma, Alabama, to offer strategic customers lighter-weight, higher-performance grades.Research reference: Investment and transformation overview.This makes capacity expansion a more specific decision: Who will the new capabilities serve? What problems will they solve? How will they fit into customers’ converting operations and end uses?At the same time, the group has been narrowing its portfolio. It completed the DS Smith acquisition in 2025 and the sale of its Global Cellulose Fibers business in January 2026, sharpening its focus on packaging.Research references: Acquisition and business information; divestment completion announcement.Expansion and divestment can serve the same purpose: directing limited capital and organizational capacity toward businesses that better fit the company.This transformation still needs to prove itself in business results. International Paper reported a loss from continuing operations of approximately US$2.838 billion in 2025, including substantial goodwill impairment, accelerated depreciation, and restructuring charges. Its reported free cash flow, a non-GAAP measure, was negative US$159 million.Research reference: Annual earnings and cash flow disclosures.Customer networks and a focused portfolio are important capabilities. Whether they produce lasting returns depends on operational improvement and the results of capital investment.Oji Holdings:Opening New Applications Through Resources and Materials TechnologyFor the full fiscal year ended March 2026, Oji Holdings reported group net sales of approximately JPY 1.862 trillion. Based on sales to external customers, Printing and Communications Media accounted for about 11.5% of the total, and Functional Materials for about 11.9%. Traditional paper grades alone no longer describe the scope of its business.Research reference: Annual results and segment sales disclosures.The group operates in pulp, forest plantations, energy, and wood processing, alongside corrugated containers, folding cartons, paper bags, and liquid packaging. It also applies its capabilities to specialty papers, imaging materials, adhesive products, and films.Research reference: Business portfolio overview.Upstream resources give a company greater influence over supply and costs. Materials and processing technologies help those resources serve different applications.A concrete example comes from Oji’s March 2025 announcement: SILBIO ALBA, an aluminum-metallized paper produced by Oji F-Tex, was selected for coffee bean bags sold by GEOPACK to coffee roasters.According to the company, the material combines barriers to oxygen, water vapor, and light. GEOPACK makes it into flat-bottom bags suited to upright shelf display and postal delivery. Oji supplies the material, while the bag manufacturer develops the packaging structure and application.Research reference: Coffee bean packaging announcement.For a bag of coffee, the customer considers more than the base paper price: moisture protection, aroma retention, display, and distribution also matter. Materials development and packaging conversion need to address these requirements together.This case makes application development tangible: add the functions a customer needs to a paper substrate, then work with a converting partner to turn it into usable packaging.Resources shape part of the cost; applications create new opportunities for value.For Chinese companies, the useful question is what new products their existing paper grades, coating and converting capabilities, and customer experience could support. Matching Oji’s forest holdings is not a prerequisite.Business expansion also needs financial discipline. In Oji’s latest completed fiscal year, operating profit fell 48.9% year on year, while net cash from operating activities was JPY 113.376 billion. A broad portfolio creates development opportunities, but it does not remove the challenges of cost, business cycles, and capital allocation.Research reference: Annual earnings and cash flow disclosures.Learning from Industry Leaders Starts with Knowing Where Your Strengths Can Make a DifferenceThe three companies follow different paths. Smurfit Westrock connects its manufacturing network with packaging development. International Paper focuses on packaging and regional customer service. Oji builds on accumulated resources and technology to expand into materials and applications.Even the same strategic question can lead to different choices. International Paper is narrowing its business scope, while Oji operates across multiple materials businesses. More stages of production do not automatically mean a better business. What matters is whether the capabilities fit the company’s strengths, customer needs, and capital commitments.For Chinese papermakers, coaters, and packaging manufacturers, the lesson is to understand how their own expertise can contribute to customers’ products, rather than to replicate the giants’ scale.Base paper producers need to understand downstream converting. Coaters need to understand how the functional layer works with the base paper and forming process. Converters need to bring end-use requirements into material and process selection.Technical specialists therefore need a role in defining and validating applications, as well as implementing projects once a direction has been chosen.Cost reduction remains important. It is also worth giving technical teams access to customer requirements, application data, and trial facilities so they can develop new products that customers will keep choosing.No single company needs to own every stage. Paper mills, materials companies, and converting partners can work toward a clear product objective, jointly verifying improvements in use and consistency in manufacturing.Before the next round of investment, ask: What do customers need? Which problems can our strengths solve? How can the improvement generate a lasting return?BIOTEN Packaging welcomes collaboration with papermakers, coaters, and converters to examine existing base paper strengths, functional materials, and equipment capabilities in specific applications. Starting with a familiar paper grade and a clearly defined use case, partners can turn collaboration into valuable products.The capabilities worth expanding are those customers need, that can be delivered consistently, and that stand up to financial scrutiny.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NoteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging using company annual financial reports, official announcements, and publicly available application cases, with verification current as of October 10, 2026. Smurfit Westrock and International Paper figures cover calendar year 2025; Oji figures cover the fiscal year from April 2025 to March 2026. Amounts remain in their original currencies. This article is for industry research and learning and does not constitute investment or purchasing advice. For corrections, clarification, or removal requests, please contact us through this WeChat official account. We will review and address requests within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Insights: Data and Verification SourcesSmurfit Westrock: 2025 Annual ReportSmurfit Westrock: 2025 Full-Year ResultsSmurfit Westrock: Andersen EV Charger Packaging Case StudyInternational Paper: 2025 Annual ReportInternational Paper: Business Transformation, Customer Service, and InvestmentInternational Paper: Completion of the Global Cellulose Fibers DivestmentOji Holdings: Results for the Fiscal Year Ended March 2026Oji Holdings: Business PortfolioOji Holdings: SILBIO ALBA Coffee Bean Packaging AnnouncementRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-10-10T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-10-10T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-10-10-global-paper-giants-competitive-strengths/cms-image-d3adca70935e5c5c.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-10-01-national-day-china-paper-global-life.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-10-01-national-day-china-paper-global-life.html",
            "title": "China’s National Day: From Paper Made in China to Everyday Life Around the World",
            "summary": "Celebrating China’s National Day with a sheet of paper, a paper cup, and warm wishes.",
            "content_text": "From everyday moments during China’s National Day holiday to packaging used around the world, we explore how China’s paper packaging value chain turns expertise into products—and celebrate the people whose manufacturing and innovation serve everyday life worldwide.During China’s National Day holiday, some people set off to explore the country, while others return to their families. A hot coffee at the station, a freshly prepared meal at a scenic destination, a box of local pastries brought home: paper is part of them all.A paper cup holds a moment of rest on a journey. Wrapping paper protects freshly prepared food. A paper box carries a thoughtful gift home to loved ones.These things are so familiar that we rarely pause to ask: Where did this sheet of paper come from? How many people contributed their work so that we could comfortably hold a hot drink or safely carry away a meal?The value of a sheet of paperis also found in the everyday life it supports.Paper has recorded China’s history. Today, paper packaging made in China is becoming part of everyday life around the world. From recording and communicating to wrapping, containing, and protecting, paper’s connection with life continues to grow.Some Chinese manufacturers of paper foodservice products already count Europe and Oceania among their main export markets. Paper crosses borders to serve different cuisines and ways of life. Base paper, functional materials, coating, printing, forming, equipment, and supply chain capabilities all contribute to making these international deliveries possible.Research reference: International Business Daily, a report on exports of paper foodservice products.Behind Every Sheet of Paper That Reaches the World Is the Expertise of an Entire Value ChainThat expertise must ultimately meet specific needs in use.Hot-drink cups need secure bottoms and side seams; cold-drink cups must withstand condensation. Wrapping paper must cope with moisture, grease, and folding, while food containers must be suitable for forming, holding food, and transport. Different foods, usage patterns, and waste management systems create further requirements across markets.Base paper stiffness affects forming, while absorbency affects coating. The functional layer needs to provide a barrier and work with printing, folding, and sealing. Equipment, testing, and quality management connect these stages, turning a product concept into something that can be manufactured repeatedly and supplied consistently.For those in the industry, the challenge is often getting it right every time: a new paper batch must still run well on the production line; larger orders must retain the same quality; and a new application requires established experience to be validated again.When these details are handled well, users rarely notice them. A cup that feels right in the hand, dependable packaging, and food that arrives in good condition simply become an expected part of daily life.Manufacturers turn complex materials and processes into everyday products people can use with confidence.The value of the supply chain lies beyond the quoted price per tonne of paper. It is also found in products that work well for customers and deliveries they can rely on. These tangible outcomes give professional expertise its meaning.Scale helps products reach distant markets;expertise gives customers a reason to keep choosing them.In global markets, customer choices come down to specific requirements: Does the packaging suit local foods? Does the process fit the customer’s production line? Can quality remain consistent? Is the total cost acceptable? Regulations, food-contact requirements, logistics conditions, and end-of-life practices in each market must also inform research, development, and production.By drawing on their strengths in paper grades, equipment, and processes, developing a thorough understanding of a specific application, and working with local partners, manufacturers can turn Chinese manufacturing expertise into the products and solutions customers need.Every problem carefully resolved and every delivery that fulfills a promise builds trust for long-term collaboration. When customers keep choosing a supplier and partners can grow together, the capabilities of the value chain continue to create value in wider markets.China’s National Day invites us to reflect on the past and recognize what people are creating today. For the paper industry, that pride can be tangible: an improvement made in a Chinese workshop eases processing challenges at another factory; a solution developed by a Chinese team gives a customer far away a better choice of product.This is how expertise connects China with the world.This is also the direction BIOTEN Packaging hopes to pursue with its partners: connecting base paper, functional materials, and coating and converting capabilities; developing products around real applications; continuing to explore efficient material use and pathways for paper fiber recovery and reuse; and competing through quality in global markets.Bring paper mills’ strengths into specific applications. Turn coaters’ and converters’ expertise into products. Deliver improvements that brands and users can experience. By deepening our individual strengths and making jointly developed products dependable, we can turn expertise into trust across borders.Paper has recorded China’s history;what China creates is becoming part of everyday life around the world.This National Day, BIOTEN Packaging salutes every industry partner dedicated to making good paper and dependable products, and everyone whose expertise and patience help Chinese manufacturing reach wider markets.May every journey bring good moments, and may a welcoming light await every return home.And may the dedicated work connecting China with the world receive the recognition it deserves.Research NoteThis article was independently researched and written by BIOTEN Packaging using historical newspaper pages, museum materials, public reporting on named companies, and application information, with verification current as of September 30, 2026. It is provided for industry research and learning and should not be used as the basis for business decisions. For corrections, clarification, or removal requests, please contact us through this WeChat official account. We will review and address requests within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Insights: Data and Verification SourcesCPPCC Daily / People.cn: “The Founding Ceremony of the People’s Republic of China in a People’s Daily Special Edition”China Modern and Contemporary Press and Publication Museum: “Imprints of Glory: Memories of an Era in Newspapers—a Tribute to National Day”International Business Daily / Zhejiang Economic Information Center: “Going Green: Foreign Trade Enterprises Build New Competitive Advantages”DBC / BIOTEN Packaging: Bioten Plus balanced-grade solutions for paper-based packagingRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-10-01T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-10-01T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-10-01-national-day-china-paper-global-life/cms-image-f27fba6b0e630992.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-29-bioten-pha-matte-barrier-paper-feel.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-29-bioten-pha-matte-barrier-paper-feel.html",
            "title": "Matte Barriers, Natural Paper Feel: BIOTEN PHA’s Long-Term Competitive Strength",
            "summary": "How BIOTEN PHA creates value and empowers industry partners",
            "content_text": "How BIOTEN PHA creates value and helps industry partners build lasting competitiveness in global markets through more sustainable technologyThe next step in value for paper cups is to hold hot drinks, retain the natural character of paper, and keep suitable end-of-life options open.After a BIOTEN PHA water-based emulsion is applied and dried, the functional layer provides water and grease resistance while the paper surface retains a natural matte finish and visible fiber texture. This is what BIOTEN calls a matte barrier: combining the feel of paper with barrier performance on the same coated surface. The barrier remains; the film-like feel recedes.This paper feel can also help distinguish a brand’s packaging. The natural matte finish of a coffee cup, the fiber texture of a food container, and the warm touch of a paper bag allow the material itself to express the brand. Alongside color, graphics, and structural design, paper adds a distinctive quality that people can see and feel.PE extrusion coating has provided a reliable foundation for paper-based foodservice packaging at scale. Today, brands also want a distinctive texture, consistent supply, and a clear route for handling packaging after use. BIOTEN’s development work addresses these needs together.Paper Feel and Barrier Performance, TogetherPaper is porous. Coating pinholes, exposed cut edges, and creases can also allow water and oil to penetrate. A BIOTEN PHA water-based emulsion needs to form a continuous barrier layer after coating and drying. Base paper absorbency, coat weight, and drying conditions also affect how much fiber texture remains visible and how the surface feels. Too little coating may compromise the barrier; simply adding more can increase cost, drying demand, and a film-like feel.BIOTEN therefore designs for a matte paper feel, water and grease resistance, and heat sealing together, from material selection through coating process development. Whether customers currently use PE or PLA extrusion coatings, or EAA or acrylic water-based coatings, they can compare finished products intended for the same use: Is the paper texture visible? Does the surface feel like a film? Can resistance to hot liquids and grease, barrier performance after folding, and seal integrity all meet the required specifications? BIOTEN aims to make its difference visible in the paper feel and tangible in the reliable performance of the same finished product.Paper cups must withstand contact with hot liquids and maintain integrity at the bottom and side seam. Food containers must resist grease, particularly along creases. Paper bags require attention to folds, abrasion, and brief splashes. These applications can share a material platform, but each needs a suitable process. Paper keeps its own character while gaining the ability to meet more packaging needs.For papermakers, coaters, and converters, the opportunity lies in turning these requirements into product specifications they can consistently deliver: a uniform surface appearance, dependable barriers and seals, and controlled yields and costs. Building these capabilities over time can create application-specific expertise and give customers reasons to choose a supplier beyond price per tonne.Research references: BIOTEN Plus natural matte application concept; research on water and grease resistance in water-based coatings.Performance Today, Options After UsePackaging value also extends to safe use and end-of-life management. BIOTEN develops formulations with no intentionally added PFAS. For food packaging, the finished product needs appropriate food-contact documentation based on the food type, contact conditions, and target market. These are fundamental considerations when brands assess a material solution.DBC has reported repulping rates of up to 97% for relevant PHA-coated paper products, indicating potential worth further developing for paper fiber recovery. Individual projects still need retesting by paper mills using actual paper samples. Specified BIOTEN PHA coatings are listed as components in BPI’s home-compostable product directory, providing a material basis for developing packaging suited to composting. Recycling is an important direction; composting is another option where the application and treatment conditions are appropriate. Paper cups, boxes, and bags each need evidence for their complete finished structure.Reduce Material at Source, Recover Resources After Use, and Consider Biodegradation Where Appropriate.Material use should be optimized while meeting functional requirements. A suitable recycling or composting route should then be selected according to the product and the local treatment system. Every option needs to be matched to the actual finished product.Research references: BIOTEN product FAQs; DBC’s repulping disclosure; BPI’s listings for BIOTEN coatings.Value Beyond TodayThe EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is being applied in phases, with requirements covering packaging reduction, substances of concern, and design for recycling. California also requires covered single-use packaging to be recyclable or compostable by 2032. These developments encourage brands to assess packaging as a whole: Does it perform in use? Can it be produced consistently? Is there an appropriate route for handling it after use?BIOTEN PHA’s value also begins with its feedstock. Compared with an equivalent fossil-based formulation, verified bio-based content can replace a portion of the fossil-derived raw materials. This substitution can be valuable even at the same total coat weight. If dry coat weight can also be reduced while meeting equivalent barrier and heat-sealing targets, the two benefits can be combined. Using less material and reducing dependence on fossil-derived feedstocks are two development directions that can advance together.When paper feel, functional performance, feedstock sourcing, and verified end-of-life pathways work together in one product, customers have a more complete set of reasons to choose it.As applications expand and fermentation and processing continue to improve, BIOTEN PHA has the potential to reduce unit costs and strengthen its long-term price competitiveness. As customers extend from paper cups into food containers, wrapping paper, and other products, the ability to keep matching base papers, processing conditions, and target markets can create further value in the partnership. Long-term competitiveness comes from delivering good products today and sustaining the ability to improve them.Research references: EU packaging regulation guidance; bio-based materials and fossil feedstock substitution; research on PHA processes and costs; California packaging rules.From Paper Samples to Long-Term SourcingDBC works with BASF, PhaBuilder, and partners in papermaking, coating, and converting to turn material capabilities into packaging that can be delivered reliably. Base paper absorbency and stiffness, coating film formation and surface appearance, and folding and sealing during conversion all need to work together in the same product.Collaboration can begin with a paper sample currently in use, an actual food application, and a clear product target. Compare paper feel, barrier performance, and heat sealing; validate line speed and production yield; then calculate the total cost per 1,000 conforming packaging items. This allows paper mills to contribute their base paper expertise, coaters and converters to build application capabilities, and brands to obtain products they can source consistently over time.Customers keep choosing products that offer a visible difference, perform reliably, and deliver the same quality in volume production.BIOTEN hopes to work with partners to turn distinctive paper feel into dependable products, making material innovation a source of value that customers can see and use.Let Paper Feel Like Paper—and Do More.BIOTEN PHA Water-Based Emulsions: Barrier Performance with the Feel of Paper.Research references: DBC’s disclosures on collaboration across the paper-based packaging value chain.Research NoteThis article was compiled by BIOTEN Packaging from public product information, research literature, and certification directories, with verification current as of September 28, 2026. It is provided for industry research and learning and does not constitute a purchasing recommendation or a performance guarantee. Suitability depends on the paper, coating structure, intended use, and valid supporting documents. For corrections, clarification, or removal requests, please contact us through this WeChat official account. We will review and respond within 24 hours of receiving the request.BIOTEN Insights: Data and Verification SourcesDBC: BIOTEN Plus natural matte application concept; BIOTEN product FAQsBPI: BIOTEN coating listings; DBC: repulping disclosureEuropean Union: PPWR legal text; PPWR implementation guidance; guidance on single-use plastic productsCalRecycle: packaging extended producer responsibility rules; DBC: value chain collaboration disclosuresRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-29T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-29T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-29-bioten-pha-matte-barrier-paper-feel/cms-image-d2ba6555f096a882.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-25-dbc-bioten-mid-autumn-introduction.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-25-dbc-bioten-mid-autumn-introduction.html",
            "title": "Happy Mid-Autumn Festival | Discover the Full Scope of BIOTEN at DBC",
            "summary": "We develop new applications for the future and help our partners make decisions that strengthen their competitiveness. May every effort bear fruit.",
            "content_text": "The full moon is a sight we share as we look up together. Everyday life, in turn, is sustained by countless people quietly giving their best. DBC wishes you and your family a happy Mid-Autumn Festival, a joyful reunion and good health. May every effort bear fruit.Many new friends first discover DBC through BIOTEN Packaging. For more than a decade, DBC has focused on new materials research and development and application innovation. Building on this experience, BIOTEN has developed bio-based functional waterborne emulsions, with a related patent strategy spanning more than 100 inventions.Starting with a single paper cup, we aim to help advance more sustainable paper-based packaging worldwide. BIOTEN Packaging develops bio-based waterborne coatings for food packaging such as paper cups, boxes and bags.DBC’s years of technical and product development also extend to seed coatings and fertilizer coatings in agriculture; emulsion paints and wood coatings in bio-based coatings; and body washes, facial cleansers and sunscreens in personal care.Four fields share one purpose: turning new materials produced through biomanufacturing into products people can use in everyday life. We develop new applications for the future and help our partners make decisions that strengthen their competitiveness.Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-25T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-25T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-25-dbc-bioten-mid-autumn-introduction/cms-image-b47242de7dc61e53.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-24-water-based-coated-paper-long-term-value.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-24-water-based-coated-paper-long-term-value.html",
            "title": "The Next Competition in Water-Based Coated Paper: What Creates Lasting Value?",
            "summary": "From PE extrusion coatings to water-based barriers, lasting value comes from turning material reduction, manufacturing, compliance and end-of-life options into products customers keep choosing.",
            "content_text": "From PE extrusion coatings to water-based barriers, lasting value comes from turning material reduction, manufacturing, compliance and end-of-life options into products customers keep choosing.PE extrusion coatings have played a major role in making paper cups suitable for hot drinks, heat sealing and high-volume production. PE stands for polyethylene; LDPE, or low-density polyethylene, is a common extrusion-coating material. Established materials, equipment and processes enabled the previous wave of scale-up in paper cups, bowls and similar products.Today, brand buyers are bringing more requirements into a single packaging decision: how much material the functional layer uses, how effectively paper fibers can be recovered, how emissions are controlled during production, and how the product will be managed after use in its target market.Regulation and brand initiatives are sending concrete signals. EU rules on single-use plastics cover paper cups with plastic coatings or linings. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) requires design-for-recycling criteria to be established by 1 January 2028, with the corresponding requirements applying from 1 January 2030 or 24 months after the relevant delegated acts enter into force, whichever is later. Starbucks has also begun replacing plastic cup linings with a mineral-based coating in selected European markets. Regulatory deadlines and purchasing decisions are together driving changes in packaging structures.Water-based coated paper offers an important technical route: an aqueous emulsion or dispersion is applied to paper and dried to form a barrier or heat-sealable layer. Michelman states that Michem Coat 9100 has recyclability certifications covering more than 20 countries, with the relevant assessments based on typical hot-cup constructions. Water-based coatings are already part of commercial product development, shifting competition toward manufacturing efficiency, user experience and end-of-life options.PE extrusion coatings provided the foundation for scaling paper-based foodservice packaging. The next phase of value in water-based coated paper must deliver across performance, manufacturing and circularity.Research sources: European Union — single-use plastics guidelines and PPWR legal text; Starbucks — new European paper cup; Michelman — water-based cup coatings.Water-based describes the application medium; material reduction depends on the dry coatingWater-based describes the medium in which coating ingredients are dispersed. The water leaves during drying, while the remaining polymers provide water resistance, grease resistance or heat sealability through surface coverage, film formation and bonding with paper fibers. Base-paper porosity, surface condition, coating uniformity and drying conditions all affect whether the film performs continuously and consistently.There is engineering scope to reduce material use. BIOTEN cites a laboratory cupstock comparison attributed to BASF and DBC: a water-based acrylic dispersion coating at a dry coat weight of 8–12 g/m² was compared with commercial extrusion-coated cups using 20–25 g/m² of coating. According to the article’s account, liquid-barrier performance was similar under the specified hot-water and hot-coffee test conditions. These figures refer to that reported comparison, rather than a general performance guarantee. Lower coat weights must be developed together with film formation, adhesion and the intended end use.Material-use calculations should include primers, functional layers, sealing layers and production losses. Drying demand, line speed and yield can then be compared for the same end-use requirements. PE and PLA (polylactic acid) extrusion coatings should be assessed as part of complete finished structures. EVOH (ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer), primarily used for oxygen-barrier performance, should likewise be evaluated within a complete package that also meets liquid-resistance and sealing requirements.The value of material reduction is to use less material for equivalent performance and turn a greater share of inputs into conforming finished products.Research sources: BASF and DBC — reported water-based cupstock coating comparison; Kuraray — EVOH gas-barrier applications.From liquid formulation to finished product, safety requires checks at every stageFood-contact compliance must be assessed for the specific material grade, additives, supply batch, processing conditions and finished-product use. Procurement teams should check the intended scope of use, declarations of compliance and batch information to prevent industrial materials with unverified food-contact suitability from entering production. China’s GB 4806.10—2025, the national food safety standard for paints and coatings used in food-contact materials and articles, is now in effect and sets requirements for the products within its scope.BIOTEN focuses on raw-material suitability and the control of impurities and residual monomers before materials reach the coating line. Potential sources of specific substances, such as formaldehyde, should be identified across raw materials, additives and production processes. Volatile organic compound (VOC) content should also be measured using an applicable method. During coating and drying, attention shifts to fugitive emissions, worker exposure and releases to the environment. Finished articles then require migration, sensory and other relevant testing for the intended food type, contact temperature and duration.Compared with solvent-based coating, using water as the dispersion medium can reduce organic-solvent consumption. China’s Ecological and Environmental Code and related pollution-control policies also support low-VOC raw materials and auxiliaries. Residual substances at source, production emissions and migration from finished articles are distinct issues at different stages. Addressing them together supports food safety, workplace conditions and consistent delivery.BIOTEN summarizes its product-development direction as: reduce material use at source, enable circularity after use, and offer biodegradation where appropriate. Material use is optimized while maintaining performance, with complete paper products designed to support fiber recovery. For applications suited to composting, the corresponding products and treatment pathways must be developed. Each choice should serve a specific customer and use case.Research sources: National Health Commission of China — food-contact coating standard announcement; Ministry of Ecology and Environment — low-VOC substitution policies and the Ecological and Environmental Code; Davis-Standard — extrusion-coating processes.Water-based coatings share a process; the material system shapes what comes nextEAA (ethylene acrylic acid copolymer) can provide adhesion to paper fibers, flexibility and heat sealability. Water-based acrylic systems offer considerable formulation flexibility, with products already used for water-resistant, grease-resistant and repulpable paper packaging. Different grades and formulations give the industry a wide range of functional options.Two further dimensions matter when discussing bio-based composite emulsions: bio-based describes feedstock origin, while composite describes how components work together. Both can overlap with different polymer types. The value of a composite formulation lies in coordinating film formation, adhesion, barrier performance, heat sealing and end-of-life requirements around a defined product objective.PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates) adds a bio-based polymer option for this work. DBC reports working with Bluepha on PHA-based paper-packaging materials. Separately, Nippon Paper has developed heat-sealable paper using Kaneka’s Green Planet biodegradable polymer; its heat-sealable paper range targets applications including secondary food packaging. These developments illustrate the opportunities for combining bio-based materials with paper-coating technology.BIOTEN describes its PHA water-based composite emulsion as part of the BIOTEN Plus product system. Based on PHA-related bio-based materials, it is developed for water resistance, grease resistance, heat sealing and processing compatibility in paper and paperboard packaging. Development focuses on matching material properties with the base paper, coating, printing and forming conditions to create applications that can be refined over time.BIOTEN is confident in the combined barrier, heat-sealing and processing performance of this approach, and welcomes comparisons with customers’ existing EAA or acrylic systems using the same base paper and finished-product requirements. Let the customer’s production line and finished products demonstrate the difference.For customers developing a composting pathway, BPI’s public directory lists BIOTEN grade 4108 as a coating component, with commercial- and home-compostability information. DBC identifies BIOTEN PRO as a principal product for BPI home-compostability certification and states that foodservice articles made with BIOTEN Plus-coated paper can also meet applicable compostability certification requirements. Such finished-product claims must be supported by the certificate and scope for the specific article; a component listing alone does not establish certification of every cup, wrap or food container. Complete structures must be evaluated against the requirements of the target market.Lasting value comes from two capabilities: making today’s products work and creating a practical route to future improvements.Research sources: SK Functional Polymer — EAA paper coatings; Dow — water-based acrylic barrier coatings; Nippon Paper — PHA-related heat-sealable paper development; BPI — BIOTEN coating-component directory.To become a long-term supplier, provide a measurable comparisonBrand buyers purchase dependable outcomes: paper that does not leak and retains its barrier after folding; compatible base papers and coatings that support consistent heat sealing and forming at scale; and food-contact documentation, material declarations and end-of-life options that stand up to scrutiny in the target market. Paper mills, coaters and material suppliers face these requirements together.Comparisons can begin on the same base paper to isolate material differences, followed by optimization of each structure and process for the same finished-product objective. Record dry coat weight, barrier performance after folding, heat sealing, blocking resistance, line speed and yield. Include materials, testing, energy and rejects in the total cost per 1,000 conforming packaging items. Assess end-of-life options using tests on the complete article and the systems actually available in its target market.BIOTEN welcomes joint development with papermakers, coaters and packaging converters, starting with a practical comparative trial. Paper mills bring the strengths of their base papers to a defined application; coaters establish consistent processes; converters validate folding, wrapping and forming; and BIOTEN supports material selection and application development. Cooperation creates lasting value when each partner deepens its expertise around a clear product objective.Turning materials into products that can be delivered consistently, and products into a reason for customers to keep choosing them: that is the long-term business case for water-based coated paper.We do not change how paper looks. We change where it can go.Research noteThis article was prepared by BIOTEN Packaging using public regulatory and company materials, certification directories and product research, with a review date of 24 September 2026. It is intended for industry research and learning and does not constitute a procurement recommendation or performance guarantee. Product suitability depends on the specific structure, target market and valid supporting documents. For corrections, clarification or removal requests, please contact this official WeChat account. We will review and address requests within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Insights: data and verification sourcesSK Functional Polymer — water-based EAA paper coatingsBASF — reported comparison of water-based barrier coatings for specified cupstockDBC — water-based acrylic emulsions containing bio-based feedstocksDavis-Standard — equipment and processes for extrusion coating with PE and other materialsKuraray — EVOH gas-barrier applicationsMichelman — water-based coatings for recyclable hot-drink cupsEuropean Commission — PPWR implementation guidanceEuropean Union — single-use plastics guidelines and PPWR legal textStarbucks — announcement of mineral-coated paper cups in EuropeMinistry of Ecology and Environment of China — Ecological and Environmental Code of the People’s Republic of ChinaMinistry of Ecology and Environment of China — Comprehensive Control Plan for Volatile Organic Compounds in Key IndustriesNational Health Commission of China — standard announcement for food-contact paints and coatingsNational Health Commission of China — standard announcement for food-contact plastic materials and articlesNippon Paper — PHA-related heat-sealable paper developmentBPI — BIOTEN coating-component directoryBIOTEN Packaging — Plus product-development approachRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-24T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-24T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-24-water-based-coated-paper-long-term-value/cms-image-a613f253d5e38172.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-23-food-wrapping-paper-global-brand-sourcing.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-23-food-wrapping-paper-global-brand-sourcing.html",
            "title": "Beyond Burger Wraps: How Can Food Wrapping Paper Win Long-Term Business with Global Brands?",
            "summary": "From regulatory changes and the scale of the greaseproof paper industry to hot-food wraps, chilled-food packaging and food interleaving, we explore opportunities to move China's paper value chain upmarket.",
            "content_text": "From regulatory changes and the scale of the greaseproof paper industry to hot-food wraps, chilled-food packaging and food interleaving, we explore opportunities to move China's paper value chain upmarket.When international food brands choose a wrapping paper, they increasingly ask several questions at once: Will it protect the food? What materials does it contain? How should it be managed after use? And will the next round of regulations require another material change?These questions are the starting point for long-term sourcing. Burger wraps are one visible entry point into a much wider range of applications, including sandwiches, hot dogs, filled wraps, meat, cheese and food interleaving papers.Changing rules reshapethe reasons for choosing a materialThe EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) began applying in phases on 12 August 2026. Its PFAS concentration limits for food-contact packaging are already applicable, while requirements such as recyclability will be phased in from 2030.Major brands are also changing their sourcing criteria. McDonald's incorporates material sourcing, management of fluorinated compounds, functionality and safety, and post-use handling into its packaging policies and supplier management. Brands must consider whether today's products can support the direction of change already set out.Long-term sourcing depends not only on whether a paper works today, but also on whether its technology can continue to meet the needs of the target market.This creates room to develop functional coatings at low coat weights, reduce reliance on polyethylene (PE) extrusion coatings and explore different end-of-life pathways. Recycling, home compostability and food-contact safety each require their own supporting evidence for the specific market and finished product.Beyond burger wraps:understanding the industry's scaleNordic Paper's 2024 Annual and Sustainability Report, published in 2025, estimates global demand for all types of greaseproof paper at just under one million tonnes. North America and Europe are the largest markets.This estimate includes natural greaseproof paper and other grease-resistant papers for wrapping, bags, baking and other uses. It provides context for the scale of the industry; it does not represent sales of burger wraps alone.Look beyond a single type of burger: fast food requires convenient folding and wrapping, while premium freshly made burgers call for suitable sheet dimensions and handling. Sandwiches, hot dogs and filled wraps must cope with grease, sauces and water vapor. Chilled meat, fish and cheese introduce different requirements for wet performance and storage.The opportunity is to develop distinct products around different foods, rather than give the same paper several different names.Basis weight and functionalityfollow the task the paper must performA paper's weight in grams usually refers to its mass per square meter, known as basis weight or grammage, rather than its thickness.For example, delfort lists a basis-weight range of 25.5–45 g/m² for its fast-food packaging papers, and 43 g/m² and 47.3 g/m² grades for fish, meat and cheese wrapping. These examples show that food papers do not all need to start at 80 or 100 g/m², and that a premium product need not be thicker.Hot-food wrapping papers must balance grease resistance, water resistance, fold resistance and water-vapor transmission. Limiting penetration by liquid oil and water while managing steam released by the food requires several functions to work together. Higher water-vapor transmission is not always better. For large burgers, sheet dimensions, folding and handling, and support for the food must also be considered together.Chilled-food wrapping papers must be developed with food juices, low temperatures, wet strength and storage time in mind. The steam release needed for a hot burger and the moisture management required for chilled meat should not be assessed using a single common metric.Food interleaving papers serve applications involving slices or layers of ham, cheese, meat patties and similar foods. Beyond grease resistance, they require evaluation of non-stick performance, clean release and food-contact safety. Grease resistance alone is not a measure of easy release.Different foods require different combinations of paper substrate, coating and converting processes. Development starts with the specific food.BIOTEN's role:connecting regulatory requirements with applicationsBIOTEN's PHA waterborne barrier approach uses functional coatings to replace conventional PE extrusion-coated structures in suitable wrapping applications. Development focuses on formulations with no intentionally added PFAS, compatibility with paper-fiber recovery and compostability as an optional end-of-life pathway.Success depends on coordinating the paper substrate, coating distribution, film formation, drying, printing and converting. What matters is performance after wrapping, behavior in actual food contact and cost per conforming product, rather than maximizing a single test result.BIOTEN states that a specific finished burger-wrap grade it plans to promote has obtained BPI home compostability certification and is supported by corresponding test documentation. Any collaboration will be tied to the relevant product grade, specifications and scope of a valid certificate.BPI's home compostability certification is based on the French standard NF T 51-800 and requires commercial compostability certification as a prerequisite. It provides verifiable third-party evidence for customers with those requirements. Repulpability and other target-market requirements must still be addressed separately for the complete paper product construction.Brands choose products for the long term when they perform the intended function, have clearly documented requirements and can continue to evolve with the market.Master an application,then build a stronger market presenceChina's capabilities in papermaking, coating, printing and converting can be combined with materials innovation and application experience in target markets.Lightweight-paper producers can specialize in wrapping and interleaving. Coating companies can develop combinations of functions and improve batch consistency. Converting and distribution partners can connect product specifications, brand customization and local service.BIOTEN welcomes partners with relevant capabilities, respect for innovation and a commitment to sustained investment to jointly develop food wrapping papers. Exclusive cooperation arrangements may be discussed for specific countries or agreed territories, with products, channels, duration and responsibilities for fulfilling the agreement clearly defined.Burger wraps are an entry point; improving the functionality of food wrapping papers is the larger opportunity. A thorough understanding of regulations, materials and applications can turn a small sheet of paper into a lasting business that global brands are willing to source from repeatedly.Research notePrepared by BIOTEN Packaging using regulatory materials, publicly available company information and application research, with verification current to 23 September 2026. The market scale is the industry estimate in the cited report; basis weights are examples of third-party products. Specific products are subject to their corresponding specifications and valid documentation. This article is for industry research and learning and does not constitute a procurement or performance guarantee. For corrections, clarification or removal requests, please contact the originating WeChat official account; requests will be reviewed and addressed within 24 hours.BIOTEN Observer: data and verification sourcesEuropean Commission | Application of packaging rules and PFAS restrictionsNordic Paper | 2024 Annual and Sustainability Report (published in 2025)Delfort | Fast-food packaging papers and wrapping papers for fish, meat and cheeseBPI | Home compostability certification schemeMcDonald's | Packaging and supplier requirementsBIOTEN Packaging | Product and partnership information (company confirmation)Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-23T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-23T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-23-food-wrapping-paper-global-brand-sourcing/cms-image-a673c3fdcd2e1c04.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-22-water-based-coated-paper-opportunities.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-22-water-based-coated-paper-opportunities.html",
            "title": "New Opportunities in the Water-Based Coated Paper Value Chain: Build on Strengths, Master Applications",
            "summary": "Explore 101 specific opportunities for innovation in paper-based applications, from foodservice packaging to modern agriculture, and work with BIOTEN to identify high-value products that build on your strengths.",
            "content_text": "Explore 101 specific opportunities for innovation in paper-based applications, from foodservice packaging to modern agriculture, and work with BIOTEN to identify high-value products that build on your strengths.A hot coffee is passed across the counter at the start of the day. We notice its aroma and warmth; holding it all is a paper cup. That small cup connects a paper mill's production line with everyday life.To support the development of high-value products, BIOTEN has identified 101 specific opportunities for innovation in paper-based applications,spanning 14 sectors, including foodservice ware, food packaging, fresh-food cold chains and modern agriculture.Following a sheet of paper into the customer's working environment, and studying how needs, materials and converting processes fit together, is BIOTEN's starting point for identifying new opportunities for industry partners.Start with real-world useto find the right product directionFoodservice ware: hot coffee and hot soup each call for the right paper. Cup walls, bases, side seams, paper lids and forming processes must work together. Cold-drink cups must also withstand external condensation. For foodservice ware manufacturers, opportunities lie in the reliable performance of the complete cup or bowl.Fried foods and bakery products: resist grease while preserving crispness. Burger wraps, fried-chicken bags and bread bags encounter different combinations of oil, water and steam. Lightweight paper, functional treatments, printing and bag making must be coordinated around the food being served.Fresh-food cold chains: packaging must withstand the journey from refrigerated display to dining table. Paper bags for wet vegetables, paper trays for fresh meat, seafood wraps and frozen-food bags each require assessment of load-bearing capacity when wet, puncture resistance against sharp corners, flexing at low temperatures and seal integrity, helping customers reduce packaging failures.Other opportunities include wraps for solid personal-care and household products, barrier bags for pet food, and packaging for seeds and agricultural supplies. The required specifications are defined by what the package holds, how long it is used, and how it is converted and delivered. High value comes from solving specific problems.Burger wraps: turning a thin sheet of paper into a specialist product for the global foodservice supply chain.BIOTEN sees potential in this application because a burger wrap must handle hot grease, sauces, steam, crumpling and folding, as well as branded printing. It must also support fast sheet dispensing, wrapping and service in restaurants. Grease resistance is one function; a combination of user experience, converting efficiency and total cost per thousand sheets gives customers a reason to keep buying.For customers who specifically require home-compostable packaging, credible certification evidence is also essential. BPI's official catalog lists BIOTEN PHA coating components certified for home compostability, providing a material basis for this development direction. The certification applies to the coating components. Burger wraps still require food-contact and performance assessments, along with the relevant finished-product certification, based on the intended base paper, inks and complete construction.Scaling this application is particularly suited to partners with capabilities in lightweight paper, coating, printing and slitting, or the ability to coordinate those resources effectively. Papermaking expertise helps control sheet formation, flexibility and cost; coating capabilities support film formation, drying and roll consistency; printing and converting connect brand presentation, format conversion and batch delivery. These capabilities may be owned in-house or developed through industry partnerships.BIOTEN welcomes joint development with such partners to build a scalable burger-wrap business serving global foodservice markets. The aim goes beyond making a sample sheet: it is to establish specialist supply capabilities that can fulfill repeat orders and meet the needs of different markets.Developing deep expertise in a specific application can turn a small sheet of paper into a global business.Paper cups for seedlings:a gateway to agricultural paper applicationsPaper cups for seedlings connect plant propagators, nurseries, farms, equipment suppliers and materials companies. Starting here, paper can take on a wider role in agricultural production.Nursery propagation: design paper around the production cycle. Vegetable seedlings, flower cuttings and tree seedlings have different growing cycles. Paper cups, sleeves and plug-tray liners must accommodate filling, watering and transplanting, maintaining their wet structure while allowing drainage, aeration and root growth.Paper nursery bags: hold wet growing media and withstand handling out of the nursery. From bags for vegetable seedlings to those for fruit trees and forestry seedlings, load capacity, bottom joints, the required duration of moisture resistance and transplanting methods must be considered together. This offers wet-strength paper, coating and bag-making companies a route into the plant propagation supply chain.Mulching: make a sheet of paper serve a crop for a season. Paper mulches for greenhouse vegetable beds and fruit-tree bases, and weed-suppressing discs for pots, address light exclusion, weed control and moisture management. Products must suit installation, irrigation and the intended service period, with subsequent treatment and behavior in the soil environment assessed as well.Coated paper with tunable water stability: match functional durability to the crop cycle. Design the strength and duration of paper's functional performance in wet conditions around irrigation, heat, humidity and field operations. Load-bearing nursery bags and planting-paper liners that regulate moisture at specific stages require different paper substrates, coating distributions and structures. Performance retention when wet and subsequent structural changes must be evaluated separately.These applications point to the same opportunity: extend paper's role beyond packaging consumables to functional materials with clearly defined tasks in agricultural production.Serving Europe and North America:understand the industry systems behind demandInternational examples already exist for agricultural paper. In Europe, Ahlstrom, Ellepot and OrganoClick jointly developed a paper-pot solution that brings together a paper substrate, a biobased binder and plant propagation products. Collaborative development is one route for bringing new materials into practical applications.A 2022 amendment to U.S. organic regulations also established a conditional pathway for the use of compliant paper-based crop planting aids. These developments show that paper-based agricultural materials are becoming part of specific products, operating systems and regulatory frameworks.Entering overseas markets requires a clear understanding of crops, growing methods, material requirements and service channels. Agricultural customers focus on total cost per thousand viable seedlings and per mu (approximately 667 square meters) per growing season; packaging customers focus on cost and in-use performance per thousand conforming products.A thorough understanding of an application can turn manufacturing strengths into reasons for customers to keep choosing your products.Work with BIOTENto turn applications into productsBIOTEN Packaging has been developing paper cups for seedlings, paper-based propagation containers and second-use applications for paper cups. Relevant granted invention patent documents cover paper-based propagation systems, the conversion of paper cups into seedling containers and associated kits, recording a development approach that coordinates materials, containers and uses.One approach considers both beverage use and subsequent plant propagation at the coffee-cup design stage, then explores using the cup as a seedling container after its original use.From holding a coffee to supporting a seedling, a paper cup's second life opens a door to agricultural applications.BIOTEN connects papermaking, coating, product converting and end-use needs through paper substrates and PHA waterborne barrier technology. Guided by source reduction, end-of-life circularity and biodegradation as an optional pathway, it selects approaches for each application and turns application research into specific development projects.Companies specializing in lightweight paper can focus on wraps and sleeves. Those with wet-strength and coating capabilities can develop moisture-resistant paper bags and mulch papers. Partners with cup forming, bowl forming, bag making or distribution strengths can collaborate on finished products.The value of these 101 opportunities is not that every company should pursue them all, but that each can find a direction worth developing in depth.BIOTEN welcomes partners to define product objectives together, match materials and processes, and address application needs. Considering performance, production yield, cost and repeat purchasing together creates the opportunity to turn innovation into a valuable, sustainable business.Start with your existing strengths in paper grades, equipment and customer relationships. Work with BIOTEN to identify applications worth entering and open up new uses and markets together.We do not change what paper looks like; we change where it can go.Research notePrepared by BIOTEN Packaging using DBC developer resources, patent literature and official regulatory records, with verification current to 22 September 2026. For industry research reference.BIOTEN Observer: data and verification sourcesAhlstrom | Fast-food papers, joint paper-pot development and fiber-based mulch materialsEllepot | Vegetable propagation and forestry papersUSDA | Paper-based crop planting aidsDBC | A second life for paper cupsBPI | BIOTEN certification listings, certification scope and requirementsBIOTEN Developer | Development of 101 application opportunitiesPatent literature | Paper-based propagation systems, paper-cup reuse and agricultural ecologyRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-22T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-23T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-22-water-based-coated-paper-opportunities/cms-image-4d196488c472d11b.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-21-paper-industry-differentiation-resources.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-21-paper-industry-differentiation-resources.html",
            "title": "Why Is the Paper Industry Trapped in Cutthroat Competition? A Lack of Differentiation, Not Talent",
            "summary": "Let skilled people create competitive advantages, not just complete tasks.",
            "content_text": "Why do companies with skilled people and equipment still struggle to build a distinctive advantage? From sidelined professional judgment to locked-in investment, this article asks why resources that support differentiation remain so difficult to accumulate.The paper industry has no shortage of people who can keep paper machines running reliably, control costs and deliver orders well. The deeper challenge is to give professional judgment a real role in decisions and resource allocation.Why do some companies with excellent teams, advanced equipment and substantial scale still struggle to escape competition based on largely interchangeable products?For established paper grades that customers can readily substitute, access to raw materials, the ability to build a production line and the capacity to organize production are merely conditions for entering the market. Sustained returns also depend on cost advantages that are hard to replicate or value in use that customers are reluctant to give up.That is why resources that enable differentiation matter.But saying that a company lacks resources does not explain enough. Process know-how, application data, customer collaboration and reliable delivery often take years of work by skilled people to develop. If the people and investment are already there, why are these resources still so difficult to build?This raises a deeper question: As a company's production scale grows, does the role of professional judgment in its decisions evolve as well?SECTION ONEThe company has grown.Has its decision-making kept pace?Papermaking is capital-intensive. A production line, an upgrade or a technology choice can affect equipment, energy, raw materials, R&D, procurement and sales. Its consequences extend far beyond a single meeting.In the early stages of a business, an owner's experience, courage and ability to make quick decisions may be exactly what allows it to seize opportunities. Those strengths deserve respect.As the business becomes more complex, however, more variables must be assessed together. When a company moves from familiar paper grades into functional materials, new applications and different markets, past experience remains valuable but may not cover every new challenge.If a company has grown to a scale that requires several specialist teams to work together, yet major decisions still revolve around the experience of a few individuals, a mismatch can emerge: the organization has more expertise, but its decisions do not make full use of it.The issue is not who makes the final call. It is whether the realities of materials, processes, customers, costs and markets can all be fully considered before that call is made.Decision-making authority can be centralized; professional judgment must still accommodate more than one voice.The owner must weigh funding, opportunities, risks and what the business can afford to bear. Specialist teams must explain the evidence supporting a proposal, the unresolved issues and the trade-offs between options.Not every professional recommendation has to be adopted. But it should be accepted or rejected on the strength of the evidence and the overall trade-offs, rather than the seniority of the person presenting it.Companies do not need to remove the person with final authority. They need to prevent that authority from replacing an assessment of the facts.SECTION TWOWhy do professionalsgive up their judgment?Professional judgment can lose its influence without anyone explicitly ordering it to be set aside.The owner signals a preference, and the technical team starts looking for ways to implement it. The project enters the budget, and procurement starts securing supplies. Sales receives targets and starts looking for orders.Every department is working diligently. Yet a direction that still needs testing may already have become a premise that is no longer open to discussion.If questioning a technical approach is easily interpreted as poor execution, and presenting contrary evidence is seen as a lack of support for the strategy, professionals may gradually learn to ask less often whether something is worth doing and focus instead on how to make it happen.Material limitations are downplayed as a few parameters still needing adjustment. Customer rejection is explained as a need to educate the market. Cost barriers are expected to disappear with greater scale.These explanations can sometimes be valid. The question is whether the organization still allows another conclusion to be considered: the original choice may need to change.When reporting prioritizes alignment with an established direction, expertise can shift from testing a judgment to defending it.A company may pay to hire skilled professionals yet use only their ability to execute, without truly using their ability to judge.Giving up that judgment does not protect the owner either. Information filtered through successive layers may present decision-makers with increasingly comprehensive arguments while exposing them to less and less of the actual uncertainty.The absence of objections does not mean the risks have disappeared. It may simply mean that no one has voiced them.Professionals have responsibilities of their own. They can understand the company's trade-offs and implement a plan they do not fully endorse. But they must not present an untested proposition as established fact, or omit critical conditions merely to make a report easier to deliver.Following the final decision should not come at the expense of professional honesty.SECTION THREEHeavy investment locks inmore than capitalOnce a flawed judgment is translated into capital-intensive investment, correcting it becomes more complicated.Equipment has been ordered, teams assembled and customers approached. Budgets and performance assessments are already in place. Reviewing the direction now means not just revising an opinion, but coordinating an entire set of arrangements again.Investors want growth, production needs capacity utilization, sales needs orders, technical teams want the project to advance, and the organization wants stability.Each of these objectives has its own rationale. Together, however, they can gradually allow the insistence that the project must continue to replace the question of whether it is still worth continuing.If a trial falls short, run another. If customers are not ready to accept the product, approach a different group. If the economics are not yet viable, assume a larger scale.Repeated testing is part of innovation. What matters is whether each round of investment produces useful information and changes the understanding of the original assumptions.A hundred attempts can bring you closer to an answer, or serve to defend one.If no result can change the initial conclusion, the company may be accumulating not only R&D experience, but also commitments that become increasingly difficult to reverse.Questions left insufficiently discussed in meetings may eventually become much more expensive trial and error on the production line. Six months or a year may be spent not only on technical breakthroughs, but also on finding reasons to support a direction settled too early.Another distinction matters here: the short-term choice to keep existing capacity running and the long-term decision to build new capacity require separate calculations.Continuing production may cover part of the fixed costs and reduce losses. That does not mean additional investment can cover its cost of capital and operating risks. The fact that operations cannot stop now does not prove that more capacity should be added in the future.Capital-intensive businesses need not only the courage to decide, but also the ability to test their decisions against new evidence.SECTION FOURWithout a say in resource allocation,judgment cannot build differentiationResources that enable differentiation cannot simply be bought, nor created by giving an ordinary product a new name.They may come from an effective combination of raw materials, energy and location, or from stable processes, application databases, long-term customer collaboration and a reputation for reliable delivery.These advantages require investment, but also judgment about which problems are worth solving over the long term.If specialist teams become involved only after the direction is set, with responsibility limited to delivering predetermined targets, they may struggle to secure trial budgets, equipment time and cross-departmental support even when they identify new customer needs.If a company is willing to invest in tangible equipment but makes no room to validate an application, develop process know-how or build the ability to collaborate with customers, it is more likely to expand production capacity than its ability to differentiate.Products remain easy to substitute, so sales continues to compete for orders on price. Pressure on margins then makes the company even less willing to bear the cost of developing new directions.When professional judgment cannot influence resource allocation, companies can end up repeatedly reinforcing familiar capabilities while failing to build the advantages they will need next.This is one underlying reason for a lack of resources that support differentiation, and it deserves serious attention from business leaders.Effective accumulation means that a trial leaves reusable data, a failure produces new process insights, and work with a prospective customer deepens application knowledge. After a project ends, the next development effort need not start from scratch. The company gradually builds capabilities that others cannot immediately replicate.This accumulation serves more than niche, high-priced products. Making standard paper grades more consistent and material-efficient, and helping converters reduce waste and machine adjustment losses, can also create value.Nor does a company have to build every capability on its own. Identifying partners with complementary expertise and building advantages through sustained, trustworthy joint development is itself an important business judgment.SECTION FIVELet skilled people create advantages,not just complete tasksAddressing destructive competition requires more than asking employees to work harder, and it cannot mean blaming the owner for every problem.What needs to change is the relationship between professional judgment and business decisions.Specialist teams should distinguish facts, assumptions and uncertainties, and present comparable options instead of simply expressing agreement or opposition. Decision-makers must allow that information to influence their choices and make room for the validation required.Judgments can be revised, but responsibilities must be clear. Who provides the evidence, who tests the critical conditions and who makes the final trade-offs should all be explicit. Thorough discussion must still lead to timely decisions and effective execution; endless debate cannot replace accountability.The owner is accountable for the final trade-offs, and specialist teams for the basis of their judgments. Decisions must be executable, and judgments open to revision in light of evidence.With this relationship in place, skilled people create more than current output or progress on a single project. They build process know-how, data, customer understanding and collaborative capabilities that the business can continue to use.Only when these capabilities create demonstrable cost advantages and customer value can effort translate into sustained returns.The paper industry needs to move beyond competition based solely on price. Doing so requires both resources that enable differentiation and decision-making mechanisms that allow those resources to be identified, funded and accumulated.The question companies should really ask is:Are we organizing our expertise to create new advantages, or to prove that our existing judgments were right?Truly valuing skilled people means more than hiring professionals. It means bringing expertise into decisions and turning investment into lasting capabilities, so that those capabilities give customers a reason to keep choosing the company.Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-22T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-21-paper-industry-differentiation-resources/cms-image-7fae58ca372e59be.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-17-paper-manufacturers-capacity-to-judgment.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-17-paper-manufacturers-capacity-to-judgment.html",
            "title": "Paper Manufacturers: Capacity Built the Past, Judgment Will Shape the Future",
            "summary": "Our perspective on value creation—and the underlying questions shaping the future of paper manufacturing.",
            "content_text": "Production systems answer how to work faster. Sound judgment answers why the work is worth doing.For decades, paper manufacturers have followed a familiar path to growth built on scale, efficiency and cost: invest in equipment, expand capacity, raise productivity and reduce costs.That approach has built many successful companies and advanced the industry as a whole. Capacity, efficiency and cost control remain essential to competitiveness today.But as more companies develop comparable production capabilities, the questions that shape competition are changing:Should we invest in the next machine? Should we proceed with another capacity expansion? How long should we persist with a new-materials project? If customers are not yet accepting it, is the market unready, or does the technical approach need reassessment?Working faster alone can no longer answer these questions.What paper manufacturers need to reconsider is whether the experience that drove past growth is still enough to support their future.Chapter 1Scale has grown.Has value kept pace?Resources, location, capital and scale have long given paper manufacturers important advantages.Yet competition through scale has a feature that deserves attention: when more companies expand along similar paths, the additional supply itself changes prices, the competitive landscape and returns on capital.For an individual mill, expanding capacity, increasing utilisation and lowering unit costs may all be rational choices. Spreading costs over higher output can provide a temporary advantage. But when more mills make similar expansions, the additional supply can create renewed pressure on prices.Efficiency improvements are valuable, but production efficiency, sales growth and returns on capital measure different things.An apparently reasonable business decision can therefore produce a different outcome:The capacity target is met, but the value-creation target is not.This is not a shortage of capable managers. The difficulty is that competitors have different funding sources, return expectations, asset structures and capacities to sustain losses.Other companies may not share your minimum acceptable margin or follow the competitive logic you know. An investment case built on the expectation that competitors will stop cutting prices may rest on a more fragile assumption than it appears.Completing an investment does not establish that the original judgment still holds today.Investors want growth, commercial teams want expansion, production teams want higher utilisation, technical teams want projects to continue, and organisations tend to maintain an established direction. Each objective can make sense on its own.Together, however, these individually reasonable objectives do not necessarily produce a worthwhile outcome. A business can gradually drift away from the problem it should be solving through a series of decisions, each with its own justification.A sound case for each part does not guarantee a sound case for the whole.The question is therefore whether expansion can create value commensurate with the investment, as well as whether the company has the capacity to expand.Chapter 2A hundred attempts:what are they proving?This question is particularly important in functional papers, new materials and paper-based alternatives to plastics.Before deciding, do decision-makers understand the materials? Have they compared different materials and technical approaches for the same application? Do they understand the connections from forest and pulp resources and base-paper production through coating, printing, forming and heat sealing to use conditions and end-of-life treatment?Do they know what customers will pay for? Are they tracking changes in regulations, costs, consumer experience and the value chain?Seeing the advantages of one material is not enough to assess a technology's prospects. Demonstrating one performance attribute does not establish that processing, cost, delivery and market acceptance will also work.A further concern arises when an untested technical hypothesis becomes embedded in budgets, targets and performance reviews. An assumption that needs testing can become a premise that nobody questions.The organisation then concentrates on how to make it work, while asking less often why it must be done this way.Disappointing material performance can be explained by the need for process optimisation. Customer rejection can be attributed to a need for market education. High costs can be expected to fall with scale. Repeated failures can be attributed to equipment, parameters, suppliers or execution.Sometimes those explanations are valid.But an effective R&D and decision-making process must allow the original judgment to be proved wrong.If no result can change the initial conclusion, the trials are defending the hypothesis rather than testing it.A hundred attempts canbring us closer to an answeror keep an existing answer intact.Both can look like hard work, but they serve fundamentally different purposes.Targeted trials add information. Even disappointing results can eliminate false assumptions and reduce uncertainty. Repeated spending without learning, by contrast, can make it increasingly difficult for an organisation to revise its original conclusion.The real danger is reaching six months, a year or longer into a project and no longer being able to tell whether the company is solving a problem or trying to prove that its earlier decision was correct.When a direction becomes tied to personal credibility, departmental budgets and performance reviews, admitting the need for change is no longer just a technical matter. A company may prefer to keep paying for execution rather than revisit its initial judgment.The other extreme is also dangerous: endless discussion, waiting and requests for more information, without a decision.If waiting produces no critical new evidence and merely postpones responsibility, the time lost has a cost too.Professional judgment requires knowing which information is sufficient for a decision and which critical assumptions still need testing. It combines the ability to move forward with the ability to change course when the evidence changes, without rushing to a conclusion or waiting indefinitely.Chapter 3A new competitive advantage:beyond capacity expansionto value creationJudgment helps companies avoid poor investments and, just as importantly, identify unmet needs that customers will continue paying to address.This is why advanced functional materials deserve renewed attention from paper manufacturers.Evaluating a material at only one stage can obscure its performance in the final application. Coordinating materials, base paper, coating, printing and forming around a specific need offers a better chance of turning an isolated advantage into a complete product capability.The company then supplies the outcome the customer needs, extending its offer beyond a tonne of paper, a drum of coating or a single converting operation.Some applications need better water and grease resistance; others require more reliable heat sealing and forming. Some focus on reducing material use, improving compatibility with recycling or enabling compostability as an option. Others prioritise food-contact safety, processing efficiency and consumer experience.These needs have different priorities. Expertise lies in assessing them within a specific product and finding a suitable combination.Real competitiveness comes from turning materials into outcomes customers need, the value chain can manufacture reliably, and the market will continue to pay for.When competitors struggle to reproduce those outcomes at comparable cost, quality and efficiency, they become a more durable competitive advantage.'Are we simply doing more, or making better choices?' asks Lin Fanqiu. 'The starting point for BIOTEN PHA is to create value for customers.'The letters 'PHA' cannot establish that value on their own. Materials are a means to an end. What customer problem is solved? What does manufacturing cost? How does the solution fit existing equipment? Can it be produced consistently? Why would the market keep buying it?DBC organises its barrier-engineering approaches under BIOTEN Plus, Pro and Ultra. These address general paper-based food packaging, custom barriers and process integration, and specialised work on liquid packaging and demanding structures, respectively. Technical combinations are selected according to the application, equipment, cost constraints and validation objectives.The aim is not to give every customer the highest specification.Creating value also means avoiding charges for capabilities customers do not need today.Today's solution should serve today's business, with options to upgrade as applications, customer requirements and market conditions change. Customers benefit from a technical partner that can develop alongside their business, as well as from the material itself.Lin Fanqiu says: 'We respect the contribution of PE extrusion coating, as well as the market's practical needs and the way it develops. Developing alternatives to plastics must be a long-term undertaking that makes economic sense for customers, enables partners to grow and delivers reasonable returns on R&D. We should not treat the transition as an opportunity to extract a short-term premium. To build this undertaking at scale, we must hold to our convictions and principles.'A sustainable alternative needs a workable balance of performance, cost, processing, regulation and market demand. Simply presenting a new material as more advanced than an existing one is not enough.Chapter 4Recognise the opportunity.Understand the partnership.Advanced functional materials raise another frequently underestimated issue:Seeing someone else's result does not mean possessing the capability to achieve it.A material or paper-based packaging product that can be commercialised reliably usually depends on much more than a formulation parameter. It draws on capabilities developed through extensive testing: raw-material selection, interface control, workable formulation ranges, coating conditions, equipment compatibility, experience of failures, test methods and accumulated customer application data.These capabilities, which do not appear in a product name, are often the hardest part to replicate.Focusing on a sample while underestimating the work required for consistent delivery can turn an apparent cost-saving shortcut into a lengthy detour. Reducing another team's years of development to a few interchangeable ingredients is also an error of judgment.Effective joint development therefore requires both openness across the value chain and clarity about contributions, boundaries and ownership of results.Lin Fanqiu says: 'We welcome application developers. But we do not accept obtaining or using proprietary R&D results without authorisation in the name of cooperation, then bypassing the creators and erasing their contribution.'Maintaining boundaries does not mean rejecting cooperation. It means assessing potential partners on the facts: some merit a relationship built on trust, while others operate in ways that do not align with our values.Cooperation can develop from a single transaction into sustained innovation only when those who create value can earn reasonable, continuing returns.For partners with a sustained record of trustworthiness and a willingness to invest jointly, BIOTEN is prepared to prioritise access to new applications and market opportunities that are ready for introduction. Earlier visibility, assessment and choice can help partners turn an opportunity into a first-mover advantage.Good industrial partnerships do more than deliver an order together. They enable each party to develop capabilities it did not previously have.This is also an important question for the next stage of China's paper packaging value chain.China has built manufacturing strengths across materials, papermaking, coating, printing, equipment, converting and supply chains. The next opportunity is to combine those capabilities into new products and solutions for new markets, alongside continued improvements in the cost of existing products.China's paper packaging value chain can offer sustainable products, technologies and solutions to global markets, as well as competitive costs and production capacity.Advanced functional materials can therefore enable more than a material substitution. They can help the value chain compete internationally on product and technical capability.Chapter 5Keeping paper's familiar form,expanding where it can be used'We do not change what paper looks like; we change where it can go.'Lin Fanqiu's point is that innovation in materials and functionality can bring paper into applications and roles that were previously difficult for it to serve.From cups, bowls, cartons and bags to food-wrapping papers and paper-based flexible packaging, BIOTEN studies combinations of materials and processes around source reduction, recovery after use and degradability as an option. The approach depends on the application, converting process and available end-of-life treatment.This judgment concerns both how a product is used today and what may be possible after that use.Consider a paper coffee cup.Its first role is to hold coffee. Must its value end when the coffee is finished?BIOTEN is exploring another possibility:'When the coffee is finished, the cup begins to grow.'This development approach concerns coffee cups specifically designed for a second use. The design stage considers both beverage service and subsequent seedling cultivation, exploring whether the cup can become a seedling container after its initial use.Moving from holding coffee to supporting a seedling involves planning for the next use from the outset, rather than simply giving the product a new label.It raises a question for further research across the value chain:Must a packaging product's value end with its first use?The same thinking could lead to research into seedling containers, nursery pots and grow bags, seed tapes, water-retaining functional papers, other paper-based agricultural materials, household and personal-care packaging, and decorative products.The value of these directions depends on solving real problems. What advantages do they offer over existing solutions? Can they be manufactured consistently? Are costs acceptable? Why would customers buy them? Can they create lasting commercial value?Advanced functional materials open up possibilities. Professional judgment identifies which of them merit investment.Innovation means developing new uses that deliver real value, rather than merely imagining more uses.From holding a cup of coffee to supporting a seedling, the opportunity is to expand the value paper can deliver as well as the volume produced.Chapter 6As execution becomes easier,judgment becomes more importantAI is changing how companies access information, analyse problems and develop proposals. It can improve efficiency in analysis and creative work, although its effectiveness depends on the task and how it is used.AI can support execution, compare options, seek counterexamples and test assumptions. Whether those capabilities improve decisions depends on how the organisation uses them.One risk deserves particular attention:Stronger execution can amplify errors faster when the underlying judgment has not been adequately tested.With more efficient information tools, automated equipment and execution teams, an insufficiently tested assumption can move more quickly into budgets, equipment purchases, inventories, KPIs and action across the organisation.Producing a proposal quickly does not establish that the direction is sound. A complete-looking argument does not establish that its critical assumptions withstand scrutiny.Businesses therefore need to keep asking:Why are we doing this?What evidence supports the case?What evidence would make us change our decision?These questions establish whether the work deserves to move faster.A company with strong execution can move faster than its peers. Without sound judgment, it can also consume resources faster in the wrong direction.Used critically and checked against evidence, AI can also help identify subjective biases and bring us closer to the facts.Value creators must remain clear-eyed: knowing when to accelerate and when to stop and reassess; distinguishing unrecoverable sunk costs from capabilities that still merit future investment; and recognising whether the business is adding scale or value.In the past, paper manufacturers learned how to scale up.For the future, they must judge what is worth scaling.Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-17T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-17T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-17-paper-manufacturers-capacity-to-judgment/cms-image-a5cce26b04f48886.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-12-china-top-10-paper-grades-production-ranking.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-12-china-top-10-paper-grades-production-ranking.html",
            "title": "China's Top 10 Paper Categories: What Drives 141 Million Tonnes of Output?",
            "summary": "China produced 141.35 million tonnes of paper and paperboard in 2025.",
            "content_text": "Containerboard accounts for almost half of output, while higher specialty-paper production has not translated into stronger domestic demand. Here is how ten paper categories compare in scale, uses and market destinations.China produced 141.35 million tonnes of paper and paperboard in 2025. Corrugating medium and linerboard together accounted for 64.70 million tonnes, or 45.77%. The materials behind everyday corrugated boxes make up almost half of the total.How can businesses identify opportunities in a market this large? Start with the size of each category, examine where the paper goes, and then consider the economics for mills and customers. Production volume, domestic consumption and profitability are three different measures.Ten paper categories ranked by productionThe ten statistical categories in the China Paper Association's China Paper Industry Annual Report 2025 are listed below in descending order of 2025 production, alongside domestic consumption. 'Other' remains an aggregate category. Art paper and coated white paperboard are subcategories of their respective parent categories and are not counted again in the total.01 | Corrugating mediumProduction: 32.55 million tonnes | Consumption: 34.82 million tonnesProduction increased by 3.50% year on year.This is the fluted core of a corrugated box. It provides cushioning and structural support for parcel delivery, e-commerce and industrial transport.02 | LinerboardProduction: 32.15 million tonnes | Consumption: 36.53 million tonnesProduction increased by 5.93% year on year.Linerboard forms the outer and inner facings of corrugated boxes. Common grades include kraftliner and recycled linerboard. Strength, printability and intended service conditions are important selection criteria.03 | Uncoated printing and writing paperProduction: 18.75 million tonnes | Consumption: 17.83 million tonnesProduction increased by 1.63% year on year.Used for textbooks, books and office printing, this category ranks third by production. Demand comes from publishing, education and office applications.04 | White paperboardProduction: 17.60 million tonnes | Consumption: 15.09 million tonnesProduction increased by 2.62% year on year.Used in packaging applications such as folding cartons. The original table includes 16.70 million tonnes of coated white paperboard within this category. The statistical category should not simply be relabelled as virgin-fibre white card or folding boxboard.05 | Tissue paperProduction: 13.15 million tonnes | Consumption: 11.50 million tonnesProduction increased by 4.37% year on year.This includes toilet tissue, facial tissue and napkins. It is closely connected to consumers, so brands, distribution channels and the end-user experience also matter to business performance.06 | Packaging paperProduction: 7.85 million tonnes | Consumption: 8.11 million tonnesProduction increased by 1.29% year on year.Paper for wrapping, bag-making and related uses. This is a separate statistical category in the association's report, not the sum of all paper used in packaging.07 | Coated printing paperProduction: 7.20 million tonnes | Consumption: 5.38 million tonnesProduction increased by 2.13% year on year.Used for illustrated publications, magazines and other printing applications. Art paper accounted for 6.95 million tonnes within the category. Buyers also need to distinguish gloss, grammage and printing suitability.08 | Other paper and paperboardProduction: 6.35 million tonnes | Consumption: 5.88 million tonnesProduction increased by 7.63% year on year.This combines grades that are not reported separately. It does not represent a single paper type or producer, and ranks eighth by output.09 | Specialty paper and paperboardProduction: 5.10 million tonnes | Consumption: 2.69 million tonnesProduction increased by 5.15% year on year.This category serves a wide range of specialised uses. Labels, food packaging and medical applications deserve separate analysis because demand and technical requirements vary considerably by grade.10 | NewsprintProduction: 650,000 tonnes | Consumption: 960,000 tonnesProduction decreased by 7.14% year on year.Primarily used for newspapers. Both production and consumption fell in 2025, making this the smallest category in the ranking and one with a clear contraction in demand.Source: China Paper Association | Annual Report 2025Why containerboard accounts for almost halfCorrugating medium and linerboard normally work together: one forms the fluted core, while the other forms the facings. Their demand is tied to the movement of goods, rather than only to consumers buying paper directly.According to the State Post Bureau, China handled 198.95 billion express-delivery items in 2025, up 13.6% year on year. Beyond e-commerce, the movement of food, appliances, everyday goods and industrial products also requires transport packaging.Parcel numbers and paper tonnage do not grow in a one-to-one relationship. Box dimensions, construction, lightweighting, reuse and alternative packaging all affect paper use per order. Box manufacturers and paper suppliers should examine customers' shipment volumes alongside paper consumption per box.Who supplies these grades? The association's list of major producers for 2025 includes Nine Dragons Paper, Shanying International, Lee & Man Paper and Long Chen Paper for linerboard. For corrugating medium, it includes Nine Dragons Paper, Wuhan Golden Phoenix Paper, Shanying International and Dongguan Jinzhou Paper. The lists differ, so the competitive landscape for linerboard should not simply be applied to corrugating medium.For procurement, such lists are only a starting point. Even within the same grade category, buyers need to compare strength, suitability for the box design, delivered cost and reliability of supply.Sources: State Post Bureau | 2025 industry statistical bulletin; China Paper Association | Annual report and lists of major producersA different ranking when demand is consideredCorrugating medium ranks first by production, but linerboard ranks first by domestic consumption. In 2025, net imports were 4.38 million tonnes for linerboard and 2.27 million tonnes for corrugating medium. Imported material is part of the supply of both grades.Under the report's statistical framework, production plus imports minus exports reconciles with reported consumption. Imports therefore need to be considered alongside domestic output when assessing supply. Identifying the grades and regions served by imports requires a closer look at product and trade data.Specialty paper and paperboard presents another important signal: production rose by 5.15%, while domestic consumption fell by 2.18% and exports increased by 14.29%. Full-year exports were 2.56 million tonnes, equivalent to roughly half of the 5.10 million tonnes produced.For converters and material suppliers, 'growth in specialty paper' raises further questions: are orders domestic or overseas, which applications are expanding, and how do customer requirements differ? Export-oriented label stock, food-packaging materials and other specialty grades do not all serve the same market.Full-year net exports were 2.51 million tonnes for white paperboard, 1.65 million tonnes for tissue paper and 1.82 million tonnes for coated printing paper. Overseas demand is therefore an important destination for several categories. Domestic production alone can blur the distinction between domestic consumption and export-driven demand.Source: China Paper Association | Production, consumption and trade statisticsFinding worthwhile orders in a large marketA production ranking cannot answer the profitability question. The 2,553 paper-producing enterprises covered by the association's economic statistics reported total profit of RMB 23.6 billion in 2025, down 7.11% year on year. Finished-goods inventories reached RMB 45.6 billion, up 10.57%.Higher industry output can coexist with pressure on prices, costs and inventories. Market concentration affects competition, but raw-material costs, new capacity, product differentiation and customer demand also shape profitability.For the paper packaging value chain, the useful questions concern the requirements behind specific orders. A textbook needs good printing and readability; a shipping box needs protection and reliable arrival; a food container must also cope with its contents, temperature and holding time. The same tonne of paper can address very different problems that customers are willing to pay to solve.Food packaging provides a concrete starting point. Improving a paper cup, food container or bag often requires base paper, functional layers and converting processes to be considered together. Consistent coating, folding and sealing performance, as well as behaviour during use, all affect the finished product.BIOTEN's application development for PHA waterborne barriers focuses on these issues: matching the barrier layer to the product's use, meeting applicable food-contact and performance requirements, and evaluating alternatives to conventional PE extrusion coating. Material consumption, processing efficiency and the conditions for treatment after use are included in the comparison.For a business developing a new product, benchmarking an existing cup or container is more useful than following a headline growth rate alone. Define the food, contact time and temperature, base paper and equipment conditions, then compare production yield, actual use performance and cost per item. This turns demand into a specific development task.Sources: China Paper Association | Economic indicators for paper producers; BIOTEN | Paper-based food-packaging applicationsTurning the ranking into business questionsThe ranking is most useful as a guide to what to ask next: which grades account for the volume, where orders originate, why customers choose a particular paper, and how mills can supply it consistently.Use production to assess scale, consumption and trade to understand market destinations, and costs and customer needs to evaluate the business.Research noteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging using the China Paper Association's annual report, public information from the State Post Bureau and corporate application materials. The source article's information cutoff is 11 September 2026. It is intended for industry research and learning and does not constitute investment advice or a procurement or performance guarantee. For corrections, clarification or removal requests, contact this WeChat official account; we will review requests within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer: data and verification sourcesChina Paper Association | China Paper Industry Annual Report 2025State Post Bureau | Statistical Bulletin on the Development of the Postal Industry in 2025BIOTEN | General approaches to paper-based food-packaging applicationsRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-12T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-14T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-12-china-top-10-paper-grades-production-ranking/cms-image-482fb91ebce23da4.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-09-beijing-green-takeaway-packaging-guidelines.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-09-beijing-green-takeaway-packaging-guidelines.html",
            "title": "Beijing's New Takeaway Packaging Guide: Matching Materials to the Meal",
            "summary": "Beijing's recommended local standard DB11/T 2510-2026 took effect on 1 September 2026, helping food delivery merchants choose green packaging according to the food, temperature and risk of leakage.",
            "content_text": "Beijing's Guidelines for the Use of Green Packaging by Food Delivery Merchants (DB11/T 2510-2026) took effect on 1 September 2026. By 9 September, the city was in its second week of implementation. The municipal market regulator describes it as China's first local standard specifically addressing green packaging use by food delivery merchants. One day later, on 2 September, the mandatory food-contact coatings standard GB 4806.10-2025 also took effect. The Beijing guide helps merchants choose packaging, while the national standard addresses coating safety. The guide does not impose a blanket ban on a named material: it sets out packaging options according to the food and delivery conditions.This matters to material producers and packaging converters because food delivery is a major, high-frequency use of disposable paper containers, cups and bowls. Merchants' selection criteria influence upstream demand. This article explains the guide, why it does not favour biodegradable materials in every case, and where PP, paper, aluminium foil and biodegradable materials fit. It also considers practical actions across the value chain.01 Choosing packaging under China's first merchant-focused local guideDB11/T 2510-2026 was issued by the Beijing Administration for Market Regulation on 27 May 2026 and took effect on 1 September. The 'T' denotes a recommended local standard. It provides technical guidance rather than establishing a new penalty regime, while applicable food-safety and other legal duties still apply. Its recommended status does not make it commercially insignificant: the way it was developed and is promoted helps explain its potential influence.The Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform proposed the standard and oversees its technical coordination. The source article describes coordination by its resources and environment division alongside DB11/T 2246-2024, the local standard on evaluating green packaging in food delivery. The China National Export Commodities Packaging Research Institute, part of China Logistics Group, led drafting, with deputy chief engineer Feng Qingzheng as the first drafter. Participants included the China Packaging Federation, the National Center for Quality Inspection and Testing of Packaging Products (Jinan), the Beijing Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Center, and Meituan through Beijing Sankuai Online Technology Co., Ltd. This combination brought packaging expertise, testing and merchant experience into the work. The standard was also presented at the launch of Beijing's 2026 National Energy Conservation Publicity Week activities on 15 June.The source article reports plans for the city's development and reform commission and market regulator to cultivate demonstration merchants, starting with restaurant chains and leading businesses in commercial districts. Proposed actions include packaging procurement and recycling records, together with attention to merchants' cost concerns. The municipal authorities see the guide as a possible reference for other cities. It translates the broader plastic-pollution agenda into practical advice for food delivery; the source also cites a citywide green initiative launched in Shenzhen in April 2026. The significance lies in connecting technical guidance with implementation by identifiable organisations.Platform participation could amplify that influence. The guide itself does not create penalties, but requirements incorporated into merchant rules or green procurement catalogues could become commercial qualification criteria for suppliers. This remains a potential route for implementation, rather than proof that every platform has already adopted the standard as a binding rule.Green packaging is understood in terms of its life cycle: it fulfils the packaging function while limiting harm to human health and the environment and reducing resource and energy use. The source article cites an estimated 630 million food delivery users in China by December 2025. It also cites platform disclosures that, by the end of July 2026, 590 million users had selected 'no cutlery', covering more than 13 billion orders and an estimated carbon reduction of over 500,000 tonnes, with container-recycling programmes in more than 20 provinces. These are attributed market and platform figures; the imported article does not provide the underlying reports for independent verification. The scale nevertheless explains the industry's interest in merchant-level packaging choices.The guide's organising question is which packaging suits which food. A shift towards selection by use case could alter demand across competing materials, although the size and pace of that change will depend on adoption.02 Start with simple or sealed packaging, then assess liquid content and temperatureThe guide has four principles: safety, material reduction, ease of recycling or degradability, and reuse. Packaging must meet applicable national food-safety standards; tamper-evident seals or outer packaging that cannot be restored after opening are recommended. Sizes should fit the meal closely, with limited empty space and simple printing; non-woven bags should be avoided where insulation is unnecessary. Single-material or readily separable structures are preferred to support end-of-life handling. Consumers can also be encouraged to reuse containers for non-food-contact purposes, such as household storage.Within those principles, the guide distinguishes simple packaging from sealed packaging, using liquid content, leakage risk and temperature to organise advice for common dishes. This makes it directly relevant to daily restaurant operations.Simple packaging suits foods with little or no liquid that can be wrapped or contained as a whole. Bags can be used for steamed buns and flatbreads. Burgers, sandwiches and hot dogs should have fewer packaging layers. Paper boxes are recommended for pizzas and cakes that need protection against deformation or sticking. Stir-fries and rice dishes with little sauce can use lidded containers without a sealing design. Barbecue foods can be wrapped in aluminium foil and placed in a bag that closes securely. Biodegradable packaging is recommended for hot, oily fried snacks with no broth, such as fried rice cakes. Divided compartments can be used for dumplings and sushi.Sealed packaging suits foods with more liquid that need protection against leakage. For room-temperature foods with little oil and substantial liquid, such as chilled jelly desserts, fruit desserts and cold skewers, the options include PP containers, paper bowls and biodegradable containers. Room-temperature dishes with more oil and sauce, such as rice sheets and spicy mixed dishes, can use paper cups, paper bowls or biodegradable containers. Hot, relatively low-oil foods with broth, including noodle soup, wontons and congee, can use PP containers, paper bowls or biodegradable containers. Hot, oily, liquid-rich dishes such as maoxuewang, Sichuan-style fish in chilli oil, malatang and maocai can use PP containers with sealing wrap, biodegradable containers or aluminium-foil containers. Frozen desserts such as slushes can use PP or PET containers or paper bowls. Tea, coffee and juice can use paper, PP or PET cups with recycled-material cup carriers. Every option must be suitable for the actual food and temperature; listing PET here is not a recommendation to use every PET grade for hot filling.The guide also seeks to reduce plastic stretch wrap: avoid unnecessary wrapping for ambient, chilled and frozen foods, and use only small amounts of narrow edge-sealing wrap where hot dishes require it. Beverage seals should be selected for temperature suitability and ease of physical separation; straw use should be reduced, and disposable cutlery should not be supplied automatically. The source article cites a Beijing hotpot restaurant where a better-sealing container eliminated repeated wrapping, prevented leaks and reduced preparation time. This example suggests that less packaging can also save labour. Across the selection table, liquid content, temperature and leakage risk drive the choice. Paper cups, bowls and boxes appear in simple-packaging, sealed-packaging and beverage applications, giving paper a broad range of potential uses.03 Recycling and degradability are alternative pathways, not a universal material rankingTwo common misreadings should be avoided.The first is that the guide requires complete replacement of conventional plastics. It does not. PP and PET remain options for appropriate sealed-packaging uses. For demanding hot, oily dishes with substantial broth, the listed options include PP containers with sealing wrap. Their position in a list does not establish a performance ranking. The guide uses language such as 'may' and 'should' to distinguish options and recommendations; it is not a blanket phase-out order for an entire material category.The second is that biodegradable materials are guaranteed to win. Again, they are not. The guide presents ease of recycling or degradability as alternatives. Packaging function, food safety, cost and available collection and treatment systems must be considered together. Biodegradable materials are recommended for fried snacks, but many liquid-rich dishes have parallel options including paper bowls, PP containers and biodegradable containers. Merchants still need to choose by application.Three practical checks follow. First, assess food-contact safety under the standards applicable to the finished construction, including GB 4806.10-2025 where a coating falls within its scope. Second, favour simpler or readily separable structures and a credible recycling or degradation route. Third, check cost and user experience. These are procurement considerations, not a substitute for formal testing or certification.Real-world constraints matter. Oily food residues and limited cleaning or separation can impede container recycling. Biodegradable products may carry a cost premium, while appearance after contact with oily food can affect customer acceptance. The source article cites Wu Xiaomeng, an associate professor at China Agricultural University's College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, on the guide's integration of material selection, design, use and recovery with dish-specific advice. Implementation will still be gradual and depend on local infrastructure. Suppliers need products that withstand the intended food conditions and have a demonstrable end-of-life route. Fluorine-related claims, repulpability and compostability should be assessed where relevant; they are not universal properties or identical requirements for every material.04 Four material groups, with barrier performance central to paper's wider useEach material group has a distinct role.PP and PET remain established options for appropriate sealed-packaging applications. Their temperature capabilities differ, so material and grade must be matched to use. Opportunities include easier separation, reduced wrapping and recycled-material cup carriers where specified. The guide does not itself establish that plastic demand will grow or shrink.Aluminium foil serves specialised applications. It offers useful temperature performance for barbecue foods, grilled fish and hot, oily dishes. Heating is only appropriate where the finished product and appliance instructions allow it. Cost and container design constrain its use, making it an application-specific option rather than a universal solution.Biodegradable materials benefit from the guide's recognition of degradability. They are recommended for fried snacks and listed alongside other options for foods with broth. Heat resistance, cost and suitable treatment infrastructure must still be checked for each product. Biodegradability does not automatically establish compostability under every set of conditions.Paper-based products, including cups, bowls, boxes and moulded-fibre containers, appear across a broad range of applications. Paper boxes are recommended for pizza and cake, paper bowls are among the options for selected cold dishes, noodle soup and congee, and paper cups are among the beverage options. This is broad coverage, not a blanket preference over all other materials. On the supply side, the source article attributes to Guanyan Tianxia estimates that China's moulded-pulp capacity exceeded 2.5 million tonnes during the first three quarters of 2025, representing about 56.8% of global capacity, while output reached 1.82 million tonnes, up 25% year on year. It compares this with a cited 3.38% growth figure for paper-product manufacturing, although the statistical bases should be checked before direct comparison. Grand View Research estimates the global moulded-pulp packaging market at about USD 6.21 billion in 2025, rising to USD 10.18 billion by 2033. These are third-party estimates with different scopes, not interchangeable measures of demand or capacity.Paper's wider use depends heavily on the barrier layer or internal sizing that protects fibres from water and grease. PE extrusion coating remains an established, economical option, but fibre recovery depends on the construction and recycling process; fluorinated grease treatments face tighter substance restrictions and procurement policies. The source article cites McDonald's commitments on no intentionally added fluorinated compounds in primary guest packaging, certified fibre and bio-based materials; Starbucks' 2030 reusable, recyclable or compostable customer-packaging ambition; KFC China's reported substitution of certain plastic bags and cutlery and some PS lids with PP alternatives; and Luckin Coffee's August 2026 cup initiative focused on material reduction and recycling. These company-specific statements should be checked against the underlying disclosures and their geographic and product scope. They illustrate growing attention to material choice and recovery, rather than one universal specification. Coated paper may require compliance with both GB 4806.8-2022 and GB 4806.10-2025; adhesives must be assessed under their own applicable provisions and are not automatically classified as coatings. Water-based acrylic or PHA barriers can be designed for water and grease resistance, release performance and sealing, but being water-based does not itself prove absence of PFAS, repulpability, recyclability or compostability. Finished-product evidence is essential. BIOTEN Packaging positions its Pro PHA waterborne barrier emulsion for paper and moulded fibre. According to the company disclosures cited in the source article, it provides water resistance, grease resistance and heat sealing, is made without intentionally added PFAS, and is repulpable; the company reports passing tests under GB 4806.10-2025 in January 2026 and certifications from ABA, BPI and DIN CERTCO. Buyers should check the test reports, certificate scope and intended-use conditions for the product supplied.Chinese dishes with different characteristics are packed in paper, plastic or aluminium-foil containers according to their needs.05 Practical actions across the value chain and signals to watchFour groups can take practical steps now.Container manufacturers and paper converters: Organise the product range by simple or sealed packaging, then by liquid content and temperature. State suitable dishes, material composition, ease of separation and any verified repulpability or compostability. Arrange the relevant substrate and coating tests, including GB 4806.8 and GB 4806.10 where applicable, so the evidence is available before customers ask.Material and coating suppliers: Support claims about resistance to oily liquids and heat, fluorinated substances, repulpability and compostability with relevant data. This can include migration results, grease-resistance testing, fibre-recovery results and appropriate certificates. Offer an application-tested system rather than raw material alone.Restaurant chains and merchants: Ask whether the construction is single-material or readily separable, whether relevant food-contact test reports are available, and whether the proposed recycling or degradation route suits the target market. The guide does not require every product to be both recyclable and biodegradable. Incorporate no-cutlery requests, correctly sized packaging and reduced wrapping into operating procedures.Platforms: Procurement criteria, visibility incentives and subsidies could transmit the guide's principles quickly. The source article cites platform programmes covering 16 food categories, container recycling in 29 cities across 22 provinces with more than 46,000 tonnes collected, and a beverage-cup programme reporting over 100 million cups recycled in one year with 64 brands and nearly 100,000 stores. These figures remain attributed disclosures requiring the original reports to verify scope and timing. Suppliers should watch whether and when the Beijing guide enters merchant rules or group-purchasing qualification criteria.Four early signals merit attention: adoption of similar guidance by other cities and adaptation to local food and supply chains; the strength of platform procurement and visibility incentives; changes in the cost gap between biodegradable, paper-based and conventional plastic containers; and whether design for recovery connects with real collection and treatment capacity, including expansion of existing container-recycling programmes.Beijing's guide could become a reference for other cities. Orders will ultimately depend on how a product performs in uses such as a bowl of malatang or a cup of coffee: food-contact safety, resistance to the intended contents and a credible route after use. For the paper packaging value chain, validated barrier performance could turn broader application coverage into business opportunities.This article was compiled by BIOTEN Packaging from public materials, government and standards information, including DB11/T 2510-2026, publications from Beijing's market regulator and development and reform commission, media reports including CCTV News and Qianlong, disclosures attributed to Meituan, McDonald's, Starbucks, Yum China and Luckin Coffee, and third-party market research. Information cutoff: 9 September 2026. Market and capacity figures are third-party estimates with differing scopes; some underlying reports and company claims cited in the source article have not been independently verified here. This article is for industry research and learning and does not constitute a procurement or performance guarantee. For corrections, clarification or removal requests, contact this WeChat official account; we will review requests within 24 hours of receipt.Original source unavailable",
            "date_published": "2026-09-09T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-09T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-09-beijing-green-takeaway-packaging-guidelines/cms-image-425279b5bf50c39c.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-09-food-contact-coatings-standard-water-based-paper.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-09-food-contact-coatings-standard-water-based-paper.html",
            "title": "One Week into China's New Coatings Standard: Three Regulatory Drivers for Water-Based Coated Paper",
            "summary": "China's mandatory GB 4806.10-2025 standard for coatings on food-contact materials and articles took effect on 2 September 2026.",
            "content_text": "On 2 September 2026, China's mandatory GB 4806.10-2025, National Food Safety Standard: Coatings and Coating Layers for Food Contact Materials and Articles, came into effect. Today marks its first full week. Seen over a month rather than a single day, this is more than a routine revision: it is the latest in a series of regulatory developments affecting packaging.The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) began to apply on 12 August; China's Ecological and Environmental Code took effect on 15 August; and the revised coatings standard followed on 2 September. Together, these developments sharpen the focus on safety, recycling and plastic reduction, although individual requirements have different implementation dates. They are drawing attention to the thin functional layer inside paper cups and food containers, and to paper with water-based coatings. This article examines the regulatory changes, the opportunities for water-based coated paper and the practical implications across the value chain.01 The first week: a clearer standard for the inner coatingThe previous framework left an important gap. The 2016 edition excluded coatings on paper, while the paper and board substrate was covered by GB 4806.8. In practice, some laboratories assessed the substrate against GB 4806.8 and applied the plastics standard GB 4806.7 to the coating, making the two sets of results difficult to reconcile. Inner cup coatings, grease-resistant layers on burger wrap and greaseproof paper, coatings inside moulded-fibre food containers and sealing materials all required a more clearly defined assessment of their function and applicable standards.The revised scope removes the paper-coating exclusion. It covers coatings on food-contact materials and articles, including indirect-contact coatings whose constituents may transfer into food. For coated paper cups and moulded-fibre containers, the substrate and the coating must each be assessed under the relevant requirements, using representative finished articles and appropriate test conditions. Adhesives and plastic layers also require their own applicable standards. A layer only a few to a few dozen micrometres thick is therefore a market-access issue as well as a manufacturing and cost consideration.02 Three regulatory developments in one monthThe significance becomes clearer when the three developments are viewed together.12 August: the PPWR begins to apply. Regulation (EU) 2025/40 replaces Directive 94/62/EC, subject to transitional provisions, and applies directly across Member States. Requirements are phased. Food-contact packaging must meet all PFAS limits: 25 ppb for any targeted PFAS, 250 ppb for their targeted sum, and 50 ppm including polymeric PFAS. Total fluorine below 50 mg/kg alone does not establish compliance. The combined lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium limit is 100 mg/kg. Article 7 exempts plastic parts below 5% of total packaging-unit weight from specified recycled-content requirements; this is not a universal plastic-classification threshold. The 35% and 65% targets for 2030 and 2040 concern the 'other plastic packaging' category, not all food-contact packaging. Category-specific rules, exemptions and commencement provisions must be checked.15 August 2026: China's Ecological and Environmental Code takes effect. Adopted on 12 March 2026 at the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress, the Code has five books and 1,242 articles. It is China's second law titled a code, after the Civil Code, and consolidates a broad body of environmental legislation. The circular-economy chapter in Book Four, on green and low-carbon development, provides a long-term framework. Article 957 addresses standards for green design, green manufacturing, waste utilisation and household-waste recycling; Article 959 addresses extended producer responsibility; Article 996 encourages green packaging and packaging reduction; and Article 998 provides for lawful prohibitions and restrictions on certain non-degradable single-use plastic products and promotes reusable, easily recyclable, degradable and harmless alternatives.2 September: GB 4806.10-2025 takes effect. Its focus is chemical safety, including migration from coatings. The PPWR addresses packaging circularity and restricted substances, the Chinese Code sets the broader domestic direction for resource circulation and plastic reduction, and the coatings standard defines food-contact safety requirements. Together, they require manufacturers to assess the inner surface of paper food packaging from several perspectives.A further development is the proposed product standard for Water-Based Coated Paper and Board for Food Packaging. The source article reports that the relevant national technical committee has prepared a draft for approval, with Types I, II and III covering applications such as burger and pastry wraps, dried-fruit bags and disposable drinking vessels. A draft is not yet an implemented standard, but consistent terminology, classification and testing would support the category's development.03 Five important changes in the coatings standardFor manufacturers, the revised coatings standard brings five immediate areas to review.First: paper coatings enter the scope, including relevant indirect contact. Inner cup coatings, grease-resistant paper and coated moulded-fibre containers require assessment under the new scope. Sealing materials must be classified by function; an adhesive is not automatically a coating. Finished-article testing must reflect the construction and contact conditions.Second: the expanded raw-material list requires traceable identification. The technical comparison cited in the source article puts the permitted base-material list at approximately 346 entries, up from about 105. Check CAS identities, maximum use levels, specific migration limits and other restrictions where specified. Base materials and additives follow different provisions: Annex A and relevant announcements for the former, and GB 9685 and relevant announcements for the latter. An unlisted ingredient cannot simply be justified by a generic 'food-grade' claim.Third: a tighter specific migration limit for bisphenol A. The relevant limit falls from 0.6 to 0.05 mg/kg: one-twelfth of the previous value, or approximately a 92% reduction. Epoxy-based systems involving BPA must be assessed against the applicable entry and use restrictions; selecting a low-BPA grade alone is not proof of finished-product compliance.Fourth: a total migration requirement for primary aromatic amines. For relevant coatings containing aromatic isocyanates, azo colourants or other potential sources of these amines, the total must be non-detectable at a detection limit of 0.01 mg/kg. Test the finished article after curing. Amines with their own limits in Annex A, GB 9685 or relevant announcements remain subject to those specific provisions.Fifth: updated migration and physicochemical requirements. For direct-food-contact coatings, overall migration must not exceed 10 mg/dm², heavy metals expressed as lead must not exceed 1 mg/kg, and potassium permanganate consumption must not exceed 10 mg/kg under the prescribed conditions. For coatings on articles intended specifically for infants and young children, overall migration is converted using the actual surface-area-to-volume ratio and must not exceed 60 mg/kg. The indirect-contact test provisions differ and must be checked separately.The coatings standard complements the substrate requirements. Paper and board remain subject to GB 4806.8-2022, coatings to GB 4806.10-2025 and additives to GB 9685 and relevant announcements. If the construction contains plastic layers, adhesives or inks, their applicable standards must also be checked. PE, PLA, fluorinated treatments and water-based systems all require an assessment appropriate to their chemistry and structure.04 Comparing four barrier approaches: where water-based coatings fitThe main approaches to the inner surface of paper foodservice ware have different strengths and limitations when assessed for safety, circularity and production performance.PE extrusion coating is the most established approach. Its mature water resistance, low cost and good processability make it common in hot-drink cups. However, a separate petroleum-based plastic layer can complicate fibre recovery, depending on the collection and recycling system. The source article uses a single-sided coating weight of 18 g/m² or more as an illustration, rather than a universal minimum. On 300 g/m² board, an 18 g/m² layer represents about 5.7% of the combined 318 g/m² sheet, not 6% of the finished packaging unit. This arithmetic does not determine legal classification. The structure still needs applicable food-contact testing. PE will not disappear immediately, but recovery requirements may encourage alternatives in some premium and export applications.PLA extrusion coatings use a bio-based plastic. Suitable PLA products can be industrially compostable under specified conditions, but this requires product-level evidence and access to an appropriate treatment route. PLA still forms a plastic layer. Grease resistance, heat tolerance, recycling compatibility and cost depend on the grade and article design. It is therefore better suited to selected applications with a clearly defined collection and treatment system than presented as an automatic substitute in every use.Fluorinated grease-resistant treatments face particular pressure in export and brand-led markets. Their strong grease resistance must now be weighed against PFAS restrictions and procurement policies. Research cited in the source article identifies moulded-fibre food packaging as one area of concern. The PPWR's food-contact PFAS limits are not confined to intentional addition, so removing intentionally added PFAS does not by itself demonstrate compliance. Exporters and brands need substance information and appropriate analytical evidence.Water-based coated paper offers a promising option that can fit existing coating lines. These systems disperse functional polymers, including acrylic polymers or PHA, in water. After drying, the coating may penetrate the fibre network and form a barrier. Formulations can be designed without intentionally added fluorinated substances or BPA-based epoxy resins, but 'water-based' alone guarantees neither property. Food-contact safety, repulpability, recyclability and degradability must each be demonstrated for the finished structure. Nor does the absence of a separately extruded film automatically make a polymer coating legally plastic-free. Coating weight is nevertheless an important design variable. The source article cites emulsions with 20–40% solids and dry coat weights below 10 g/m². Wet application weight must be distinguished from the material left after drying. For 300 g/m² board, a 10 g/m² dry coating represents about 3.2% of the combined sheet, compared with about 5.7% for an 18 g/m² layer. Actual packaging-unit calculations must include the full construction, and regulatory exemptions require a separate assessment. Lower coat weight can support material efficiency when barrier performance and recovery compatibility are verified.Water-based coating systems apply functional polymers from an aqueous dispersion. Barrier performance, coating weight and compatibility with fibre recovery must be verified for each finished construction.The market estimates cited in the source article suggest growing interest. It reports a Chinese market for coated paper products marketed as 'plastic-free' of about RMB 4.86 billion in 2025, up approximately 12.3%. For comparison, it cites China Paper Association figures of roughly RMB 1.42 trillion in 2025 revenue for paper and paper-product manufacturing, down about 2.6%, with total profit down about 13.6%. The article also cites a 2026 estimate of RMB 2.16 billion for food-grade base paper marketed as having plastic-free coatings, up about 16.1%; a global water-based coated-paper market of approximately USD 16.31 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate of about 14.25%; and an estimated 36% share for aqueous dispersion coatings in heat-sealable food paper in 2026. These figures cover different products, geographies and research providers and cannot be compared directly. The underlying market reports are not identified in the imported article, so these remain attributed estimates rather than independently verified market evidence. Growth also starts from a relatively small base. Commercial 'plastic-free' terminology does not establish regulatory classification, and all finished articles still require appropriate migration testing.05 Four potential drivers and a practical checklistThe opportunity for water-based coated paper rests on four potential drivers, rather than on a guarantee that every product or supplier will benefit.Demand: evidence-led material selection. Brands and foodservice-ware manufacturers need compliant constructions supported by evidence. Water-based barriers can become a routine option where they meet the intended-use requirements. The regulations do not require a blanket switch from every existing material.Supply: developing standards and manufacturing capacity. The proposed product standard could bring greater consistency to naming, grading and testing. Domestic barrier-emulsion and coating capacity is also developing, with potential cost benefits as production scales.Exports: documented compliance as a competitive advantage. Demonstrated PFAS compliance, reduced material use and validated recovery performance can strengthen an export offer. Suppliers should assess relevant recycled-content provisions separately, rather than use 5% as a general plastic-free or market-access threshold. Buyers are likely to favour suppliers with reliable evidence.Processing: coat weight and production-line compatibility. Properly designed water-based coatings can reduce dry material use and work with existing coating, printing and forming operations. Potential advantages in repulping and changeover cost depend on the formulation, equipment and finished article.Potential beneficiaries include raw-material suppliers that provide stable barrier emulsions and migration data, paper mills that validate substrate and coating together, converters that deliver complete compliance documentation, and brands that qualify materials early. The following actions can be started by three groups across the value chain.Coaters and raw-material suppliers: review each formulation against the applicable base-material and additive provisions. Prioritise BPA, primary aromatic amines and relevant use limits. Provide material compliance information and actual migration results, rather than an unsupported 'food-grade' statement.Paper mills and foodservice-ware converters: plan finished-article testing for the paper substrate and coating under the relevant standards. Include overall migration, heavy metals and other applicable parameters; assess formaldehyde, BPA and primary aromatic amines where the formulation triggers them. Select food simulants, temperature and duration to reflect uses such as hot drinks or baking. Update declarations of compliance and labelling.Brands and procurement teams: establish whether the barrier is PE, PLA, fluorinated or water-based; request representative finished-article migration results under the applicable standards rather than a bare 'pass'; and obtain evidence for relevant PPWR substance and circularity requirements when exporting. Include these checks in supplier qualification.BIOTEN's PHA waterborne barrier emulsion follows the aqueous PHA approach. According to the company's disclosures cited in the source article, its PHA-based waterborne barrier coating was tested in January 2026 by the National Key Laboratory for Food Contact Materials Testing (Changzhou) against GB 4806.10-2025, with all tested items passing across four reports. The company also reports compostability certifications from ABA, BPI and DIN CERTCO, a BPI home-compostability certification for its PHA waterborne barrier coating in May 2026, and a portfolio of inventions relating to paper barriers. Certification scope, report conditions and applicability to a customer's finished article must be checked against the actual documents. The commercial opportunity is ultimately about orders moving towards suppliers that have prepared materials, testing and documentation. Benefits will not be distributed evenly, and this is not investment advice. The first week of the revised standard is also a time for buyers to reassess supplier readiness.This article was compiled by BIOTEN Packaging from public materials, government and standards information, including China's Ecological and Environmental Code, GB 4806.10-2025 and related standards, official PPWR explanations, third-party market research, corporate disclosures and public laboratory reports, with an information cutoff of 9 September 2026. Market sizes and growth rates are attributed third-party estimates for industry research only. This article is for research and learning and does not constitute a procurement or performance guarantee. For corrections, clarification or removal requests, contact us through this WeChat official account; we will review requests within 24 hours of receipt.Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-09T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-09T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-09-food-contact-coatings-standard-water-based-paper/cms-image-60b001fc31839313.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-09-chen-guoqiang-pha-award-biomanufacturing.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-09-chen-guoqiang-pha-award-biomanufacturing.html",
            "title": "Guo-Qiang Chen Wins Another International PHA Award: From Salt-Lake Bacteria to China's Biomanufacturing Breakthroughs",
            "summary": "According to Tsinghua University's Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Professor Guo-Qiang Chen has received the 2026 Bernard Witholt PHA Award at the 20th International Symposium on Biopolymers in Dublin, Ireland.",
            "content_text": "News from Dublin: according to Tsinghua University's Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Professor Guo-Qiang Chen has received the 2026 Bernard Witholt PHA Award at the 20th International Symposium on Biopolymers (ISBP).Founded in 1988, the International Symposium on Biopolymers is one of the leading international academic meetings in its field. The Bernard Witholt PHA Award recognises scientists who have made key contributions to PHA research: researchers whose sustained work advances the technology and expands its applications.Chen previously received the 2023 International Metabolic Engineering Award and the 2024 ISBP Industry Award. This continuing recognition from international peers reflects years of work by Chen and his team to bring materials made by microorganisms out of the laboratory, into factories and ultimately to market.An award ceremony lasts only a moment; turning research into an industry takes far longer. To understand this achievement, the story begins at a salt lake in Xinjiang.Research sources: Tsinghua Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology | Award announcement （May require WeChat access）; introduction to the inaugural PHA Award; Tsinghua University | 2023 International Metabolic Engineering AwardChoosing a bacterium that can withstand microbial competitionPolyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are a family of polyesters that microorganisms can synthesise. Chen has spent nearly four decades studying how to produce them.A production strain may perform well in the laboratory but face contamination by other microbes in a large fermentation vessel. Preventing contamination, sterilising equipment and maintaining suitable conditions all incur capital and operating costs. Factories need strains that perform reliably under real production conditions.Chen and his team looked to extreme environments. According to an interview in China Science Daily, in 2006 they found Halomonas bacteria in samples collected from Ayding Lake in Xinjiang.These bacteria thrive in saline, alkaline conditions, where many other microorganisms struggle to compete. The team investigated whether this advantage could enable PHA production with less reliance on stringent sterilisation procedures.Removing a sterilisation step can change a factory's steam demand, equipment requirements and operating arrangements. Choosing a production strain is also a way of finding a more suitable manufacturing process.In a paper published in 2011, the team reported 14 days of open, non-sterile continuous fermentation producing polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a member of the PHA family. The salt-lake microbe's distinctive capabilities were proving useful for manufacturing.Natural capabilities alone were not enough. Before the bacterium could be made to produce as required, the team needed a way to engineer it. The interview records that this new strain lacked ready-made genetic tools, so the team spent five years developing dedicated ones. Having found a promising strain, they established the means to keep improving it.Research sources: Tsinghua University's republication of China Science Daily | Chen's path to industrialisation; original paper | Open continuous fermentationBringing factory problems back to the laboratoryOnce the bacteria could grow and synthesise the material, the next challenges came from the factory.Cell separation is one example. A procedure carried out in a centrifuge tube in the laboratory becomes a bulk processing challenge in a factory. According to the China Science Daily interview, the team used morphological engineering to enlarge the cells and improve centrifugation efficiency. Even cell size was redesigned to meet manufacturing needs.Discussing the Beijing production line with China Science Daily, Chen later explained: “A problem that arises at the factory in the morning can be brought to our laboratory and solved that afternoon.”Production problems could thus reach the researchers quickly. The factory also became a source of new research questions.Chen and his team followed these problems beyond the strain itself into production processes and equipment. The 2024 ISBP Industry Award recognised their contributions to PHA industrialisation through the synthetic biology of halophilic bacteria and Next Generation Industrial Biotechnology (NGIB). Tsinghua's award announcement noted that the technologies had been scaled up at several companies.Research sources: China Science Daily | The laboratory and production line; Tsinghua University | ISBP Industry Award announcementEstablishing a process, then making it betterHalomonas offers advantages for open fermentation, but its high salt requirements create further questions: can cultivation conditions become more flexible, and can the burden of downstream processing be reduced?In February 2026, Tsinghua announced a new advance by the team. By engineering the strain to reduce its salt requirements, the researchers achieved open, non-sterile cultivation in a 7 L bioreactor at a sodium chloride concentration of 5 g/L.The team continued to refine the strain, revisiting even the saline environment that had originally given it a competitive advantage.This is where accumulated research pays off: the better a microorganism is understood, the more effectively it can be adapted for production.Industrial partnerships are also advancing. Angel Yeast disclosed that Hubei PHAngel Biotechnology's PHA project in Yichang has a planned total capacity of 30,000 tonnes per year, including 10,000 tonnes in its first phase. The project brings together Beijing PhaBuilder's use of Tsinghua technology and Angel Yeast's experience in fermentation manufacturing and the industrial value chain.For China's biomanufacturing sector, this is a concrete and significant development. Microorganisms researched and engineered in China are advancing alongside domestic engineering teams and manufacturing facilities. The result is more than a material: it is a body of experience that can inform the next process improvement, product adjustment or production expansion.Research sources: Tsinghua University | Advances in low-salt open cultivation; Angel Yeast | Business in new biological materialsHelping change the humble paper cupA small paper cup can have wider environmental significance. Beyond producing PHA, Chen is working with application partners to introduce it into paper cups, food containers and food packaging.At the launch of a PHA-based waterborne barrier coating solution in Shanghai on 26 November 2025, DBC, PhaBuilder, BASF and APP shared the stage. Chen discussed material choices for paper-based food packaging and how it should be managed after use. Research in fermentation met the work of coating, paper and finished-product developers, using the paper cup as a starting point for broader environmental progress.Group photo at the launch of the PHA-based waterborne barrier coating solution in Shanghai, 26 November 2025. Image source: DBC website.On 27 March 2026, at a conference on industrial applications of new biomanufactured materials held during the Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference, Chen delivered a keynote address and witnessed an agreement signed by representatives of Tsinghua University, PhaBuilder, DBC and BASF. The collaboration focuses on application development for bio-based aqueous dispersions, with paper barrier applications among the areas the partners are advancing together.Signing ceremony for collaborative innovation and applications across the bio-based aqueous dispersion value chain, 27 March 2026. Image source: China Daily website.At the China Civil Aviation Green Foodservice Ware Forum on 21 May 2026, Chen again spoke on PHA materials and green packaging applications. The discussion now centred on an airline paper cup or an in-flight meal container: how to protect food, meet service requirements, and collect and manage the packaging after use. During the forum, DBC, PhaBuilder, BASF, paper producers and aviation service partners also launched joint validation work for specific use cases.Chen speaking at the China Civil Aviation Green Foodservice Ware Forum, 21 May 2026. Image source: DBC website.For paper packaging companies, these collaborations address practical questions in the manufacture and use of cups and food containers. With BIOTEN PHA waterborne barrier emulsions, for example, application development starts with food-contact safety and considers water and grease resistance alongside processing compatibility. Optimising coating weight helps reduce material consumption. Designing the barrier layer with paper recycling and repulping in mind supports fibre recovery, while appropriate product options can be provided for projects with access to suitable composting facilities. Reduce material use and carbon emissions at source, support recovery and recycling after use, and offer compostability where appropriate.This approach considers source reduction, design for lower carbon emissions and resource recovery after use together, offering another option for replacing polyethylene (PE) extrusion coatings on paper packaging. For manufacturers, the value lies in packaging that protects its contents, fits production processes and has a suitable route for managing materials after use.From the laboratory and factory to the paper packaging value chain and aviation service settings, Chen continues to connect research with real needs, allowing new materials to demonstrate their value in practical products.Research sources: DBC | Four-party launch in Shanghai; China Daily website | Zhongguancun conference; DBC | Haikou forum report; Science and Technology Daily | Collaboration on aviation foodservice wareFrom salt-lake bacteria to new materials on production lines, Chen and his team have solved a series of practical problems, building the foundations for China's PHA industry to advance. This international honour recognises that sustained work.This article was independently researched and compiled by DBC and BIOTEN using Tsinghua University reports, original research papers, and publicly available corporate and conference materials. Information was checked as of 9 September 2026.Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-09T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-09T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-09-chen-guoqiang-pha-award-biomanufacturing/cms-image-b154844cc0d6431f.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-09-top-20-paper-producers-september-pricing-power.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-09-top-20-paper-producers-september-pricing-power.html",
            "title": "China's Top 20 Paper Producers Face the September Test: Three Price Hikes, 3.81 Million Tonnes of Shutdown Losses—Who Has Pricing Power?",
            "summary": "Tomorrow, 10 September, Nine Dragons Paper's announced price increase for corrugating medium at its Dongguan and Taicang mills takes effect, adding RMB 50 per tonne.",
            "content_text": "Tomorrow, 10 September, Nine Dragons Paper's announced price increase for corrugating medium at its Dongguan and Taicang mills takes effect, adding RMB 50 per tonne. In roughly a week, leading paper producers have already announced three rounds of action for September: first corrugating medium at five mills, then recycled kraftliner at five mills, followed by notice of another increase from 9 October, after the holiday. These moves are accompanied by shutdown plans covering almost all leading producers during the traditional September–October peak season, with estimated production losses totalling about 3.81 million tonnes.A wave of price increase notices and large-scale production curtailments has put China's top 20 paper producers by output to the test this September. For businesses across the value chain, however, the real issue is not who has issued a notice. It is whether announced prices become actual transaction prices, and whether reduced supply translates into higher gross profit per tonne. This article examines the announced measures, the supply discipline behind them and historical patterns to assess which of the top 20 producers truly have pricing power.01 The announced moves: three rounds of price increasesThe timeline begins with corrugating medium. Notices issued around 4 September announced a uniform RMB 50 per tonne increase for Nine Dragons' Dilong-brand corrugating medium, equivalent to about USD 7 per tonne for exports. Effective dates are 10 September for Dongguan and Taicang, 12 September for Quanzhou, and 14 September for Tianjin and Hebei. The second round targets recycled kraftliner: notices issued on 7–8 September announce the same RMB 50 per tonne increase from 16 September at Dongguan and Taicang, 18 September at Quanzhou and Chongqing, and 19 September at Hubei. Jiangsu Jintian Paper then followed with increases for its eco-friendly kraftliner and high-strength corrugating medium. The third round looks beyond the holiday: Taicang, Shenyang, Tianjin and Hebei plan to raise prices for selected kraftliner and corrugating medium grades by RMB 30 per tonne from 9 October.All three rounds cite much the same rationale: rising combined costs for recovered paper, coal and chemical additives require price adjustments to sustain product quality and service. This is a familiar approach to managing expectations among leading producers. Staging increases by grade, mill and effective date gives downstream customers time to adjust and competitors a window to follow. Overseas markets are moving in the same direction, with International Paper and Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) also raising containerboard prices in September. Cost pressures and seasonal demand expectations are shaping packaging paper markets globally.Two details deserve attention. First, the third increase, scheduled after the holiday, is a more measured RMB 30 per tonne, compared with RMB 50 in the earlier rounds. Second, alongside the notices, some mills are offering temporary rebates on selected grades during China's National Day holiday. Using notices to anchor quotations while rebates support distributor purchases and seasonal sales volumes is common in the peak season. It also suggests that, before demand fully recovers, leading producers prefer to combine price support with customer price protection rather than push through the largest possible increase at once.02 The supply response: how the 3.81 million tonne shutdown estimate was calculatedIf price increase notices are the visible move, production curtailments provide the backing. According to Guotai Haitong Securities' September paper industry report, drawing on OilChem and SCI data, shutdown plans announced by the end of August 2026 cover 52 paper machines for the September–October peak season, with estimated production losses of about 3.81 million tonnes. The reported breakdown is 22 machines and about 2.19 million tonnes in September, and 30 machines and about 1.62 million tonnes in October, with October shutdowns concentrated around the National Day holiday. Across the full peak-season window, the report lists 16 lines at Nine Dragons and 14 at Shanying, alongside other leading producers including Longchen and Lee & Man Paper. For National Day maintenance alone, Shanying's six mills have scheduled 12 lines to shut for 4–8 days between 29 September and 6 October, affecting about 97,000 tonnes of linerboard and corrugating medium capacity. More than 20 Nine Dragons paper machines are scheduled to shut for 3–7 days during the holiday.Such coordinated curtailments are not new, but their scale has increased each year. The same report counts 32 machines scheduled for peak-season shutdowns in 2024, 44 in 2025 and 52 in 2026, with corresponding estimated production losses of 2.25 million, 3.07 million and 3.81 million tonnes. Across the three shutdown periods—the Spring Festival, the May–June low season and the September–October peak season—the reported annual total rises from 163 machines in 2024 to 246 in 2026, while estimated production losses increase from about 21.26 million to 29.81 million tonnes, or roughly 40% over the three-year period. As new capacity additions slow but industry overcapacity persists, leading producers have made maintenance ahead of peak demand and deliberate supply reductions a recurring part of price management.The methodology matters. The 3.81 million tonne figure is the broker's estimate based on publicly announced shutdown notices: annual capacity multiplied by shutdown days, divided by 330 production days. Where machine capacity is undisclosed, average capacity for comparable paper grades is used. This is an incomplete tally of public information, and actual production losses will vary with operating schedules. Nevertheless, the report's assessment is clear: these are the most extensive September peak-season curtailments of the past three years, reflecting a stronger willingness among leading producers to coordinate supply.03 The historical pattern: September announcements, October resultsDo the largest shutdowns necessarily bring higher prices? The report's review of the past three years suggests otherwise: shutdowns alone are insufficient without demand. September is often a period of negotiation and adjustment, while meaningful gains in volumes and prices have historically appeared more often in October.The clearest example is 2024. September shutdowns reportedly removed 1.37 million tonnes of output, yet weak seasonal demand left mills focused on holding prices and maintaining sales volumes. Linerboard prices actually fell 0.5% month on month, while corrugating medium fell 0.7%. In October, tighter recovered paper supply, recovering domestic demand and a rush to fulfil export orders finally supported price gains, with corrugating medium rising about 1.1% in total. Gross profit per tonne of linerboard recovered from RMB 494 in September to RMB 523 in October; for corrugating medium, it rose from RMB 85 to RMB 128. The pattern was similar but stronger in 2025. Tighter raw material supply and industry supply discipline lifted September linerboard and corrugating medium prices by 2.2% and 5.4%, respectively. National Day maintenance and advance stocking for the Singles' Day shopping festival on 11 November then accelerated the gains: October prices rose 3.8% and 7.0%, respectively, and gross profit per tonne of corrugating medium improved by about RMB 70 within the month. In both years, September shutdowns and notices supported expectations; October orders determined realised prices.This year's demand test is challenging. Price monitoring indicates that delivered prices for domestic recovered corrugated board have generally weakened since late August, with marked regional differences. On 8 September, a leading Pearl River Delta mill raised its Grade A recovered corrugated board purchase price by RMB 20 to RMB 1,960 per tonne, while some Henan mills cut theirs by about RMB 40 to RMB 1,930 per tonne. On the finished paper side, corrugating medium producers hold about 11.6 days of inventory, still rising from the previous period. On 3 September, the average ex-mill price of 140 gsm corrugating medium was about RMB 3,085 per tonne, down 1.15% from late August. Industry participants describe Mid-Autumn Festival stocking as a disappointing peak season. In many cases, rebates offset announced RMB 50 per tonne increases, leaving actual transaction prices little changed; some market observers also warn of further downside pressure in September. There is another side to the picture: average prices for AA-grade 120 gsm corrugating medium remain about 13.6% higher year on year. Stronger industry discipline under efforts to curb destructive competition, slower capacity additions and continued cost support provide counterweights. These mixed signals show why announced increases still need to be tested against actual transactions.04 Four tiers of pricing power among the top 20Real pricing power is not measured by how early or how often a producer issues increase notices. Four factors matter: input self-sufficiency, including in-house pulp, recovered paper sourcing and captive energy; the product mix's exposure to the linerboard and corrugating medium cycle; the ability to implement supply discipline; and a balance sheet strong enough to support sales without relying on rebates. Applying these measures to the top 20 producers in the China Paper Association's 2025 output ranking—together producing about 90.5355 million tonnes, or roughly 64.1% of national output—reveals four tiers.Tier one combines cost advantages with product mix, giving companies such as Sun Paper and Lee & Man Paper the strongest ability to realise announced increases. Sun Paper reported first-half 2026 revenue of RMB 20.862 billion and net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB 1.951 billion, provisionally leading the industry on the latter measure. Second-quarter attributable net profit rose about 16.8% year on year, with stronger-than-expected linerboard price increases providing a significant boost. Integrated forestry, pulp and paper operations offer a cost cushion, while new linerboard capacity in Guangxi is coming on stream. The company also plans to invest up to RMB 5 billion in wood pulp and specialty paper expansion in Nanning, further increasing its in-house pulp share. Lee & Man Paper reported first-half revenue of HKD 14.842 billion and net profit of HKD 1.373 billion, nearly 70% above the HKD 811 million recorded a year earlier. Its strengths include consistent cost discipline and the depth of its RMB 27.5 billion integrated forestry, pulp and paper project in Guigang. Even in a weak market, producers in this tier are better placed to turn quotations into actual ex-mill prices.Tier two sets the pace for the industry, with Nine Dragons Paper as the leading example. Nine Dragons ranked first in 2025 with output of 22.66 million tonnes. It has taken the lead with shutdown plans covering 16 lines and three rounds of increase notices, coordinating operations across its nationwide mill network. At the end of 2025, its annual design capacity for fibre raw materials was about 8.2 million tonnes. Its RMB 41.5 billion integrated forestry, pulp and paper project in Beihai, with planned capacity of 6.15 million tonnes, is also advancing. This ability to set the industry's pace is a distinctive strength of a market leader. Yet weak demand still requires temporary rebates to sustain sales volumes, and the smaller third-round increase is more restrained. Its pricing power is therefore relative: it can lead the market, but overall demand ultimately determines how far prices can rise.Tier three actively restrains output and offers exposure to a cyclical recovery, with Shanying International and Jingxing Paper as examples. Shanying ranked fourth in 2025 with output of 7.5453 million tonnes. Its planned shutdowns cover 14 lines, among the most extensive curtailments announced. Low-cycle linerboard and corrugating medium prices weighed on its first-half results: revenue was RMB 14.259 billion and the net loss attributable to shareholders was RMB 682 million. As prices stabilised, the second-quarter loss narrowed by about 63% from the first quarter, and June returned to a monthly profit, indicating a recovery was under way. Shanying is building an integrated chain from base paper to packaging and customers, while actively limiting output through substantial shutdowns. A seasonal price recovery could therefore have a pronounced effect on earnings. Jingxing Paper ranked 18th with output of 1.6926 million tonnes. First-half net profit reached RMB 139 million, up about 153% year on year from a low base, while tissue production upgrades are extending its consumer paper offering.Tier four consists of regional producers whose ability to follow increases depends on their cost position. Regional leaders include Jiangsu Longchen, with output of 3.07 million tonnes; Liansheng Paper (Longhai), 2.8240 million tonnes; Wuhan Jin Feng Huang Paper, 2.4810 million tonnes; Century Sunshine Paper, 2.1641 million tonnes; and Henan Longyuan Paper, 1.6865 million tonnes. They participate through coastal or central-China locations, recovered fibre sourcing networks and advantageous delivery distances. Whether they can follow price increases, and by how much, depends on their position on the cost curve. Many small and midsized mills, meanwhile, continue to prioritise sales through discounts under inventory pressure.The top 20 do not all face the same test. The article groups Bohui Paper, Asia Symbol, China Paper, Guangxi Jingui, Gold East Paper and Ningbo Asia Pulp & Paper mainly with folding boxboard and premium paperboard, and Wuzhou Special Paper and Xianhe with specialty paper, making this linerboard and corrugating medium price cycle less directly relevant to them. Huatai Group is a notable example of a traditional producer benefiting from a shift toward linerboard: first-half kraftliner revenue reached RMB 7.076 billion, up 35.54% year on year, while its gross margin rose to 18.48%. Its experience illustrates the potential of moving into paper grades with improving market conditions. The September test is essentially a differentiation of pricing power within packaging paper: scale alone does not guarantee pricing strength; earnings quality is the dividing line.05 For buyers: three signals to watch before locking in prices or waitingFor corrugated board mills, box makers and brand procurement teams, the historical pattern suggests a practical approach. September combines producers' price signals with supply curtailments, so prices can fluctuate and a one-way bet is unwise. Essential requirements can be secured in stages. Assuming either an inevitable post-holiday decline or uninterrupted increases is unrealistic; October demand will provide the clearer direction. Three leading indicators are more useful than simply following each new notice.First, track how much of the three announced increases reaches actual selling prices, and how large the rebates are. The main implementation window for the first two rounds is 10–19 September. How much of the announced RMB 50 per tonne enters ex-mill prices, and how much is diluted by rebates or payment terms, directly indicates the strength of producers' price support. Larger rebates mean a smaller effective increase. Second, track inventories after the National Day shutdowns. Corrugating medium mills currently hold about 11.6 days of inventory, still rising from the previous period and putting pressure on prices. Sustained gains require a clear decline in both mill and downstream inventories as the 52 machines shut as scheduled and advance stocking for Singles' Day begins. Third, watch the spread between delivered domestic recovered paper costs and linerboard or corrugating medium prices—the turning point in gross profit per tonne. The medium- to long-term picture of relatively tight recovered paper supply remains unchanged. The report expects October volumes and prices for these grades to improve from September. A renewed widening of the raw material-to-finished paper spread would confirm that this round of price support is taking hold.September's notices signal intent, and the estimated 3.81 million tonnes of shutdown-related production losses represent action. But pricing power is not created by announcements. The peak season tests input self-sufficiency, product mix, supply discipline and cash flow together. For the top 20, September opens the examination; October delivers the results. For everyone across the value chain, understanding each producer's underlying costs and cash flow matters far more than remembering a few increase notices. BIOTEN Packaging will continue to track actual price implementation, inventories and costs, offering assessments at key points.This article was compiled by BIOTEN Packaging from public materials, information published by government and standards platforms, and corporate case studies, with the source article's verification cutoff of 9 September 2026. It is intended for industry research and learning and does not constitute a procurement or performance guarantee. For corrections, clarification or removal requests, please contact us through this WeChat official account. We will review and respond within 24 hours of receipt.Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-09T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-09T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-09-top-20-paper-producers-september-pricing-power/cms-image-aaece9c43fb355f6.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-07-world-packaging-day-paper-packaging-trends.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-07-world-packaging-day-paper-packaging-trends.html",
            "title": "World Packaging Organisation designates 6 September as World Packaging Day: three trends the paper packaging value chain needs to understand",
            "summary": "From a sheet of base paper to a delivered takeaway order, this article examines total order cost, coordination across converting operations, and the application opportunities emerging from Beijing's guideline and Shanghai's association standard initiative.",
            "content_text": "From a sheet of base paper to a delivered takeaway order, this article examines total order cost, coordination across converting operations, and the application opportunities emerging from Beijing's guideline and Shanghai's association standard initiative.In August 2026, the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) announced that 6 September would be observed annually as World Packaging Day, with the inaugural celebration taking place on 6 September this year. The date also commemorates WPO's founding in Tokyo in 1968.The initiative invites packaging associations, companies, academic institutions and professionals worldwide to organise exchanges, open houses and educational activities around four themes: Packaging for Progress, Packaging Against Food Waste, Packaging and Economic Growth, and Packaging and Sustainability.From a sheet of base paper to a delivered takeaway order, packaging passes through a converter's production line and a restaurant's packing counter before reaching the consumer. Viewed as one system, three trends deserve the shared attention of papermakers, packaging converters and foodservice companies.Trend 1 · Order valueCalculate cost through the moment of deliveryA takeaway order incurs packaging costs not only at procurement but also during bagging, delivery and after-sales service.A box may cost a few cents less, but if it adds packing time or results in soup leakage or a tipped cup, the restaurant may spend those savings on replacement orders and redelivery. The benefits of a packaging upgrade should therefore be measured across the entire order.Beijing's Guidelines for the Use of Green Packaging by Food-delivery Merchants (DB11/T 2510—2026), effective 1 September 2026, call for pack sizes to be matched to food items, layers around products such as hamburgers and sandwiches to be reduced, and redundant functions to be avoided. This recommended local standard translates packaging selection into specific food and operating scenarios.For converters, these requirements become direct development questions: How should a paper box perform with oily foods? How should cups, lids, trays and bags work together during carrying and delivery? How can sealing and bagging be made easier for staff? Paper, functional layers, structure and in-store operations should all be designed around the same food item.Chain restaurant procurement teams can compare total packaging consumption, bagging labour and packaging-attributable after-sales costs across comparable orders over the same period.One less handling step and one fewer leakage incident are both forms of value that a packaging supplier can demonstrate to its customer.Research sources: Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation | Guidelines for the Use of Green Packaging by Food-delivery Merchants; National Public Service Platform for Standards Information | DB11/T 2510—2026Trend 2 · Materials and convertingBring performance and convertibility togetherIn March 2026, Stora Enso reported that Swedish converter Aristo had initially achieved grease resistance for its takeaway boxes by applying an additional lacquer, but the material incurred high losses during converting. Aristo later adopted CKB Nude Aqua, a paperboard with a one-sided dispersion barrier, and now uses it in several foodservice formats, including sushi boxes and compartments for breakfast packs.The collaboration considered grease resistance, stiffness, folding and gluing, and print performance together. The functional layer provides protection, the paperboard structure provides support, and converting compatibility enables stable production.Papermakers need to understand earlier what type of box the customer plans to produce and which forming process it will use. Coating suppliers must consider coating placement, drying and film formation together with folding and gluing. Foodservice packaging converters, meanwhile, should evaluate line speed, scrap rate and batch-to-batch consistency alongside finished-pack performance.The value of developing water-based barriers should likewise be realised through this kind of collaboration: define the base paper, food type and pack structure, then match the required functions to existing or compatible converting conditions.Good paper must run smoothly at the converter and perform reliably at the restaurant.Research sources: Stora Enso | Aristo foodservice packaging converting case studyTrend 3 · Standards and applicationsBeijing focuses on selection; Shanghai advances evaluationFor green packaging to move from restaurant-level demand to volume procurement, suppliers and buyers need a shared technical language for products.Beijing's guideline starts with merchant use, addressing which packaging suits which foods and which layers can be reduced. The Shanghai Association of Food Contact Materials' proposed association standard for recyclable paper foodservice ware with water-based coatings focuses on a specific product direction. The association announced approval of the project on 30 April 2025.The association's public report also notes that BASF, DBC, APP China, and LIDO Environmental Technology were among the companies involved in drafting the standard. Bringing material and product experience into standardisation discussions helps upstream and downstream participants establish a shared language for evaluation.From an application perspective, the value of this kind of standardisation lies in connecting food-contact safety, in-use performance, recyclability assessment and environmental information. Papermakers can work to a defined end product; coaters and converters can validate against the same requirements; foodservice buyers can compare like-for-like projects; and recyclers can identify materials and intended uses.Beijing makes food-specific requirements concrete, while Shanghai advances product evaluation—giving suppliers and buyers a shared basis for discussing the same product.Food-contact safety should be verified against applicable national standards; resource efficiency should be measured from actual material consumption and recovery records; and carbon performance should be compared using carbon-footprint data for the same functional unit and system boundary. Only when these data are connected can “safe, functional and circular” become a basis for procurement and improvement.WPO frames the global agenda,Beijing translates end-user needs into specific requirements,and Shanghai advances product-side standardisation.Together, these developments point to practical research directions for food protection, resource efficiency and low-carbon implementation.Research sources: Shanghai Association of Food Contact Materials | Association standard project approval notice; the Association | Project review reportStart with one productWorld Packaging Day gives the industry a shared point for discussion. Companies can make that discussion concrete around a single paper cup, food container or paper bag: define the food and period of use; compare the protective performance, converting yield, handling time and cost per order of the old and new solutions; and then specify the post-use handling pathway.Only when product development, restaurant selection and performance records form a complete improvement loop can procurement, quality and operations evaluate packaging investment on the same basis.This is precisely the collaboration BIOTEN Packaging focuses on—from materials to products and from standards to applications—bringing base paper, functional layers, converting processes and end-use requirements together in one product.Research noteThis article was researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging from official WPO materials, public information from government and standards platforms, and corporate case studies. Information was verified through 6 September 2026. The three trends presented are industry analysis. This article is for industry research and learning and does not constitute a procurement recommendation or performance guarantee. For corrections, clarifications or removal requests, please contact us through this official account; we will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.Data and verification sources for BIOTEN ObserverWorld Packaging Organisation | World Packaging Day announcementWorld Packaging Organisation | Event overview and four pillarsWorld Packaging Organisation | About WPOBeijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation | Guidelines for the Use of Green Packaging by Food-delivery MerchantsNational Public Service Platform for Standards Information | DB11/T 2510—2026Stora Enso | Aristo foodservice packaging converting case studyShanghai Association of Food Contact Materials | Association standard project approval noticeShanghai Association of Food Contact Materials | Project review reportRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-07T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-07T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-07-world-packaging-day-paper-packaging-trends/cms-image-fe139089522e85ee.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-06-world-packaging-day-paper-packaging-value-chain.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-06-world-packaging-day-paper-packaging-value-chain.html",
            "title": "The inaugural World Packaging Day: a new table is set for the paper-packaging value chain—who is ready to take a seat?",
            "summary": "On 6 September 2026, the global packaging industry marks its first shared day of celebration: World Packaging Day.",
            "content_text": "From the PPWR and Beijing's local standard for food-delivery packaging to the inaugural World Packaging Day, the paper-packaging value chain now faces four new tests: functionality, production-line performance, circularity and evidence.Today, 6 September 2026, the global packaging industry marks its first shared day of celebration: World Packaging Day.This is not a single event concentrated in one country. WPO has designed the inaugural World Packaging Day as a distributed participation platform, inviting packaging associations, companies, academic institutions and professionals to organise local seminars, open houses, innovation showcases and educational activities.The Australasian Institute of Packaging has added 6 September to its events calendar; the Italian Packaging Institute, SYBA—the organisation coordinating activities in Czechia and Slovakia—and the Indian Institute of Packaging have also responded publicly. WPO states that registered activities will be included in the international calendar and amplified through coordinated communication under #WorldPackagingDay.The date was not chosen at random. WPO was founded in Tokyo on 6 September 1968. Drawing on a member network spanning more than 60 countries, it has established four pillars for World Packaging Day: packaging for progress, packaging against food waste, packaging and economic growth, and packaging and sustainability.Research sources: WPO | World Packaging Day; WPO | organisation profile; AIP | events calendar; SYBA | local event; Indian Institute of Packaging | event.For China's paper-packaging value chain, this day cannot be treated merely as material for a promotional poster. In the 25 days preceding it, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) began to apply on 12 August, and Beijing's Guidelines for the Use of Green Packaging by Food-delivery Merchants took effect on 1 September. These milestones differ in nature, yet together they shift the packaging question from “Which material should we choose?” to a much harder one: can the pack protect the product under real operating conditions, run reliably on production lines, enter a functioning circular system, and provide evidence that customers and regulators can understand?According to the Annual Report on China's Paper Industry 2025 published by the China Paper Association, China's paper and paperboard output in 2025 reached 141.35 million tonnes, up 3.74%. The paper industry has a substantial manufacturing base, but tonnage does not automatically become orders, and a fibre-based format does not automatically become compliant.Competition in packaging has shifted from “what material is used” to “whether functionality, production-line performance, circularity and evidence can be delivered together”.25 days · Three milestones12 August | The PPWR begins to apply across the EU, with its obligations phased in according to the regulatory timetable.1 September | Beijing's local standard for green food-delivery packaging takes effect, bringing safety, source reduction, recyclability or degradability, and reuse into merchants' operating scenarios.6 September | WPO launches the inaugural World Packaging Day, framing the value of packaging through progress, food-waste reduction, economic growth and sustainability.Test one · Functional protectionProtect the product first; upgrade the material secondNeither the PPWR nor the Beijing guidelines treat substitution with a single material as the end goal. The Beijing guidelines are built around four principles—safety, source reduction, recyclability or degradability, and reuse—and distinguish between simple and sealed packaging for different food-delivery scenarios.For paper cups, bowls, cartons, bags and foodservice board, the first test involves water, grease, heat, condensation, abrasion, stacking and transport. Paper strength, stiffness, fold endurance, printability, sealing and barrier layers must be designed together around the actual contents. Ultimately, protection must be measured through leakage, damage, contamination, post-transport appearance and product loss.The foodservice paperboard case developed by Stora Enso and Swedish converter Aristo shows that grease resistance is only the starting point: the board must also retain structural strength and run reliably through folding, gluing and printing. For aqueous barriers, dispersion barriers and bio-based aqueous routes including PHA, development must likewise be grounded in defined foods, temperatures, contact times and forming conditions.Research sources: Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation | green food-delivery packaging guidelines; Stora Enso | foodservice paperboard case.Metrics to watch | Leakage, damage, contamination, post-transport appearance and product loss.Test two · Production-line deliveryA sample must become a consistently manufacturable productPapermaking, surface treatment or coating, printing, die-cutting, bag making or forming, and final packing can amplify material differences at every stage. Variations in the paper surface affect printing and gluing; a mismatched coating operating window slows the line; and score cracking, unstable seals or excessive changeover times ultimately become waste, downtime and delivery pressure.What converters need is not an attractive sample but a set of production records: converting yield, line speed, unit waste, changeover time, batch-to-batch consistency and on-time delivery. Paper producers should sell more than grammage and basis weight; they should provide a robust operating window that customers can reproduce.Laboratory results show only that something may work; production-line data show that it can be delivered.Metrics to watch | Converting yield, line speed, unit waste, changeover time, batch-to-batch consistency and on-time delivery.Test three · Completing the loop“Recyclable” needs a real next stepThe PPWR's recyclability requirements are not a one-off label that takes effect all at once. They are phased: recyclability performance grades A, B and C apply from 2030; recycling-at-scale assessment is added in 2035; and market access tightens further in 2038. The detailed methodologies will also depend on subsequent delegated and implementing acts.This requires paper-packaging companies to bring the question “Where does it go after use?” forward into the product-definition stage: can the structure be separated easily; are coatings, inks, adhesives and attachments compatible with the target paper stream; can consumers understand the sorting instructions; and can local collection and sorting systems actually receive it?A four-country Bag-in-Box studySmurfit Westrock studied whether consumers in Belgium, France, Germany and Sweden separate the cardboard box from the inner bag. The company reports that most respondents separated the components correctly, with the highest separation rate reaching 97%. It also notes that national collection systems, policies, education and sorting guidance influence the outcome.This case is not representative of the Chinese market or of recycling rates for all paper packaging, but it identifies the essentials of circularity: materials, structures, behaviour and systems must all work together.Research sources: EUR-Lex | Regulation (EU) 2025/40; Smurfit Westrock | separation and recycling study.Metrics to watch | Separation completion rate, sorting error rate, collection coverage, sorting outcomes and the actual destination of recovered fibre.Test four · Evidence and ordersCompliance evidence must stand up to procurement scrutinyThe value of packaging must ultimately translate into brand procurement, export orders and supplier assessments. Customers will ask: what product does this structure protect? On which line is it produced? Who conducted which tests? Where does it go after use? Can the supporting data be traced back to the base paper, coatings, inks, adhesives and finished pack?The PPWR includes restrictions on PFAS in food-contact packaging, while the Beijing guidelines bring food-delivery merchants' choices back to specific requirements for safety, source reduction, recyclability and reuse. Exporters need regulations, test results and supplier documentation to form a coherent evidence chain; domestic suppliers are facing similar questions from brand-procurement standards and platform rules.The fibre-based packaging concept developed by Stora Enso and Halton supports two-way logistics between a manufacturing site and construction sites. It is designed for multiple return trips, with the aims of reducing waste, improving resource efficiency, and lowering logistics and packaging costs. Its value lies not in the award itself but in its use within a real supply chain: trip count, handling efficiency, space utilisation, damage and repeat purchasing are the evidence that determines whether orders can continue.Research sources: European Commission | PPWR implementation guidance; Stora Enso | fibre-based logistics packaging case.Metrics to watch | Customer validation, document traceability, issue-closure time, first-order repeat purchasing, on-time delivery and cash collection.Value-chain positioningWho earns a seat depends on delivery capabilityPaper producers | Work backwards from the finished pack and its operating conditions to define paper specifications, placing barrier performance, stiffness, printability and converting compatibility within the same development brief.Functional-material suppliers | Upgrade a single barrier metric into combined validation of “material–structure–equipment–speed–yield”; use finished-product data to win orders for aqueous barriers, PHA and other technical routes.Converters and equipment suppliers | Make prototyping produce records of forming cycle time, seal stability, waste rate and continuous-run performance.Brand procurement | Move from purchasing “a green material” to purchasing a complete SKU defined by operating conditions, production-line data, compliance documents and an end-of-life pathway.Recycling systems | Translate “recyclable” into consistent feedstock that can be sorted, repulped and traced.Four questions after World Packaging Day01 | Which design requirements, materials and evidence will regulations and customers write into the next round of procurement specifications?02 | Can aqueous and bio-based barrier technologies narrow the cost and efficiency gap with incumbent structures under clearly defined operating conditions?03 | Can collection, sorting and repulping systems handle the actual flows created by additional paper packaging?04 | Can initial customer validation convert into repeat purchases, framework agreements and reliable cash collection?World Packaging Day lasts only one day each year, but once the table is set, every subsequent material choice, line trial and customer delivery is put to the test.Whether paper packaging earns a seat at the table does not depend on a “green” label. It depends on passing four tests at the same time: functional protection, production-line stability, a functioning circular pathway and evidence delivery.BIOTEN Packaging focuses precisely on collaborative validation across base paper, functional layers, converting, equipment and end-use conditions—so that paper becomes more than a material story and develops into a packaging capability that can be delivered, reordered and sustained.Research noteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging from public documents issued by governments and industry organisations, publicly available company product information, and industry guidelines. Information was verified through 6 September 2026. It is provided for industry research and learning only and does not constitute a procurement or performance guarantee. To request a correction, clarification or removal, please contact this official account; we will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer data and verification sources01 | European Commission | PPWR application02 | EUR-Lex | Regulation (EU) 2025/4003 | Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation | Guidelines for the Use of Green Packaging by Food-delivery Merchants04 | National Public Service Platform for Standards Information | DB11/T 2510-202605 | World Packaging Organisation | World Packaging Day06 | World Packaging Organisation | Concept Note07 | China Paper Association | Annual Report on China's Paper Industry 202508 | Stora Enso | foodservice paperboard case09 | Stora Enso | fibre-based logistics packaging case10 | Smurfit Westrock | Bag-in-Box separation study11 | World Packaging Organisation | WPO in brief12 | Australasian Institute of Packaging | World Packaging Day13 | Istituto Italiano Imballaggio | World Packaging Day14 | SYBA | Mezinárodní den obalů 202615 | Indian Institute of Packaging | World Packaging DayRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-06T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-07T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-06-world-packaging-day-paper-packaging-value-chain/cms-image-5995b652bd08ed87.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-06-espanola-pulp-paper-mill-restart-assessment.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-06-espanola-pulp-paper-mill-restart-assessment.html",
            "title": "A century-old pulp and paper mill has been idle for nearly three years. Why begin its restart with a CAD 10.5 million engineering study?",
            "summary": "A restart is viable only if feedstock can reach the mill economically, customers will commit to the new product mix, and legacy assets can generate positive operating cash flow.",
            "content_text": "CAD 10.5 million does not buy a restart; it buys the work required to recalculate feedstock, products, equipment and orders. Whether this legacy pulp and paper capacity can return ultimately depends on whether the next tonne of output can generate cash flow.Whether an old pulp mill is worth restarting is not determined by whether its machines can still turn, but by whether the next tonne of product can be made at a controllable cost and sold repeatedly to customers.On 3 September, the Government of Ontario, Canada, announced a CAD 5.1 million investment in Bioveld North to support the assessment and engineering work required for a potential restart of the Espanola pulp and paper mill, which has been idle for nearly three years. The company will contribute a further CAD 5.4 million, creating a CAD 10.5 million front-end loading engineering and design programme.The money does not buy production; it buys the opportunity to establish what a restart would actually require.Espanola operated for more than 120 years. When the mill was idled in 2023, approximately 280,000 air-dried metric tonnes of northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp and 69,000 short tons of specialty-paper capacity were removed from annual production. Domtar, the former operator, cited years of operating losses and high maintenance and operating costs.The new owner must now first define the modernisation design, efficiency and reliability plan, and the capital actually required. It has set no restart date and has made clear that a successful restart will still require additional private capital and customer commitments.Research sources:Government of Ontario | Espanola engineering support; Bioveld North | Espanola restart plan.First make-or-break test: can wood chips reach the mill economically?The Government of Ontario estimates that a successful restart could restore demand for up to 1.8 million cubic metres of sustainably sourced wood a year. The project sponsor says the mill was historically connected to 19 regional sawmills, six of which once sold approximately 75% of their wood chips to Espanola.This historical network has value, but a restart must convert former relationships into current contracts. What the mill needs to know is the delivered cost of wood chips, haul distance, quality consistency and supply concentration. The presence of forests in the region proves only that a resource exists; whether suitable fibre can reach the wood yard on schedule and at the required cost determines the starting point of pulp economics.Second make-or-break test: who will buy the output?Bioveld North's study targets a restart at approximately 800 air-dried metric tonnes per day of premium talc-free northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp, together with about 180 short tons per day of medical- and food-grade paper.A different product mix could allow the legacy mill to rebuild its customer base, operating load and profit model. But labels such as \"premium\" and \"specialty\" translate into machine load only when the products enter customer specifications, qualifications, contracts and repeat purchases. The project's viability therefore depends on how much demand initial customers will commit, how long qualification will take, and what saleable yield can be achieved during ramp-up.This is especially true for food-contact paper. The earlier the paper mill, functional-coating suppliers, printers and converters, and finished-product manufacturers collaborate around defined food-contact and processing conditions, the easier it becomes to determine whether a new grade can turn into real orders.Third make-or-break test: can legacy assets generate new cash?An old mill already has land, buildings, energy infrastructure and some equipment, which can shorten the construction schedule; years of idling may also leave reliability, environmental-compliance, energy-efficiency and spare-parts issues. The value of front-end engineering is to convert those uncertainties into defined upgrade scopes and capital requirements.Domtar recently decided to idle another Canadian pulp mill indefinitely, citing weaker demand, poor pulp pricing and pressure from local fibre costs. That comparison shows why sunk investment and nameplate capacity cannot substitute for future competitiveness.Ultimately, a restart decision must answer three questions: can the mill operate reliably after the additional investment; can utilisation and unit cash cost converge to sustainable levels during ramp-up; and when will operating cash flow turn positive?Paper economics: let the numbers reveal the fundamentalsFor Chinese paper producers, the value of this case lies not in the amount of Canadian funding secured, but in the sequence of a restart: calculate delivered raw-material costs first; validate customer orders next; then define reliability upgrades and the capital gap; and finally evaluate the result through utilisation, unit cash cost and operating cash flow.Only when all three make-or-break tests are satisfied at the same time do legacy assets regain economic value as operating capacity.Research noteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging from government announcements, company disclosures and securities-regulatory filings. Information was verified through 6 September 2026. It is provided for industry research and learning only and does not constitute investment, procurement or operating assurance. To request a correction, clarification or removal, please contact this official account; we will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer data and verification sourcesGovernment of Ontario | Support for Espanola engineering workBioveld North | Espanola restart planU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission | Domtar's 2023 notice of the Espanola mill idlingDomtar | Recent announcement of the idling of another Canadian pulp millRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-06T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-07T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-06-espanola-pulp-paper-mill-restart-assessment/cms-image-0ca99f5ba0ddd235.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-05-mondelez-europe-biscuit-paper-trays.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-05-mondelez-europe-biscuit-paper-trays.html",
            "title": "Mondelēz Europe replaces plastic trays with paper across more than 115 biscuit products: What does a major brand need from paper-packaging suppliers?",
            "summary": "From inner-tray protection and barrier performance to continuous packaging, this analysis examines how papermakers, coaters, converters and equipment suppliers can work together to meet a food brand's packaging-upgrade requirements.",
            "content_text": "From inner-tray protection and barrier performance to continuous packaging, this analysis examines how papermakers, coaters, converters and equipment suppliers can work together to meet a food brand's packaging-upgrade requirements.Inside a pack of biscuits, the least conspicuous component—the inner tray—is becoming a business opportunity that merits serious attention from the paper-packaging industry.On 4 September, Mondelēz announced that it had completed the conversion of rigid PET inner trays to paper trays across its flagship biscuit portfolio in Europe. The change covers more than 115 products, eight brands and over 25 European markets, including products sold under LU, Milka and Cadbury.Based on projected output for fiscal 2026, the company expects the change to eliminate approximately 2,200 metric tonnes of virgin plastic each year.For paper-packaging companies, the more important question is this: How can a paper tray satisfy product, factory and procurement requirements at the same time?The industrial value of a paper tray must be proven through product protection, line compatibility and reliable delivery. The price of the base paper, the performance of the coating and the precision of die-cutting must ultimately deliver the same result: qualified biscuit packs moving reliably out of the factory.Research sources: Mondelēz | Announcement on the conversion to paper trays for European biscuit products.Start by defining the functions within a biscuit packConsumers expect two simple things from biscuits: they should be intact when the pack is opened and crisp when eaten.Those expectations translate into different packaging tasks. In a common inner-tray-and-outer-wrapper format, the tray organizes, supports and mechanically protects the biscuits; paper surfaces in direct food contact need protection suited to the fat exposure and contact duration; and the outer wrapper and seals work together to control moisture ingress and preserve crispness throughout shelf life.Before developing a paper tray, these tasks must be separated clearly. Only then can a team determine where paper substitution makes sense and which functions must be added.The LU Véritable Petit Beurre multipack launched by Mondelēz and Saica in 2024 is a clear example: the outer layer uses paper packaging, while the biscuits remain in smaller packs to preserve freshness and crispness. The paper outer wrapper uses cold sealing and required corresponding adjustments to the packaging equipment.This earlier project offers a useful lesson: A packaging upgrade may begin with one component, but development must consider the complete pack. A practical route is to provide the tray with the required mechanical protection and food-contact surface, then integrate it back into the existing freshness-preservation system.For papermakers and coating companies, this also changes the question they should ask: Does the customer need support, grease resistance, sealing or freshness preservation? Each layer must perform its own role so that materials are used only where they are truly needed.Research sources: Mondelēz | LU multipack paper-wrapper collaboration; CSIRO | Food shelf life and packaging.Protect the biscuits—and keep pace with the production lineThe paper tray's first task is protection. The way its base supports the product, its sides constrain movement and its interior arranges the biscuits all affect stability during packing and transport. Because biscuits are vulnerable to impact damage, the tray should be designed together with the product geometry and loading method.Its second task is hidden inside the factory: the tray must enter the packaging line smoothly, cycle after cycle.IMA's published complete biscuit-tray packaging line links tray denesting, robotic biscuit loading, flow wrapping and cartoning in one continuous process. In such a factory, a tray is both a packaging component and an object that machinery must pick, position and convey.Dimensional and geometric consistency therefore has direct commercial value. A sample that can be packed by hand and a tray that runs smoothly at scale represent two different levels of delivery capability. Deformation, poor denesting or positioning errors can propagate downstream through biscuit loading and wrapping.A technical guide from paperboard producer Holmen highlights an easily overlooked detail: moisture absorption can warp paperboard, while excessive drying can make it brittle and impair feeding and creasing. Maintaining flatness and moisture condition after storage and transport is part of ensuring stable high-volume conversion.The supply format must also be selected early. Suppliers can deliver preformed trays, or use a folding-tray route in which flat blanks are erected immediately before biscuit loading. In its 2022 IBIE materials, Syntegon described the latter approach: the blank is folded into a tray using locking tabs before entering a flow wrapper for the outer pack.The two routes entail different shipping formats, on-site equipment and operating arrangements. The earlier a converter discusses these conditions with the customer, the easier it is to turn a design into a product that can run sustainably.Supplier involvement should begin upstream, during the customer's packaging and line design; acceptance at delivery should then depend on whether the paper tray runs reliably on the production line.Research sources: IMA | Complete biscuit-tray packaging line; Syntegon | Forming and packaging solution for bakery paper trays; Holmen | Technical guidance on paperboard storage, transport and conversion.One paper tray—why does it require four types of company?An independent industry development project makes the division of responsibilities clear.In the Folded Fibre Tray project for biscuit packaging disclosed by Walki in 2023, Billerud supplied the paperboard, Walki contributed the grease-barrier solution, Spiegel Verpackungen handled printing and die-cutting, and Syntegon developed the tray concept and the equipment used to erect it before biscuit loading.The paperboard structure provides mechanical protection; the barrier treatment on the contact surface manages grease; printing and die-cutting create a processable packaging blank; and the equipment erects that blank into a three-dimensional tray. Only when these four capabilities are coordinated around the same food product does a deliverable solution emerge.Research sources: Walki | Collaborative development of a fibre-based biscuit tray.For Chinese converters, the lesson is to treat the formed paper tray as the shared development target: Does the paperboard retain the required support? Does the contact surface still provide the necessary protection after folding? Can the die-cut blank be erected and loaded smoothly?This gives materials a more concrete basis for evaluation. The papermaker assesses how the paperboard works with the structure; the coater connects grease-resistance targets with coating, drying and post-fold performance; and the converter works with the equipment supplier to define dimensions, forming methods and volume-production standards. The performance of every link is ultimately tested in the same tray.The converter can serve as the coordinator, turning the material and equipment capabilities of multiple suppliers into a packaging product the customer can use. The earlier all parties collaborate around the same food product, the more likely they are to avoid repeated rounds of sampling and redesign later.Major brands also calculate the cost of“qualified delivery”Why is this collaboration so important? Because procurement ultimately depends on continuous production and reliable shipment.Mondelēz's published requirements for packaging suppliers call for a packaging-supplier questionnaire whenever a material is newly developed or modified. Intended food use, material composition, target markets and supporting documents are all reviewed, as are potential odour and taste transfer.For food-packaging suppliers, these requirements translate into direct product criteria: the paper tray must be suitable for the specified food, the packaging must not alter its flavour, and documentation for samples must correspond to the materials supplied at production scale.Research sources: Mondelēz | Requirements for packaging suppliers.When calculating cost, it is also worth moving the comparison unit from “one tonne of paper” or “one tray” to the “total packaging-related cost per 1,000 qualified finished packs.”For the same food product, pack count and delivery requirements, first compare how many qualified packs can be produced reliably in the same operating time. Then allocate the costs of material conversion, line operation, breakage and scrap, associated warehousing and logistics, and any necessary equipment modifications. Lower output caused by downtime also changes how those costs are allocated.The unit price of a paper tray tells procurement what it costs to buy; cost per qualified pack shows whether it is economical to use.If reducing paper use increases breakage or frequent downtime, the structure must be reconsidered. If the structure and feeding performance work better together, the supplier creates value beyond the quoted price per tray.For converters, the most persuasive sales evidence is a set of results that reflects actual operating conditions: product integrity after packing, smooth machine running, reliable delivery and a clearly calculated total cost.Start with one product and prove the capabilityFor the next development project, start with a biscuit that already uses an inner tray and retain the current pack as the benchmark. Put the food sample, packaging structure and real line conditions into the same discussion. First preserve the validated outer-wrapper and sealing conditions; then use post-transport integrity, paper-surface condition and continuous line trials to decide what should change first, before comparing costs.Where a food-contact surface requires grease resistance and paper protection, a water-based barrier has a clearly defined role. BIOTEN works on application development for PHA water-based barriers in paper and paperboard packaging, designing the required protection together with the base paper, coating, folding and forming conditions.Papermakers, coaters, converters and food brands with a specific product requirement can bring a food sample, the current packaging and key production conditions to BIOTEN to discuss the paper-based structure and functional-layer selection, and to define the direction for the first round of prototyping.Research sources: BIOTEN | Paper-based barrier engineering and application collaboration.Mondelēz's conversion across multiple brands makes the industrial value of a small inner tray easier to see. For paper-packaging companies, the capability worth building is the ability to make paper, functional layers, forming equipment and food-protection requirements work together—and to deliver that integration reliably to customers.Research noteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging from public corporate announcements, packaging-supplier requirements, and materials- and equipment-application information. Information was verified through 5 September 2026. It is provided for industry research and learning and does not constitute a procurement recommendation or performance guarantee. For corrections, clarifications or removal requests, please contact us through this official account; we will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer data and verification sourcesMondelēz | Announcement on the conversion to paper trays for European biscuit productsMondelēz | LU multipack paper-wrapper collaborationWalki | Collaborative development of a fibre-based biscuit trayIMA | Complete biscuit-tray packaging lineSyntegon | Forming and packaging solution for bakery paper traysHolmen | Technical guidance on paperboard storage, transport and conversionCSIRO | Food shelf life and packagingMondelēz | Requirements for packaging suppliersBIOTEN | Paper-based barrier engineering and application collaborationRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-05T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-07T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-05-mondelez-europe-biscuit-paper-trays/cms-image-d34e894fa5bd943b.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-05-campus-paper-packaging-pha-barrier.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-05-campus-paper-packaging-pha-barrier.html",
            "title": "Back-to-school season, from coffee to takeaway: getting the barrier layer right in campus paper packaging",
            "summary": "Getting the barrier layer right in campus paper packaging means keeping drinks secure, delivering hot meals reliably, and ensuring smooth converting on the factory floor.",
            "content_text": "Getting the barrier layer right in campus paper packaging means keeping drinks secure, delivering hot meals reliably, and ensuring smooth converting on the factory floor. Replacing PE extrusion coating with a PHA waterborne barrier should begin with a clearly defined end product.A hot latte handed across a campus coffee-shop counter and a hot meal packed at a canteen window both depend on packaging for the final stage of delivery. What looks like a simple paper cup or bowl often also relies on a functional layer on the paper to hold back liquids and enable sealing.When operators seek to upgrade paper packaging and converters begin assessing PHA waterborne barriers as an alternative to PE extrusion coating, the most useful question is: what functions does the existing layer perform, and what will take over those functions after it is replaced?Zhengzhou University officially scheduled autumn registration for 5-6 September, while universities across China are welcoming the new academic year on their own timetables. For papermakers, coaters and converters, campuses offer a useful setting: coffee and tea, hot-meal takeaway and light bakery foods are concentrated within relatively well-defined service areas, allowing packaging upgrades to be studied one use case at a time.Demand is written into campus noticesA campus-wide takeaway service notice published on 17 July by Yunnan Normal University Asset Management Co., Ltd. described approximately 40,000 students and staff, more than 80 food counters and over 10 milk-tea shops and other ground-floor outlets. It also required on-campus orders to be delivered within 40 minutes, leakage and drips to be controlled, and insulated delivery boxes to be used. These were tender requirements for a project whose application period has closed, not evidence of actual delivery performance; nevertheless, they clearly show that campus takeaway is a service process in which packaging must provide protection.A 1 September logistics report from East China Normal University likewise noted that a pre-semester food-safety meeting covered 18 catering service providers, including dining centres, catering companies, coffee shops, convenience stores and supermarkets.Reusable tableware for centralised dine-in service has established washing, sanitisation and circulation routes. Food carried away by students or delivered elsewhere, by contrast, relies on cups, bowls, boxes and bags to cope with different temperatures, durations and mechanical stresses. The opportunities for improvement should be identified from these real uses.Research sources: Yunnan Normal University Asset Management Co., Ltd. | Campus-wide Takeaway Service Notice; East China Normal University | School Food Safety Working Meeting.What does the PE layer do?PE stands for polyethylene. Stora Enso's barrier-coating literature identifies it as one of the most widely used barrier materials, with typical applications including packaging for drinking cups, ice cream and yoghurt, and highlights its moisture resistance. Depending on the structure, a polymer functional layer on paperboard may also provide liquid resistance and sealing performance.In conventional PE extrusion-coated paper cups and bowls, the paper provides shape and structural support, while the coating separates the contents from the fibres and, in the relevant constructions, enables heat-sealed joints. This interaction between material and process is the baseline that any replacement must respect.PHA waterborne barriers merit investigation because they can introduce a bio-based material route for the functional layer while retaining the required performance, with film formation, coating position and process compatibility engineered through aqueous coating. For companies that already have, or can add, waterborne coating and drying capabilities, this offers a development route distinct from PE extrusion coating.The two processes are not directly interchangeable: water must be removed effectively, the coating must form a continuous film, and the finished material must withstand subsequent forming and sealing. Whether the new structure can reduce material use, improve cost or enhance recyclability depends on the specific design; a coating is not automatically more energy-efficient or less expensive simply because it is waterborne.The material being replaced may be clearly identified as PE extrusion coating, but the scope of replacement must be defined at the level of a specific end product.Research sources: Stora Enso | Barrier Coatings; BIOTEN | Paper-based Barrier Systems Engineering.Scenario 1 | Coffee and teaFor a cup of coffee, the joint is where performance is provenFor a campus coffee shop, a drink must be quick to serve, secure to hold and free from off-odours. For cup manufacturers, the challenge in replacing PE often lies in the joints consumers do not see: the side seam, bottom seal and rim forming must continue to work with the new coating.Once the current cup has been confirmed as a PE extrusion-coated structure, a single SKU with a fixed volume, lid and consumption window can be selected to compare the incumbent cup with one made from PHA waterborne barrier-coated paper. First assess hot-drink containment and seal integrity under actual use, then evaluate production speed, appearance and feel, so that seal performance is not sacrificed in pursuit of a more paper-like finish.Cold drinks introduce an additional external challenge: condensation on the cup wall may affect the cup carrier and outer bag. Replacing the cup's internal functional layer will not automatically resolve lid engagement or paper-bag exposure to moisture; external-surface protection, bag construction and cup carriers must still be specified as needed.By fixing one beverage SKU, the paper producer, coater, cup manufacturer and outlet can compare the same object under the same conditions. It is a sensible place to start because the use conditions are easy to define, while the technical difficulty remains governed by the actual construction.Scenario 2 | Hot-food takeawayFor a hot meal, the corners and seams must holdA paper bowl containing clear soup, thick sauce or oily hot food faces different contact conditions; collection at the counter and stacked delivery also impose different stresses on the lid edge and seams. Water- and oil-resistance measured on a flat specimen face the real package test only at the bowl bottom, score lines and cut edges.When evaluating alternatives to PE, first confirm the complete construction of the existing bowl or container. If the PE layer provides both liquid resistance and sealing, the replacement must take over both functions. If a separate lidding film or another barrier layer is also present, each must be addressed individually; one PHA layer should not be assumed to perform every function.For operators, the value lies in less leakage and easier opening when the food arrives. For converters, the value lies in reproducing that performance at stable line speeds and yields. A sample that contains the food but sticks frequently or seals inconsistently in production does not yet support a viable replacement case.Start with one menu item and a bowl or container with defined time-temperature conditions and a fixed delivery route; develop solutions for extended high-temperature exposure, microwave reheating and more complex uses separately. A campus requirement for delivery within 40 minutes helps describe the service process, but it cannot be treated as the package's contact duration or as a guarantee of food safety.Scenario 3 | Bakery and light mealsFor bakery packaging, grease resistance must be balanced with moisture releaseCampus bakery offerings range from bread taken away straight from the oven to products requiring refrigeration or longer storage. Not all greaseproof papers and bread bags use PE; the existing construction should be confirmed from supplier specifications and physical samples.If a wrapping paper does rely on a PE layer for grease resistance, it is reasonable to investigate whether a PHA waterborne functional layer can maintain protection after folding and contact with actual oily foods. If another greaseproof paper already meets the need, development should begin with a genuine performance gap rather than adding a layer merely for the sake of substitution.Pastries present an intuitive trade-off: grease must be contained, but heat and moisture should not necessarily be trapped entirely inside the bag. Coating water-vapour transmission, the timing of bagging and the opening design all affect eating quality. A stronger barrier does not always produce a better-tasting product.Short-duration takeaway uses with clearly defined boundaries can therefore be compared first. Products with longer shelf lives must also address the combined effects of oxygen, water vapour and sealing. A grease-resistance rating cannot substitute for a shelf-life conclusion.Connect the PHA route to a specific productBIOTEN advances paper-based barrier applications with PHA waterborne functional materials. Its publicly disclosed BIOTEN Plus universal balanced route applies project-based development to paper cups, bowls, food containers and bags, covering liquid and grease resistance, coating and film formation, heat-seal converting, and recycling and repulping.For converters, the choice can be reduced to three questions: which functions does the existing PE perform; can the company provide a compatible coating, drying and converting process; and is there a clearly defined end product for which the customer needs comparable results?Once those three points are clear, a PHA waterborne barrier has a specific assignment: form the required functional layer on the specified paper and in the specified position, meet the protection and processing requirements of the existing product, and then determine which PE structures are worth replacing. The material route, exact grade and finished article are three distinct levels. Food-contact compliance must still be confirmed for the complete construction, food type and time-temperature conditions.There is no need to roll out cups, bowls, boxes and bags all at once. Perfect one product first; only then can the resulting experience in base paper, coating and forming support the next.Research source: BIOTEN Plus | Universal Paper-based Food Packaging Route.Where do the fibres go after use?Paper packaging should perform its job while preserving a viable pathway for the paper fibres to be recovered and used again.That should be a shared objective of replacement development, not a label acquired automatically by changing the name of the material.Research source: 4evergreen | Circularity by Design Guideline for Fibre-based Packaging.Start with one productA 2024 procurement notice for campus food-delivery tableware from Nanjing Tech University specified customised markings, two daily delivery windows and batch documentation. This historical notice reminds the supply chain that campuses need products that can be replenished continuously, with consistent quality and traceable evidence.Back-to-school development can begin with one existing PE extrusion-coated paper cup, one takeaway bowl, or one bakery wrap whose construction has been confirmed. Use the incumbent product as the benchmark and, under the same food and use conditions, compare protective performance, converting yield, outlet handling and total cost, then verify acceptance conditions in the recycling stream. If the alternative increases leakage or unnecessary packaging, the design should be revised.Converters and campus operators can provide BIOTEN Packaging with details of the existing construction, food type and time-temperature conditions, processing equipment, and the issue they most want to improve. Together, the parties can define the position of the PHA functional layer, select the first-round paper and process, produce comparative samples and validate the complete article. Sample specifications, batches and availability are confirmed project by project. The trial may focus first on the issue with the greatest impact on use, while retaining seal integrity, food-contact compliance and delivered cost as non-negotiable requirements.From a cup of coffee to a takeaway meal, the opportunity to upgrade campus paper packaging lies in products whose requirements can be defined, whose designs can be manufactured and whose performance can be compared.Research source: Nanjing Tech University | 2024 Invitation to Procure Tableware for Campus Food Delivery.BIOTEN Packaging | Industry Insight | Research NoteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging from notices issued by universities and university-affiliated companies, publicly available corporate product information and industry guidelines. Information was verified through 5 September 2026. It is provided for industry research and learning and does not constitute a procurement recommendation or performance guarantee. For corrections, clarifications or removal requests, please contact us through this WeChat Official Account; we will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer data and verification sources01 | Zhengzhou University | Autumn Registration and Return-to-Campus Reminder02 | Yunnan Normal University Asset Management Co., Ltd. | Campus-wide Takeaway Service Notice03 | East China Normal University | School Food Safety Working Meeting04 | Stora Enso | Barrier Coatings05 | BIOTEN | Paper-based Barrier Systems Engineering06 | BIOTEN Plus | Universal Paper-based Food Packaging Route07 | 4evergreen | Circularity by Design Guideline for Fibre-based Packaging08 | Nanjing Tech University | Invitation to Procure Disposable Tableware for Campus Food DeliveryOriginal source access restricted",
            "date_published": "2026-09-05T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-07T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-05-campus-paper-packaging-pha-barrier/cms-image-971d5881c23e506f.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-05-four-hour-hot-hold-paper-packaging.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-05-four-hour-hot-hold-paper-packaging.html",
            "title": "Four hours in a hot-hold cabinet: four critical requirements for food-to-go paper packaging",
            "summary": "Four hours is not merely a heat-retention claim; it is a joint test of food, packaging and store operations. Only after the time basis is defined can the packaging solution be assessed.",
            "content_text": "Four hours is not merely a heat-retention claim; it is a joint test of food, packaging and store operations. Only after the time basis is defined can the packaging solution be assessed.THE FOUR-HOUR QUESTIONWho makes “up to four hours” possible?On 3 September, ProAmpac launched a new range for hot-cabinet applications: the Hot Hold Box, Hot HandRap™ and Hot Hold Carton. The company says the solutions combine product visibility with temperature retention, supporting hot-hold times of up to four hours.The launch brings a familiar retail scene to the fore: once a burger, wrap or hot sandwich is prepared, it may not be collected immediately but instead waits in a hot cabinet for the next customer. The important question for the packaging industry is not whether “four hours” can be copied onto a product page, but which parties and controls must work together throughout that waiting period.Research sources: ProAmpac product launch, 3 September.Start by separating the two claimsThere are two different “four-hour” claimsThe first is a packaging manufacturer's product-test claim. The product page for ProAmpac's specified 244HT SKU states that the hot square-sandwich pack was tested for four hours of hot holding at 194°F (approximately 90°C) and uses fog-resistant film. The paperboard functions as the container while also helping shield the consumer's hands from the hot food. Because the page does not disclose the food's core-temperature curve, menu formulation or full failure criteria, it supports only the test scope stated for that specific product.The second comes from food-safety operations. For catered meal delivery, China's Code of Practice for Food Safety in Catering Services states that where the food's core temperature is maintained above 60°C by hot holding for the first 2 hours after cooking, the time limit for consumption is four hours from cooking. This requirement governs the time–temperature relationship from cooking to consumption; it is not a performance property of paperboard or film alone.The numbers are the same, but the subjects of proof are entirely different. One validates packaging; the other manages food safety. Neither can be used to substantiate the other.Research sources: ProAmpac 244HT product page; State Administration for Market Regulation, Code of Practice for Food Safety in Catering Services.01 · FOOD SAFETYSafety: cabinet temperature is not core temperatureA cabinet display of 90°C does not mean that the core temperature of every food item remains the same. Temperature at removal from the oven, food thickness, moisture content, packing speed, frequency of door openings, shelf position and replenishment cadence all change the temperature curve. Packaging creates a local thermal environment; it cannot replace the foodservice operator's time–temperature controls.Validation should begin with a temperature map: record the times at which the food leaves the oven, is packed, enters the cabinet and is removed; measure core temperature at the least-favourable shelf position rather than relying only on the cabinet display; include peak-period door openings and replenishment in the test; and determine the consumption window from the target market's requirements and the store SOP. Sixty, 90, 120 or 240 minutes may each be a project target, but none can simply be copied from another SKU.02 · STEAM & TASTESteam: retain heat, release moistureRetain the heat; release the moisture.Fried foods, pastries and toasted breads lose crispness when condensation returns to the surface, while rice, meat fillings and soft breads are vulnerable to moisture loss. Too little venting can fog the window, soften the surface and allow the paperboard to absorb moisture; too much can dry the food and accelerate heat loss.The ProAmpac HotRap™ family offers windows, venting and fog resistance as design options. The window film provides visibility, vents control the moisture pathway, and the paperboard provides support and insulation. All three must be specified around the particular food.Sensory validation cannot stop at “the package remained intact”. More useful indicators include mass loss, surface moisture, crispness, window haze and consumer acceptability.An intact package does not mean the food is still worth selling.Research sources: ProAmpac HotRap™ product page.03 · BARRIER & STRUCTUREGrease and structure: passing a flat-sheet test is not enoughBurger sauces, sausage fat and steam from hot sandwiches will find the weakest points in the paperboard's pores, creases, cut edges, overlaps and seals. Increasing basis weight will not necessarily stop grease penetration; nor does grease resistance in a flat coupon prove integrity after converting, under heat and under load.Aqueous coatings and PHA as the paperboard's functional layerThis also clarifies the proper role of aqueous coatings and aqueous PHA barriers. They do not replace windows, vents or seals. Instead, they are candidate functional layers for the food-contact surface and failure-prone areas of the paperboard, to be screened for penetration by hot grease and sauces, moisture-induced softening from condensation, and integrity at score lines and cut edges.For PHBV, a member of the PHA family, peer-reviewed research has already examined aqueous dispersion coatings on paper. Using the study's specific formulation and Manila paper substrate, researchers observed improvements in water-vapour barrier performance, oil resistance, water absorption and wet mechanical properties. The route therefore merits validation, but the findings do not mean that every aqueous PHA coating is automatically suitable for a 90°C hot cabinet or a four-hour holding window. BIOTEN's published approach accordingly places liquid and grease resistance, film formation, performance after creasing, heat sealability and finished-pack integrity in the same validation chain.Research sources: Research on aqueous PHBV dispersion coatings for paper; BIOTEN paper-based barrier system engineering.04 · STORE OPERATIONSStore operations: from packing to handoverProAmpac's claimed benefits for HotRap™ and HandRap™ are clear: one pack can remain with the food from factory packing through in-store heating and hot-cabinet display to consumer use. The products ship flat, are assembled in store and are intended to improve operational efficiency by reducing the number of packaging SKUs.Those benefits count only when they show up in store data. Packing time per serving, hourly replenishment throughput, shelf capacity, wrong-item pickup rate, complaints about packs being too hot to handle, waste rate, remaining inventory and staff training time should all be recorded alongside food quality. If the structure is too complex, difficult to separate or slower to pack during peak periods, even excellent material performance can fail at the point of delivery.The post-use pathway cannot be skipped either. For certain HandRap™ products, ProAmpac states that the paperboard can enter the paper-recycling stream once the film is removed. This is a useful design direction, but it does not mean that the complete pack is recyclable, nor does it prove that consumers will separate the components or that local systems will collect them. Aqueous, bio-based, recyclable and compostable are separate claims, each requiring its own evidence.Research sources: ProAmpac HandRap™; 4evergreen Circularity by Design Guideline.Start with a real menu itemPut “four hours” on the validation sheetFirst fix the food dimensions, grease and moisture profile, oven-exit and packing temperatures, hot-cabinet settings, door-opening cadence and target sales window. Then compare the current pack, a conventional aqueous-coating route and a candidate aqueous PHA route, recording core temperature, mass loss, sensory quality, haze, leakage, stiffness, seal integrity, packing efficiency and post-use pathway for each.If you are trying to solve moisture regain, grease leakage, window fogging, packs that are too hot to handle or seal instability in hot-cabinet food, submit photographs of the food and pack; the food's dimensions and grease/moisture profile; oven-exit and packing temperatures; target hot-hold time; cabinet settings and door-opening cadence; the current structure; and the specific failure mode.BIOTEN will first return a failure map, candidate coating locations for aqueous and PHA systems, a comparative prototyping checklist and pack-level validation metrics, and then assess whether prototyping is warranted. Specific materials, specifications, batches and availability remain subject to project-specific confirmation.Longer is not inherently betterA longer holding time may increase moisture regain, moisture loss, grease migration and product waste. It may also lead stores to assume that food remains saleable simply because the pack is intact. If food safety, sensory quality, structural integrity or store efficiency fails, an advertised maximum of four hours is merely an unsuitable target for that menu item.Hot-cabinet packaging must protect more than a temperature: it must protect safety, sensory quality, structural integrity and store efficiency.Paperboard, film, windows, vents, seals and barrier layers must each do their part to turn waiting time into reliable delivery. Four hours may be a useful research hook, but it cannot be a universal answer. The answer must always come from data generated with the actual menu item, hot cabinet and store operations.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NoteThis article was independently prepared by BIOTEN Packaging from ProAmpac's public product launch, product and specified-SKU pages; the State Administration for Market Regulation's Code of Practice for Food Safety in Catering Services; peer-reviewed research; and the 4evergreen guideline. Sources were checked through 4 September 2026. The maximum four-hour hold, 194°F and 392°F figures are presented only within the scope stated by their respective sources and do not constitute third-party validation or general performance claims. This article is for industry research and educational purposes only and does not constitute procurement, compliance or performance assurance. Requests for corrections, clarification or removal will be reviewed within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer data and verification sources01 | ProAmpac | A Hot New Lineup for LUNCH! 202602 | ProAmpac | HotRap™03 | ProAmpac | HandRAP w/fog-resistant film for hot square sandwiches (SKU 244HT)04 | ProAmpac | HandRap™05 | State Administration for Market Regulation | Code of Practice for Food Safety in Catering Services06 | Progress in Organic Coatings | Stable aqueous dispersions of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) polymer for barrier paper coating07 | 4evergreen | Circularity by Design Guideline08 | BIOTEN Packaging | Paper-based barrier system engineeringOriginal source access restricted",
            "date_published": "2026-09-05T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-07T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-05-four-hour-hot-hold-paper-packaging/cms-image-9ea4ab2d18cd3272.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-04-sial-guangzhou-chain-store-packaging-five-questions.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-04-sial-guangzhou-chain-store-packaging-five-questions.html",
            "title": "SIAL Guangzhou: Five Packaging Questions New Products Must Answer Before Entering Chain Stores",
            "summary": "On 4 September, SIAL Guangzhou is hosting two themed matchmaking sessions.",
            "content_text": "On 4 September, SIAL Guangzhou is hosting two themed matchmaking sessions: Supermarkets & New Retail and Snack Foods & Beverages. Before a new product can enter a chain-store network, it must answer five packaging questions covering real-use conditions, functional allocation, scalable delivery, final-SKU evidence and total-order profitability.A booth determines whether a new product is seen; whether its packaging can be reproduced consistently determines whether it has a real chance of entering chain stores.Today, the organiser is holding two themed matchmaking sessions—Supermarkets & New Retail and Snack Foods & Beverages. But for a product to reach retail, preserve margin and generate repeat purchases, it must also clear the packaging hurdle.Exhibition scale and schedules follow the organiser’s disclosures. The five questions are BIOTEN Packaging’s procurement framework and do not indicate that any exhibitor’s product has been sold, mass-produced or validated.10:00—12:00Supermarkets & New Retail · 14:00—16:00Snack Foods & Beverages · 4G058TODAY · GUANGZHOUMany Products, Limited Procurement TimeOn 4 September, SIAL Guangzhou entered its second day. The official schedule lists the Supermarkets & New Retail session from 10:00 to 12:00 and the Snack Foods & Beverages session from 14:00 to 16:00, both at 4G058 in Hall 4.In its same-day review of Day 1, the organiser reported an exhibition area of approximately 60,000 square metres, more than 1,500 exhibitors and over 100,000 products. With so much on display, procurement teams do not simply need to see more new products; they need to identify which products are worth taking back for the next round of sampling and in-store trials.The SIAL LIVE preview released by the organiser on 3 September highlighted packaging, consumption scenarios, price bands, gross margin, supply capability, retail sell-through and repeat-purchase logic. For chain restaurant operators, those commercial questions conceal an often underestimated threshold: packaging.Mismatched lids, leaking sauces, loss of crispness in fried foods, or test reports that do not cover the final packaged article can all stop a “high-potential product” before the trial-sale stage.Research sources:SIAL Guangzhou Day 1 Review; Match Me Schedule; SIAL LIVE Preview.SIAL Guangzhou on Day 1. Source: the organiser’s public review dated 4 September.01 · REAL-USE CONDITIONSWhat Will It Hold, at What Temperature, and for How Long?Do not begin with “paper or plastic”. Begin by defining the actual conditions of use. Is the product hot food, a cold beverage, fried food or an oil-rich sauce? Will it be chilled and reheated? What is the filling temperature, and how long will the contents remain in contact with the packaging? Will consumers eat it in-store, take it away for half an hour, or consume it after delivery?The same paper container presents two different engineering briefs when used for room-temperature bread versus hot, oily soup. Likewise, the same cup cannot be assessed simply as “food grade” when it holds cold-brew coffee, acidic juice or a dairy beverage. At a minimum, record the contents, filling temperature, contact time, delivery duration and reheating method.On-site Sample 1 | Zhuangyuan PastureTurning Flavour Innovation into Portable ConsumptionAccording to the organiser’s official award card, “Craft Hop-Flavoured Yogurt/Fermented Milk” from Lanzhou Zhuangyuan Pasture Co., Ltd. won a Gold Award. The craft-hop flavour gives the new product a distinctive identity; judging from the packaging shown, the screw-cap pouch is designed for portable consumption, creating a clear link between the product concept, pack recognition and consumption occasion.Before entering chain channels, the product should also be checked for cold-chain temperature control, pouch and spout seal integrity, squeeze and drop resistance, flavour retention, portion size and merchandising format. An award does not constitute packaging certification or channel adoption.02 · FUNCTION REALLOCATIONWhen One Layer Is Removed, What Takes Over Oil, Water, Heat and Load-Bearing Performance?Food-service procurement rarely buys a box in isolation; it buys a complete delivery system. The box, lid, cup, sealing film, sauce cup, label, tamper-evident seal, cup carrier and outer bag work together to fulfil one order.If a layer is removed for material reduction, the remaining structure must take over the spill resistance, load-bearing capacity, thermal performance and opening experience previously provided by that layer. Otherwise, the supposedly eliminated packaging may return in the form of leakage, an additional bag, customer complaints or even redelivery.A waterborne coating may be considered as an engineering route for one or more objectives, including grease resistance, water resistance, moisture resistance, heat sealing or surface protection. Only after a specific formulation, paper, coating process and forming conditions have been validated can a film or laminate layer potentially be reduced.On-site Sample 2 | ASSET FRONTIERONE PIECE Crispy Biscuits Make Their First Shelf PitchThe official award card states that “ONE PIECE Protein-Filled Crispy Biscuits” won a Bronze Award. ONE PIECE character artwork creates the first layer of recognition on the front of the pack, while the words “protein”, “filled” and “crispy” communicate the product attributes. Packaging serves both as protection and as the new product’s first sales interface.Crispy biscuits require moisture protection and resistance to breakage, while the filling also raises issues involving fats, flavour, seals and printed areas. If paper-based, waterborne or PHA-containing waterborne routes are being explored, the ability to maintain crispness, moisture and grease resistance, heat-seal performance and transport robustness must first be validated.Official SIAL Innovation award cards. An award assessment does not constitute packaging-performance, food-contact or environmental certification.03 · SCALABLE DELIVERYCan a Booth Sample Be Scaled into Consistent Bulk Orders?A booth sample shows only the current state of one product. Chain procurement is concerned with sustained consistency after production is scaled up.Procurement teams should continue asking: Which versions of the base paper, resin, coating, adhesive and ink are used? Are the printing, die-cutting, cup-forming, box-forming and heat-sealing lines compatible? What is the minimum order quantity? How long will sampling and mass production take? How will peak-season capacity, cross-regional replenishment and batch-to-batch consistency be assured?If paper grammage, coat weight, drying temperature, processing equipment or raw-material suppliers change, who is responsible for notification, and which items must be reassessed? Producing a sample proves only that the item can be made once. Consistent specifications, production lines and delivery demonstrate that it may be ready for a chain system.Exhibitor–visitor discussions on Day 1 of SIAL Guangzhou. Booth contact does not mean that matchmaking, a transaction or entry onto a procurement list has been completed.04 · FINAL-SKU EVIDENCEDoes the Report in Hand Cover a Raw Material or the Final SKU?“Food grade”, “waterborne” and “bio-based” are not passports for the final package.GB 4806.10—2025, National Food Safety Standard—Coatings and Coating Layers for Food-Contact Materials and Articles, took effect on 2 September and applies to coatings used for food-contact materials and articles and to the coating layers they form. On-site procurement should align the supplier’s compliance information and the tested specimen with the SKU under review, checking the structure, food-contact surface, food simulants, temperature, time and other applicable conditions. This is a procurement-review method; it does not mean that every SKU or batch must be retested.A PHA-containing waterborne functional layer may be considered as an engineering route, with formulation–paper–process–finished-article validation targeting grease resistance, moisture resistance, heat sealing and other requirements. The use of PHA alone does not substantiate the final package’s bio-based content, food-contact suitability, recyclability or compostability.When materials, processes or conditions of use change, conduct a change-impact assessment first. If the change may affect raw-material compliance, migration or critical performance, carry out additional validation on a representative sample or the final SKU.Research sources:National Food Safety Standards Database; BIOTEN PHA Waterborne Barrier Engineering for Paper-Based Packaging.05 · TOTAL-ORDER COSTAfter Leakage, Labour and Inventory Are Counted, Is the New Product Still Profitable?On-site quotations often cover only the unit price of the food or package, while chain stores bear the total order cost: food, packaging, converting and transport, warehousing and inventory, in-store labour, leakage and customer complaints.Even at a slightly higher unit price, a package may deliver a better overall result if it reduces damage, shortens handling time, improves shelf presentation or lowers inventory complexity. Conversely, a low-priced unit that requires an additional bag, frequent rework or unreliable replenishment may not be inexpensive at all.Environmental claims must also be evaluated at whole-order level. “Recyclable” should specify whether separation is required and whether the target region collects the material; “compostable” should identify the certified item, applicable conditions and local facilities. Without a defined structure and location, environmental attributes are difficult to convert into genuine procurement value.BEFORE LEAVING THE EXHIBITIONDo Not Leave with Just a Brochure—Take a Project BriefAt a minimum, the project brief should include: the product and its conditions of use; packaging configuration and dimensions; critical failure modes; target price and total-order cost; equipment and delivery windows; food-contact documentation; recovery or disposal conditions; and tasks for the first sampling round.Starting from an actual food-service order, BIOTEN Packaging can turn exhibition samples into candidate packaging structures, paper and functional-layer specifications, a first sampling plan, production-line validation and a supplier-evidence checklist. Where necessary, waterborne functional coatings, PHA-based waterborne barriers, custom barrier papers and finished-packaging resources can be evaluated further.To begin the assessment, provide photographs of the product and packaging, the contents and filling temperature, package dimensions, portion weight, delivery or display time, existing problems and target cost. Specific materials, structures, suppliers and availability remain subject to project validation and formal confirmation.PAPER TALK · EVIDENCE AT THE CORETrade Fairs Reveal Opportunities; Validation Determines Adoption.SIAL Guangzhou is a venue for food-and-beverage trade and industry exchange, not for certifying packaging materials. The five questions can help procurement teams identify gaps, but they cannot replace supplier qualification, food-contact assessment, laboratory testing, production-line trials or in-store pilots.Only when actual conditions of use are clearly defined, required functions are properly allocated, production lines can deliver, evidence covers the final SKU and the total order remains profitable does a new product have a credible path from the exhibition hall into stores.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NoteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging using information from the organiser of SIAL Guangzhou, the National Food Safety Standards Database and other public sources. Information was verified through 4 September 2026. Exhibition scale, on-site arrangements and awards follow the organiser’s disclosures. The five questions constitute BIOTEN Packaging’s procurement framework and do not indicate that any exhibitor’s product has been sold, adopted, mass-produced or validated. This article is for industry research and learning only and does not constitute a basis for procurement, food-contact, certification or investment decisions. Requests for correction, clarification or removal will be reviewed within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources01 | SIAL Guangzhou | Day 1 On-site Review02 | SIAL Guangzhou | Match Me Buyer-Matchmaking Schedule03 | SIAL Guangzhou | SIAL LIVE Preview04 | SIAL China | SIAL Guangzhou 202605 | China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment | National Food Safety Standards Database06 | SIAL Guangzhou | SIAL Innovation07 | BIOTEN Packaging | PHA Waterborne Barrier Engineering for Paper-Based PackagingOriginal source access restricted",
            "date_published": "2026-09-04T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-04T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-04-sial-guangzhou-chain-store-packaging-five-questions/cms-image-239e2ab17e15b94f.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-02-gb-4806-10-2025-food-contact-coatings.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-02-gb-4806-10-2025-food-contact-coatings.html",
            "title": "China’s Mandatory New Standard Takes Effect Today: A New Compliance Threshold for Food-Contact Coatings",
            "summary": "GB 4806.10—2025, National Food Safety Standard—Coatings and Coating Layers for Food-Contact Materials and Articles, takes effect on 2 September 2026, expanding the permitted base-material list while tightening testing and supply-chain evidence requirements.",
            "content_text": "China’s Mandatory New Standard Takes Effect on 2 September 2026GB 4806.10—2025, National Food Safety Standard—Coatings and Coating Layers for Food-Contact Materials and Articles, is now in force. With the list expanding from 105 → 346, what evidence must the supply chain update?The list of permitted base raw materials has expanded to 346, while testing and supply-chain accountability have tightened. Compliance must still be assessed against the specific raw materials, coating process, finished packaging and conditions of use.Coating suppliers are responsible for formulation and information disclosure; coated-paper mills control the process; packaging converters must tie the evidence to each SKU; and brand procurement and testing teams are responsible for defining use scenarios and verification.The standard applies to paints and coatings used in food-contact materials and articles; it is not a standard specifically for paper foodservice ware. Existing inventories and legacy test reports must still be assessed by product and batch.Three anchors for the effective date2026.09.02 Effective date105 → 346 Number of base raw materials0.6 → 0.05 mg/kg Migration limit for bisphenol A where the relevant raw material is usedLEVEL 1 · SCOPEWhat the Standard CoversOn 2 September 2026, GB 4806.10—2025, National Food Safety Standard—Coatings and Coating Layers for Food-Contact Materials and Articles, took effect, replacing the 2016 edition. National food safety standards are mandatory under Chinese law.It covers paints and coatings used in food-contact materials and articles, including those in direct contact with food and those not in direct contact whose constituents may nevertheless migrate into food.The 2016 edition expressly excluded paper coatings and coating layers; the 2025 edition removes that exclusion. Coatings on paper cups, bowls, food containers and food-packaging paper therefore now have a clearer regulatory reference.For coated paper packaging, the paper and paperboard substrate must still comply with GB 4806.8—2022, while the paint or coating must comply with GB 4806.10—2025. Any plastic layer, adhesive or printing ink in the construction remains subject to the relevant requirements. A finished SKU must be assessed against a set of standards, not a single material report.Research sources:National Health Commission Announcement No. 6 of 2025; National Food Safety Standards DatabaseLEVEL 2 · WHAT HAS CHANGEDKey ChangesExpanded raw-material list:According to the official interpretation issued by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, the number of permitted base raw materials has increased from 105 to 346. The new standard also consolidates base raw materials for paints and coatings previously covered by 23 related announcements.Expansion does not mean that all 346 raw materials may be used without conditions. Companies must still verify each material’s identity, maximum use level, migration or residual limits, applicable food types and temperatures, coating thickness, and any restrictions for special populations.Tighter bisphenol A limit:Where the relevant raw material is used, the migration limit has been reduced from 0.6 mg/kg to 0.05 mg/kg. This should not be misread as requiring the same fixed test for every coating, nor as a blanket ban on an entire class of materials.Stronger finished-product testing:Coatings containing aromatic isocyanates, azo colorants or other substances that may generate primary aromatic amines must be tested on the cured, finished food-contact material or article. As a general rule, primary aromatic amines must not be detected, at a limit of detection of 0.01 mg/kg; where a specific migration limit already applies, the corresponding requirement governs.Shared responsibility across the supply chain:Clause 3.2 requires coating manufacturers to control risks through formulation design, raw-material selection, production controls and information transfer. Clause 3.3 requires users to address seams and edges, effective barrier layers, curing conditions, coating use levels and information transfer.This standard addresses food-contact safety. It does not establish a uniform VOC limit, nor does it mandate the wholesale phase-out of any particular material.Research sources:Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation interpretation of the new standard; official 2025 and 2016 textsLEVEL 3 · CHAIN OF RESPONSIBILITYImplications for Each Link in the Supply ChainCoating, emulsion and additive suppliers:Each commercial grade must be traceable to the corresponding internal formulation version, with clear disclosure of raw-material restrictions, conditions of use and change-control responsibilities. Downstream users do not need trade secrets; they need enough documented information to complete a safety assessment.Coated-paper mills:The base paper, coating grade, coat weight, drying and curing conditions, production line and food-contact surface must be incorporated into the product specification. Changes to the formulation, coat weight, temperature or line speed may alter the scope for which an existing report remains valid.Packaging converters:Evidence must be tied to the finished SKU. A cup wall, rim, base, side seam, box corner and cut edge encounter different materials and processes; a drum of coating or a flat-sheet specimen cannot substitute for an assessment of the finished article.Brand procurement and supply-chain teams:Specifications should first define the food type, temperature, contact time, hot-fill, refrigeration, reheating and number of use cycles. Reports must correspond to the actual supplier, grade, plant, construction and batch.Testing, quality and regulatory teams:The test plan must specify sample construction, contact surface, food simulants, time, temperature, surface-area-to-volume ratio and curing state. The same standard designation does not mean that different SKUs can share the same conclusion.LEVEL 4 · ACTIONS FOR THE EFFECTIVE DATEWhat Companies Should Do Now01 | Verify raw materials.Coating suppliers should check where each base raw material and additive appears in the positive lists, together with maximum use levels, specific migration limits, overall migration limits and residual limits, and build a version-controlled raw-material restrictions matrix.02 | Map the construction.Coated-paper mills and packaging converters should map “substrate—coating—process—finished SKU—intended use,” identifying food-contact surfaces, seams, edges and effective barrier layers.03 | Define the test scope.Determine whether paper coatings, indirect-contact scenarios, bisphenol A, other risk parameters and testing of the cured finished article are triggered, and verify the food simulants, time and temperature.04 | Update documentation.Update declarations of compliance, supplier documentation, the applicability of test reports, batch traceability and change notifications. The information required by GB 4806.1 cannot be replaced by a generic statement that the product “complies with the new national standard.”05 | Manage the transition.Create an inventory of legacy stock, legacy reports, work in progress, customer-held stock and undelivered orders. Neither the standard itself nor Announcement No. 6 prescribes a one-size-fits-all approach for every company; businesses should not unilaterally declare that everything remains valid or that everything must be scrapped.One important boundary:GB 4806.10—2025 addresses food-contact safety. It does not, by itself, substantiate claims such as PFAS-free, recyclable or compostable; each claim still requires evidence specific to the final construction, applicable test method and market or jurisdiction.The new standard broadens raw-material options while raising the bar for information transfer through to the finished package.What needs updating today is not a single report, but an evidence chain covering raw materials, processes, constructions, intended uses and batches.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NoteThis article was independently researched and prepared by BIOTEN Packaging using public information from the National Health Commission, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the National Food Safety Standards Database and other regulatory authorities. Information was verified as of 2 September 2026. It is provided solely for research and educational purposes relating to food-contact coatings, fiber-based packaging, article conversion, procurement and testing, and does not constitute legal, compliance, testing or procurement advice. Requests for correction, clarification or removal will be reviewed within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer: Data and Verification Sources01 | National Health Commission | Announcement No. 6 of 202502 | National Food Safety Standards Database | Official text of GB 4806.10—202503 | National Food Safety Standards Database | Official text of GB 4806.10—201604 | National Food Safety Standards Database | GB 4806.1—2016 General Safety Requirements05 | National Food Safety Standards Database | GB 4806.8—2022 Paper and Paperboard Materials and Articles06 | Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation | Interpretation of GB 4806.10—202507 | National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China | Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of ChinaRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-02T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-02T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-02-gb-4806-10-2025-food-contact-coatings/cms-image-7353622456504993.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-02-taisheng-technology-bamboo-pulp-tissue-multi-site-system.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-02-taisheng-technology-bamboo-pulp-tissue-multi-site-system.html",
            "title": "Why Is Taisheng Technology Strong? Bamboo Pulp, Tissue and a Multi-Site System Behind 1.631 Million Tonnes",
            "summary": "China’s Top 20 Paper Producers · No. 20: What Makes Taisheng Technology Strong?",
            "content_text": "China’s Top 20 Paper Producers · No. 20Why Is Taisheng Technology Strong? Behind 1.631 Million Tonnes: Bamboo Pulp, Tissue and a Multi-Site SystemFrom bamboo resources and pulp-and-paper bases across multiple regions to tissue converting, this analysis examines the system capabilities behind Taisheng’s No. 20 ranking—and the operating questions that remain after scale.Taisheng’s strength lies not only in 1.631 million tonnes of output, nor only in bamboo pulp. It lies in organizing regional bamboo resources, pulping, papermaking and converting into a multi-site system. Whether that scale can translate into operating quality still depends on products, channels and cash.The association’s original table shows that its 2025 output rose 17.34% year on year. The same annex lists Shanying International separately at No. 4. Taisheng’s No. 20 position must therefore be interpreted by the specific Chinese entity, Taisheng Technology, without adding output from the broader affiliated ecosystem.The association ranks companies only by the output data it has collected. Government projects, corporate and related-party disclosures, and site- and subsidiary-level figures all use distinct reporting bases. Because consolidated group revenue, profit and cash flow on a comparable basis were not available, this article does not rank operating quality.1.631 million tonnes · 17.34% YoY · 20th placeResearch source: China Paper Association 2025 Annual Report01 · RANKING SCOPEIdentify the Ranked Entity FirstAccording to association data, output at Taisheng Technology (Group) Co., Ltd. rose from 1.3900 million tonnes in 2024 to 1.6310 million tonnes, an increase of 17.34%. National paper and paperboard output grew 3.74% over the same period. By growth rate alone, Taisheng clearly outpaced total industry output.However, the association states that its ranking is based on collected data and answers only how much paper the specified entity produced. Shanying International ranked No. 4 in the same table with 7.5453 million tonnes. Even though the two have shareholder and industrial ties, the two ranked entities cannot be combined for interpretation.The No. 20 position is therefore a precise scale coordinate—not the total output of a corporate ecosystem, and not a composite score of revenue, profit, brand strength or technology.Research sources: China Paper Association Annual Report; Shanying International 2025 Annual Report02 · BAMBOO PULPBamboo Pulp: The Starting Point of the Resource ChainIn its table of major bamboo-pulp producers in 2025, the association places Taisheng in the first group, alongside Taisheng (Guizhou) Bamboo Resources, Sichuan Yongfeng Pulp & Paper, Luzhou Yongfeng Pulp & Paper, Sichuan Yongfeng Paper and Sichuan Tianzhu Bamboo Resources. The table does not state each company’s output, but it clearly identifies the resource base that distinguishes Taisheng from a conventional tissue producer.Muchuan is the clearest example. Leshan sources show that Muchuan County has 820,000 mu of bamboo forest. Taisheng’s Muchuan site is built on bamboo-pulp sheets, printing and writing paper, and tissue, with an extension into specialty paper. The 820,000 mu is a county-level resource endowment, not company-owned bamboo forest. The real capability lies in sourcing, grading and pulping dispersed bamboo reliably, then matching the furnish to different paper grades.A 2026 listed-company announcement also confirms that Taisheng Technology holds 89.53% of Guizhou Bamboo Resources and 75.99% of Sichuan Tianzhu. These equity relationships provide traceable organizational coordinates, but they do not prove that costs are identical across sites or that pulp can be substituted indiscriminately.Research sources: Leshan Municipal Forestry and Parks Bureau materials on Muchuan; Shanying International related-party transaction announcement03 · BASE ALLOCATIONMultiple Sites, Not Simple ReplicationTaisheng’s sites perform different roles. Muchuan is built around bamboo pulp, printing and writing paper, and tissue, with an extension into specialty paper. The locality is advancing an integrated modern-bamboo-industry upgrade and capacity-expansion program, but the stated target of reaching 1 million tonnes after commissioning remains a project objective, not current effective capacity.Chongqing’s Tongnan District is following a different route. In 2025, the Chongqing Municipal Development and Reform Commission approved in principle the energy-conservation report for a 100,000-tonne-per-year recovered-paper pulping project and an 80,000-tonne-per-year tissue project; the document gave a construction period from April 2025 to February 2026. EIA materials confirm that the project company is wholly owned by Taisheng Technology. As of this review, no official evidence was found that the project had reached design capacity.Historical materials from the Suzhou Municipal People’s Government describe a tissue-converting industrial park and a cogeneration layout. Locating parent reels, converting operations and regional consumer markets close together can shorten transport and replenishment chains. But changeover efficiency, yield, inventory and order mix ultimately determine whether converting adds value.Taken together, these examples suggest that Taisheng’s scale is organized around specialization: southwestern resource sites manage the bamboo-pulp and paper-grade mix; Chongqing adds recovered-fiber pulp and tissue; and Suzhou handles parent reels and converting. The number of sites is not a moat; consistent operating rules across sites are.Research sources: Chongqing Municipal Development and Reform Commission project energy-conservation review; Suzhou Municipal People’s Government materials on the Suzhou–Ma’anshan Modern Industrial Park04 · MARKET VALUELook at Operations Before BrandingTissue and printing and writing paper follow different operating logics. Pulp sheets and parent reels depend more on fiber cost, machine efficiency and specification consistency. Converted tissue also requires embossing, rewinding, packaging, SKU management, channel turnover and brand investment. Taisheng already has tissue and converting entities, but that does not mean branded consumer products were its principal growth engine in 2025.Comparable 2025 group-level data on brand revenue, channel structure, retail sales, inventory, receivables and operating cash flow were not available for the entity used in the association ranking. What is available is a public snapshot of several subsidiaries: all three were profitable, but their revenue scale and profit density differed.Guizhou Bamboo Resources | 2025 revenue: RMB 2.119 billion; net profit: RMB 206 million.Sichuan Tianzhu | 2025 revenue: RMB 830 million; net profit: RMB 28 million.Taisheng Suzhou | 2025 revenue: RMB 2.256 billion; net profit: RMB 122 million.Important boundary: These are audited subsidiary-level figures presented in shareholder-meeting materials. They represent the respective legal entities only and should neither be added together nor treated as group earnings.05 · REALIZATIONWhat to Watch After No. 20Capacity utilization | Machine load, first-pass yield, downtime and unit energy consumption across sites indicate whether nominal capacity can deliver stable output.Product mix | Sales and revenue shares of bamboo pulp, recovered-fiber pulp, printing and writing paper, tissue, specialty paper and converted paper products.Value capture | Unit gross profit, converting losses and comparable net selling prices for parent reels and converted products indicate whether downstream integration creates additional value.Channel efficiency | Inventory turnover, receivable days, retail sell-through and repeat purchases of branded finished products indicate whether the paper is actually reaching consumers.Cash and projects | Actual commissioning, ramp-up to design capacity and operating-cash-flow coverage of new projects indicate whether multi-site expansion can finance itself.The output ranking ends at No. 20; the operating assessment is only beginning.Taisheng’s most demonstrable foundation begins with bamboo resources and the organization of pulp and paper production across multiple sites. Tissue and converting provide a route for moving fiber value closer to the end market. A paper company’s real strength is not how many links it owns, but whether every link can deliver reliably—and ultimately retain customers, profit and cash.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NoteThis article was independently compiled by BIOTEN Packaging from the China Paper Association, public corporate disclosures, Shanghai Stock Exchange announcements and local-government materials from Sichuan, Chongqing and Anhui. Information was verified through 2 September 2026. It is provided solely for research and learning on papermaking, pulp, tissue, packaging and industrial operations and does not constitute investment, procurement, product-compliance or engineering advice. Association output, government projects, corporate relationships and subsidiary financials are used on their respective reporting bases. No publicly disclosed investment, supply, customer or project relationship between BIOTEN Packaging and Taisheng Technology was identified. Requests for correction, clarification or removal regarding content, data or rights will be reviewed within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources01 | China Paper Association | China Paper Industry 2025 Annual Report02 | Shanghai Stock Exchange | Public information on Taisheng Technology entities03 | Leshan Municipal Forestry and Parks Bureau | Development of the Muchuan bamboo industry04 | National Forestry and Grassland Administration | Sichuan Muchuan bamboo pulp and paper technical-upgrade project05 | Chongqing Municipal Development and Reform Commission | Energy-conservation review for the recovered-paper pulping and tissue project06 | Chongqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau | EIA for the recovered-fiber pulp and tissue project07 | Shanying International | Materials for the 2025 Annual General Meeting08 | Suzhou Municipal People’s Government | Green papermaking industrial base in the Suzhou–Ma’anshan Modern Industrial ParkRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-02T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-02T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-02-taisheng-technology-bamboo-pulp-tissue-multi-site-system/cms-image-422a191eef7c9e51.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-01-beijing-food-delivery-green-packaging-guide.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-09-01-beijing-food-delivery-green-packaging-guide.html",
            "title": "Beijing’s Green Packaging Guide for Food Delivery Takes Effect: “One Less Layer” Is Only the First Step",
            "summary": "The real challenge in greening food-delivery packaging is not replacing one material with another.",
            "content_text": "The real challenge in greening food-delivery packaging is not replacing one material with another. It is removing redundant layers while ensuring that every remaining layer still provides spill protection, load-bearing strength, thermal control and reliable delivery performance.Rain is falling, an iced drink is sweating, and several hot meals have just left the kitchen. A staff member places the meal containers and cup tray in a paper bag, folds the top, and then adds a plastic bag or a heavy nonwoven bag just before dispatch. The extra layer is meant to prevent rain exposure, leakage and temperature interference—and to keep the bag closed until it reaches the customer. Every layer appears to have a reason, yet total material use may not fall at all.Today, Beijing local standard DB11/T 2510—2026, Guidelines for the Use of Green Packaging by Food Delivery Merchants, takes effect. The official interpretation does not prescribe one universal replacement. Instead, packaging should be selected according to the food, temperature, liquid content and task: dimensions should fit, functions should not be duplicated, unnecessary layers should be removed, and sealing or insulation should be retained where required.The Guide places safety, material reduction, recyclability or degradability, and reuse within one framework. Rather than selecting one generic bag for every merchant, it asks two questions of each packaging layer: Is it necessary? If it is removed, which component will take over its function?Research sources: Beijing Local Standards Announcement; official interpretation by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation01 · FOUR ACTIONSFour Actions Before Removing a LayerAction 01 | Define the Use Case. Record the food type, temperature, liquid content, condensation, weight, delivery time and weather conditions. Soup noodles, fried foods, iced drinks and baked goods cannot share one assessment standard. The result should be an order-specific operating-condition sheet.Action 02 | Eliminate Redundancy. Clarify the role of the container, closure and outer bag, layer by layer. Where insulation is unnecessary, do not use a heavy bag as redundant protection. The result should be a layer-by-layer material-reduction checklist.Action 03 | Restore Required Functions. Assign spill protection to the cup lid, meal container or sealing film; combined load carrying to the paper bag; and localized oil, moisture and condensation management to materials and structures at the points where they are needed. The result should be a default functional architecture.Action 04 | Validate the Complete Order. Use actual food, load and delivery time to test the bag base, side gussets, adhesive seams, handles, folds and closure. Record secondary bagging, leakage, complaints and redeliveries to create a traceable sample-validation record.After these four steps, the result should be more than a claim that the packaging is “greener.” It should be an order-specific packaging specification that stores, procurement teams, quality teams and suppliers can all understand.02 · THREE CONDITIONSThree Gaps Created by Removing a LayerRainy-Day Delivery | External Protection. Rainwater can enter along folds, adhesive seams, the bag base and handle paths. The solution must address both the outer surface and the complete bag structure. The key question is where a loaded bag first softens and where it first fails.Hot-and-Cold Orders | Localized Oil and Moisture. Condensation from cold drinks, steam from hot meals and small amounts of oil concentrate in specific locations. Containers and closures should retain free liquids; the paper bag should receive added functionality only at the points of actual contact.Order Fulfilment | A Continuous Load Path. Cup trays and meal containers transfer weight through the bag base, side gussets, bag walls and paper handles. A fold-over top reduces exposure, while a paper seal helps indicate whether the bag has been opened.Functions cannot disappear with the removed layer. If one outer layer is eliminated, the paper bag must take on more of the work.03 · BIOTEN ROUTEProtect the Outside, Protect the Inside, Reinforce the Fiber CoreBIOTEN Packaging integrates the three operating conditions into one scenario-based, end-to-end solution for food-delivery paper bags, built around one technical proposition: Protect the outside, protect the inside and reinforce the fiber core.External Protection: Manage Rain Exposure. A PHA waterborne overprint varnish on the outer layer is a candidate surface-protection route. Its use should be determined by rainfall, exposure duration, paper grade and the complete bag structure.Internal Protection: Manage Heat and Cold. Apply a PHA waterborne barrier coating only where condensation or light oil exposure occurs, avoiding undifferentiated full-bag coating.Fiber-Core Reinforcement: Support Delivery Loads. A fiber-enhancing copolymer can support lightweighting while helping the packaging paper, paper handles, bag walls, side gussets and base form a continuous load path. A wide base accommodates meal containers and cup trays, while the fold-over top and paper seal manage the top of the package during delivery.These three routes first address how the package should be designed and validated. The final configuration must be determined by the order conditions, the complete material structure and whole-bag testing.04 · PRODUCT FAMILYPaper Bags Should Be Specified by TaskCombined takeaway orders require a food-delivery carrier paper bag. Coffee shops, convenience stores, small-item retailers and prepackaged foods are better suited to an easy-grip paper bag. Hot, dry, slightly moist or oily single items—such as steamed buns, corn and grilled sausages—can use a ready-to-eat functional paper-bag route.One store may need all three bag types: a carrier bag for the complete order, an easy-grip bag for rapid takeaway, and a ready-to-eat bag for short-duration holding. When the bag format follows the task, material use has a real opportunity to fall.05 · PRESSURE TESTWith One Less Layer, How Can “Less Material, More Performance” Be Quantified?If removing a layer causes leakage, condensation-related softening, secondary bagging or order redelivery, total resource consumption may rise instead. Paper, PHA, waterborne coatings and “one less layer” are all directions—not proof of performance.The most direct review is to determine whether the number of packaging layers and material grammage have fallen, whether secondary bagging has decreased, whether leakage and redelivery have increased, and whether the used structure can enter a real local collection pathway.06 · ONE-ORDER DIAGNOSISStart the Diagnosis with One OrderIf you are redesigning a food-delivery bag, submit: Photographs of the current bag or packed order; dimensions of the meal containers and cup trays; typical weight per bag; delivery time; and rainy-day or insulation requirements.BIOTEN provides: Recommendations on bag format and dimensions, an approach to paper-grade and localized-coating configuration, and a sample-validation checklist.Project-specific matching: Resources for packaging paper, custom-coated or barrier paper, and finished food-delivery paper bags.These five inputs are enough to start the first discussion and quickly identify whether the issue lies in dimensions, surface protection, localized barriers, or the load path through the handles and bag base. First make this order work; then discuss how to replicate the solution across more stores.Valuable material reduction gives every layer a defined task, assigns every function to the right component and makes every order verifiable.BIOTEN Packaging | Industry Insight | Research Note This article was independently researched and prepared using public information from Beijing market-regulation authorities, government portals, development and reform authorities, and national standardization sources, together with information on the current product boundaries of BIOTEN Packaging. Information was verified through 1 September 2026. DB11/T 2510—2026 is a recommended Beijing local standard. Participation in drafting the standard does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement of BIOTEN products. Product configuration and performance remain subject to the final material structure and whole-bag validation. This article is provided solely for research and learning by the food-service packaging value chain and does not constitute legal, food-contact, certification, procurement, supply or investment advice. Requests for correction, clarification or removal will be reviewed within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources01 | Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation | Beijing Local Standards Announcement No. 6 of 202602 | Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation | Official Interpretation of the Guidelines for the Use of Green Packaging by Food Delivery Merchants03 | Beijing Municipal People’s Government Portal | Food-Delivery Packaging Should Be Fit for Purpose and Not Excessive04 | State Administration for Market Regulation | Standardization Law of the People’s Republic of ChinaRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-09-01T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-09-01T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-09-01-beijing-food-delivery-green-packaging-guide/cms-image-71cfbf40fe24c8e7.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-31-paper-packaging-weekly-interim-reports-cash-flow.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-31-paper-packaging-weekly-interim-reports-cash-flow.html",
            "title": "Paper & Packaging Weekly | Ten Interim Reports: Where Does the Money Stay in the Value Chain?",
            "summary": "Paper-machine restarts, higher sales and growth in corrugated-paper orders can all raise revenue, but costs flow into quotations, inventory and production lines at different speeds.",
            "content_text": "Ten interim reports offer four different answers: some companies grew revenue while margins and cash thinned; others saw revenue decline but cash recover as procurement payments fell; still others improved both profit and cash by controlling costs, receivables and product mix. To assess the quality of growth, start with the products, then examine inventory, receivables and procurement payments.Five-step reading framework: First identify where the orders came from. Then examine product gross margins, inventory and receivables, and operating cash flow. Cash flow must be separated into cash collected from sales, procurement payments and tax refunds. Finally, assess project utilization, yield and repeat orders.ORDERS TO MARGINOrders Arrived, but Margins Did NotPaper-machine restarts, higher sales and growth in corrugated-paper orders can all raise revenue, but costs flow into quotations, inventory and production lines at different speeds.01 | Chenming Paper: Revenue was RMB 6.865 billion, up 225.90%, mainly due to the restart of five major production bases. The gross margin on machine-made paper remained -9.49%, while operating cash flow was RMB 322 million, down 58.95%. Cash paid for goods and services purchased rose to RMB 6.272 billion, and inventory increased RMB 551 million from the beginning of the year. The restart has translated into volume, but per-tonne margins and working capital are still recovering. [01]02 | Songyang Resources: Revenue was RMB 280 million, up 25.91%, and the loss narrowed to RMB 29.24 million. Based on disclosed revenue and costs, the estimated gross margin on high-strength corrugating medium was about 0.90%. Overall operating costs still slightly exceeded revenue, and net operating cash outflow was RMB 11.46 million. The improvement in cash mainly came from VAT refunds and site rental income and therefore cannot be explained by sales alone. [02]03 | Hexing Packaging: Revenue was RMB 5.522 billion, up 7.26%, while revenue from the corrugated business grew 10.52%; its gross margin fell to 10.34%. Cash collected from sales was broadly flat. Accounts receivable and inventory rose about RMB 124 million and RMB 221 million from the beginning of the year, respectively, while operating cash flow fell to RMB 84 million. Once orders grow, price pass-through and turnover determine whether the cash stays. [03]PROFIT TO CASHProfit Improved, but Cash Moved in Different DirectionsAn increase in cash may come from sales collections or from lower procurement payments. The causes differ, and so does the durability of the improvement.04 | Bohui Paper: Revenue was RMB 9.454 billion, down 1.15%; net profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 77.06 million, down 14.39%. Operating cash flow was RMB 1.621 billion, up 70.76%. The company attributed the increase mainly to lower procurement payments. Accounts receivable and inventory nevertheless rose about RMB 419 million and RMB 289 million from the beginning of the year. After the cash improvement, sales collections and inventory still require monitoring. [04]05 | Rongsheng Environmental Protection: Revenue was RMB 1.181 billion, up 11.30%; net profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 190 million, up 65.54%. Operating cash flow improved markedly year on year but remained a net outflow of RMB 57.52 million. The company attributed the improvement to higher cash collections from sales; both receivables and inventory declined from the beginning of the year. Profit has recovered; positive cash flow is the next threshold. [05]06 | Hengfeng Paper: Revenue was RMB 1.386 billion, up 2.42%, while operating costs fell 0.85%; net profit attributable to shareholders rose 17.95%, and operating cash flow increased to RMB 331 million, up 124.39%. The company attributed the increase in cash mainly to lower raw-material payments; accounts receivable also fell from the beginning of the year. Fluorine-free greaseproof paper, coffee-filter paper and other products still need to be assessed through product-level sales and customer adoption. [06]PRODUCT MIXSimilar Total Revenue, Opposite Answers from Product MixGroup growth may come from outside packaging, while lower packaging revenue may still accompany an improvement in gross margin. Supplier assessment cannot stop at consolidated revenue.07 | YUTO TECH: Total revenue was RMB 8.214 billion, up 0.23%, and operating cash flow was RMB 1.553 billion. Revenue from paper-based packaging was RMB 7.177 billion, down 2.01%, while its cost fell 5.17%, lifting gross margin by 2.45 percentage points to 26.55%. Period-end accounts receivable was about RMB 1.003 billion lower than at the beginning of the year. With scale stabilizing, mix and collections explain quality better than total revenue. [07]08 | Wanshun New Material: Group revenue was RMB 3.741 billion, up 38.93%, mainly driven by aluminum processing. Revenue from paper packaging materials was RMB 170 million, down 23.94%, with gross margin at 19.85%, down 1.15 percentage points. The company said that tendering by individual customers and design adjustments affected volume, while group operating cash flow turned from positive to negative. Group growth cannot substitute for an assessment of customer concentration and specification-version risk in paper packaging. [08]09 | Hengxin Life: Total revenue was RMB 935 million, up 7.42%, while net profit attributable to shareholders fell 50.49%. Revenue from biodegradable products was RMB 451 million, up 4.81%, and gross margin fell 5.86 percentage points to 23.25%. Cash collected from sales increased by about RMB 69 million, but procurement payments rose about RMB 145 million; receivables and inventory also increased, and operating cash flow fell 56.97%. [09]10 | Xianhe: Revenue was RMB 6.304 billion, up 5.23%; net profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 540 million, up 13.88%; and operating cash flow was RMB 417 million, up 26.93%. The company said the cash increase mainly reflected higher tax and fee refunds. Revenue from food and medical packaging materials was RMB 1.24 billion, with an estimated gross margin of about 12.22% based on disclosed revenue and costs. Sales collections, utilization at new production bases and product-level repeat orders still need separate verification. [10]TRADE ACTIONExport Risk Is Moving into Product Scope and Questionnaire Responses11 | Canadian Paperboard Cups and Containers Investigations: The official estimate puts the market at about CAD 289 million per year. The products under investigation include cups, containers and blanks formed from coated paperboard. August 31 is the deadline to register for the injury inquiry. The official schedule states that the Statement of Reasons will be issued on September 1, while September 8 and September 23 are the relevant response dates for importers and for exporters and the government, respectively. There are currently no provisional duties or findings of dumping or subsidization. [11] [12] [13]Four Verifiable Milestones AheadToday | August 31 The deadline to register for Canada's injury inquiry. Exporters must confirm the participating entity, product scope and status. [12]September 1 Whether the CBSA's Statement of Reasons expands the product scope, normal-value issues, subsidy programs and questionnaire requirements; Whether implementation of Beijing's takeaway-packaging guide produces genuine SKU changes—a discussion video appears below. [13] [14]September 2 GB 4806.10—2025 takes effect, requiring food-contact coatings to be assessed in terms of raw materials, migration, conditions of use and declarations of compliance. [15]September 4 The Canadian International Trade Tribunal publishes its participant list, allowing observers to assess actual participation by Chinese producers, exporters and industry organizations. [12]Read the Next Financial Report in Five Steps01 | Orders Identify the product, customer or region from which growth came.02 | Product Gross Margin Compare the growth rates of revenue and costs, and keep calculated estimates separate from company disclosures.03 | Working Capital Examine inventory, receivables, notes and the capital tied up by payment terms.04 | Operating Cash Flow Separate cash collected from sales, procurement payments, tax refunds and one-off timing effects.05 | Project Delivery Track utilization, yield, repeat orders and whether cash can fund the next production cycle.Revenue is the starting point, not the answer. Growth that remains must pass through product gross margin, working capital and operating cash flow, and ultimately be realized through reliable delivery and repeat customer orders.BIOTEN Packaging | Industry Insight | Research Note This article was independently researched and prepared by BIOTEN Packaging using complete interim reports filed with the stock exchanges and original regulatory and government documents. Information was verified through 31 August 2026. It is provided solely for research and learning concerning paper, packaging, materials, procurement and business operations, and does not constitute investment, procurement, technical or compliance advice. Requests for correction, clarification or removal will be reviewed within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources01 | Chenming Paper | 2026 Interim Report02 | Songyang Resources | 2026 Interim Report03 | Hexing Packaging | 2026 Interim Report04 | Bohui Paper | 2026 Interim Report05 | Rongsheng Environmental Protection | 2026 Interim Report06 | Hengfeng Paper | 2026 Interim Report07 | YUTO TECH. | 2026 Interim Report08 | Wanshun New Material | 2026 Interim Report09 | Hengxin Life | 2026 Interim Report10 | Xianhe | 2026 Interim Report11 | Canada Border Services Agency | News Release on the Paperboard Cups and Containers Investigations12 | Canada Gazette | Decision to Initiate the Paperboard Cups and Containers Investigations13 | Canada Border Services Agency | Investigation Schedule14 | Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation | Implementation Note on the Green Takeaway Packaging Guide15 | Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation | Official Interpretation of GB 4806.10—2025Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-31T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-31T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-31-paper-packaging-weekly-interim-reports-cash-flow/cms-image-3ab8da48895a800f.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-30-longyuan-paper-recovered-fiber-cogeneration-packaging-paper-base.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-30-longyuan-paper-recovered-fiber-cogeneration-packaging-paper-base.html",
            "title": "What Makes Longyuan Paper Strong? Recovered Fiber, Cogeneration and a 1.6865-Million-Tonne Packaging-Paper Base in Eastern Henan",
            "summary": "China's Top 20 Paper Producers · No. 19: What Makes Longyuan Paper Strong?",
            "content_text": "China's Top 20 Paper Producers · No. 19What Makes Longyuan Paper Strong? Recovered Fiber, Cogeneration and a 1.6865-Million-Tonne Packaging-Paper Base in Eastern HenanIn a year when the industry produced more but earned less, how did Longyuan Paper reach No. 19 through recovered fiber, cogeneration, intelligent production and a delivery radius centered on eastern Henan? This analysis also explains what must be examined beyond output.Longyuan has integrated recovered fiber, cogeneration, production and delivery into a regional packaging-paper base. This system explains its output growth more convincingly than any single paper machine.Packaging paper has a limited economic transport radius. Corrugated-board producers buy more than paper rolls: they also buy consistent basis weight, on-time delivery and reliable runnability. Concentrating these capabilities at one base in Taikang is the aspect of Longyuan's recent growth that matters most to the packaging value chain.The 1.6865 million tonnes is Longyuan's output in the association's 2025 survey. The 1.2 million tonnes of production capacity reported by the government, a 400,000-tonne line already in operation and subsequent expansion plans relate to different dates and project stages; they cannot be combined to calculate an operating rate.Longyuan Paper | 20251.6865 million tonnes of surveyed output, ranking No. 19.20.02% growth from the 2024 output reported by the association.1,231 entry number on the MIIT Green Factory List.1.6865 Million Tonnes: First, Trace the Source of GrowthIn 2025, China's paper and paperboard output rose 3.74%, while industry operating revenue fell 2.59% and total profit declined 13.55%. Longyuan Paper's output increased 20.02% year on year, clearly outpacing overall industry growth.Public information from the Taikang County government identifies linerboard and high-strength corrugating medium as Longyuan's main products. These materials sit upstream of corrugated board, corrugated cases and transport packaging, with customers generally concentrated within an economic transport radius. When paper prices are similar, freight, lead times and the ability to fulfill urgent replenishment orders quickly separate the actual procurement cost.Eastern Henan connects the food, manufacturing, logistics and consumer markets of Henan and neighboring provinces, creating regional density in both recovered-paper supply and packaging demand. Locating paper machines near raw materials and customers shortens the inbound recovered-paper and outbound paper-roll routes, while making it easier to handle peak-season replenishment, grade changes and delivery volatility.Output growth in 2025 indicates that the Taikang base absorbed more production demand. It does not, by itself, establish how margins, market share or the customer mix changed, but it moved Longyuan from a regional producer into the top 20 of China's major paper producers by output.Sources:2025 Annual Report of China's Paper Industry; Basic Information on Manufacturing Enterprises in Taikang County.Inside the Taikang Mill: Growth Depends on an Integrated, Continuous SystemA 2025 report by the Zhoukou municipal government stated that recovered paper entering Longyuan passes through more than 20 processes, including screening, pressing, drying, winding, slitting and packaging. At the time, the company operated five intelligent paper production lines and one combined heat and power facility providing centralized heat supply, supported by systems for online energy monitoring, raw-material procurement, quality control and intelligent warehousing.Together, these facilities address the daily operating details of a packaging-paper mill: recovered-paper contamination, the stability of steam and electricity, traceability of roll thickness and weight, and accurate warehousing after order-specific slitting. A loss of control at any stage ultimately becomes a paper defect, downtime, delayed delivery or a customer complaint.The report also cited company management as stating that intelligent and green upgrades increased production capacity by 28%, reduced energy consumption per unit of output value by 15% and lowered the product defect rate by 25%. Because the calculation periods, denominators and third-party verification were not disclosed, these figures are useful for understanding the direction of the upgrades but should not be used to infer the association's output figures.In March 2026, Longyuan was included on MIIT's 2025 Green Factory List. At the same time, Zhoukou's 2025 list of key entities subject to environmental supervision classified Longyuan as a key entity for both water and air. The two designations can coexist: a large paper base can continue investing in energy efficiency and circularity while remaining subject to ongoing requirements for water use, emissions, energy and disclosure.Sources:Zhoukou municipal-government report on Longyuan Paper; notice on the 2025 Green Factory List.What Corrugated-Board Producers Experience as Strength Often Happens Beyond the Paper MachineWhether a paper roll can be converted into stable corrugated board depends on its performance on the customer's line. Linerboard must be evaluated for burst strength, ring crush strength, folding endurance, moisture content, surface quality and printability. High-strength corrugating medium also requires cross-direction ring crush strength, breaking length, basis-weight consistency and corrugating performance.These metrics translate into specific operating outcomes: whether a grade change forces the line to slow down, whether adhesive consumption rises, whether board warp and score-line cracking increase, how much batch-to-batch variation exists within the same grade, and whether peak-season replenishment arrives on time. A lower paper price does not necessarily produce a lower total cost per square meter of corrugated board.In 2021, the Zhoukou Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology reported that Longyuan's Grade A recycled linerboard and Grade AA corrugating medium were selected for that year's national Green Design Product list. This provides a public reference point for the product categories. Buyers must still validate the grades against their own flute profiles, equipment, adhesives, line speeds, ambient humidity and end-use loads.The potential value of Longyuan's base lies here: concentrating raw materials, energy, production, slitting and warehousing gives the mill a better foundation for shortening the feedback loop when abnormalities occur. Whether that capability becomes customer value must be demonstrated through corrugator efficiency, batch consistency, on-time delivery and repeat purchases.Beyond Output, Several Accounts Still Need to Be ReconciledIn November 2025, the Zhoukou Municipal Bureau of Commerce reported that Longyuan's one-million-tonne green circular papermaking project was being built in phases. One 400,000-tonne production line entered operation in September 2024, and the report also stated that the company had established 1.2 million tonnes of paper production capacity. Another 400,000-tonne line remained at the planning stage, while an 800,000-tonne Phase II line was scheduled to start early in the 15th Five-Year Plan period.A line in operation, a line under planning and a line scheduled to start construction represent different stages. Whether later phases proceed on schedule depends on equipment installation, commissioning, grade transitions, customer qualification and financing. The 1.2 million tonnes of production capacity in the government report and the association's 1.6865 million tonnes of output also use different, non-comparable measures; the available public information is insufficient to calculate capacity utilization.Longyuan is not a listed company, and public sources do not provide 2025 revenue, profit, operating cash flow, inventory and receivables on a basis that can be matched to the reported output. Its No. 19 position therefore indicates an output ranking, not a complete assessment of operating performance.Three sets of changes merit continued attention: whether new lines maintain stable loads and yields; whether corrugated-board producers see improvements in total converting cost, delivery performance and repeat purchasing; and whether operating cash flow can cover the inventory, receivables and project spending created by expansion. Adding responsibility data on water, air emissions and energy would make it possible to determine whether the base is becoming stronger or merely larger.Sources:Zhoukou Municipal Bureau of Commerce project report; Zhoukou's 2025 List of Key Entities Subject to Environmental Supervision.Longyuan Paper's entry at No. 19 adds a regional base in central China's packaging-paper market that merits continued monitoring.Recovered fiber, cogeneration, intelligent production, warehousing and delivery already form a visible manufacturing foundation, while phased projects provide room for further expansion.Output shows how much paper a mill produced. The customer's converting line and the producer's cash flow determine whether that output created sufficient value.BIOTEN Packaging | Industry Insight | Research NoteThis article is an independent BIOTEN Packaging study based on public information from the China Paper Association, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Zhoukou and Taikang county governments. Information was verified through 30 August 2026. It is provided solely for research and learning concerning papermaking, packaging, recovered fiber, equipment and energy, and industrial operations, and does not constitute investment, procurement, product-compliance or engineering advice. No publicly disclosed investment, supply or project relationship between BIOTEN Packaging and Longyuan Paper was identified; the user retains final approval before publication. Requests for correction, clarification or removal concerning the content, data or rights involved will be reviewed within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources01 | China Paper Association | 2025 Annual Report of China's Paper Industry02 | Ministry of Industry and Information Technology | Notice on the 2025 Green Factory List03 | Zhoukou Municipal People's Government | Longyuan Paper: Finding Value in Waste04 | Zhoukou Municipal Bureau of Commerce | Zhoukou's Achievements During the 14th Five-Year Plan05 | Taikang County People's Government | Basic Information on Manufacturing Enterprises in Taikang County06 | Zhoukou Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology | National Green Design Products07 | Zhoukou Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau | 2025 List of Key Entities Subject to Environmental SupervisionRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-30T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-30T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-30-longyuan-paper-recovered-fiber-cogeneration-packaging-paper-base/cms-image-5ed939c80bce173a.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-30-global-top-10-restaurant-chains-packaging-opportunities.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-30-global-top-10-restaurant-chains-packaging-opportunities.html",
            "title": "How the world's ten largest restaurant chains are changing packaging: Where the paper-packaging opportunities lie",
            "summary": "How 2026 developments are flowing through to cupstock, foodservice board, corrugated packaging, barrier systems and supplier qualification.",
            "content_text": "Use the 2025 store ranking to locate packaging touchpoints, then examine how 2026 developments are flowing through to cupstock, foodservice board, corrugated packaging, barrier systems and supplier qualification.The top ten brands represent approximately 317,000 store touchpoints, creating a map of packaging demand. Whether that map converts into orders depends on aligning each SKU's specifications, material construction, food-contact compliance, commercial-scale production, franchisee implementation and local end-of-life infrastructure.The greatest value of a restaurant chain is that a proven specification can be replicated across markets. The greatest challenge is that regional menus, procurement entities, franchise rights and recycling infrastructure can divide a single brand into multiple packaging programs.This independent BIOTEN Packaging ranking is based on publicly disclosed global stores in operation at the end of 2025 and uses a single-brand methodology. Data from 2026 appear only in the development cards and do not affect the 2025 ranking.317,000 store touchpoints · 10 brands · 2026 development cardsBased on the public figures used in this analysis, the top ten brands operated approximately 317,220 stores in total. The ranking extends from approximately 48,250 MIXUE stores to a reconstructed single-brand total of 19,155 Pizza Hut stores. Cotti Coffee, ranked eleventh, reported more than 18,000 stores and therefore did not enter the top ten. This scale can turn a change in cup or box format into a cross-market program, but it cannot be converted directly into tonnage, order value or supplier share.Several developments in 2026 already point to more specific opportunities: Luckin Coffee added a net 5,262 stores in the first half; Burger King introduced a new clamshell for its core Whopper product; Starbucks' polypropylene cold cup in the United States received a How2Recycle Widely Recyclable designation; and Yum China completed the acquisition of Pizza Hut's brand ownership in mainland China. The store ranking maps the network, while the 2026 developments show suppliers which specifications, procurement rights and end-of-life conditions have begun to change.2025 Store Ranking01 | 2025 Global Top 10: Approximately 317,000 Store TouchpointsNo. 01MIXUEApproximately 48,250 storesBasis | As of 31 December 2025; reconstructed by BIOTEN from public disclosures. The total combines 43,789 stores in China with MIXUE Group's disclosed overseas network, while excluding the small number of overseas Lucky Cup pilot stores. Network and operations | The group operates primarily through franchising. Its flagship brand is present in China and 13 overseas countries. Packaging touchpoints | Beverage cups, lids, straws, sleeves, paper bags, ice-cream packaging and corrugated transport cases.No. 02McDonald's45,356 storesBasis | As of 31 December 2025; precise figure reported by the company. Network and operations | 2,039 company-operated restaurants and 43,317 franchised or affiliated restaurants; approximately 95% franchised. Systemwide sales were US$139.4 billion in 2025. Packaging touchpoints | Paper cups, lids, paper bags, burger cartons and wraps, fry cartons, cutlery, delivery packaging and transport packaging.No. 03Starbucks40,990 storesBasis | As of the end of fiscal 2025 (28 September 2025); precise figure reported by the company. Network and operations | 21,514 company-operated stores and 19,476 licensed stores across 89 markets. Fiscal 2025 revenue was US$37.1844 billion. Packaging touchpoints | Hot and cold beverage cups, lids, sleeves, straws, paper bags, food cartons, delivery packaging and reusable cups.No. 04SubwayNearly 37,000 storesBasis | An official brand approximation published in 2025; the company did not report an exact figure for 31 December. Network and operations | Present in more than 100 countries, with restaurants owned and operated by independent franchisees. Packaging touchpoints | Sandwich wraps, grease-resistant paper, paper bags, bowls, cup lids, napkins, cutlery and delivery packaging. Its publicly reported lead over KFC is sufficient to support fourth place.No. 05KFC33,897 storesBasis | As of 31 December 2025; precise figure reported by the company. Network and operations | Present in 149 countries and territories, with 99% of stores franchised or licensed. System sales were US$36.434 billion in 2025. Packaging touchpoints | Chicken buckets, meal cartons, wraps, paper bags, cup lids, cutlery, delivery packaging and transport packaging.No. 06Luckin Coffee31,048 storesBasis | As of 31 December 2025; precise figure reported by the company. Network and operations | 20,234 self-operated stores and 10,814 partnership stores. Average monthly transacting customers reached 94.2 million in 2025. Packaging touchpoints | Hot and cold beverage cups, lids, sleeves, paper bags, cup carriers, food bags and cartons, and delivery packaging.No. 07Domino's22,142 storesBasis | As of 28 December 2025; precise figure reported by the company. Network and operations | Present in more than 90 markets, with approximately 99% of stores franchised. Global retail sales were US$20.1268 billion in 2025. Packaging touchpoints | Corrugated pizza boxes, dipping cups, paper bags, cutlery, delivery packaging and transport packaging.No. 08Burger King19,900 storesBasis | As of 31 December 2025; precise figure reported by the company. Network and operations | Present in 126 countries and territories. System sales were US$29.368 billion in 2025. Packaging touchpoints | Burger clamshells and wraps, paper bags, fry cartons, cup lids, cutlery and delivery packaging.No. 09Wallace19,482 storesBasis | Based on the original 2025 year-end brand table from Narrow Door Restaurant Data, cross-checked against the brand website's statement of approximately 20,000 stores; a credible research-table figure. Network and operations | The network is concentrated across China's 31 provincial-level regions. Public disclosures do not provide a consistent breakdown between company-operated and franchised stores. Packaging touchpoints | Burger cartons and wraps, fried-chicken cartons and buckets, fry cartons, cup lids, paper bags and delivery packaging.No. 10Pizza Hut19,155 storesBasis | As of 31 December 2025; single-brand figure reconstructed by BIOTEN. Network and operations | Present in 108 countries, with more than 99% of stores franchised. Division-level system sales of US$12.794 billion are included only as supplementary context. Packaging touchpoints | Corrugated pizza boxes, chicken-wing cartons, paper bags, cup lids, cutlery, delivery packaging and transport packaging.Two reconstruction boundaries | MIXUE Group's total of 59,823 stores cannot be treated as the store count of the MIXUE brand alone. For Pizza Hut, the reconstructed figure is 19,974 - (702 - 16) - (243 - 110) = 19,155. The calculation starts with the Yum! Brands division total and removes the identifiable Telepizza-brand differences in Spain and Portugal. It is a reproducible research estimate, not an exact single-brand figure reported by the company.Sources: Annual reports and quarterly disclosures from MIXUE Group, McDonald's, Starbucks, Yum! Brands, Luckin Coffee, Domino's and Restaurant Brands International (RBI, Burger King's parent company); Subway brand materials; Narrow Door Restaurant Data; the Ibersol annual report; and Pizza Hut Spain network data.Large restaurant chains amplify more than material consumption. They also magnify the cost of failed line changeovers, incomplete franchisee implementation and rejection by local end-of-life systems.2026 Tracking Checklist02 | 2026 Paper-Packaging Development ChecklistNetwork and procurement | First determine whether demand has actually changed01 Stores and transactions | Each quarter, verify stores in operation at period-end, net openings, the company-operated/franchised split and transacting customers. If store count rises without transaction growth, packaging volume may not increase at the same pace. 02 Packaging SKUs | Use product launches, new store formats, collaborations and core-product announcements to confirm whether the cup body, carton format, wrap or paper bag has actually changed. Record the market and launch date. 03 Supplier onboarding | Review procurement notices, supplier specifications and financial disclosures for the approved region, purchasing entity, initial volume, dual-sourcing arrangement and expansion date. Sample approval is not the same as a systemwide order. 04 Franchise replication | Determine whether headquarters mandates the specification, permits local sourcing or grants SKU-level exceptions in major franchise markets, and verify the actual coverage rate. One brand does not necessarily represent one order.Materials and execution | Then determine whether the solution can be delivered reliably05 Bill of materials (BOM) and food contact | Verify the paper grade, basis weight, recycled content, coating or liner, adhesive, ink, contact temperature and duration, and certificate validity. 06 Commercial-scale yield | During trials, equipment acceptance and the 30/60/90-day ramp-up, track line speed, changeovers, leakage, dusting, crush performance, nesting and scrap rate. 07 End-of-life acceptance | Verify municipal or recycler acceptance lists, sorting methods, repulping yield, contamination rate, end-market demand and losses in reusable systems. 08 Actual material reduction | Separate projected plastic reduction and design for recyclability from annual actual material use, capture rate and recycling rate, and compare them consistently across reporting years.Developments Across Ten Brands03 | Ten 2026 Development Cards2026 developmentMIXUE | Aggregate packaging volume disclosed; brand-level allocation remains unavailableAs of | 30 June 2026. Stores and markets | MIXUE Group operated 63,987 stores across its three brands. MIXUE entered Mexico, Kyrgyzstan and Brazil. The group total does not alter the 2025 single-brand ranking. Packaging, brand and materials | The 2025 ESG Report, published in 2026, disclosed 305,264.65 tonnes of packaging materials used at production facilities; cardboard boxes made from recycled pulp accounted for 69.13%. More than 3,000 MIXUE stores deployed fully automatic coffee machines. Change from 2025 | The group has provided greater transparency on total packaging materials used at production facilities, while coffee products and equipment have entered more stores. The data, however, are still not split by individual brand or between paper and plastic. Industry implications | Demand is increasing for cupstock, lids, barrier systems, sealing performance and cross-regional print consistency. The disclosed tonnage is not the packaging consumption of MIXUE stores alone. Next signal | Whether the 2026 ESG report provides brand-level and paper/plastic breakdowns, along with coffee-machine coverage and cup formats in new markets. Sources: MIXUE Group 2026 Interim Results; MIXUE Group 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance Report.2026 developmentMcDonald's | Store count continues to rise; responsible sourcing reaches 95.8%As of | 30 June 2026. Stores and markets | 46,028 restaurants, a net increase of 672 from year-end 2025; approximately 95% franchised. Packaging, brand and materials | The company reported that, at year-end 2025, 95.8% of primary guest packaging was sourced from renewable, recycled or certified materials. McDonald's China is advancing a transition to new bio-based packaging. Change from 2025 | The restaurant network continued to expand, and the responsible-sourcing rate rose to 95.8%, still short of 100%. China has moved into SKU-specific packaging changes. Industry implications | Opportunities exist in certified fiber, paper-cup and carton coatings, and large-scale line conversions. Responsible sourcing does not by itself establish actual recyclability. Next signal | The remaining 4.2% of packaging components and the actual scope of changes underlying McDonald's China's projected annual plastic reduction of more than 5,800 tonnes. Sources: McDonald's Q2 2026 Form 10-Q; company packaging-progress update; McDonald's China packaging-upgrade announcement.2026 developmentStarbucks | Moving from design attributes to recycling accessAs of | 28 June 2026. Stores and markets | 41,304 stores, a net increase of 314 from the end of fiscal 2025. Packaging, brand and materials | Starbucks' polypropylene (PP) cold cup in the United States received a How2Recycle Widely Recyclable designation, meaning that at least 60% of U.S. households have access through curbside collection or drop-off programs. The fiscal 2025 report also stated that 75% of customer-facing packaging was designed to be reusable, recyclable or compostable (RRC), while 25% incorporated recycled content. Change from 2025 | The U.S. polypropylene cup has advanced from design intent to the threshold for recycling access, but the actual capture rate has not yet been demonstrated. Industry implications | Both paper and plastic cups must demonstrate alignment among the cup body, lid, sorting acceptance and end-market demand; a material label alone is insufficient. Next signal | Actual capture rates for polypropylene cups, scale-up of paper cups and fiber lids in Europe, and the share of beverages served in reusable cups. Sources: Starbucks Q3 Fiscal 2026 Results; Fiscal 2025 Global Impact Report; polypropylene-cup recyclability announcement.2026 developmentSubway | Store-count wording moves lower; quantified packaging data do not followAs of | 30 August 2026. Stores and markets | The current brand page states more than 35,000 restaurants. Because this is not a same-date, like-for-like figure with the nearly 37,000 reported in 2025, it does not revise the ranking. Packaging, brand and materials | No verifiable new global material metric for 2026 was identified. Public commitments continue to focus on recyclable, compostable and recycled-content materials. Change from 2025 | The brand has revised its global network description to more than 35,000 restaurants, while packaging disclosures still provide direction rather than new quantitative metrics. Industry implications | Opportunities in grease-resistant sandwich wraps, paper bags and bowls require confirmation of SKUs, coatings and approved-supplier lists in major franchise markets. Next signal | A precise global system count, packaging specifications in major franchise markets and SKU coverage rates. Sources: Subway brand page; Climate and Conservation page.2026 developmentKFC | 850 net new stores in the first half; global packaging metrics remain absentAs of | 30 June 2026. Stores and markets | 34,747 restaurants, a net increase of 850 from year-end 2025. Packaging, brand and materials | No verifiable new global brand-level packaging metric for 2026 was identified. Yum's reporting primarily covers individual brand or market initiatives. Change from 2025 | The network continued to expand, but no quantitative global brand-level packaging data have emerged. Industry implications | Chicken buckets, meal cartons, grease-resistant paper and paper bags offer substantial scale, but 149 markets, local regulation and franchise procurement divide the opportunity into multiple orders. Next signal | KFC brand-level packaging KPIs, packaging SKUs for new stores, supplier certification and franchisee implementation rates. Sources: Yum! Brands Q2 2026 Form 10-Q; 2025 Global Citizenship and Sustainability Report.2026 developmentLuckin Coffee | 5,262 net new stores in the first half rapidly expand beverage-packaging touchpointsAs of | 30 June 2026. Stores and markets | 36,310 stores, a net increase of 5,262 from year-end 2025. Luckin opened a net 2,714 stores in Q2, while average monthly transacting customers reached 112.7 million. Packaging, brand and materials | No verifiable 2026 change in paper-cup or lid materials was identified. The financial statements refer only to delivery packaging materials within the cost definition for self-operated stores. Change from 2025 | Stores and transacting customers both increased, but the bill of materials (BOM), material weight per cup and supplier shares remain undisclosed. Industry implications | Cupstock, lids, sleeves, cup carriers, paper bags and high-speed forming and inspection systems all show strong volume potential, but store count cannot be converted directly into tonnage. Next signal | Cup-format SKUs, large-size expansion, supplier onboarding, material weight per cup and commercial-scale yield. Sources: Luckin Coffee Q2 2026 Results.2026 developmentDomino's | The pizza-box network continues to expand; material disclosures have not been updatedAs of | 14 June 2026. Stores and markets | 22,531 stores, a net increase of 389 from year-end 2025. Packaging, brand and materials | No verifiable new global pizza-box material development for 2026 was identified. Publicly disclosed actions still center on more than 70% recycled content in U.S. pizza boxes and historical source reduction. Change from 2025 | The pizza-box network continued to expand, while material information remains concentrated on U.S. examples. Industry implications | The principal interfaces are lightweight, high-strength corrugated board; grease resistance with repulpability; digital printing; and acceptance by local recycling systems. Next signal | The 2026 responsibility report, box basis weight and recycled content, and local acceptance rates. Sources: Domino's Q2 2026 Results; 2024 Stewardship Report; pizza-box recycling guidance.2026 developmentBurger King | A new package for its core burger SKUAs of | 30 June 2026. Stores and markets | 19,933 restaurants, a net increase of 33 from year-end 2025. Packaging, brand and materials | Restaurant Brands International (RBI), Burger King's parent company, announced an upgraded Whopper served in a new clamshell. Its 2025 report stated that more than 95% of approved guest-facing fiber packaging was sourced from recycled or certified materials. Change from 2025 | The core burger SKU has entered a structural packaging redesign, but the bill of materials (BOM), launch markets and volume remain undisclosed. Industry implications | Food-grade paperboard, grease barriers, stiffness, locking and sealing performance, print consistency and franchise replication are direct qualification thresholds. Next signal | The clamshell BOM, launch scope, conversion yield and franchisee coverage. Sources: RBI Q2 2026 Form 10-Q; 2025 Restaurant Brands for Good Report; investor-day update.2026 developmentWallace | A slightly smaller network, with frequent collaboration-driven artwork changesAs of | 8 March 2026. Stores and markets | A regulatory filing reported 19,437 stores, 45 fewer than the 2025 research-table figure. Packaging, brand and materials | No verifiable 2026 bill-of-materials (BOM) upgrade was identified. The brand continues to run frequent collaborations. Change from 2025 | The network edged lower, while visual redesigns remained frequent. No unified packaging specification has been publicly disclosed. Industry implications | Demand exists for food-grade paperboard, burger cartons, fried-chicken cartons and buckets, grease-resistant paper and short-run printing, but public information still lacks parameters for nationwide replication. Next signal | The year-end 2026 store count, unified specifications, collaboration volumes and obsolescence or scrap rates. Sources: Baili Foods public-offering application filed with the Beijing Stock Exchange; Narrow Door Restaurant Data 2025 year-end brand table.2026 developmentPizza Hut | A change in brand ownership reshapes procurement governanceAs of | 7 August 2026. Stores and markets | The division-level store count for Q2 2026 was 19,985. It is not used to revise the 2025 single-brand ranking. Packaging, brand and materials | Yum China completed its acquisition of Pizza Hut's brand ownership in mainland China; the transaction for markets outside mainland China is proceeding separately. Change from 2025 | A single brand is beginning to map to different owners and procurement systems, creating new governance boundaries for global specifications. Industry implications | Suppliers of pizza boxes, chicken-wing cartons and delivery packaging must track procurement authority, specifications and certification separately for China and other markets. Next signal | Completion of the transaction outside mainland China, new approved-supplier lists, and differences between packaging specifications in China and other markets. Sources: Yum! Brands Q2 2026 Form 10-Q; Yum China announcement confirming completion of the mainland China brand acquisition.Packaging Component Map04 | Packaging Component Map: Opportunities Differ by Use ConditionsBeverage packaging | MIXUE, Starbucks, Luckin Coffee, McDonald's and KFC use cups, lids, sleeves, cup carriers, straws and paper bags at high frequency. Opportunities center on cupstock, barrier coatings, web printing, sealing and high-speed inspection. Qualification thresholds include hot and cold beverages, fruit acids, leakage, cup-lid fit and food-contact compliance.Hot-food packaging | McDonald's, KFC, Wallace and Burger King use burger cartons and wraps, fried-chicken cartons and buckets, and fry cartons. Opportunities lie in food-grade paperboard, fluorine-free grease resistance and structural locking. Qualification thresholds include hot oil, steam-induced moisture, stiffness, folding speed and migration testing on the finished article.Pizza packaging | Corrugated pizza boxes are central to Domino's and Pizza Hut. Opportunities lie in lightweight, high-strength corrugated board, grease resistance with repulpability, digital printing and structural optimization. Qualification thresholds include crush performance, the balance between heat retention and moisture release, acceptance of oil-contaminated fiber and regional recycling rules.Molded fiber and reuse | Fiber lids, cup carriers, cutlery and trays require validation of wet-heat strength, nesting performance, dusting, forming yield and food-contact compliance. Reusable systems must also demonstrate collection points, washing, number of rotations, loss rates and participation.Transport packaging | Group factories, distribution centers and franchise networks use recycled-content corrugated packaging, reusable pallets, warehouse and logistics labels, and automated case packing. Transport packaging and customer-facing packaging must be reported separately.The only directly usable aggregate disclosure comes from MIXUE Group. In 2025, the group's production facilities used305,264.65 tonnesof packaging materials, including 111,602.18 tonnes classified as Sustainable Packaging Material Usage and 193,662.47 tonnes as Other Packaging Material Usage. The classification includes paper cups, crystallized polylactic acid (CPLA) straws and polylactic acid (PLA) plastic cups. It is neither a paper/plastic split nor the packaging consumption of MIXUE stores alone.The other nine brands do not disclose a unified global, all-channel total for paper, plastic or all packaging SKUs. This analysis therefore does not estimate tonnage by multiplying store count by assumed consumption per store.Supplier Qualification05 | Six Opportunity Areas, All Subject to Supplier QualificationPaper producers | Opportunities lie in differentiated grades of cupstock, foodservice board, bag paper, grease-resistant paper and corrugated medium or linerboard. Entry evidence includes certified fiber, lightweight strength, coating compatibility, batch consistency and cross-regional supply capability.Packaging converters | Opportunities combine standardized global formats with short-run collaboration designs. Entry evidence includes die-cutting, forming, print registration, sealing, dusting, crush performance, artwork-change waste and 30/60/90-day ramp-up records.Functional materials | Water-based, bio-based and fluorine-free describe material attributes only. Supplier qualification must be tied to the final food-contact surface, temperature, duration, acid/oil/water environment, converting process and end-of-life pathway.Equipment and inspection | Changes in packaging SKUs increase demand for cup-forming, folder-gluing, die-cutting, vision inspection, and inline leakage and seal control. The critical records are line speed, yield, changeover time, defect criteria and stability reports.Recycling and repulping | After establishing design for recyclability, suppliers must still provide data on local acceptance, collection, sorting, repulping yield, contamination and end-market demand.Brand procurement | Store count is only an entry point for commercial discussions. A supplier-qualification matrix must identify headquarters specifications, major franchise markets, local sourcing, mandatory franchisee compliance, dual-sourcing strategies, legacy-inventory transition and the owner of each specification version.Necessary Calibration06 | A Large Network Is Not the Same as a Unified OrderLuckin Coffee's 5,262 net new stores in the first half clearly expanded touchpoints for cups, lids, bags and cup carriers. Without cup formats, basis weights, transaction volumes and supplier shares, however, the increase still cannot be converted into tonnage. Burger King's new clamshell has entered a core product SKU, but that does not mean all 126 markets will change at the same time. After Pizza Hut's brand ownership is divided, the same brand will correspond to different procurement entities.Paper substitution does not work automatically either. If a paper-based structure adds composite layers, slows production, increases scrap or is not accepted by local infrastructure, it merely shifts the cost and environmental burden. Suppliers must answer five questions at once: functionality, compliance, commercial-scale production, commercial replication and end-of-life performance.BIOTEN by the NumbersThe 2025 ranking provides network coordinates: approximately 317,000 stores across the top ten brands. The 2026 development cards translate that network into specific order signals: Luckin Coffee's rapid store expansion, Starbucks' progress on recycling access, Burger King's change to core-product packaging and Pizza Hut's restructuring of brand ownership.For the paper-packaging value chain, a more useful way to track paper substitution is to break it into six questions: Does net store growth come with transaction growth? Has the packaging entered a defined SKU? Is the bill of materials complete? Can the supplier deliver stable commercial-scale production? Will the franchise system implement the change? Will local end-of-life systems accept it? Only sustained progress on these measures can turn a global restaurant network into durable orders.When the coffee is finished, the paper cup begins to grow: the BIOTEN nursery paper cup.BIOTEN Packaging | Industry Insight | Research NoteThis article is an independent BIOTEN Packaging study based on corporate annual reports, regulatory filings, sustainability reports, official brand materials and credible original research tables. Information was verified through 30 August 2026. It is provided solely for industry research and learning and does not constitute procurement, investment or compliance advice. If you have concerns regarding the content, data or rights involved, you may request a correction, clarification or removal. We will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification SourcesMIXUE Group | 2025 Annual Report; MIXUE Group | 2026 Interim Results; McDonald's | 2025 Form 10-K; Starbucks | 2025 Form 10-K; Subway | 2025 Brand Materials; Yum! Brands | 2025 Form 10-K; Yum! Brands | 2025 Global Brand and Market Store Table; Luckin Coffee | Fiscal 2025 Results; Domino's Pizza | 2025 Annual Report; Restaurant Brands International (RBI, Burger King's parent company) | 2025 Form 10-K; Beijing Stock Exchange | Baili Foods Public-Offering Application; Ibersol | 2025 Annual Report; Yum China | Announcement on the Acquisition of Pizza Hut's Brand Ownership in Mainland China; Starbucks | Fiscal 2025 Global Impact Report.Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-30T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-30T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-30-global-top-10-restaurant-chains-packaging-opportunities/cms-image-dadc47f8d915a1fe.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-30-haidilao-delivery-meal-box-single-serving-packaging.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-30-haidilao-delivery-meal-box-single-serving-packaging.html",
            "title": "Haidilao delivery revenue jumps 121.2%: What must takeaway meal boxes prove for single-serving meals?",
            "summary": "Packaging can be prepared in advance; conclusions must wait for the data.",
            "content_text": "Chain Restaurant Packaging ReviewA new test for takeaway meal boxes: Haidilao delivery revenuejumps 121.2%. What must single-serving meals validate?Haidilao Group's delivery business generated RMB 2.0514 billion in revenue in the first half of 2026, up 121.2% year on year and accounting for 9.2% of Group revenue. The figure was not broken down by geography, but suppliers can begin by preparing three sets of data.The growth in Haidilao Group's delivery business is real; changes to its packaging have not yet been disclosed. For suppliers, the practical value lies in preparing three sets of verifiable data in advance.The Group's single-serving offerings and delivery stations are extending growth beyond dine-in hot pot into everyday meals. Whether meal boxes need to change depends on the packaging configuration per order, delivery outcomes and total cost.RMB 2.0514 billion and 121.2% are consolidated Group delivery-business figures. The Group operates mainly in Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan regions, but the report did not disclose a geographic breakdown of delivery revenue.RMB 2.0514billion in Group delivery-business revenue · 121.2%year-on-year growth9.2%of Group revenue, up from 4.5% in the same period of 2025. These are revenue metrics, not order or meal-box volumes.RMB 2.0514 billion: Start with the reporting scopeOn 25 August 2026, Haidilao announced its interim results. Group revenue for the first half reached RMB 22.3369 billion, up 7.9% year on year. Consolidated delivery-business revenue was RMB 2.0514 billion, up 121.2%, and accounted for 9.2% of Group revenue, compared with 4.5% a year earlier. The 121.2% increase applies only to delivery-business revenue, not total Group revenue.The report states that the Group operates mainly in Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan regions. At period end, its self-operated Haidilao restaurants comprised 1,267 in Chinese mainland and 23 in the Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan regions, in addition to 99 franchised restaurants. Delivery revenue was not broken down by geography, so the public metric should be described only as \"Group delivery-business revenue,\" without adding a global or single-region qualifier.The Company attributed the growth to two main factors: higher sales of single-serving products, represented by rice-bowl takeaway products, which expanded delivery from an extension of hot pot into an everyday-meal category; and further densification of its self-built delivery-station network, improving coverage and fulfilment efficiency while easing pressure on restaurant kitchen capacity.In 2025, Group delivery-business revenue reached RMB 2.6576 billion, up 111.9% year on year, and the Company had established more than 1,200 delivery networks nationwide. The 2026 interim report did not update the network count, so 1,200 should be treated only as a historical reference point.These figures show that the business structure has changed. Delivery is no longer simply dine-in hot pot sent to the home. Single-serving meals are becoming a distinct category, while delivery stations are becoming more clearly defined fulfilment nodes rather than appendages to restaurants.Source documents:Haidilao 2026 Interim Results; Haidilao 2025 Annual ReportWhy single-serving meals put the meal box front and centreTraditional hot pot delivery is often designed for sharing, with multiple soup bases, ingredients, dipping sauces and pieces of tableware. Single-serving meals are closer to everyday quick-service food: portions of staples, soups and condiments are smaller, order frequency may be higher, and restaurants have less time for portioning, lid application and order checks.When more components are portioned separately, there are more interfaces among the main meal box, soup container and sauce cup, increasing the risks of missing items and leakage. When the pack is simplified, the number of components, packing steps and inventory pressure may all decline. Either direction is possible; order-level data must decide.For suppliers, the meal-box material is only one part of the system. The full packaging configuration for an order also includes lids or lidding film, sauce cups, tamper-evident seals and outer bags. Failure at any interface can cause the entire order to be written off or redelivered.Food-contact compliance is the baseline, but packaging must also remain intact under actual grease, moisture, temperature and delivery-time conditions. The online catering rules require food containers and packaging materials that comply with food-safety standards and tamper-evident closures that cannot be resealed once opened. Public platform rules also call for spill and deformation prevention, separation of soups from solid foods, and appropriate stacking.These requirements do not prescribe paper, plastic or any particular coating. Suitability must still be assessed against the finished container, actual food and delivery conditions.Source documents:Provisions on the Supervision and Administration of Online Catering Service Operators' Fulfilment of Primary Food Safety Responsibilities; Meituan Delivery Platform Dispatch StandardsNext, focus on only three sets of dataPackaging components and configuration per order.Record how many containers each order uses, which lids can be shared, and whether soups and condiments must be packed separately. This metric reveals whether single-serving meals increase packaging use or drive configuration simplification.Leakage, damage and redelivery.At the order level, record leakage, deformation, broken tamper-evident seals, incorrect packing and missing items, together with the resulting write-offs, compensation and redelivery. Suppliers and procurement teams need to focus on post-delivery outcomes.Total packaging cost per order.In addition to the actual consumption of meal boxes, lids, cups, seals and bags, include packing time, rework, obsolete inventory, compensation for leakage or damage, and redelivery. A cheaper individual meal box does not necessarily make the total order cheaper.If these three data sets remain unchanged, growth is likely driven mainly by the menu, delivery channels and delivery-station density, with existing packaging simply scaling with order volume. Only when the data change materially does the supply chain have a basis for identifying opportunities in new capacities, configurations or structures.Environmental claims such as paper-based, recyclable or biodegradable must also correspond to the finished product and actual municipal end-of-life systems. A material label cannot substitute for food-contact compliance, delivery performance or verified recycling outcomes.Packaging can be prepared in advance; conclusions must wait for the dataHaidilao has expanded delivery from an extension of its hot pot business into everyday meals, with single-serving products and delivery stations emerging as clear growth drivers. The Company has not disclosed whether packaging has changed in parallel.Foodservice-packaging suppliers and procurement teams do not need to extrapolate orders from the revenue growth rate. They need to establish reliable data on package configuration per order, delivery outcomes and total cost. When the brand begins comparing solutions, these data will be closer to the procurement decision than a material specification sheet alone.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research NotesThis article is based on Haidilao's interim results, annual report and ESG report filed with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, together with public rules issued by the market regulator and delivery platform. It was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging and verified through 30 August 2026. It is intended solely for research and learning across the foodservice-packaging value chain and does not constitute legal, certification, procurement or investment advice. No investment, supply or project relationship between BIOTEN Packaging and Haidilao has been disclosed. Requests to amend, clarify or remove disputed content, data or rights-related material will be reviewed within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer: Data and Verification Sources01 | Haidilao | 2026 Interim Results Announcement02 | Haidilao | 2025 Annual Report03 | Haidilao | 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance Report04 | State Administration for Market Regulation | Provisions on the Supervision and Administration of Online Catering Service Operators' Fulfilment of Primary Food Safety Responsibilities05 | Meituan | Delivery Platform Dispatch StandardsOriginal source unavailable",
            "date_published": "2026-08-30T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-30T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-30-haidilao-delivery-meal-box-single-serving-packaging/cms-image-af7bcd05e1ff1bb2.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-30-kfc-global-packaging-market-specific-solutions.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-30-kfc-global-packaging-market-specific-solutions.html",
            "title": "One brand, 34,000 restaurants worldwide: Why does KFC need multiple packaging solutions?",
            "summary": "Foodservice Packaging Procurement Review: At year-end 2025, KFC had 33,897 restaurants worldwide, including 12,997 in mainland China.",
            "content_text": "Foodservice Packaging Procurement ReviewAt year-end 2025, KFC had 33,897 restaurants worldwide, including 12,997 in mainland China. From brand identity to buckets and boxes, cup lids, delivery and end-of-life systems, this analysis explains why chain restaurants need market-specific packaging solutions.A global brand can share one visual and experiential language, but its packaging must be designed around each market's product mix, operating model, regulatory requirements and end-of-life infrastructure. Multiple solutions do not undermine consistency; they are what make scale possible.In 2026, KFC Global extended its refreshed visual identity across packaging, digital platforms and restaurant environments. Yet a global network that is 99% franchised, a mainland China system comprising both company-operated and franchised restaurants, and differences in SKUs, food-contact requirements, delivery and end-of-life infrastructure mean packaging cannot rely on a single material solution.The figures of 33,897 worldwide and 12,997 in mainland China both refer to year-end 2025. Yum China's approximately 35,000 tonnes of packaging savings are company-wide, not KFC brand-specific, SKU-specific or per-store results.33,897 KFC Restaurants Worldwide · 12,997 KFC Restaurants in Mainland China · 149 Markets01 · GLOBAL NETWORKOne brand, many operating networksAs of year-end 2025, KFC operated 33,897 restaurants worldwide (reasonably summarized as about 34,000). Its network spanned 149 countries and territories; 99% of the restaurants were franchised, and system sales totaled US$36.434 billion. In mainland China, KFC had 12,997 restaurants on the same date (nearly 13,000), including 11,032 company-operated restaurants and 1,965 franchise-operated restaurants.The August 2026 update to the master license agreement for mainland China further demonstrates that brand rights, operating responsibilities, procurement execution and in-store implementation are layered. A global restaurant count cannot substitute for local packaging qualification and implementation.Source documents:Yum! Brands 2025 Form 10-K; Yum China first-quarter 2026 earnings release; and the August 2026 update to the master license agreement.02 · PACKAGE FUNCTIONSPackaging solutions diverge by component and operating conditionBuckets, boxes and liners must meet requirements for grease resistance, heat and humidity exposure, structural stiffness, stacking and opening performance; cups, lids and sip openings must deliver seal integrity, leak resistance and heat resistance; sauce and side-item containers require separate food-contact validation; takeaway bags, tamper-evident seals and cutlery are affected by delivery and restaurant operations; and end-of-life solutions must align with local collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure.The same visual identity can appear on packaging in different markets, yet paper grade, basis weight, barrier systems, inks, adhesives, lid materials, forming equipment and regulatory documentation may vary by SKU. A material name is not a mass-production solution.03 · CHINA EVIDENCEMainland China has already produced three real-world solutionsReuse |In 2019, reusable serving baskets replaced more than ten types of single-use paper packaging and were introduced in more than 6,000 restaurants. At the time, Yum China expected them to save more than 2,000 tonnes of paper per year.Component reduction |A 2021 announcement covered the replacement of plastic straws, wooden cutlery and certain bags. These were historical initiatives and do not represent the current status of every restaurant and every SKU in 2026.Company-wide management |Yum China reported approximately 35,000 tonnes of packaging savings in 2025, comprising about 17,000 tonnes of paper packaging and 18,000 tonnes of plastic packaging. It also met its target of reducing the weight of non-degradable plastic packaging by 30% from a 2019 baseline.Important boundary:The 35,000-tonne figure is not KFC-specific packaging volume and cannot be used as a proxy for usage by individual SKU, supplier share or actual recycling rates.Source documents:Yum China's 2019 sustainability initiative announcement, its 2021 plastic-reduction announcement, and its 2025 Sustainability Report.04 · BRAND UPDATEThe 2026 brand refresh standardized the look, not the bill of materialsIn June 2026, KFC Global announced that its refreshed visual identity would extend across packaging, digital platforms, advertising and restaurant environments, with the rollout beginning in markets including the UK and Ireland. What can be standardized globally is the use of brand colors, graphics, bucket iconography, information hierarchy and consumer recognition cues.The announcement did not state when the identity would be adopted in mainland China, nor did it disclose the material structures, bills of materials, suppliers, coverage or end-of-life outcomes for buckets and boxes, cup lids or bags. Visual consistency on packaging is the starting point for supply-chain execution.Source document:KFC Global's 2026 global brand refresh announcement.05 · INDUSTRY GATESWhat five stakeholder groups should trackPapermakers |Track the paper grade, basis weight, fiber certification, stiffness, grease resistance and regional supply radius for each specific bucket, box, bag and cup.Packaging converters |Evaluate die-cutting, folding, forming, print registration, adhesive application, sealing windows and continuous-production yield.Functional materials suppliers |Tie barrier, coating and adhesive systems to the food-contact surface, temperature, grease exposure, migration, sensory performance, forming process and actual end-of-life route.Equipment and testing providers |Build cross-SKU data on forming stability, heat sealing, leak resistance, compression strength, transport simulation, migration and sensory performance.Brand procurement teams |Maintain a map that connects the brand, market, operator, SKU, supplier, restaurant and end-of-life route, and incorporate inventory transitions and franchisee implementation into packaging-revision plans.Paper Industry Roundtable · Numbers reveal the fundamentalsGlobally, the brand can standardize whom consumers recognize. Market by market, it must answer which paper to use, what barrier system to specify, how the pack is formed, who procures it, in which restaurants it is implemented and whether it can enter a functioning end-of-life system after use.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research NotesThis article is based on public annual reports, earnings releases, brand updates and sustainability disclosures from Yum! Brands, Yum China and KFC Global. It was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging and verified through 30 August 2026. It is intended solely for value-chain research and learning and does not constitute procurement, performance, compliance or investment advice. For requests to amend, clarify or remove content, data or rights-related material, please contact BIOTEN Packaging; we will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer: Data and Verification Sources01 | Yum! Brands | 2025 Form 10-K; 02 | Yum China | First-Quarter 2026 Earnings Release; 03 | Yum China | 2025 Sustainability Report; 04 | Yum China | 2021 KFC and Pizza Hut Plastic-Reduction Announcement; 05 | Yum China | August 2026 Master License Agreement Update; 06 | KFC Global | 2026 Global Brand RefreshRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-30T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-30T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-30-kfc-global-packaging-market-specific-solutions/cms-image-25f51a6184ac2d7e.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-30-guming-packaging-system-supplier-requirements.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-30-guming-packaging-system-supplier-requirements.html",
            "title": "1.11 Billion Cups Sold and 51 New Products in Six Months: What Must Packaging Suppliers Deliver for Guming’s 10,000-Store System?",
            "summary": "Looking beyond Guming’s scale, this article examines how its 24-warehouse network and five supplier capabilities shape requirements for paper cups, paperboard, paper bags, barrier-coated paper, grease-resistant paper, and molded fiber.",
            "content_text": "Chain-Restaurant Packaging Review1.11 Billion Cups Sold and 51 New Products in Six Months: What Must Packaging Suppliers Deliver for Guming’s 10,000-Store System?From its 24-warehouse distribution network and five supplier capabilities, this analysis further unpacks the qualification gates for paper cups, paperboard, paper bags, barrier-coated paper, grease-resistant paper, and molded fiber in a tea-drink network.Guming’s strength lies not only in billion-cup volume and a 10,000-plus-store footprint, but in a replicable system built around product launches, coffee equipment, centralized procurement, and 24 warehouses. Packaging suppliers can enter a system of this scale only by delivering materials, manufacturing, distribution, and obsolete-inventory management as one integrated capability.This system turns cups, lids, sealing film, paper bags, cup carriers, and molded-fiber components from individual products into an engineering program that must work across warehouses, stores, and use scenarios.The figures of 1.11 billion cups, 51 products, 14,351 stores, and approximately 13,500 coffee-machine-equipped stores follow the interim-reporting scope. The company did not disclose a paper/plastic breakdown, specific paper grades, basis weights, or per-SKU usage.According to Guming’s 2026 interim results, the network comprised 14,351 stores as of June 30. In the first half, it sold approximately 1.11 billion cups of beverages and launched 51 new products, including 12 coffee beverages; around 13,500 stores had been equipped with coffee machines. Revenue reached RMB 7.47 billion, up 31.9% year on year; gross profit rose 39.6%, and adjusted profit increased 44.4%.The network comprised 24 warehouses, approximately 277,000 square meters of warehousing space, and more than 82,000 cubic meters of cold-storage capacity, enabling on-demand delivery every two days to approximately 99% of stores. These cold-chain metrics cannot be treated as packaging-delivery performance, but they clearly illustrate the operating cadence that packaging must support.The five figures use the interim report’s respective dates and operating definitions and should not be aggregated as packaging volume.Research source: Guming Holdings Limited | 2026 Interim Results AnnouncementSECTION 01 · PROCUREMENT AND QUALITYPackaging Is Already Part of the Central Quality and Procurement SystemGuming’s 2025 Annual Report states that, to ensure consistent beverage quality, franchisees are required to purchase ingredients, packaging materials, and related equipment from the Group. Centralized procurement and supplier audits mean packaging is no longer a low-value consumable managed independently by each store.Under the continuing connected-transaction framework between the company and Zhejiang Mingxing Packaging for 2025–2027, the covered items include insulated bags, plastic cups, paper cups, and cup lids. Pricing considers product type, quality, specifications, quantities, manufacturing costs, and market prices, with quotations from at least three independent suppliers used for comparison.Publicly Disclosed Amounts Under the Named FrameworkRMB 217.55 million Actual transaction amount in 2025.RMB 392.09 million / RMB 491.68 million Annual caps for 2026 and 2027, respectively.The caps are not actual expenditure, and this framework does not represent all of Guming’s packaging procurement. What it does reveal is the procurement language of a large chain: quality, specifications, volume, cost, and market-comparable pricing must all be satisfied at the same time.Research source: Guming Holdings Limited | 2025 Annual ReportSECTION 02 · FIVE CAPABILITIESSuppliers Must Put All Five Capabilities on One Operating ScorecardVersion control.Product codes must bind the beverage, size, temperature, cup body, lid, sealing film, artwork, campaign period, and store. Expired authorization or content changes must trigger a controlled production stop.Consistency.Control dimensional tolerances, rim forming, stiffness, heat-sealing window, odor, abrasion resistance, and color variation, then verify leakage, drops, and stacking in the assembled pack.Peak capacity.Document steady-state capacity, peak-shift capacity, artwork changeover time, yield, backup plants, and recovery time after disruption.Multi-warehouse fulfillment.Use on-time delivery, mis-shipment rate, minimum replenishment lot, and batch traceability to prove that “nationwide availability” reaches the store.Obsolete and residual inventory.At project launch, define forecast-error tolerance, the final replenishment date, reuse of common structures, residual-material disposal, and intellectual-property exit arrangements.Initial forecasts, allocation by warehouse, actual sell-through, replenishment orders, stockouts, incorrect artwork, obsolete inventory, and complaint causes should be placed on one operating scorecard. Only then can the business determine whether a problem arose in forecasting, manufacturing, transportation, or in-store use.SECTION 03 · PAPER-BASED MATERIALS MAPApplication Comes Before Paper Grade; the Final SKU Comes Before Any Material ConclusionThe following categories support packaging development and do not indicate what Guming actually uses. The correct sequence is to define the beverage or food application first, select the base paper or paperboard next, determine surface engineering and structure, and finally validate the finished SKU and its intended regional end-of-life pathway.Cupstock / Paper Cup BoardApplication |Paper cup bodies and other applicable beverage containers.Functions |Stiffness, rim forming, converting, barrier-layer adhesion, printability, and food-contact compliance.Qualification gates |Validate the combined system—base paper, coating, curing, and cup format—for rim integrity, seams, leakage, and migration.Guming disclosure | Only the procurement category “paper cups” is disclosed; paper grade, basis weight, and coating are not.Food Packaging Board / PaperboardApplication |Cup sleeves, takeaway cartons, display packaging, or transport packaging.Functions |Stiffness, die-cutting and creasing, printability, compression strength, and stacking performance.Qualification gates |Distinguish direct from indirect food contact; verify creases, heat and humidity resistance, distribution conditions, odor, and migration.Guming disclosure | Specific paperboard grades, basis weights, and corresponding SKUs were not disclosed.Paper-Bag Stock / Kraft PaperApplication |Single-cup, multi-cup, and other takeaway carrying applications.Functions |Tensile and tear strength, wet-load performance, printability, bottom sealing, and handling.Qualification gates |Test bag bottoms, side seams, condensation, rain exposure, drops, and odor under actual loads.Guming disclosure | Paper grades, basis weights, bag structures, and load-bearing data were not disclosed.Barrier-Coated Paper / Extrusion-Coated PaperApplication |Cups, cartons, and paper-based components requiring water resistance, grease resistance, or heat sealing.Functions |Barrier performance, heat sealing, interlayer adhesion, odor, converting, and printability.Qualification gates |Creases and seams, time-temperature exposure, food-contact compliance, repulpability, and the intended end-of-life pathway.Guming disclosure | Specific coatings, plastic layers, waterborne barrier routes, and final bills of materials (BOMs) were not disclosed.Grease-Resistant Paper / Packaging PaperApplication |Dry foods, lightly greasy foods, liners, or wraps.Functions |Grease resistance, fold endurance, printability, odor control, and appropriate wet strength.Qualification gates |Test with actual fats under relevant temperatures, dwell times, and folding conditions; the Kit test does not cover free liquids.Guming disclosure | Relevant paper grades and corresponding food applications were not disclosed.Molded FiberApplication |Cup carriers, trays, cushioning, and other combination packaging.Functions |Load-bearing capacity, wet strength, nesting, dimensional tolerance, and surface treatment.Qualification gates |Loaded-drop, stacking, humidity and heat, in-store handling, additives, and end-of-life testing.Guming disclosure | No molded-fiber cup carriers, trays, or cushioning applications were disclosed.This material map is an industry development framework; food contact, barrier performance, converting, printing, and end-of-life each require separate evidence.Research sources: National Health Commission standards catalogue; announcement issuing GB 4806.10—2025; TAPPI grease-resistance test methods; IMFA molded-fiber materialsSECTION 04 · MATERIAL OPPORTUNITIESThe Opportunity for Better Materials Must Show Up in Total System CostUnder Guming’s 2025 ESG reporting scope, total finished-product packaging materials amounted to 5,700.18 tonnes, up approximately 20.8% year on year; packaging-material intensity per RMB 1 million of revenue fell from 0.54 tonnes to 0.44 tonnes, a decrease of approximately 18.5%. Total volume rose with growth while intensity declined, indicating that scale and material reduction can advance together. Because the company did not disclose the paper/plastic split, per-cup material weight cannot be calculated.The company also disclosed efforts to expand the use of degradable and recyclable materials, optimize cup materials in selected regions in line with policy, use degradable materials for some takeaway bags, and reduce polypropylene use through improved material performance. Reusable turnover boxes and baskets are also used in the warehousing and distribution of fruit and other goods.Paper cups, paperboard, paper bags, barrier-coated paper, grease-resistant paper, and molded fiber may each fit the right application. The opportunity does not come from a “paper-for-plastic” slogan, but from lower basis weight, more reliable seals, lower odor, fewer complaints, higher yield, and verifiable food-contact and end-of-life pathways.SECTION 05 · THE STRONGEST COUNTERARGUMENTThis Material Map Is Not Guming’s Procurement ListGuming did not disclose specific paper grades, basis weights, coatings, molded-fiber applications, per-SKU usage, or campaign-packaging volumes. The map above can only help the value chain understand potential applications and qualification gates; it must not be presented as materials the company already uses or plans to purchase.Guming has demonstrated product-development and supply-chain capabilities at 10,000-store scale. The packaging industry’s task is to connect material capabilities to this growth using real BOM, batch, yield, delivery, and complaint data.FROM THEORY TO EVIDENCE · LET THE DATA REVEAL THE ESSENTIALSGood materials can enter a 10,000-store system only after becoming packaging that is manufacturable, allocable across warehouses, traceable, and reviewable.Guming’s 1.11 billion cups sold in six months, 51 new products, approximately 13,500 coffee-machine-equipped stores, and 24-warehouse network demonstrate how a chain brand converts product innovation into scaled operations. Continued system expansion will create demand for more high-quality packaging and materials while shifting the supplier threshold from unit-price quotations to integrated execution.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research NoteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging using exchange filings by Guming Holdings Limited and public materials from the National Health Commission, ISO, TAPPI, IMFA, and Cepi. Information was verified through August 29, 2026. It is intended solely for research and learning by participants in the foodservice, papermaking, packaging, and materials value chains and does not constitute investment, procurement, product-compliance, or engineering advice. Facts concerning Guming are presented according to the company’s public disclosures; the paper grades and qualification gates are industry analysis and do not represent Guming’s current SKUs or procurement plans. If any content, data, or rights are disputed, requests for correction, clarification, or removal may be submitted, and we will review them within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources01 | Guming Holdings Limited | 2026 Interim Results Announcement02 | Guming Holdings Limited | 2025 Annual Report03 | National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China | Catalogue of National Food Safety Standards04 | National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China | Announcement Issuing GB 4806.10—202505 | ISO | Vocabulary for Paper, Board, and Pulps06 | TAPPI | Grease Resistance Testing for Paper and Paperboard07 | TAPPI | Cobb Water Absorption Test08 | IMFA | Molded Fiber Types and Applications09 | Cepi | Paper and Board Recyclability Laboratory Test Method, Version 3Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-30T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-30T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-30-guming-packaging-system-supplier-requirements/cms-image-d4548f1816dd9d30.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-29-mcdonalds-china-packaging-upgrade-beyond-paper-cups.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-29-mcdonalds-china-packaging-upgrade-beyond-paper-cups.html",
            "title": "45,356 Restaurants Worldwide, 7,740 in China: Why McDonald’s Packaging Upgrade Is About More Than “Switching to Paper Cups”",
            "summary": "Research sources:McDonald’s Restaurants by Market 2025; McDonald’s China packaging-upgrade announcement",
            "content_text": "Switching to paper cups is the visible change. The real challenge is ensuring that cupstock, barrier layers, lids, sealing, food-contact compliance, restaurant operations, supply-chain delivery and end-of-life evidence all work together in the same cup.Start with the Publicly Disclosed Scale45,356 / 7,740 / 5,800 tonnesAt the end of 2025, the McDonald’s System had 45,356 restaurants worldwide, including 7,740 in mainland China. The new packaging will be rolled out progressively across more than 7,500 restaurants nationwide. Once the transition is complete, the company estimates that it will reduce its use of petroleum-based plastic by more than 5,800 tonnes each year.Research sources:McDonald’s Restaurants by Market 2025; McDonald’s China packaging-upgrade announcement01 · NETWORK SCALEWhat Packaging Challenge Does a Global Restaurant Network Magnify?At year-end 2025, the McDonald’s System had 45,356 restaurants worldwide, approximately 95% of which were franchised. Mainland China had 7,740 restaurants, a net increase of 920 from 2024—about 13.5% based on public data—and accounted for roughly 17.1% of the global System. These figures do not automatically imply demand for any specific cup or lid. They do mean that any packaging change must be repeatedly validated across different factories, distribution networks, restaurants and customer-use conditions.As of November 2025, public reports indicated that McDonald’s operated in more than 280 prefecture-level cities in China and had over 7,500 restaurants; Guangzhou reached 900 restaurants in January 2026. The network’s breadth and density mean that packaging systems must accommodate regional temperature and humidity, delivery times, equipment differences, replenishment cycles and exception handling.Research sources:McDonald’s 2025 Annual Report; Xinhua coverage of the restaurant footprint; McDonald’s 900th restaurant in GuangzhouSwitching Cups Actually Means Managing Eight System VariablesMaterial structure |Cupstock, barrier layer, lid and seals.Final validation |Food contact, converting, restaurant operations, supply chain and end of life.Important boundary |Restaurant count, number of solution variants and forecast plastic reduction cannot be used to infer unit volumes for any individual SKU, bill of materials, supplier share, rollout completion rate, or actual recycling or composting outcomes. A separate data graphic is delivered with the article package.02 · CUP SYSTEMWhy a Paper Cup Is Never “Just Paper”McDonald’s globally defines primary guest packaging as single-use fiber and plastic packaging used to serve food and beverages, including cups, lids, bags, cartons and clamshells, wraps, cup carriers, bowls and containers, straws and cutlery. The current China announcement is more specific: lids for McCafé and other beverages, sundaes, corn cups and congee bowls will use PLA; selected cups for beverages, sundaes and corn will shift to paper-based formats.This does not end with replacing the cup body with paper. Spill-resistant geometry for cold-drink lids and toughness and heat resistance for hot-drink lids show that cup and lid jointly determine the drinking experience and leak prevention. Cupstock, internal and external barrier layers, bottom and side-seam seals, printing, stackability and handling in restaurants must all work; a failure in any one can prevent an ostensibly greener cup from performing reliably.Research sources:McDonald’s Global Packaging Report; McDonald’s China Packaging Upgrade03 · BARRIER LAYERScaling Paper Cups Requires a Complete Barrier-and-Sealing SystemBarrier-and-sealing systems such as PE, together with cupstock, lids and forming equipment, were critical in turning paper cups into mass-produced industrial products. Cupstock is porous and cannot, on its own, meet liquid, grease and heat-sealing requirements. Peer-reviewed research shows that polymer coatings for hot-drink cups must balance liquid and grease resistance, thermal stability and heat sealability. Low-density polyethylene is one common barrier layer that helps form liquid-tight seals at the side seam and cup bottom.Once functionality is solved, new design challenges emerge. When PE is tightly bonded to fiber, repulping faces difficulties in recovering fibers and separating the film; the structure, process and methods used by the target mill must be validated together. That challenge does not mean PE is “toxic” or that paper cups are “unsafe for food contact,” nor does it mean fiber-based structures are inherently unrecyclable.Water-based barriers, PLA, other polyesters, mineral coatings and composite coatings must answer the same questions: exact grade, coat weight, sealing temperature, base paper, cup geometry, food type, time and temperature, organoleptic performance, food-contact compliance, continuous forming and the actual end-of-life pathway. Removing PE is not the conclusion; completing system-level validation is.Research sources:BioResources study on paper-cup manufacturing; study on repulping PE-coated paperboardWhat Are 100 Candidate Solutions and 2 Million In-Restaurant Tests Actually Validating?They do not prove that any single material is necessarily superior. They show that when a restaurant chain changes customer-facing packaging, it must simultaneously screen out inadequate combinations of barrier performance, sealing, heat resistance, appearance, stackability, restaurant handling and supply reliability. A large chain is not buying a single test certificate; it is procuring a material, structure, factory and restaurant system that can run reliably together.04 · EVIDENCE BOUNDARYWhat Does the 5,800-Tonne Target Prove—and What Does It Not Prove?The publicly stated 5,800-tonne figure is not plastic reduction already achieved. It is an annual forecast based on estimated use of the relevant packaging from November 2025 through October 2026, after the transition from existing formats is complete. It shows that McDonald’s China has placed material substitution on a nationwide procurement and validation agenda.It does not prove that every paper cup has already changed, disclose annual unit volumes for each lid, cup or paper bag, or establish that every final SKU in every market has achieved food-contact compliance, recyclability, compostability or lower carbon emissions. Historical initiatives require the same discipline: in 2015, selected burgers moved to single-layer wrappers, reducing paper use for those products by nearly 80%; in 2020, strawless lids were rolled out across all mainland China restaurants, with the company estimating an annual reduction of about 400 tonnes of plastic.Research sources:McDonald’s China Packaging Upgrade; McDonald’s China Green Packaging05 · FIVE OPPORTUNITIESFive Real Opportunities for the Packaging Value ChainCupstock and barrier layers |Convert liquid and grease resistance, heat sealing, printability and creasing windows into repeatable specifications.Lids and sealing |Deliver leak resistance, drinking aperture, toughness, heat resistance, cup-fit tolerances and customer drinking experience as one system.Forming and converting equipment |Provide continuous records for coating, drying, winding, cup forming, heat sealing, changeovers and scrap rates.Food contact and procurement |Map test reports to the final SKU, factory, batch and conditions of use.Recovery and end of life |Use methods, available infrastructure and actual material flows to demonstrate whether the fiber-based structure has a viable pathway in each target city.The Next Question for Barrier SystemsBarrier-and-sealing systems such as PE, together with cupstock, lids and forming equipment, helped paper cups achieve mass production. In the next phase, which system can pass food-contact, barrier, forming, scale-up and end-of-life validation at the same time? Could this be a PHA moment?This is an industry question to be tested, not a predetermined answer about any material.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research NotesThis article was independently researched and compiled from McDonald’s China and McDonald’s global materials, peer-reviewed research, and current regulations and methods. Information was verified through 29 August 2026. It is provided solely for research and learning across the packaging value chain and does not constitute a procurement, investment, food-contact, environmental or legal conclusion regarding any material, package, supplier or restaurant company. If you have concerns regarding content, data or rights, you may request an explanation, correction or removal. We will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources01 | McDonald’s | Restaurants by Market 202502 | McDonald’s China | Food Packaging Gets a Greener Upgrade03 | McDonald’s China | Green Packaging04 | BioResources | Study on Paper-Cup Manufacturing05 | BioResources | Study on Repulping PE-Coated Paperboard06 | McDonald’s China | Target of 10,000 Restaurants by 202807 | European Union | Packaging and Packaging Waste RegulationOriginal source unavailable",
            "date_published": "2026-08-29T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-29T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-29-mcdonalds-china-packaging-upgrade-beyond-paper-cups/cms-image-4df68d9d818afdb9.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-29-jingxing-paper-recycled-fiber-pulp-paper-box-use-system.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-29-jingxing-paper-recycled-fiber-pulp-paper-box-use-system.html",
            "title": "What Makes Jingxing Paper Strong? The “Pulp–Paper–Box–Use” System Behind a Single Recycled Fiber",
            "summary": "China’s Top 20 Paper Companies · No. 18: What Makes Jingxing Paper Strong?",
            "content_text": "China’s Top 20 Paper Companies · No. 18What Makes Jingxing Paper Strong? The “Pulp–Paper–Box–Use” System Behind a Single Recycled FiberFrom recycled pulp in Malaysia and containerboard in the Yangtze River Delta to corrugated boxes and recycled tissue, this analysis examines Jingxing’s circular-manufacturing foundation—and the five tests the system still needs to pass.Jingxing’s real strength lies neither in a single grade of linerboard nor merely in locating capacity in Malaysia. It is organizing recovered fiber from the Yangtze River Delta, overseas recycled pulp, industrial packaging paper, corrugated board and boxes, and recycled tissue into a circular manufacturing system spanning “pulp–paper–box–use.”This system already generates real output, but it is not yet a fully closed loop. Recycled-pulp utilization, profitability in corrugated packaging, the TM7 trial run and the ramp-up of Phase II in Malaysia will determine whether its value-chain footprint becomes effective capacity.The association’s figure of 1.6926 million tonnes represents Jingxing’s 2025 output among key paper producers. Product, output and financial data in the annual report use either consolidated listed-company or business-segment scopes. Design capacity, trial production, company statements and realized profit are treated separately.Company Snapshot | 20251.6926 million tonnes — output reported in the association survey, ranking No. 18.1.5513 million tonnes — Jingxing’s containerboard output.492,400 tonnes — recycled pulp output from Phase I in Malaysia.SECTION 01 · SCALE POSITIONNo. 18 Is Only a Reference Point; the Real Question Is How Fiber FlowsThe association ranking answers how much paper a company produced; it does not directly explain why that output can be sustained. Jingxing’s core products remain kraft linerboard, corrugating medium and white-top kraftliner. In 2025, it produced 1.5513 million tonnes and sold 1.4835 million tonnes of containerboard, generating revenue of RMB 4.016 billion.According to its annual report, Jingxing’s procurement mix for containerboard is anchored by domestically recovered paper, with imported recycled fiber pulp filling the long-fiber gap. Domestically recovered paper accounted for approximately 80% by procurement weight. The company must simultaneously manage domestic recovered-paper price and quality volatility, a shortage of high-quality long fiber, and regulatory and logistics uncertainty associated with imported recycled pulp.In 2025, Phase I in Malaysia produced 492,400 tonnes of recycled pulp, sold 306,400 tonnes externally and consumed 222,700 tonnes internally. Sales, internal consumption and current-period output cannot simply be added because beginning inventory and internal transfers are also involved. The key issue is not that Jingxing has 800,000 tonnes of overseas capacity, but whether the fiber can consistently meet the strength, cleanliness and cost requirements of different paper grades.Research sources:China Paper Industry 2025 Annual Report; Jingxing Paper 2025 Annual ReportSECTION 02 · OVERSEAS FIBERMalaysia Is Not a Stand-Alone Pulp Mill but a Second Pillar of Jingxing’s Fiber StrategyJingxing discloses that its overseas recycled pulp is produced in multiple grades and has been used in linerboard, unbleached hand towels, cement sack paper and unbleached tissue. Recovered paper sourced overseas is sorted, pulped and dried before entering the market as pulp sheets; mills still determine the substitution ratio based on fiber length, contaminants, strength and cost.In 2025, Phase I in Malaysia operated at 61.55% capacity utilization for the full year and reached 96.49% in December, while the recycled-pulp-sheet business still recorded a gross margin of -8.60% for the year. In H1 2026, the business generated revenue of RMB 410 million and its gross margin turned positive at 3.45%. Output, operating rate and margin do not move in lockstep; sustainable profitability also depends on feedstock, energy, ocean freight, exchange rates, selling prices and customer mix.The Asian Development Bank disclosed total investment of approximately USD 299 million in the Malaysian expansion and approved a USD 60 million loan to add a 600,000-tonne recycled packaging-paper line. Jingxing’s interim report states that Phase II was 90% complete as of the end of June 2026, with equipment commissioning scheduled to begin in November.Boundary condition:Commissioning is not the same as reaching design output, and financing is not profitability. Actual operating rates, yield, order destinations and unit cash cost are the evidence needed to prove that this second pillar works.SECTION 03 · REGIONAL DELIVERYThe Regional Advantage Begins to Pay Off Only When Paper Becomes BoxesContainerboard has a pronounced economic delivery radius, and corrugated board and boxes travel even less efficiently. Based in Pinghu and close to Zhapu Port, Jingxing serves a sales radius covering Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu. On the geographic basis used for total company revenue in 2025, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Shanghai accounted for a combined 79.56%. This is not a national market-share figure; it shows that Jingxing’s core operations are anchored in the dense manufacturing, logistics, e-commerce and consumer-demand network of the Yangtze River Delta.According to the company website, Pinghu Jingxing Packaging’s corrugated-board line has a design capacity of 100 million square meters per year, while its integrated flexographic boxmaking line can run at up to 24,000 boxes per hour. The 2025 annual report records actual corrugated box and board output of 102.77 million square meters and sales of 101.75 million square meters. Machine speed and nameplate capacity describe manufacturing conditions; actual output and sales are operating results.Owning both paper mills and box plants, however, does not automatically produce higher margins. Gross margin for corrugated boxes and board was 5.53% in 2025 and 5.10% in H1 2026, versus 9.50% for containerboard in the same half-year. The value of vertical integration lies more in shortening lead times, validating paper performance, accommodating small batches and feeding failure data back upstream; it does not automatically transfer upstream margin downstream.SECTION 04 · EXTENSION INTO TISSUEFrom Packaging Paper to Tissue: A New Outlet for Recycled FiberIn 2025, the company produced 147,800 tonnes of tissue base paper, up 7.33% year on year, and sold 2.6327 million cases of finished products. However, the annual report also states that more than 90% of tissue revenue still came from base-paper sales. Jingxing therefore cannot yet be described as a mature nationwide consumer-brand platform.On 28 May 2026, the TM7 line under the 50,000-tonne-per-year recycled, environmentally friendly tissue technical-upgrade project started up and entered trial production. The company says the line uses 100% recycled fiber and a Fourdrinier multi-cylinder wet-creping process to make environmentally friendly hand towels. Start-up proves that trial production has begun; it does not prove that 50,000 tonnes of effective output has been achieved, nor that yield, sales, repeat purchasing and margins have stabilized.Industrial packaging paper is engineered for compression strength, burst strength and box converting. Hand towels must instead address cleanliness, absorbency, feel, linting, odor and end-user experience. Only by grading, cleaning and re-engineering fiber for different uses can the circular system progress from “using more recovered paper” to “raising the value of each fiber.”Research source:Start-up of the TM7 Recycled, Environmentally Friendly Tissue ProjectSECTION 05 · THE STRONGEST COUNTERARGUMENTOwning the Value Chain Does Not Mean the Value Chain Is Already ProfitableJingxing’s combination of strengths is already visible: the Yangtze River Delta supplies both recovered paper and packaging demand; domestic sites combine containerboard production with box converting; the Malaysian operation adds recycled fiber supply and is extending into local papermaking; and tissue opens new applications for the fiber. Yet each stage has its own operating threshold.In H1 2026, gross margins for containerboard, corrugated boxes and board, and recycled pulp sheets were 9.50%, 5.10% and 3.45%, respectively. This is not a ranking of business quality but a pressure map of the system. If downstream margins remain too thin, overseas projects run at high load without generating cash, or tissue reaches only trial production without repeat orders, then “pulp–paper–box–use” remains an asset connection rather than an operating closed loop.SECTION 06 · PROOF POINTSFive Metrics That Show Whether the System Is Truly Getting Stronger01 | Fiber performance:Internal-consumption ratio, delivered cost, batch quality and actual displacement of wood pulp or other long-fiber furnish.02 | Containerboard performance:Comparable net selling price, gross profit per tonne, inventory days and repeat purchases from core customers.03 | Corrugated-packaging performance:Order mix, changeover losses, contribution per square meter, delivery radius and accounts-receivable terms.04 | Tissue performance:Yield after TM7 reaches stable operation, actual output, customer qualification, sales, repeat purchases and gross margin.05 | Overseas performance:Phase II commissioning, operating rate, yield, geographic mix of orders, unit cash cost and cash coverage.Paper Intelligence · Numbers Reveal the FundamentalsJingxing’s strength does not reside in any single sheet of paper, but in its ability to direct one recycled fiber into more products and markets.The system will be proven not when assets exist across all four stages—pulp, paper, boxes and use—but when each stage delivers reliably and ultimately translates into gross profit, cash generation and repeat business. How far a recycled fiber can travel depends on whether every processing step adds verifiable value for customers.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research NotesThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging from China Paper Association data, Jingxing Paper’s statutory exchange filings, company public information and Asian Development Bank project materials. Information was verified through 29 August 2026. It is provided solely for research and learning across the papermaking, packaging, recycled-fiber and materials value chains, and does not constitute investment, procurement, product-compliance or engineering advice. Association output data, company consolidated figures, business-segment data, design capacity and trial-production status are identified separately; company statements do not substitute for third-party verification. If you have concerns regarding content, data or rights, you may request a correction, clarification or removal. We will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources01 | China Paper Association | China Paper Industry 2025 Annual Report02 | Jingxing Paper | 2025 Annual Report03 | Jingxing Paper | 2025 ESG Report04 | Jingxing Paper | 2026 Interim Report05 | Jingxing Paper | Start-up of the TM7 Recycled, Environmentally Friendly Tissue Project06 | Jingxing Paper | Advanced Manufacturing07 | Asian Development Bank | Zhejiang Jingxing Paper Recycling and Circular Economy Project08 | Jingxing Paper | Jingxing Holdings (M) Sdn. Bhd.Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-29T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-29T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-29-jingxing-paper-recycled-fiber-pulp-paper-box-use-system/cms-image-e201250e482d8c28.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-28-printing-profit-decline-papermaking-recovery-transmission.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-28-printing-profit-decline-papermaking-recovery-transmission.html",
            "title": "Printing-Sector Profit Fell 13.7% While Papermaking Profit Rose 27.6%: Why Has the Recovery Not Passed Through?",
            "summary": "Value-Chain Profit Watch: This analysis helps identify whether profit is being constrained by quotations, order economics, inventory, collections or equipment utilisation.",
            "content_text": "VALUE-CHAIN PROFIT WATCHThis analysis helps identify whether your profit is being constrained by quotations, order economics, inventory, collections or equipment utilisation.Profit recovery has not passed through in sync, but do not immediately attribute it to margin pressure from paper mills: statistical classifications, pricing lags, order mix and working-capital use can put different segments of the same value chain on different rhythms.The two growth rates from the National Bureau of Statistics of China indicate direction only. To find the answer for a specific company, separate the boundaries between C22 and C23, profit margins, PPI data and actual order economics.Data for industrial enterprises above designated size provide an industry benchmark; disclosures by companies such as Zijiang Enterprise and Jingxing Paper serve only as mechanism-level examples. Company-level figures do not represent national average prices, and PPI is not a substitute for transaction prices for specific paper grades.January–July 2026 | Industrial Enterprises Above Designated Size Nationwide−13.7% Profit in Printing and Reproduction of Recorded Media · +27.6% Profit in Papermaking and Paper ProductsSECTION 01 · START WITH CALIBRATIONProfit Growth Is Not the Same as Profit MarginUsing total profit divided by operating revenue as a simple estimate, the January–July 2026 profit margin was approximately 2.83% for papermaking and paper products and 4.06% for printing. Printing profit fell 13.7% year on year, yet its current margin remained about 1.23 percentage points higher.The shift is in the trend: the estimated profit margin for papermaking rose from approximately 2.58% in the first half of 2025 to 2.84% in the first half of 2026; printing fell from approximately 4.86% to 4.03%. One improved by about 0.26 percentage points while the other contracted by roughly 0.82 percentage points.2.83% | Papermaking and Paper ProductsJanuary–July 2026 cumulative data; estimated in this article as total profit divided by operating revenue.4.06% | PrintingStill higher at present, but clearly weaker year on year.4.22% | Implied Incremental Printing Margin for JulyDerived by subtracting first-half cumulative figures from January–July cumulative figures; owing to cumulative reporting and rounding, this is an incremental observation only, not an officially published single-month margin.Research sources: National Bureau of Statistics of China: Industrial Enterprise Profits, January–July; first-half 2026 data; first-half 2025 dataSECTION 02 · CLASSIFICATION AND PRICINGIndustry Indices Cannot Directly Replace Company QuotationsC22 includes pulp and papermaking as well as the manufacture of paper and paperboard containers; C23 includes book and periodical printing, stationery printing, packaging and decorative printing, and other printing. Corrugated-container manufacturing and packaging printing are not in the same statistical division, so +27.6% and −13.7% do not form a neat upstream–downstream profit-allocation table.In July 2026, the PPI for papermaking and paper products rose 0.9% month on month and 1.2% year on year; the printing sector fell 0.3% month on month and 3.0% year on year. On average from January to July, the two indices were still down 1.2% and 3.1%, respectively. Prices at the papermaking end showed marginal improvement, while printing remained under pressure.Important boundary: PPI is not the transaction price of white paperboard, greyboard, containerboard or corrugating medium, still less the selling price of a particular customer's packaging SKU. Companies must compare like-for-like paper grades, basis weights, regions and contract periods.Research sources: National Bureau of Statistics of China: July PPI; Industrial Classification for National Economic ActivitiesSECTION 03 · COMPANY EXAMPLESOne Company Can Have Multiple Pass-Through CurvesZijiang Enterprise | Internal company data show that in the first half of 2026, the purchase price of white paperboard fell 8.2% year on year, greyboard rose 8.4%, and the unit selling price of colour-printed paper packaging fell 11.4%. The figures are unaudited and represent company-specific data only. Lower white-paperboard costs did not automatically translate into an equivalent margin gain because colour-printing prices fell faster, while greyboard moved in the opposite direction.Jingxing Paper | The company reported that gross margin on base paper rose to 9.50%, while gross margin on corrugated cases and board fell to 5.10%. Operating cash flow moved from a net outflow of RMB 491.4 million to a net inflow of RMB 600.5 million, supported substantially by lower inventories and higher operating payables.The two examples show that material costs, product selling prices, gross margins and cash can all move in different directions at the same time. Companies need to locate their own break in the pass-through chain, not label entire sectors as winners or losers.Research sources: Zijiang Enterprise: Announcement of Key Operating Data; Jingxing Paper: Interim ReportSECTION 04 · OPERATING PATHProfit Must Pass Through Five Gates from Cost to CashBase-paper costs first enter purchasing and then quotations. Once a quotation becomes an order, it must still pass through changeovers, waste, logistics and delivery. After revenue is recognised, value must pass through inventory, receivables and payment terms before returning as cash. Equipment utilisation then determines how much qualified output absorbs the fixed-cost base.The five cards below do not answer the questions for a company; they convert them into fields that can be recorded, calculated, monitored and acted upon.SECTION 05 · FIVE OPERATING CHECK CARDSTrace Profit Bottlenecks to Specific ActionsCHECK CARD 01 | PRICE PASS-THROUGHWhat to record | Paper grade, basis weight, region, supplier and unit purchase cost; corresponding customer, SKU, selling price and effective date of price adjustments.How to compare | Pass-through days = effective date of the customer's new selling price − effective date of the new material cost. Calculate the pass-through rate only for the same SKU and period, and only when cost and selling price move in the same direction: pass-through rate = change in unit selling price ÷ change in unit material cost, with cost calculated from actual material consumption per item. If the directions differ or the denominator is zero, compare the unit spread and gross-margin change directly.Warning signals | Costs rise while selling prices remain unchanged; when costs fall, selling prices fall faster.Next step | Build paper-price linkage, repricing cycles and triggers for abnormal volatility into quotation rules.CHECK CARD 02 | ORDER GROSS MARGINWhat to record | Materials, process steps, changeover time, waste, logistics, commissions, rebates and the cost of payment terms.How to compare | Calculate the contribution margin for each order, then convert it into contribution per machine hour, per thousand impressions or per square metre, rather than relying on sales revenue alone.Warning signals | Output rises while contribution per machine hour falls; small-batch, high-SKU work crowds out higher-contribution orders.Next step | Adjust minimum order quantities, changeover charges, rush-order fees and approval authority for low-contribution orders.CHECK CARD 03 | INVENTORY AND COLLECTIONSWhat to record | Days of raw-material, work-in-process and finished-goods inventory; receivables ageing, payable terms and operating cash flow.How to compare | Cash conversion cycle = inventory days + days sales outstanding − days payable outstanding; compare its direction with gross margin and net profit.Warning signals | Profit rises while operating cash flow falls; inventories and overdue receivables increase together.Next step | Review aged inventory, customer receivables ageing and order ownership weekly, and assign responsibility for stocking and overdue balances.CHECK CARD 04 | PRODUCT MIXWhat to record | Revenue, selling price, material mix, yield, gross margin, returns and complaints for corrugated transport packaging, folding cartons, food packaging, paper cups and paper bowls.How to compare | Track both item-level gross margins and revenue weights, and calculate how mix changes affect the consolidated gross margin.Warning signals | The share of high-revenue products rises while consolidated gross margin and cash decline.Next step | Segment customers and SKUs into growth, recovery, maintenance and exit tiers, rather than applying one pricing strategy to every order.CHECK CARD 05 | CAPACITY REALIZATIONWhat to record | Available machine hours, operating hours, qualified output, scrap, unit energy consumption, fixed costs and incremental depreciation.How to compare | Operating rate = operating hours ÷ available machine hours; yield = qualified output ÷ input; fixed cost per unit = fixed costs ÷ qualified output.Warning signals | Revenue from the new line rises, but operating rate remains low, yield is unstable and fixed cost per unit continues to increase.Next step | Set separate thresholds for trial production, ramp-up, stable operation and positive cash contribution. Do not present design capacity as operating performance until the relevant gate has been passed.SECTION 06 · STRESS TESTWhat Evidence Would Change the Current Assessment?If printing-sector PPI turns positive, orders and operating rates improve, inventories and receivables decline, yet profit margins continue to contract, the explanation of a squeeze from base-paper and other input costs gains weight. Conversely, if material costs fall but selling prices fall faster, or orders carry gross margin but cash remains weak, the problem extends beyond the upstream sector.ON PAPER · THE NUMBERS REVEAL THE COREWhen recovery is out of sync along the same value chain, the underlying issue is that price, orders, production and cash have not completed their pass-through within the same cycle.One question worth discussing internally: Where is your toughest bottleneck today: costs that cannot be passed into quotations, orders that generate no contribution margin, inventory and receivables tying up cash, or insufficient equipment utilisation?BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NoteThis article is based on data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China, industrial classification standards and official company disclosures. It was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging and verified through 29 August 2026. It is intended solely for research and learning across the papermaking, paper-packaging and packaging-printing value chain and does not constitute securities, procurement or investment advice. No unauthorised customer, supply, pricing or project information was used. Requests for correction, clarification or removal concerning the content, data or rights will be reviewed within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources01 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Profits of Industrial Enterprises Above Designated Size, January–July 202602 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Industrial Enterprise Profits, First Half of 202603 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Industrial Enterprise Profits, First Half of 202504 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Producer Prices for Industrial Products, July 202605 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Industrial Classification for National Economic Activities06 | Zijiang Enterprise | Announcement of Key Operating Data for the First Half of 202607 | Jingxing Paper | 2026 Interim ReportRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-28T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-29T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-28-printing-profit-decline-papermaking-recovery-transmission/cms-image-ecb09109d14de8c3.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-28-restaurant-chains-packaging-supplier-evidence.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-28-restaurant-chains-packaging-supplier-evidence.html",
            "title": "When Restaurant Chains Switch Packaging, What Three Types of Evidence Must Suppliers Provide?",
            "summary": "When restaurant chains switch packaging, procurement is not buying a greener material label. It is buying an evidence package for the final SKU that remains valid across menu items, stores, delivery conditions and target municipalities.",
            "content_text": "When restaurant chains switch packaging, procurement is not buying a greener material label, but an evidence package for the final SKU that remains valid across menu items, stores, delivery conditions and target municipalities.Start with a Break in the Procurement Logic116 / 9 In China's 2025 national supervision sampling inspection, 9 of 116 batches of paper containers for food contact were non-compliant.Findings covered fluorescent substances, sensory characteristics, compression strength and cup-body stiffness. Compliance at the material level cannot substitute for validation of the final cup, box and lid combination.Research source: State Administration for Market Regulation: National Supervision Sampling Inspection01 · ACTION FIRSTFour Steps for Procurement Before Switching Materials01 | Define the menu scenario. Specify the food type, temperature, filling and delivery time, stacking, shaking, condensation, microwave use, and frozen storage and reheating. Soup noodles, fried foods, iced drinks and pizza cannot share one set of conditions.02 | Define the final SKU. Create a version-controlled BOM covering the cup, box, lid, coating, inks, adhesives, tamper seal and food-contact surface; map every report to the exact structure, plant and batch.03 | Pilot in high-risk stores first. Prioritise high-temperature, high-grease, long-delivery or high-complaint scenarios. Record leakage, softening, deformation, odour or flavour transfer, cracking and store handling time.04 | Codify the replication rules. Define release records, traceability, lead time, backup plants and change-notification requirements. Changes in formulation, grammage, coat weight, plant or critical parameters should trigger a risk assessment and, where necessary, retesting.02 · TIMINGFour Milestones Bring Responsibility into the Procurement Chain12 August | The EU PPWR becomes generally applicable, including the PFAS restrictions for food-contact packaging; additional obligations take effect at later dates.15 August | China's Ecological and Environmental Code takes effect, covering reduction in single-use plastic products, usage reporting, green procurement and supply chains.1 September | Beijing's Guidelines for the Use of Green Packaging by Food Delivery Merchants take effect; they are a recommendatory local standard.2 September | GB 4806.10—2025, the national food-safety standard for coatings and coating layers used in food-contact materials and articles, takes effect.Research sources: China's Ecological and Environmental Code; Beijing Guidelines; National Health Commission announcement; European Commission PPWR application guidanceImportant boundary: These rules do not prescribe one universal material for foodservice operators. The Beijing Guidelines apply only in Beijing and are recommendatory; the PPWR applies only to relevant economic operators and packaging placed on the EU market.03 · THREE EVIDENCE PACKAGESThree Evidence Packages, Three Questions AnsweredSafety and compliance: Can the final SKU safely contact this type of food?Production and use: Can the supplier manufacture it consistently, and can stores use it reliably?Delivery and end-of-life: Can it be supplied consistently across stores, and can its environmental claims be substantiated?EVIDENCE 01 · SAFETY & COMPLIANCESafety and Compliance: Is the Final SKU Fit for Use?The safety package starts with the structure. Suppliers should provide a version-controlled BOM and a regulatory applicability matrix identifying the base paper or resin, coating, plastic layer, inks, adhesives, masterbatch, tamper seal and lid; the location of the food-contact surface; and who is responsible for the finished article.Next, translate intended use into test conditions: food type, temperature, duration, hot filling, microwave use, frozen storage and reheating, and surface-area-to-volume ratio. GB 4806.8—2022 applies to paper and paperboard materials and articles intended for food contact; the applicable combination of standards for coatings, plastics, printing inks, adhesives and composite structures must be determined from the actual BOM.Finally, validate the final SKU. Migration, sensory, substances of concern and other safety tests must be tied to the exact sample, batch, method and intended use. A material certificate proves only the object it expressly covers; it does not replace responsibility for the assembled cup, bowl, box and lid.Additional Package for EU ExportsUnder the PPWR, manufacturers must conduct the applicable conformity assessment and prepare technical documentation and an EU declaration of conformity. Records must be retained for five years for single-use packaging and ten years for reusable packaging. Food-contact packaging is subject to three PFAS thresholds—25 ppb, 250 ppb and 50 ppm—measured on different bases. The European Commission has also stated that there is not yet a harmonised EU test method and has outlined a phased enforcement approach. Any “fluorine-free” claim should therefore identify the analyte or scope tested, method, limit of detection and sample structure.Research sources: National Food Safety Standards Catalogue; EU PPWR; European Commission implementation guidanceEVIDENCE 02 · PRODUCTION & USEProduction and Use: Prove Consistent Manufacturing and Reliable UseFirst, suppliers must prove the manufacturing window. Continuous trial-production records should cover line speed, coat weight, drying or curing, sealing temperature, forming stability, reject rate, and the effects of roll and batch changeovers. A structure that can be tuned by hand in a sample room may have a very different cost at scale if it requires slower line speeds or additional manual inspection.Foodservice operators must then prove the store-use window. Test representative menu items, store equipment and delivery routes; record failures at edges, corners, walls, seams and lid interfaces; and compare variation within a batch, across batches and among production sites.Scenario Reference Disclosed by a Platform CompanyMeituan disclosed that its green-packaging solutions are being developed for 16 food categories; by the end of 2025, it had incubated and deployed 43 solutions, totalling more than 4.15 million green-packaging items. These figures do not represent industry adoption, but they show that foodservice-packaging performance must address specific dishes and delivery failure modes.Research sources: Meituan 2025 Annual Report; Wiley pilot-scale coating studyEVIDENCE 03 · DELIVERY & END-OF-LIFEDelivery and End-of-Life: Prove Continuity of Supply and Substantiate ClaimsScaled delivery starts with a quality and supply system. Suppliers should provide a batch-release record for every batch, establish traceability from raw-material lot to production batch, final SKU and destination store, and define capacity, lead time, minimum order quantity, backup plants and response times for exceptions.Environmental claims must also be tied to geography. The Cepi laboratory method simulates pulping, screening and handsheet formation to assess the technical recyclability of paper-based packaging; 4evergreen further distinguishes standard-mill, deinking-mill and specialised-mill processes. Passing a test still does not prove that the target municipality will collect, sort and send the package to a compatible paper mill.Reuse programmes should track return rate, number of rotations, cleaning and sanitisation, losses and reverse logistics. Composting programmes should verify the certified object, final SKU, thickness, and whether separate collection and accepting facilities exist locally. Without a real pathway, the claim can state only that the product is “technically capable under specified conditions.”The EU generated 79.7 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2023, or 177.8 kg per person, of which paper and cardboard accounted for 40.4%. That denominator covers all packaging waste, not foodservice packaging alone; it reminds procurement teams that environmental claims cannot stop at package design.Research sources: Cepi test method; 4evergreen Recyclability Evaluation Protocol; Eurostat packaging-waste statisticsWill Three Evidence Packages Shut Out Smaller Suppliers?They will increase cost and lead time. Jiumaojiu disclosed that it spent approximately RMB 3.35 million on environmentally friendly packaging in 2025, representing 5.21% of its total packaging procurement expenditure for the year. This is a single-company figure and does not represent the industry, but it shows that green packaging requires a budget and phased adoption.A basic evidence package may be used for SKUs involving dry, cool, short-duration foods, simple structures and no high-risk environmental claims; hot soup, high-grease foods, long delivery times, microwave use, multilayer structures or cross-region supply require enhanced validation; multi-site supply, EU exports or public recycling or composting claims require the full package. Food-safety requirements do not weaken for smaller companies.Supplier competitiveness is not measured by certificate count. More valuable is the ability to map existing reports to the exact SKU, identify gaps, and update evidence promptly when formulations, plants or use scenarios change.Research source: Jiumaojiu 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance ReportFor restaurant chains, a packaging switch should begin with the menu and the store, not with a material name. Only after all three evidence packages close the loop should a sample qualify for multi-store rollout.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research NoteThis article is based on official regulations and standards from China, Beijing and the European Union, together with regulatory notices, Eurostat data, listed-company disclosures, industry organisations and peer-reviewed research. It was independently researched, compiled and verified by BIOTEN Packaging through 29 August 2026. It is intended solely for research and educational use within the foodservice-packaging value chain and does not constitute legal, certification, procurement or investment advice. Requests for correction, clarification or removal will be reviewed within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources01 | Ministry of Ecology and Environment | Ecological and Environmental Code of the People's Republic of China02 | Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation | Guidelines for the Use of Green Packaging by Food Delivery Merchants03 | State Administration for Market Regulation | 2025 National Supervision Sampling Inspection of Food-Related Products04 | National Health Commission | National Food Safety Standards Catalogue05 | European Commission | PPWR Begins to Apply06 | EUR-Lex | Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation07 | European Commission | PPWR Implementation Guidance08 | Meituan | 2025 Annual Report09 | Cepi | Laboratory Test Method for the Recyclability of Paper and Board10 | 4evergreen | Recyclability Evaluation Protocol11 | Eurostat | EU Packaging Waste Statistics, 202312 | Jiumaojiu | 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance Report13 | Wiley | Pilot-Scale Tandem Dispersion and Extrusion-Coating StudyOriginal source access restricted",
            "date_published": "2026-08-28T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-29T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-28-restaurant-chains-packaging-supplier-evidence/cms-image-e97e18a4bfaf61d5.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-28-paper-packaging-weekly-price-divergence-cash-execution.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-28-paper-packaging-weekly-price-divergence-cash-execution.html",
            "title": "Paper Packaging Weekly Highlights | As Paper Prices Diverge, Why Are Packaging Companies Competing on Cash Flow and Execution?",
            "summary": "What truly separated companies this week was neither a single price-increase notice nor the amount of new capacity.",
            "content_text": "What truly separated companies this week was neither a single price-increase notice nor the amount of new capacity. Papermaking profits recovered while printing profits fell; packaging companies grew revenue, but cash flow and product gross margins did not keep pace. Seventeen signals point to the same shift: industry competition is moving from “who has capacity” to “whether each order can turn materials and manufacturing into gross profit and cash.”01 · PRICE & PROFITPaper Prices and Profit: Recovery Remains UnevenPricing needs a new logic: purchasing and sales decisions should be broken down by paper grade, product and order, rather than following a single paper-price curve.01 | From January to July, profit at industrial enterprises above designated size in the papermaking and paper products sector reached RMB 22.75 billion, up 27.6% year on year; printing-industry profit was RMB 14.09 billion, down 13.7%. The two curves are still moving in opposite directions. 〔01〕02 | In July, the producer price index (PPI) for papermaking and paper products rose 0.9% month on month and 1.2% year on year; the printing sector fell 0.3% month on month and 3.0% year on year. Even as sector indices recover, purchasing and quotations still need to be based on the specific paper grade and order. 〔02〕03 | Zijiang Enterprise reported that its purchase price for white paperboard fell 8.2% year on year, while greyboard rose 8.4%; the unit selling price for color-printed paper packaging fell 11.4%. Even within one company, raw materials and finished products must be priced separately. 〔03〕04 | Pacific Millennium Packaging Group Corporation (International Jifeng Packaging Group) reported a 4.3% increase in revenue, a rise in gross margin to 13.9%, and a narrower loss; yet operating cash flow moved from a net inflow of RMB 162.4 million to a net outflow of RMB 20.2 million as higher inventories slowed cash conversion. 〔04〕02 · CASH & MIXPackaging Companies: Growth Must Be Assessed Through Cash Flow and Product MixOperating performance also needs a broader scorecard: revenue and profit tell only half the story; cash flow, product gross margins and returns on capacity determine the quality of growth.05 | XinTongLian reported first-half revenue of RMB 505 million, up 10.92% year on year, and net operating cash flow of RMB 34.61 million, up 71.31%. The company attributed the growth to higher sales volumes of wood and paper products. 〔05〕06 | XinTongLian's paper-products revenue was RMB 128.3 million; based on disclosed revenue and cost, its estimated gross margin was approximately 18.11%, above the roughly 16.04% for wood products. The value of industrial packaging cannot be judged simply by whether it is paper or wood. 〔05〕07 | Forest Packaging's revenue increased 74.51%, but net profit attributable to shareholders fell 73.68%; its 600,000-tonne digital inkjet paper project has yet to become profitable after commissioning. A gap remains between ramping up capacity and realizing returns. 〔06〕08 | Based on Forest Packaging's disclosures, estimated gross margins were approximately 3.64% for containerboard and 4.10% for corrugating medium, versus roughly 14.38%–17.94% for corrugated board, flexographic printing, offset printing and digital printing. Converting and services are widening the gap in value density. 〔06〕09 | Great Shengda's revenue rose 5.69% and net profit attributable to shareholders increased 9.07%, yet operating cash flow fell 35.90%. Beyond profit growth, purchasing outlays, collections and project investment still require close attention. 〔07〕10 | Great Shengda reported revenue of RMB 23.93 million and cost of RMB 31.35 million for eco-friendly tableware; based on those figures, the business's path to profitability remains under validation. Compared with an estimated gross margin of about 5.79% for corrugated cases and board, this category will depend even more on improvements in yield, repeat orders and cost structure. 〔07〕03 · MOLDED FIBERMolded Fiber: From Capacity Expansion to Market ValidationThe sequence of expansion is changing: lock in the market, product and manufacturing economics first, then commit capacity and capital.11 | ZX Packing Group postponed the scheduled ready-for-use date of its two bagasse tableware projects, each with annual capacity of 100,000 tonnes, in Chongzuo and Laibin from September 2026 to September 2028. In Chongzuo, 30,000 tonnes of capacity has reached design output and another 30,000 tonnes is under construction. 〔08〕12 | Great Shengda's Thailand corrugated-box facility has used 43.94% of its allocated raised funds and is scheduled for completion in November 2026. Funding came from the reallocation of unused proceeds and interest from an earlier molded-fiber project. Capital is being rematched to customers and regional delivery. 〔07〕13 | Papela has joined the Blister Pack Collective as its first converter partner to help develop and validate applications for supplements. Molded fiber is moving into the engineering phase, where barrier performance, sealing, particle control, equipment cycle time and yield must all be proven. 〔09〕04 · FUNCTIONAL PAPERFunctional Paper and Materials: After Product Launch, the Full Engineering Package MattersMaterial screening must go one step further: paper-based, water-based, fluorine-free or bio-based is only the starting point; a complete engineering package determines whether a material can run on a production line.14 | Ahlstrom launched two grease-resistant food-service papers in North America, one with enhanced water holdout for moisture-prone applications and the other for exceptional grease resistance and heat retention. The purchasing value lies not in the words “paper-based,” but in the grade, coating, food-contact documentation, converting performance and repulpability documentation. 〔10〕15 | A new study produced microfibrillated lignocellulose films using low-consistency refining: hot pressing improved strength and thermal stability but reduced flexibility. Material advances still need to pass tests for continuous manufacturing, barrier performance, sealing and cost. 〔11〕05 · PULP & TRADEPulp Supply and Trade: Policy Is Reaching the Equipment LevelSupply risk now extends to equipment and pulp grades; buyers cannot focus only on spot prices.16 | Canada is providing C$20 million in support to the Mercer Peace River pulp mill—C$1 million non-repayable and C$19 million repayable—for upgrades to black-liquor piping, pulp-machine rolls, the lime kiln and the recovery boiler. 〔12〕17 | Canada has published its counter-tariff list effective September 8, with rates of 15%, 25% and 50%. The list covers industries including pulp and paper, but companies must still verify each HS tariff classification, country of origin and contractual liability. 〔13〕Next Week: Only Verifiable Changes Matter01 | ZX Packing Group's project schedule and sales volumes in non-U.S. markets.02 | Great Shengda's gross margin on eco-friendly tableware, fluorine-free spray-coating trials and trial production at the Thailand facility.03 | Utilization, unit energy consumption and profitability improvement at Forest Packaging's new projects.04 | Final products using Ahlstrom's grease-resistant papers and PulPac's fiber blisters, along with food-contact, barrier and production-line data.05 | Implementation of Canada's September 8 tariff list, customs notices and Mercer's retrofit timetable.Ultimately, every week's information must come back to operations: can the material be made consistently, can the product be delivered repeatedly, and can orders preserve gross margin and convert it into cash? Those are the changes most worth tracking next week.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NoteThis article is based on government statistics, stock-exchange filings, official company disclosures and original research papers. It was independently compiled and verified by BIOTEN Packaging through August 29, 2026. It is intended solely for industry research and learning and does not constitute investment, procurement, technical or compliance advice. Requests for correction, clarification or removal will be reviewed within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources01 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Profits of Industrial Enterprises Above Designated Size, January–July02 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Producer Prices for Industrial Products in July03 | Zijiang Enterprise | Key Operating Data for the First Half of 202604 | Hong Kong Stock Exchange; Pacific Millennium Packaging Group Corporation | 2026 Interim Results05 | XinTongLian | 2026 Interim Report06 | Forest Packaging | 2026 Interim Report07 | Great Shengda | 2026 Interim Report08 | ZX Packing Group | Announcement on the Postponement of Certain Fundraising Investment Projects09 | PulPac | Papela Joins the Blister Pack Collective10 | Ahlstrom | Launch of Grease-Gard® PLUS and Grease-Gard® PRO11 | Cellulose | Study on Microfibrillated Lignocellulose Packaging Films12 | PrairiesCan | Support for the Mercer Peace River Pulp Mill13 | Department of Finance Canada | Full List of Counter-Tariffs Effective September 8Original source access restricted",
            "date_published": "2026-08-28T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-29T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-28-paper-packaging-weekly-price-divergence-cash-execution/cms-image-ecc1cfdb3fa9e550.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-28-jingxing-paper-profit-packaging-paper-cycle.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-28-jingxing-paper-profit-packaging-paper-cycle.html",
            "title": "Jingxing Paper’s First-Half Net Profit Jumps 153%: Has the Packaging-Paper Cycle Really Turned?",
            "summary": "Paper Industry Analysis · Let the Numbers Speak",
            "content_text": "Paper Industry Operating ReviewTo assess whether the company’s recovery can be extrapolated into an industry-wide turnaround, the 153% figure must be unpacked into profit, product spreads, working capital and overseas investment.Revenue growth, a swing to positive adjusted net profit and positive operating cash flow together show that Jingxing Paper’s recovery is substantive. Yet the low comparison base, changes in expenses and improvements in individual businesses are not enough to establish a full turnaround in the packaging-paper cycle.The 153% figure is year-on-year growth in net profit attributable to shareholders—not a profit margin or an industry growth rate. A cycle assessment must also consider the spread between paper prices and raw-material costs, core gross margin, working capital, capital expenditure and overseas projects.This article primarily uses consolidated figures from Jingxing Paper’s 2026 interim report. Peer and industry data are used only to establish analytical boundaries; companies with different product mixes, raw-material strategies and capital structures are not ranked mechanically.First Half of 2026 | Consolidated BasisRMB 3.161 billion in revenue · RMB 139.2 million in net profit attributable to shareholders · RMB 127.1 million in adjusted net profit · RMB 600.5 million in net operating cash flowSection 01 · Understanding the NumbersThe 153% increase starts from a base of only RMB 55.03 millionNet profit attributable to shareholders increased from RMB 55.03 million to RMB 139.2 million, an absolute increase of approximately RMB 84.18 million and a year-on-year gain of 152.95%. The figure primarily describes the pace of recovery from a low base; it does not represent a surge in profit margin. Over the same period, revenue rose 20.22% and operating costs increased 21.60%, meaning costs still grew faster than revenue. Overall gross margin declined from 9.15% to 8.12%.Net profit attributable to shareholders excluding non-recurring gains and losses swung from a loss of RMB 37.66 million to a profit of RMB 127.1 million. Non-recurring gains were approximately RMB 12.16 million, indicating that the recovery was driven mainly by continuing operations. More precisely, the company has entered a period of earnings recovery, rather than broad-based margin expansion.Research source:Jingxing Paper 2026 Interim ReportSection 02 · Product MixPackaging Base Paper and Recycled Pulp Sheets Recovered; Other Businesses Did NotRevenue from industrial packaging base paper was RMB 2.183 billion, up 18.57% year on year; gross margin was 9.50%, an increase of 3.18 percentage points. The company said recovering demand lifted sales volumes, but it did not disclose volumes, average selling prices or unit recovered-paper costs. The improvement in gross profit therefore cannot be precisely decomposed into volume, price and raw-material effects.Revenue from recycled pulp sheets reached RMB 410 million, up 431.12% year on year; gross margin was 3.45%, an increase of 8.75 percentage points and a return from negative to positive territory. Rapid growth improved the product mix, but a 3.45% gross margin remains modest, and the separate contributions of volume and price were not disclosed.Revenue from corrugated boxes and paperboard was broadly flat, while gross margin declined to 5.10%. Tissue-paper revenue fell 1.70%, with gross margin down to 5.53%. The recovery was concentrated in packaging base paper and recycled pulp sheets; not every product category improved.Section 03 · Profit DriversOverall Gross Margin Fell, While Core-Product Gross Margin ImprovedOverall gross margin declined from 9.15% to 8.12%. The company also disclosed that, after excluding the prior-year “other” business, which generated RMB 156 million in revenue at a 59.77% gross margin, gross margin on its core products increased from 5.96% to 8.00%, a gain of 2.04 percentage points. The consolidated measure was affected by the revenue mix, while the core-product measure confirms an operating recovery; both perspectives must be retained.Finance costs fell from RMB 39.44 million to RMB 5.78 million, a decrease of approximately RMB 33.66 million; interest expense declined by about RMB 22.89 million. The company attributed this to the cessation of interest accrual after its convertible bonds were delisted and to higher interest income. The reduction in finance costs was equivalent to roughly 40% of the increase in profit before tax, but this is only a comparison of scale and should not be presented as a precise contribution rate. Other income, fair-value changes and movements in asset-impairment losses also provided support.Section 04 · Cash-Flow QualityOperating Cash Flow Turned Positive, Driven by Both Earnings and Working CapitalNet cash flow from operating activities swung from an outflow of RMB 491.4 million to an inflow of RMB 600.5 million. Supplementary disclosures show net profit of RMB 142.6 million for the period; lower inventories released RMB 212.9 million of cash, higher operating payables contributed RMB 125.1 million, and changes in operating receivables absorbed RMB 41.51 million. The improvement in cash flow therefore reflected both earnings and cash released from inventories and payables.Period-end inventories stood at RMB 746 million, down 21.71% from year-end, providing a clear benefit to cash flow. However, cash paid to acquire and construct long-term assets reached RMB 927 million, exceeding operating cash flow. The simplified difference between the two was approximately negative RMB 327 million, indicating that capital investment still required external financing. This difference is used only to assess capital-expenditure coverage and is not a formally reported free-cash-flow measure.Cash-flow caveat:Cash released by changes in inventories and payables may fluctuate. Future periods should show whether recurring customer collections can replace this one-off working-capital improvement.Section 05 · Overseas InvestmentThe Malaysia Project Brings the Cycle Debate Onto the Balance SheetConstruction in progress stood at RMB 1.913 billion at period end, approximately 310% higher than at year-end. Of this amount, RMB 1.630 billion related to the 600,000-tonne Phase II containerboard project in Malaysia, which was 90% complete; equipment commissioning is expected to begin in November. Commissioning, ramp-up, stable operation and profitability are four distinct stages. Future assessment must consider operating rates, yield, local recovered-paper costs, selling prices, logistics and exchange rates.The company’s debt-to-asset ratio was approximately 33.09%, up about 6.57 percentage points from roughly 26.52% at year-end; long-term borrowings increased from RMB 500 million to RMB 1.297 billion. Jingxing Holdings (Malaysia) recorded first-half revenue of RMB 660 million, net profit of RMB 4.77 million and a debt-to-asset ratio of 64.57%. The company also proposes to provide a guarantee of up to RMB 110 million for a RMB 100 million loan to the subsidiary, subject to shareholder approval.Research source:Jingxing Paper Announcement on a Guarantee for Its Malaysian SubsidiarySection 06 · The Industry CounterargumentIndustry Profits Are Recovering, but Prices Have Yet to Strengthen BroadlyAccording to the National Bureau of Statistics, first-half revenue at paper and paper-products enterprises above designated size increased 5.5%, while profit rose 27.5%. Yet the industry’s producer price index fell 0.1% year on year in June and declined 1.6% cumulatively from January through June. Recovering profits alongside a weak price index point more to the combined effects of costs, product mix and a low comparison base than to a broad pricing boom.Peers also moved in different directions: Sun Paper’s revenue and net profit attributable to shareholders both increased by approximately 9%, while Shanying International’s revenue rose 3.01% but the company remained loss-making. Product mixes, raw-material strategies, overseas assets and capital structures vary widely, so simple rankings are inappropriate. This divergence itself indicates that the industry remains in a bottoming recovery.Research sources:National Bureau of Statistics: Industrial Enterprise Profits; National Bureau of Statistics: Producer Prices for Industrial ProductsSection 07 · Confirmation MetricsFive Indicators That Will Determine Whether the Turnaround Is Real01 | Packaging base-paper spread:Whether the 9.50% gross margin can be sustained depends on whether increases in finished-paper prices continue to outpace recovered-paper and energy costs.02 | Recycled pulp sheets:Whether the 3.45% gross margin can continue to improve after the increase in revenue volume.03 | Source of cash:Whether recurring customer collections can replace the cash released by changes in inventories and payables.04 | Project ramp-up:Whether the Malaysia Phase II project delivers its targeted operating rate, yield, costs and orders.05 | Capital coverage:Whether operating cash flow can cover investment and whether the debt ratio and long-term borrowings can stabilize.Paper Industry Analysis · Let the Numbers SpeakJingxing Paper has shown evidence of moving beyond its operating trough, while the packaging-paper industry remains in a bottoming recovery. A cycle turnaround will be fully supported only when product spreads, core gross margin, recurring cash flow and returns on new capacity improve together.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research NoteThis article is based on formal disclosures by Jingxing Paper, the National Bureau of Statistics and peer companies, and was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging. Information was verified through 27 August 2026. It is provided solely for research and educational purposes within the paper and packaging value chain and does not constitute securities, procurement or investment advice. BIOTEN Packaging has no disclosed investment, supply or project relationship with the companies discussed. If any party disputes the content, data or rights involved, it may request a correction, clarification or deletion; we will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources01 | Jingxing Paper | 2026 Interim Report02 | Jingxing Paper | 2026 Interim Earnings Forecast03 | Jingxing Paper | Announcement on a Guarantee for Its Malaysian Subsidiary04 | National Bureau of Statistics | Profits of Industrial Enterprises above Designated Size, January–June 202605 | National Bureau of Statistics | Producer Prices for Industrial Products, June 202606 | Sun Paper | 2026 Interim Report07 | Shanying International | 2026 Interim ReportRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-28T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-28T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-28-jingxing-paper-profit-packaging-paper-cycle/cms-image-65c49a0a89e28b15.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-27-paper-industry-profit-recovery.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-27-paper-industry-profit-recovery.html",
            "title": "Paper industry profits rise 27.5%: Why do 16 interim reports show recovery for some and bottoming for others?",
            "summary": "Papermaking operations review · H1 2026: Aggregate profits are recovering, but a 16-company interim-report sample shows sharply different trajectories.",
            "content_text": "Papermaking Operations Review · H1 2026Industry profits are rising—why is recovery uneven?Industry-wide statistics show an upswing, yet the 16-company interim-report sample follows sharply different trajectories. The key is not the direction of paper prices alone, but whether net realized prices, costs, operating rates, fixed-cost absorption, and cash generation can improve in sequence.The industry’s 27.5% profit growth is primarily an aggregate recovery signal. For an individual company to complete the recovery, margins, production and sales, and cash generation must improve consecutively; if any link is missing, the profit may remain only on paper.Sun Paper’s kraft linerboard revenue rose 35.54%, while coated art paper revenue fell 29.65%; Shanying International recorded an H1 loss of RMB 682 million but RMB 1.644 billion of operating cash flow, while Rongsheng Environmental Protection earned RMB 190 million yet reported negative operating cash flow. Paper grades, earnings, and cash are moving along different tracks.The 16 interim reports form a fixed sample reconstructed from disclosures available as of the evening of 25 August 2026 and from the comparability of principal operations. National industry statistics, consolidated company statements, and product-level data are used on separate bases.INDUSTRY OVERVIEW | H1 2026RMB 689.79 billion | +5.5% Operating revenue of above-designated-size enterprises in the paper and paper products industry.RMB 607.73 billion | +5.2% Operating costs, growing slightly more slowly than revenue.RMB 19.61 billion | +27.5% Total profits, growing markedly faster than revenue.Approx. 2.84% A supplementary ratio calculated in this article as cumulative total profits divided by operating revenue.Latest update:For January–July, revenue was RMB 805.05 billion, costs were RMB 709.77 billion, and profits were RMB 22.75 billion; profits rose 27.6% year on year, giving a simple ratio of approximately 2.83%. Neither ratio is an official profit margin separately published by the National Bureau of Statistics for the paper industry.Research sources:National Bureau of Statistics data on profits of above-designated-size industrial enterprises for H1 and January–July.Within the 16-company interim-report sample, net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent improved or turned positive at 10 companies and deteriorated at six; adjusted attributable net profit was positive at 14 companies, and operating cash flow was positive at 13. The industry-wide upturn has gained some breadth, but it has not produced earnings and cash of comparable quality across companies.The sample comprises Sun Paper, Jingxing Paper, Qifeng New Material, Hengda New Material, Qingshan Paper, Minfeng Special Paper, Huatai Paper, Hengfeng Paper, Guanhao High-Tech, Shanying International, Rongsheng Environmental Protection, Linping Paper, Wuzhou Special Paper, Forest Packaging, Huada Haitian, and Metastar. These companies span multiple paper grades and businesses and are not assessed under a single label.SECTION 01 · WITHIN-COMPANY VALIDATIONSun Paper: Two lines within one companyIn H1, Sun Paper recorded operating revenue of RMB 20.862 billion, up 9.15% year on year; net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent of RMB 1.951 billion, up 9.60%; and net cash generated from operating activities of RMB 3.366 billion, up 77.74%. The consolidated figures were steady, but the product-level data diverged sharply.One company, three transmission pathsKraft linerboard Revenue of RMB 7.076 billion, up 35.54% year on year; gross margin of 18.48%, up 2.84 percentage points.Uncoated woodfree paper Revenue down 4.86%; gross margin 10.80%, down 3.58 percentage points.Coated art paper Revenue down 29.65%; gross margin 8.89%, down 7.96 percentage points.Using one company and one reporting period removes most cross-company noise. Different paper grades face different demand, supply, and pricing cycles; raw-material and manufacturing capabilities must pass through product mix before reaching the income statement.Multiple production bases, pulp–paper integration, and a diversified product portfolio provide room for internal hedging, but they do not imply a broad-based upcycle. Sun Paper’s overall gross margin for pulp and paper products still declined by 1.17 percentage points. An integrated producer can allocate more resources, but performance must ultimately be tested through gross margin by paper grade and operating cash generation.Research sources:Sun Paper H1 2026 Interim Report.SECTION 02 · PACKAGING PAPERPackaging-paper recovery depends on margins, production, and salesJingxing Paper | Products, expenses, and working capital improve togetherOperating revenue was RMB 3.161 billion, up 20.22% year on year; net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent was RMB 139 million, up 152.95%; and operating cash flow shifted from a net outflow of RMB 491 million to a net inflow of RMB 601 million. Revenue from industrial base paper and recycled-pulp board increased. Finance costs fell 85.34% after redemption of the convertible bonds, while higher sales and lower inventories also improved cash generation.Wuzhou Special Paper | Capacity contribution and capital investment appear togetherOperating revenue was RMB 4.895 billion, up 18.76% year on year, and net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent was RMB 230 million, up 88.95%. Revenue from recovered-paper-based products increased by 49.48%, with average selling prices up 9.46%; average prices for wood-pulp-based products fell 3.60%. The full commissioning of the industrial packaging paper line in Hubei was one source of incremental revenue.At the same time, net cash used in investing activities was RMB 1.359 billion, while net cash generated from financing activities was RMB 1.341 billion. New capacity has already contributed volume and profit, but utilization, unit costs, order coverage, and cash returns still need to be validated.Shanying International | Volume and price recovery must still absorb the fixed-cost burdenPaper sales volume increased 7.68%. The attributable net loss in Q2 narrowed by RMB 313 million from Q1, a sequential reduction of 62.95%, and June returned to profit on a monthly basis; nevertheless, the attributable net loss for H1 remained RMB 682 million. Operating costs grew 8.65%, faster than revenue. Finance costs fell 8.65% year on year but remained RMB 411 million.When packaging paper is described as recovering first, it means that volume, pricing, operating rates, and quarterly gross margins have begun to improve at some companies. If costs continue to rise or new capacity outpaces the recovery in orders, higher sales volume may still fail to generate sufficient profit.Research sources:Jingxing Paper H1 2026 Interim Report; Wuzhou Special Paper H1 2026 Interim Report; Shanying International H1 2026 Interim Report.SECTION 03 · PRINTING AND WRITING PAPERPrinting and writing paper is bottoming; lower pulp prices are not the answerPressure in printing and writing paper is already visible in Sun Paper’s uncoated woodfree and coated art paper segments. Huatai Paper provides another company-level sample: operating revenue was RMB 6.211 billion, down 3.10% year on year; net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent was RMB 18.89 million, down 72.07%; adjusted attributable net profit was a loss of RMB 1.98 million; and operating cash flow was a net outflow of RMB 69.89 million.Lower wood-pulp prices can reduce costs, but they cannot determine profit on their own. If finished-paper prices fall faster, the spread per tonne will still narrow. Demand recovery, homogeneous supply, new capacity, and inventories also affect how quickly prices stabilize. Huatai operates both papermaking and chemical businesses, so its consolidated figures cannot be interpreted as the profit or loss of printing and writing paper alone.“Bottoming” is not a permanent label. If net realized paper prices stabilize, supply contracts, or companies create new spreads through in-house pulp, differentiated products, exports, and cost control, the two earnings trajectories may converge again. The evidence required is not a single price-increase notice, but simultaneous improvement in net transaction prices, orders, inventories, and cash.Research sources:Sun Paper H1 2026 Interim Report; Huatai Paper H1 2026 Interim Report.SECTION 04 · EARNINGS QUALITYProfit and cash can move in opposite directionsHengda New Material recorded operating revenue of RMB 548 million and net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent of RMB 53.85 million, up 5.16% and 57.29%, respectively. Base paper for medical and food packaging accounted for 88.10% of operating revenue. End-use segmentation and product mix supported the improvement.Attributable net profit alone, however, does not establish the quality of core operations. Guanhao High-Tech reported attributable net profit of RMB 213 million and adjusted attributable net profit of RMB 32 million, a gap of approximately RMB 181 million. Forest Packaging’s revenue rose 74.51% to RMB 2.025 billion, yet attributable net profit fell 73.68% to RMB 8.19 million. The company said revenue growth mainly reflected added papermaking capacity; major reasons for the profit decline included a RMB 24.8184 million reduction in VAT refunds under the refund-upon-collection policy and the fact that its 600,000-tonne-per-year digital inkjet paper project had not yet reached profitability.Profit and cash can also cross: Shanying International posted an attributable net loss of RMB 682 million but a net operating cash inflow of RMB 1.644 billion, which the company attributed mainly to increased collection of sales proceeds. Rongsheng Environmental Protection reported attributable net profit of RMB 190 million and adjusted attributable net profit of RMB 106 million, but a net operating cash outflow of RMB 57.52 million.Attributable net profit measures the result at shareholder level; adjusted attributable net profit indicates the quality of recurring operations; and operating cash flow tests whether earnings have been collected in cash. Cash should also be decomposed into changes in receivables, inventories, payables, and notes. Positive cash flow does not automatically mean that core operations have fully recovered.Research sources:Hengda New Material H1 2026 Interim Report; Guanhao High-Tech H1 2026 Interim Report; Forest Packaging H1 2026 Interim Report; Shanying International H1 2026 Interim Report; Rongsheng Environmental Protection H1 2026 Interim Report.In the same round of industry recovery, no single paper grade is necessarily first to emerge; the leaders are the companies able to improve margins, production and sales, and cash at the same time.SECTION 05 · VALUE-CHAIN ASSESSMENTFour indicators to watch in H2Margins |Whether actual net realized prices outperform costs for recovered paper, wood pulp, energy, chemicals, and logistics.Production and sales |Whether orders, sales volumes, operating rates, inventories, and new capacity are aligned—and whether volume growth can dilute the fixed-cost burden.Product mix |Whether profit comes from high-value products and sustained operating improvement, or from a low base, expense changes, tax effects, and one-off factors.Cash |Whether receivables, inventories, payables, notes, interest, and capital expenditure absorb the profit.For paper mills, these four indicators should be translated into profit bridges by paper grade and capacity ramp-up schedules. For corrugated board, carton, and printed-packaging companies, they should become actual purchase prices, end-market orders, inventories, and customers’ acceptance of price adjustments. For equipment, chemical, and fiber suppliers, they should become customer operating rates, returns on technical upgrades, yield, purchasing continuity, and project cash recovery.PAPER STRATEGY · THE FUNDAMENTALS IN THE DATAThe industry’s 27.5% profit growth shows that the paper and paper products industry is emerging from its low point, but it does not prove that all 16 companies in the interim-report sample are recovering in sync. Packaging paper has delivered earlier improvement in margins, production, and sales at some companies; printing and writing paper is still waiting for more stable net realized prices and a better supply–demand balance; specialty paper continues to diverge by application barrier, capacity stage, and earnings quality.What has emerged is an industry-wide profit recovery. What is being released is the benefit of product mix and operating efficiency at selected companies. What remains to be demonstrated is whether these improvements can pass through inventories, receivables, interest, and capital expenditure to become sustained cash generation and the next round of competitiveness.BIOTEN Packaging focuses on whether value is genuinely transmitted among paper performance, converting efficiency, and end use. The value chain need not bet simply on one paper grade; it should identify which capabilities are already established, which profits are sustainable, and which cash conversion still requires time.BIOTEN PACKAGING · INDUSTRY INSIGHT · RESEARCH NOTEThis article was independently researched and prepared by BIOTEN Packaging using data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the H1 2026 interim reports of 16 listed companies, and other public industry sources. National industry statistics, consolidated company data, and product-level data are used on separate bases. This article is intended solely for research and learning across the paper and packaging value chain and does not constitute a basis for investment, procurement, pricing, or trading decisions. Requests for corrections, clarifications, or deletion concerning the content, data, or rights will be reviewed by BIOTEN Packaging within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN OBSERVER · DATA AND VERIFICATION SOURCES01 | National Bureau of Statistics | Profits of Above-Designated-Size Industrial Enterprises Nationwide, January–June 202602 | National Bureau of Statistics | Profits of Above-Designated-Size Industrial Enterprises Nationwide, January–July 202603 | Securities Daily | Diverging Interim Results among A-share Listed Paper Companies04 | Sun Paper | H1 2026 Interim Report05 | Jingxing Paper | H1 2026 Interim Report06 | Wuzhou Special Paper | H1 2026 Interim Report07 | Shanying International | H1 2026 Interim Report08 | Huatai Paper | H1 2026 Interim Report09 | Hengda New Material | H1 2026 Interim Report10 | Guanhao High-Tech | H1 2026 Interim Report11 | Rongsheng Environmental Protection | H1 2026 Interim Report12 | Forest Packaging | H1 2026 Interim ReportRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-27-paper-industry-profit-recovery/cms-image-d82c033fb87bc072.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-27-sun-paper-h1-2026-profit-resilience.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-27-sun-paper-h1-2026-profit-resilience.html",
            "title": "Sun Paper’s H1 attributable net profit reaches RMB 1.951 billion: What underpins its resilience?",
            "summary": "A closer look at product mix, cash flow, and capital constraints reveals what the interim results demonstrate—and what remains unproven.",
            "content_text": "A closer look at product mix, cash flow, and capital constraints reveals what the interim results demonstrate—and what remains unproven.Sun Paper’s first-half performance is better described as earnings resilience than as a high-upside turnaround: cash conversion improved, but the overall gross margin remained under pressure and capital expenditure still exceeded operating cash flow.Profit growth reflected a combination of offsetting movements across paper grades, stronger operating cash generation, and lower finance costs. Only by separating these variables can we assess what integration actually contributed.This article primarily uses the consolidated figures in the company’s H1 2026 interim report. The company’s explanations of forest–pulp–paper integration, cost control, and production-base synergies are identified as company disclosures and do not replace product-level, base-level, and cash-flow validation.H1 2026 | CONSOLIDATED BASISRMB 20.862 billion in revenue · RMB 1.951 billion in net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent · RMB 3.366 billion in net cash generated from operating activitiesSECTION 01 · REPORTED RESULTSOfficial figures: Net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent rose 9.60% year on yearIn the first half of 2026, total operating revenue was RMB 20.862 billion, up 9.15% year on year; net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent was RMB 1.951 billion, up 9.60%; and net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent excluding non-recurring gains and losses was RMB 1.935 billion, up 9.70%. The similar growth rates of attributable net profit and adjusted attributable net profit indicate that earnings growth was not driven primarily by large non-recurring gains.Based on operating revenue and operating costs, the overall gross margin was approximately 15.66%, compared with approximately 16.50% in the prior-year period—a decline of about 0.83 percentage points. Operating profit still increased. In addition to business growth, the reduction in finance costs from RMB 265 million to RMB 155 million also contributed. The company attributed the decline in finance costs mainly to higher foreign-exchange gains, a period-specific factor that should not be counted directly as a contribution from integration.Sources: Sun Paper H1 2026 Interim ReportSECTION 02 · EARNINGS DRIVERSProduct mix provided an offset; not every grade improvedRevenue from kraft linerboard reached RMB 7.076 billion, up 35.54% year on year, while gross margin increased by 2.84 percentage points. Tissue-paper revenue grew 13.74%, and gross margin increased by 7.08 percentage points. Packaging-related paper grades accounted for most of the incremental growth.Revenue from uncoated woodfree paper, coated art paper, and dissolving pulp declined, while their gross margins fell by 3.58, 7.96, and 13.88 percentage points, respectively. Gross margin for pulp and paper products overall was 14.88%, down 1.17 percentage points year on year. The multi-product portfolio is consistent with the group’s earnings performance, but the interim report does not establish precise causality—still less does it prove stronger pricing power in every product line.SECTION 03 · CASH CONSTRAINTSOperating cash flow improved but still did not fully cover expansionNet cash generated from operating activities was RMB 3.366 billion, up 77.74% year on year and equivalent to approximately 1.73 times net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent. During the same period, cash paid to acquire or construct fixed assets, intangible assets, and other long-term assets totaled RMB 3.989 billion. As a simplified comparison, subtracting the latter from operating cash flow leaves a net outflow of approximately RMB 623 million, versus approximately RMB 2.833 billion in the prior-year period. The gap narrowed substantially but did not turn positive.Inventories at period-end were approximately 8.67% higher than at year-end, while construction in progress increased by approximately 77.93%. The debt-to-asset ratio was 47.85%, up 0.10 percentage points from year-end. Earnings resilience is evident, but inventory and capital constraints have not disappeared.KEY LIMITATION:Operating cash flow less cash paid to acquire or construct long-term assets is only a cash-coverage observation; it is not free cash flow as defined by accounting standards.SECTION 04 · PRODUCTION BASES AND PROJECTSMultiple bases generated profits; new projects raise the future performance barThe interim report shows that Nanning Sun Paper, Guangxi Sun Paper, Sun Paper’s Laos subsidiary, Yanzhou Tianzhang, and Sun Honghe each recorded a net profit. Because the group has internal transactions involving pulp, energy, chemicals, and trading, subsidiary profits cannot simply be added together or used directly to compare the efficiency of different production bases.The 600,000-tonne-per-year bleached chemical pulp project at Yandian entered trial production in late August. The Nanning project plans to build a 500,000-tonne-per-year unbleached chemical wood-pulp line and a 600,000-tonne-per-year specialty-paper line, with total investment capped at RMB 5 billion. Investment completion and trial production are expected in Q4 2027. Trial production does not mean full capacity, and full capacity does not guarantee profit. The next tests are ramp-up, yield, cash cost, and incremental depreciation.Sources: Sun Paper Announcement on the Guangxi Nanning Forest–Pulp–Paper Integration Quality-and-Efficiency Upgrade ProjectSECTION 05 · PEER-COMPARISON BOUNDARIESIntegration is not a universal answer, and scale does not guarantee profitFor the same reporting period, Shanying International disclosed operating revenue of RMB 14.259 billion, a net loss attributable to shareholders of the parent of RMB 682 million, and net cash generated from operating activities of RMB 1.644 billion. The two companies have different product mixes, raw-material strategies, overseas assets, and capital structures, so a simple profitability ranking would be misleading.The comparison shows only that scale by itself does not guarantee profit when paper prices are under pressure and raw-material costs are volatile. Verifying Sun Paper’s disclosed cost moat would still require data on gross profit per tonne, the internal cost of in-house pulp, the replacement ratio for purchased pulp, and production-base utilization rates.Sources: Shanying International H1 2026 Interim ReportSECTION 06 · WHAT TO WATCHFive indicators will show whether resilience can translate into greater earnings upside01 | Gross margin by grade:Whether the gains in kraft linerboard and tissue paper can be sustained, and whether the declines in printing and writing paper and dissolving pulp can narrow.02 | Cash coverage:Whether operating cash flow can consistently cover the principal capital commitments for the Yandian and Nanning projects.03 | Working-capital efficiency:Whether inventories and accounts receivable can improve in step with revenue, rather than through inventory build-up or credit expansion.04 | Debt and financing costs:Whether the debt-to-asset ratio, interest-bearing debt, and finance costs remain stable after exchange-rate effects normalize.05 | Project ramp-up:Whether pulp cash cost per tonne, product yield, incremental depreciation, and the displacement of purchased pulp materialize as planned.PAPER STRATEGY · THE FUNDAMENTALS IN THE DATARMB 1.951 billion is better interpreted as earnings resilience during expansion than as a high-upside turnaround. The real inflection point will be whether gross profit per tonne, cash coverage, inventory turnover, and balance-sheet constraints improve together after the new pulp and paper projects start production.BIOTEN PACKAGING · INDUSTRY INSIGHT · RESEARCH NOTEThis article was independently researched and prepared by BIOTEN Packaging using public disclosures from Sun Paper and Shanying International. Information was verified through 27 August 2026. It is intended solely for research and learning across the paper and packaging value chain and does not constitute a basis for securities, procurement, or investment decisions. BIOTEN Packaging has not disclosed any investment, supply, or project relationship with the companies discussed. To request a correction, clarification, or deletion concerning the content, data, or rights involved, please contact us; we will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN OBSERVER · DATA AND VERIFICATION SOURCES01 | Sun Paper | H1 2026 Interim Report02 | Sun Paper | Announcement on the Guangxi Nanning Forest–Pulp–Paper Integration Quality-and-Efficiency Upgrade Project03 | Shanying International | H1 2026 Interim ReportRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-27-sun-paper-h1-2026-profit-resilience/cms-image-505f896f8a8a82f2.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-27-xianhe-specialty-paper-forest-pulp-integration.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-27-xianhe-specialty-paper-forest-pulp-integration.html",
            "title": "What Makes Xianhe Strong? An Integrated Forest–Pulp–Paper System for Specialty Applications",
            "summary": "Beyond its more than 60 grades, No. 17 Xianhe is strengthening its manufacturing base. This article examines how two new production bases are creating a more stable, integrated specialty-paper system.",
            "content_text": "CHINA’S TOP 20 PAPER PRODUCERS · NO. 17Xianhe Is Strengthening Its Manufacturing FoundationThe story of No. 17 Xianhe extends beyond its more than 60 grades: how two new production bases are building a more stable manufacturing system for specialty paper.Xianhe’s strength lies in a manufacturing system that coordinates fiber, pulp, papermaking chemicals, paper machines, and customer specifications. The breadth of its specialty-paper portfolio provides demand anchors across multiple applications.The 2025 annual report discloses actual output of pulp products and specialty paper at the Guangxi and Hubei bases; in Q1 2026, net cash generated from operating activities returned to positive territory. The question therefore moves from “how much capacity was added” to “whether the system can deliver consistently.”The No. 17 ranking refers to output at the controlling-group level. Operating, product, and production-base data are reported on the listed company’s consolidated basis. Project plans, EIA design capacities, and actual output are identified separately.COMPANY SNAPSHOT1.989 million tonnes 2025 output of the controlling group in the association’s survey, ranking No. 17.1.8057 million tonnes Xianhe Co., Ltd.’s 2025 sales volume of specialty pulp and paper, on the listed company’s consolidated basis.RMB 302 million Net cash generated from operating activities in Q1 2026; the prior-year period recorded a net outflow.Sources:China Paper Association annual report; Xianhe Co., Ltd. 2025 Annual Report; Q1 2026 Report.01 · PRODUCTS AND DEMANDThe Value of a Broad Portfolio Lies in Reliable Delivery Across Diverse RequirementsThe China Paper Association ranks Zhejiang Xianhe Holding Group No. 17, providing a scale benchmark. Looking deeper, the listed company’s 2025 annual report records machine-made paper output of 1.6374 million tonnes and specialty pulp and paper sales of 1.8057 million tonnes. The former reflects manufacturing output; the latter reflects market delivery. Neither should be added to the association’s group-level output, but together they show that Xianhe is organizing production and sales across a broader set of applications.Xianhe groups its products into six major series: food and medical packaging materials; tobacco-industry materials; home décor materials; business communication, publishing, and printing materials; electrical and industrial paper; and consumer goods—more than 60 grades in total. Food and medical packaging applications demand cleanliness, converting compatibility, and supply stability; tobacco and décor materials require appearance quality, printability, and batch consistency; electrical and industrial papers require performance and reliability; and label, thermal, and transfer materials must keep pace with retail, logistics, and consumer manufacturing.In 2025, sales of food and medical packaging materials reached 335,700 tonnes, up 34.36% year on year; sales of the consumer-goods series increased 37.22%; and sales of business communication and publishing and printing materials reached 149,400 tonnes, up 79.53%. These increases do not mean that every segment was equally strong, but they do show that multiple application chains are absorbing the new manufacturing capacity.Each paper grade must perform in an application where strength, barrier properties, printability, hygiene, converting, and cost are properly aligned. Treating paper as the answer to every material-substitution question would instead obscure its real application boundaries.Source:Xianhe Co., Ltd. 2025 Annual Report.02 · RESOURCES AND MANUFACTURINGTwo Production Bases Put Real Output Behind Forest–Pulp–Paper–Application IntegrationThe six product series answer “who buys the products and where they are used.” The Guangxi Laibin and Hubei Shishou bases answer “how they can be produced reliably.” The annual report states that in 2025 the Hubei base produced 188,500 tonnes of specialty paper and 223,700 tonnes of in-house specialty pulp, while the Guangxi base produced 323,800 tonnes of specialty paper and 465,500 tonnes of wood pulp. By year-end, the two bases had seven pulping lines and nine specialty-paper production lines in operation.PROJECT METRICS MUST BE SEPARATED BY STAGE2.5 million tonnes/year of pulp and paper The technical scope approved in the EIAs for Phases I and II of the Guangxi project: 1.2 million tonnes of pulp and 1.3 million tonnes of paper.3.5 million tonnes The overall site plan cited in a 2023 government project overview. It must not be condensed into the claim that “3.5 million tonnes has been completed.”The company reports that its in-house pulp from the two bases has, after internal use and market testing, broadly reached the standard required to replace comparable imported wood-pulp grades. This company disclosure does not substitute for independent third-party validation across every pulp grade and end use. The manufacturing principle it reveals is nevertheless clear: fiber sourcing, pulp quality, paper-machine operations, and customer requirements must be managed along one quality chain.Sources:Xianhe Co., Ltd. 2025 Annual Report; EIA approval for the Guangxi project; Guangxi project overview.03 · OPERATING DELIVERYAfter Output Rises, Product Mix and Cash Are the Hard TestsThe start-up of new production bases initially increases output and revenue, but it does not automatically deliver profit growth at the same rate. In 2025, Xianhe recorded revenue of RMB 12.343 billion, up 20.14% year on year; net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent was RMB 1.013 billion, up 0.88%; and net cash generated from operating activities was RMB 789 million, up 96.26%. Revenue, profit, and cash improved at different rates, so incremental production and sales, price and cost movements, product mix, and capital expenditure must be assessed separately.COST AND PRICE PASS-THROUGH VARIES BY PRODUCTFood and Medical Packaging Materials Revenue increased 23.05% year on year; gross margin was 12.42%, up 2.14 percentage points from the previous year.Consumer Goods Revenue increased 13.96% year on year; gross margin was 11.09%, down 5.41 percentage points from the previous year.Cost and price pass-through differs across the product series, showing why a “specialty-paper platform” cannot be evaluated solely by total tonnage. Scale becomes operating quality only when incremental volume is directed into a more appropriate product mix.By Q1 2026, Xianhe reported revenue of RMB 3.167 billion, up 5.88% year on year; net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent of RMB 251 million, up 6.20%; and net cash generated from operating activities of RMB 302 million, compared with a net outflow of RMB 196 million in the prior-year period. The next questions are whether pulp and paper quality remains stable, the product mix improves, customers reorder, and cash flow develops a healthier relationship with investment.Sources:Xianhe Co., Ltd. 2025 Annual Report; Q1 2026 Report.The real value of a new mill is not determined on the day it starts up, but by whether every batch of pulp, every sheet of paper, and every cash collection can be linked into a stable operating cycle.04 · APPLICATION BOUNDARIESMaterials Create Value in the Applications They Are Best Suited ForXianhe’s case offers a straightforward lesson for the paper-based packaging value chain: base paper, coatings or composite materials, the finished package, and the end-use environment are not the same layer. Purchasing food-grade paperboard does not mean that barrier performance, sealing, printing, food-contact safety, recycling, or end-of-life treatment has already been solved. Likewise, policy and materials trends will not remove plastic from every application.In a more mature materials market, paper, plastic, and bio-based materials should each be used where they perform best. The advantages of paper-based materials must be delivered jointly through fiber design, surface treatment, forming and converting, and recycling pathways. A specialty-paper producer creates value by embedding these requirements upstream in its manufacturing system, then demonstrating its capability through customer validation and delivery performance.This is also the industry significance of forest–pulp–paper–application integration: upstream resources and pulp stability, midstream process and quality control, and downstream application development and customer validation must reinforce one another within the same operating system. Only when this capability accumulates over time can more high-performance paper-based materials move into truly scalable and sustainable applications.PAPER STRATEGY · THE FUNDAMENTALS IN THE DATAXianhe is bringing products, resources, and manufacturing onto the same operating chain. More than 60 grades provide horizontal flexibility across applications; the Guangxi and Hubei bases add vertical depth in resources and manufacturing; and revenue, gross margin, and cash flow test how steadily and how far the system can develop.NEXTZhejiang Jingxing Paper Joint Stock Co., Ltd.No. 18 in China’s Top 20 Paper Producers. The association reports 2025 output of 1.6926 million tonnes. The next article will examine the company through recycled containerboard and value-chain collaboration.Source:China Paper Association annual report.BIOTEN PACKAGING · INDUSTRY INSIGHT · RESEARCH NOTEThis article was independently researched and prepared by BIOTEN Packaging using statutory disclosures and public information from the China Paper Association, stock exchanges, companies, and government authorities. It is intended solely for research and learning across the paper, packaging, and materials value chain and does not constitute a basis for investment, procurement, product-compliance, or engineering decisions. To request a correction, clarification, or deletion, please provide verifiable supporting materials; BIOTEN Packaging will review and respond within 24 hours.BIOTEN OBSERVER · DATA AND VERIFICATION SOURCES01 | China Paper Association | 2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper Industry02 | Xianhe Co., Ltd. | 2025 Annual Report03 | Xianhe Co., Ltd. | Q1 2026 Report04 | Department of Ecology and Environment of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region | EIA Approval for the High-Performance Paper-Based New Materials Project in the Sanjiangkou New Area, GuangxiRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-27-xianhe-specialty-paper-forest-pulp-integration/cms-image-ae532a3ee8f86389.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-26-bioten-molded-fiber-material-system.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-26-bioten-molded-fiber-material-system.html",
            "title": "Performance Inside and Out, Less Fiber at the Core | BIOTEN’s Molded-Fiber Materials System",
            "summary": "Molded fiber creates more value only when performance improves. This article explains three engineering levers: barrier performance on the food-contact surface, protection on the exterior, and fiber reduction within the structural network.",
            "content_text": "An integrated molded-fiber solution spanning functional barriers, surface protection, and fiber efficiency: value grows only when performance improves.From an inner-surface barrier and exterior protection to fiber reduction within the structural network, this article explains the value logic of three engineering tracks for molded fiber.BIOTEN Developer | Systems Engineering Innovation in Functional Paper-Based MaterialsOne Article, Three Engineering TracksFrom an inner-surface barrier and exterior protection to fiber reduction within the structural network, this article explains the value logic of three engineering tracks for molded fiber.Value in molded fiber comes from more than the forming process. The inner surface must manage the contents, the exterior must withstand handling and abrasion, and the fiber structure must create room for material reduction without sacrificing function.BIOTEN organizes its materials system around three functions—barrier performance inside, protection outside, and less fiber at the core—placing the respective materials on the inner surface, exterior surface, and within the fiber network. Each can be selected independently or validated in combination for the target article.This article describes only material placement and application-development directions. Food-contact safety, barrier performance, strength, abrasion resistance, lightweighting, degradation, and end-of-life pathways must all be verified using the exact SKU, final bill of materials (BOM), and complete finished-article testing.One molded-fiber article, three value levers: barrier performance inside, protection outside, and less fiber at the core.Our Inventions | An Original Technology PortfolioThe following are selected invention patents arising from DBC’s sustained systems R&D. Jointly filed by entities associated with the BIOTEN Packaging system and now granted and published, they cover selected innovations in barrier coatings, fiber reinforcement, and exterior-surface varnishes.01 | Inner-Surface BarrierPolyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Waterborne Barrier-Coating Composition and Its ApplicationGranted Patent Publication No. CN120925356B02 | Fiber ReinforcementAcid-Neutral Nano-PHA Paperboard Reinforcing Agent: Preparation and ApplicationsGranted Patent Publication No. CN121295549B03 | Exterior-Surface VarnishLow-Odor, Low-VOC Waterborne Tactile Barrier Overprint-Varnish Composition Containing PHA, and Its Preparation and ApplicationsGranted Patent Publication No. CN121496785BPatents demonstrate the originality and boundaries of the technology portfolio; they do not replace validation of the specific SKU, process window, or performance of the complete finished article.01 · FOOD-CONTACT SURFACEBarrier Performance Inside | ContentsBIOTEN PHA waterborne barrier coating is applied to the food-contact surface and developed for grease, liquid water, hot liquids, and actual filling and use conditions. Foodservice containers require oil- and water-resistance testing, including at edges and corners; sealed bottles and jars require water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) testing; continuous lidding and sealing systems also require oxygen transmission rate (OTR) and seal-integrity testing. Different contents demand different barrier solutions.02 · EXTERIOR SURFACEProtection Outside | Exterior SurfaceBIOTEN PHA waterborne overprint varnish is applied to the exterior surface to enhance appearance, haptics, abrasion resistance, and surface protection. It is suited to applications where the surface experience matters, including fragrance, beauty, premium consumer goods, and upscale foodservice packaging. This optional upgrade does not provide structural fiber reduction.03 · FIBER CORELess Fiber at the Core | Fiber NetworkThe fiber-efficiency additive is introduced into the furnish, wet preform, and internal fiber network. At addition levels of only a few parts per thousand, it can deliver a several-fold improvement in fiber reinforcement. Validation compares strength, dimensional stability, forming stability, and material use per article. The packaging-minimization trend is not simply about making packaging thinner; it is about reducing weight and volume to the minimum necessary to maintain functionality. Lightweighting must therefore be assessed using the same furnish, mold, and operating conditions, with dry weight per article and three-dimensional functional performance compared side by side.Research references:Regulation (EU) 2025/40, Article 10 and Annex IV; BIOTEN Developer.Select Validation Targets by ApplicationFoodservice containers |Grease, liquid water, hot liquids, and edges and corners.Sealed bottles and jars |WVTR and shelf life.Lidding and sealing |OTR and seal integrity.Protective inserts |Strength, dimensional stability, and lightweighting.Premium exterior surfaces |Haptics, abrasion resistance, and appearance retention.05 · JOINT VALIDATIONStart with One Target ArticleThe three engineering tracks can be selected independently or validated in combination. A project requires only three inputs to begin: one target article, one current baseline, and one actual use condition. Lightweighting validation must also compare dry weight per article and retention of functional performance.Materials screening → 3D prototyping → functional-performance retention → lightweighting validation: a process that turns “less fiber at the core” into a comparable engineering result.DBC · BIOTEN Packaging Developer | Research NotesFor BIOTEN/BIOTEN Packaging product-system information, product documentation, and technical data sheets (TDS), please contact us.BIOTEN Developer | Data and Verification Sources01 | ASTM International | Water Vapor Transmission Rate Test Method F124902 | ASTM International | Oxygen Transmission Rate Test Method for Complete Packages, F130703 | ASTM International | Seal Strength Test Method for Flexible Barrier Materials, F88/F88M04 | TAPPI | Grease-Resistance Test Method for Paper and Paperboard, T 55905 | ISO | Internal Bond Strength of Paper and Paperboard, ISO 1626006 | EUR-Lex | Packaging-Minimization Requirements Under Regulation (EU) 2025/4007 | Patent Search | Polyhydroxyalkanoate Waterborne Barrier-Coating Composition and Its Application08 | Patent Search | Acid-Neutral Nano-PHA Paperboard Reinforcing Agent: Preparation and Applications09 | Patent Search | Low-Odor, Low-VOC Waterborne Tactile Barrier Overprint-Varnish Composition Containing PHA （May require WeChat access）Molded Fiber Is Growing—Why Aren’t Profits Keeping Pace? Food Packaging May Be the Next Opportunity （May require WeChat access）Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-26T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-26T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-26-bioten-molded-fiber-material-system/cms-image-394502591210ce16.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-26-molded-fiber-food-packaging-profitability.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-26-molded-fiber-food-packaging-profitability.html",
            "title": "Molded Fiber Is Growing—Why Aren’t Profits Keeping Pace? The Next Growth Phase Is Food Packaging",
            "summary": "Molded fiber capacity is expanding, but higher output does not automatically create more value. Nearly 79% of manufacturers participating in IMFA’s global benchmarking survey expect production to increase in 2026.",
            "content_text": "Molded fiber capacity is expanding, but higher output does not automatically create more value. Nearly 79% of manufacturers participating in IMFA’s global benchmarking survey expect production to increase in 2026. Yet more volume does not mean that profit and cash flow will rise in step. Moving from high-volume products such as egg and fruit trays into precision protective inserts, demanding food packaging, and foodservice items requires manufacturers to pass four gates at once: food-contact compliance, real-use performance, a complete bill of materials (BOM), and reliable delivery.Higher output does not mean that profit and cash flow will rise in step. Moving from egg and fruit trays into high-performance food packaging requires manufacturers to pass four gates: food-contact compliance, real-use performance, a complete bill of materials, and reliable delivery.2026 · THREE EVIDENCE COORDINATESIMFA | Manufacturers participating in the inaugural benchmarking surveyNearly 79% Expect production to increase in 2026Huhtamaki Fiber Packaging | H1 2026 segment figures+6% Comparable net sales growth +28% Adjusted EBITZX Packing Group | H1 2026 company figures; report unaudited+33.70% Operating revenue+66.61% Net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed companyRMB 163 million Net cash generated from operating activitiesDown 34.44% year on year, but still positiveAlthough all three operate in molded fiber, high-volume supply, customer-certified industrial packaging, and high-performance food packaging do not share the same profit model. The closer an application comes to food contact, the more responsibility shifts to the coating and the finished article.The IMFA figure reflects expectations among participating manufacturers; Huhtamaki reports segment data; and ZX Packing Group reports company-level financials. Concept validation, equipment orders, and commercial production are presented as separate stages and are not combined into an industry growth rate.These three datasets cannot be added together to produce a single industry growth rate. Together, however, they show that manufacturers expect higher output, a global company’s segment performance is improving, and a Chinese producer’s sales are growing. Whether profit and cash flow improve at the same pace remains a separate question.Applications are also on different tracks. Chinese foodservice items are already supplied at scale; dry-molded-fiber coffee lids are in commercial production in Malaysia; Sweden is investing in equipment for fiber-based snus cans; fiber bottle caps remain under development; and an Australian fresh-meat tray is still at the concept-validation stage.The first growth phase broadened the range of applications. The second must answer how food packaging can convert performance, compliance, and reliable delivery into profit and cash flow.Sources:IMFA global benchmarking report; Huhtamaki Half-yearly Report 2026; ZX Packing Group Half-year Report 2026; BIOTEN Developer.01 · APPLICATION STAGESThe first growth phase: four application stages beyond egg traysEgg trays, fruit trays, and beverage carriers remain the volume base. Industrial cushioning, electronics inserts, and premium cosmetic packaging move the industry toward tighter requirements for structure, dimensions, surface quality, and customer approval. Meal boxes, soup bowls, fresh-food trays, puffed-food inserts, and cold-chain packaging bring food contact and real-use conditions together in a single finished article.Concept validation |Zipform’s fresh-meat tray in Australia has completed initial testing; broader market validation and industrialization are still required.Development testing |PulPac’s fiber bottle cap has undergone early real-world testing but remains explicitly in development.Industrial investment |Future Materials Sweden has ordered two production units, with its new facility initially focused on fiber-based snus cans.Commercial production |HZ Green Pulp disclosed in 2025 that its Dry Molded Fiber coffee lids in Malaysia had entered full-scale commercial production.The first growth phase has been enabled by several processes. Conventional thick-wall or transfer-molded wet fiber serves trays, foodservice items, and cost-sensitive protective packaging. Premium wet pressing and thermoforming target thinner walls, tighter tolerances, and better surfaces. Dry Molded Fiber seeks to shorten the dewatering and drying chain associated with wet preforms. Moisture content, tooling, cycle time, energy use, precision, and yield cannot be compared across these three routes without a consistent basis.Sources:Fresh-meat tray project; BIOTEN Developer; fiber bottle-cap development; Swedish equipment order; commercial production of coffee lids.02 · PROFIT MODELSThe post-growth reality: one industry, at least three profit modelsZX Packing Group’s audited 2025 annual report shows that revenue from foodservice items declined by 4.97%, while “other environmentally friendly packaging,” driven by sales of new premium industrial-packaging products, grew by 64.14%. The latter generated only RMB 16.799 million in annual revenue, compared with RMB 1.442 billion from foodservice items.High-volume foodservice items |Continuous production, purchasing scale, and regional supply underpin this model, but margins are readily squeezed by unit prices, energy, trade measures, and logistics.Customer-certified industrial and premium packaging |Structure, tooling, surface quality, and customer approval create project value, at the cost of development lead times, changeovers, and batch-to-batch consistency requirements.High-performance food packaging |These products must simultaneously manage food contact, barrier performance, sealing, distribution, and end-of-life responsibilities. Any premium can still be absorbed by coating, drying, yield losses, and certification lead times.In the same year, the company’s output of foodservice items and other products declined by 19.76%, while sales volume fell by 1.40%. Domestic sales rose by 8.21%, but export sales declined by 4.62%. The annual report primarily associates the production decline with U.S. trade measures and the ramp-up of capacity in Thailand.Nominal capacity is not stable output, an equipment order is not a customer order, and an exhibition sample is not a repeat purchase. Application expansion answers whether there is work to be done; unit cost per conforming product and cash collection answer whether value is being created.Sources:ZX Packing Group Annual Report 2025; final determination by the U.S. Department of Commerce; final determination by the Canada Border Services Agency.03 · THE SECOND GROWTH PHASEWhy food packaging is harder—and more valuable—in the second growth phasePrecision electronics inserts and premium cosmetic packaging can also create high value. Food packaging warrants separate discussion because it combines high frequency, broad volume, and complex service conditions, testing materials, structures, regulation, manufacturing, and end-of-life performance at the same time.Meal boxes, soup bowls, fresh-food trays, frozen and reheated foods, prepared foods, and supermarket ready-to-eat packaging are not purchased merely for “high plant-fiber content.” Customers buy defined outcomes: no leakage with hot soup, no migration of oils and fats, no loss of stiffness under condensation, no premature edge failure, and no lid disengagement.Food-contact gate |Pulp, additives, coatings, inks, adhesives, migration, and organoleptic performance.Real-use gate |Contents, temperature, time, hot aqueous and oily foods, freeze–reheat cycles, edges, sealing, and distribution.Regulatory and customer gate |Target-market classification, testing documentation, customer audits, and final SKU approval.End-of-life and economics gate |Material reduction, separability, repulpability or compostability, together with drying, yield, and unit cost per conforming product.China’s Environmental Code, effective from 15 August 2026, requires packaging to be reasonable and reduced and incorporates green procurement and green supply chains into corporate responsibilities. Beijing’s Guidelines for the Use of Green Packaging by Food-Delivery Merchants, effective from 1 September 2026, translate food temperature, package dimensions, layer count, sealing, and readily separable structures into merchant actions.Laws and recommended local standards have different legal force, and neither specifies molded fiber, waterborne coatings, PHA, or PLA. Instead, they change the procurement questions: Has the structure been reduced? Is the bill of materials traceable? Does the product pass its intended food-use conditions? Are the food-contact safety, repulpability, compostability, and claimed post-use pathway credible? Can the plastic content be calculated to determine whether the product falls within the scope of the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD)?Sources:Environmental Code of the People’s Republic of China; Beijing green food-delivery packaging guidelines; BIOTEN Developer; SUPD guidance.04 · BILL OF MATERIALS AND COATINGThe key to better quality: a complete bill of materials and the functional coatingFiber determines whether molded pulp can be formed. The complete bill of materials and the coating determine which food-use conditions the article can enter, which regulatory responsibilities it assumes, and which post-use pathway it can credibly follow.Wood pulp, recovered pulp, bamboo pulp, bagasse pulp, and straw pulp answer the question, “Where does the fiber come from?” Bamboo pulp is already within the raw-material boundary for molded fiber, but it does not automatically prove that the finished article is food-contact compliant, recyclable, compostable, or low carbon.High-performance molded fiber necessarily involves formulations and additives as well as barrier coatings; bio-based materials are part of this higher-value market. Professional assessment must determine whether each component is necessary, traceable, suitable for the target food and temperature, stable across batches, and compatible with the declared end-of-life pathway.“Waterborne” describes only the dispersion or application medium. After the water evaporates, the film-forming polymer, formulation, coat weight, and film continuity determine grease resistance, water resistance, resistance to hot liquids, heat sealability, regulatory classification, and end-of-life behavior.PE lamination |Mature performance, heat sealing, and supply chains; paper–plastic separation, repulping, and non-compostable end-of-life routes still require management.Waterborne or dispersion systems such as EAA, acrylics, and PU |Flexible formulations and relatively mature production experience; being “waterborne” does not change the identity of the film-forming polymer.Natural polymers, wax/resin systems, and mineral combinations |Can provide part of the barrier function, but humidity, thermal stability, cracking on flexing, and the bonding phase remain constraints.PHA waterborne barrier route |Places food-barrier development and a verified biological-treatment pathway on the same engineering route. Evidence must still be established for the specific material, thickness, formulation, and finished-article scope.China |GB 4806.10—2025 takes effect on 2 September 2026.United States |The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has confirmed that 35 food contact notifications involving grease-proofing PFAS for paper and paperboard are no longer effective because the relevant uses were abandoned.European Union |The SUPD provides no minimum plastic-content exemption. The PPWR’s 95%/5% rule is not a general-purpose “plastic-free threshold.”Certification |Certification of a material or component does not automatically certify every finished meal box.Sources:Announcement of GB 4806.10—2025; U.S. FDA status of PFAS uses in paper food packaging; BIOTEN Developer; SUPD guidance; EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).05 · BIOTEN MATERIAL INTERFACESBIOTEN Observer: three material interfaces, each addressing a different failure modeThe following observations concern material-development interfaces associated with BIOTEN Packaging; they are not three product cards.PHA waterborne barrier coating for the food-contact surface |Designed for hot soup, oils and fats, sauces, fresh-food condensation, and freeze–reheat conditions. DIN CERTCO and BPI list records for Bioten™ PHA Barrier Coating materials, components, or coatings. These records do not prescribe a coat weight and do not replace certification of the finished food container. Procurement must still establish the minimum effective dry coat weight, edge continuity, drying window, and target food conditions within the same SKU.Fiber-performance copolymer |Acts within the pulp, wet preform, and fiber network to improve strength, forming stability, lightweighting, and fiber-use efficiency. It may also be applied by surface spraying; addition rates of only a few parts per thousand in the furnish can provide broad reinforcement or enable weight reduction.PHA waterborne overprint varnish for the exterior surface |Intended for premium wet-pressed, cosmetic, electronics, or high-end foodservice applications requiring appearance, tactile quality, abrasion resistance, and surface protection. It is commercially meaningful only when the brand experience can support the added process cost. Washable reuse remains a development direction within the BIOTEN Developer molded-fiber system.The three interfaces act respectively within the fiber network, on the food-contact inner surface, and on the brand-facing outer surface. Their common threshold is not the material name, but a precisely defined SKU, a complete finished article, repeatable data, and unit cost per conforming product.Sources:DIN CERTCO records; BPI directory; Australasian Bioplastics Association certification information; BIOTEN Developer.06 · RELIABLE DELIVERYConverting profit potential into cash: from minimum effective coat weight to cash collectionCommercial validation only begins after the coating route is selected. A high-performance molded-fiber food container must, at minimum, lock down the fiber and additive formulation, coating SKU, application method, wet and dry coat weights, drying window, edge coverage, contents, temperature, sealing, stacking, and distribution conditions.01 |Minimum effective wet and dry coat weights02 |Drying load, line speed, changeovers, and downtime03 |First-piece pass rate, cross-batch conformance rate, and stable saleable output04 |Unit cost per conforming product—not material price per kilogram05 |First-pass approval rate for food contact, the target market, and customer certification06 |Repeat purchases, customer complaints, inventory, receivables, and cash collectionThere is currently no publicly available minimum BIOTEN spray application or dry coat weight that applies across SKUs. It must be determined through design of experiments (DOE): under the same article, service conditions, and acceptance criteria, compare coat weight, drying, barrier performance, yield, and cost to identify the minimum effective operating window.Pulp suppliers must deliver fiber consistency. Material suppliers must deliver formulation identity, application windows, and end-of-life evidence. Equipment and tooling suppliers must integrate coating, drying, and in-line inspection into the production line. Finished-article manufacturers must place yield, certification, customer complaints, cost, and cash collection on the same operating dashboard.PAPER PERSPECTIVES · THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE STORYThe real breakthrough worth expecting is not more samples, but precisely defined SKUs that conform across batches, win repeat orders, and convert profit into cash.The second growth phase is not another fiber storyThe first growth phase has already taken molded fiber into industrial inserts, electronics, cosmetics, fresh foods, and complex components. The second must make food packaging withstand simultaneous tests of food contact, real-use performance, regulatory classification, end-of-life pathways, and mass-production economics.Incremental volume comes from more applications. Better quality comes from a complete bill of materials, functional layers, and an evidence package. Value creation can be realized only through yield, unit cost per conforming product, customer approval, repeat purchases, complaint performance, and cash collection.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NotesThis article prioritizes benchmarking reports from industry associations, periodic reports of listed companies, regulatory and standards bodies, certification databases, and original company project disclosures. It was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging, with information verified through 26 August 2026. BIOTEN materials are associated with BIOTEN Developer; related content is presented only on the basis of public evidence and development interfaces still requiring validation. This article is provided solely for value-chain research and learning and does not constitute procurement, compliance, investment, or other specific decision-making advice. If you have concerns regarding the content, data, or rights, please contact us to request correction, clarification, or removal; we will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer · Data and Verification Sources01 | IMFA | Announcement of the inaugural global molded-fiber benchmarking reports02 | Huhtamaki | Half-yearly Report 202603 | ZX Packing Group | Half-year Report 2026; Annual Report 202504 | PulPac | Fresh-meat tray concept validation; fiber bottle-cap development; Swedish equipment order05 | Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China | Environmental Code of the People’s Republic of China06 | Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation | Guidelines for the Use of Green Packaging by Food-Delivery Merchants07 | National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China | Announcement of GB 4806.10—202508 | U.S. Food and Drug Administration | Status of PFAS uses in paper and paperboard food packaging09 | European Commission | SUPD interpretive guidance; PPWR10 | DIN CERTCO | DBC/BIOTEN certification records11 | BPI | DBC/BIOTEN component and coating directory12 | Australasian Bioplastics Association | Certification information and directory entryRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-26T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-26T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-26-molded-fiber-food-packaging-profitability/cms-image-d39245ce2797924c.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-25-century-sunshine-white-top-linerboard.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-25-century-sunshine-white-top-linerboard.html",
            "title": "What Makes Century Sunshine Strong? White-Top Linerboard Expertise and Global Reach",
            "summary": "Century Sunshine’s value begins with white-top linerboard and is extending to a broader industrial platform: deeper technical capabilities, closer customer integration, wider global markets, and a new Rizhao base designed to replicate its operating system at scale.",
            "content_text": "From white-top linerboard, preprinting, and agricultural and forestry fibers to a doubling of overseas revenue and a new RMB 20.2 billion base in Rizhao, this article examines the global manufacturing model now taking shape at Century Sunshine.Deepening its white-top linerboard expertise, expanding its global reach.What Makes Century Sunshine Strong?Century Sunshine’s value begins with white-top linerboard and is extending to a broader industrial platform: deeper technical capabilities, closer customer integration, wider global markets, and a new Rizhao base designed to replicate its operating system at scale.More than two decades of product development form the foundation. A 14.1% gross margin, doubled overseas revenue, an international marketing network, and the RMB 20.2 billion Rizhao project outline its path toward becoming a global manufacturing platform.The peer comparison uses 2025 consolidated figures for five listed paper companies and is directional only. The international network, Thailand project, and customer partnerships are presented as disclosed by the company. The Rizhao project is described strictly at its current agreement and environmental-impact-disclosure stage.Company at a Glance2025 Output in China Paper Association survey 2.1641 million tonnesNo. 162025 Group gross margin 14.1%Highest in a five-company comparison sample2025 Overseas revenue RMB 245 millionApproximately +104% year on yearSources:China Paper Association; China Sunshine Paper Holdings Company Limited Annual ReportResearch ScopeThe subject of this study is Shandong Century Sunshine Paper Group Co., Ltd., as listed in the China Paper Association’s output table. The Association’s figure of 2.1641 million tonnes is surveyed 2025 output; the company website’s 2.30 million tonnes is publicly stated production capacity; and financial and geographic revenue data come from the consolidated financial statements of the Hong Kong-listed China Sunshine Paper Holdings Company Limited. These three measures are not interchangeable.The peer group comprises China Sunshine Paper, Xianhe Co., Ltd., Wuzhou Special Paper, Jingxing Paper, and Shanying International. Gross margins are recalculated from each company’s consolidated 2025 revenue and cost of sales. The sample is limited, and the companies differ in product mix, accounting standards, and expansion stage. It is used only to indicate a financial range and does not constitute an industry ranking.The international marketing network, Thailand project, customer partnerships, and equipment information are presented as disclosed by the company. “International perspective” and “future star” are analytical judgments based on public evidence. Agreement signing, disclosure, approval, construction, commissioning, and profitability of the Rizhao project must be treated as separate stages.01 TECHNICAL FOUNDATIONWhite-top linerboard expertise provides a deep technical foundationThe China Paper Association’s 2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper Industry lists Shandong Century Sunshine Paper Group Co., Ltd. with output of 2.1641 million tonnes in 2025, up 2.04% from 2.1208 million tonnes in 2024 and ranking No. 16 among the key companies surveyed. Its scale is clear, but the company’s distinctiveness is best understood through its product choices.The company’s history shows that Century Sunshine was established in 2000, completed a 100,000-tonne-per-year white-top linerboard project in 2004, commissioned a light-coated white-top linerboard project in 2006, entered the Hong Kong capital market in 2007, added core board and high-grade micro-flute corrugating medium in 2008, and scaled up coated white-top linerboard in 2010.White-top linerboard combines a printable top surface with board strength in a single grade. Light coating and full coating further improve smoothness, color reproduction, and printability. More than two decades of sustained investment in a specific set of customer problems have turned product differentiation into accumulated process know-how.Patents and standards provide external evidence of this history. Public records of the China National Intellectual Property Administration show invention patents relating to manufacturing methods for light-coated and coated white-top linerboard. The National Public Service Platform for Standards Information lists Century Sunshine, or its former name, among the drafting organizations for three current national standards: Kraft Paper, Technical Requirements for Recovered Paper Classification, and Core Board.Patents document methods for solving technical problems, while participation in standards brings production experience into a shared industry language. From products and processes to standards, Century Sunshine’s technical accumulation now spans white-top linerboard, recovered fiber, and core board. Drafting a standard does not mean every product automatically complies, and a patent does not prove deployment across every current production line. Together, however, they support the company’s long-term capacity for technical participation.Sources:China Paper Association annual report; Century Sunshine corporate history; National Public Service Platform for Standards Information; patents relating to white-top linerboard.02 FINANCIAL RESILIENCEA 14.1% gross margin demonstrates product value in the financialsIn 2025, China Sunshine Paper Holdings generated revenue of RMB 7.789 billion and profit attributable to owners of the Company of RMB 160 million. Sales volume of machine-made paper was 2.1086 million tonnes, broadly level with 2.110 million tonnes in 2024. Lower paper prices reduced revenue and profit, but the Group still achieved a gross margin of 14.1% and net cash generated from operating activities of RMB 547 million.Century Sunshine’s product resilience becomes clearer when the 14.1% figure is placed within the limited peer sample. Based on consolidated 2025 revenue and cost of sales, the recalculated gross margins are approximately 14.1% for China Sunshine Paper, 13.7% for Xianhe, 7.9% for Wuzhou Special Paper, 6.5% for Jingxing Paper, and 6.1% for Shanying International. The sample median is approximately 7.9%, with China Sunshine Paper at the top of this group.This comparison is not an industry ranking, but it does illustrate an operating fact: Century Sunshine’s portfolio of white-top linerboard, coated grades, and specialty papers preserved relatively strong unit-value headroom in the price-pressured environment of 2025. Its differentiation is visible not only in product descriptions, but also in gross margin.Cash flow and financing costs also provide constructive signals. Net operating cash flow was RMB 547 million in 2025, well above the year’s profit, while financing costs declined by approximately 27%, from RMB 151 million in 2024 to RMB 110 million. At the same time, net cash used in investing activities was RMB 1.029 billion, showing that the company remains in an investment phase. Higher margins, positive operating cash flow, and lower financing costs provide a foundation for new projects; whether capital expenditure converts into sales and cash collection on schedule will determine whether this resilience can continue.Sources:China Sunshine Paper Holdings Company Limited Annual Report 2025; comparison based on consolidated figures in the 2025 annual reports of five companies. The peer sample is directional only and does not assess the companies’ overall merits.03 GLOBAL MARKETSOverseas revenue doubles as global reach takes shapeCentury Sunshine’s international perspective did not emerge overnight. China Sunshine Paper Holdings was listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2007, giving the business early access to international capital markets. Its flexographic preprinting and paper-machine projects have continued to incorporate equipment and process resources from international suppliers such as BOBST and Voith. The company has also established an English-language website and overseas sales teams, with publicly disclosed market coverage across Southeast and Central Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and Latin America.The annual report provides a more direct market signal. Group overseas revenue reached RMB 245 million in 2025, compared with RMB 120 million in 2024, an increase of approximately 104% year on year. Overseas paper-product revenue was RMB 238 million, close to twice the prior-year level. Overseas revenue still represented only about 3.1% of the total and remains at an early stage, but the growth is not merely conceptual; it is already reflected in the consolidated financial statements.The company also states that its overseas marketing network covers North America, Oceania, Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Japan, and South Korea. In January 2022, the dry-ground pulp project of Renhe Company in Thailand commenced production. The marketing network provides market reach, the Thailand project provides an overseas industrial node, the Hong Kong listing provides capital and governance interfaces, and international equipment suppliers and brand customers create technical and application links.These arrangements are still some distance from those of a mature global paper group. The 2025 annual report shows that more than 96% of the Group’s operating and non-current assets remained in China, while overseas markets were not yet a major source of revenue. A more precise assessment is that Century Sunshine has an international perspective and a global footprint that is beginning to take shape. The network, projects, and revenue growth are visible; the next tests are overseas repeat orders, regional profitability, and localized delivery.Sources:China Sunshine Paper Holdings Company Limited Annual Report 2025; Century Sunshine international marketing materials; Century Sunshine corporate history; Century Sunshine preprinting materials.04 PLATFORM DEVELOPMENTPreprinting, agricultural and forestry fibers, and specialty paper extend the platformInternational expansion requires products that customers can recognize and use consistently. Century Sunshine connected base-paper manufacturing with preprinting and packaging conversion relatively early: reel-fed facing paper is first printed using standardized flexographic processes, after which corrugated board and boxes are produced by converters in different regions. Base paper, color control, regional delivery, and brand standards are thereby integrated into one workflow.In 2026, the company disclosed that it had received Shuanghui’s Strategic Cooperation Award and signed a strategic carbon-neutrality cooperation agreement with Yili. The former concerns supply assurance, quality, and coordinated response; the latter extends cooperation into green packaging, low-carbon technologies, and life-cycle carbon accounting. The names of these partnerships do not substitute for procurement value, repeat-order rates, or verified emissions reductions, but the presence of named customer applications shows that the company is participating in brand-packaging efficiency.The raw-material base is also broadening. The company’s history states that the Kemai biochemical mechanical pulp project began trial production in 2020 and that a Bio-based New Materials Research Institute was established in 2022. Century Sunshine, Qilu University of Technology, Kemai Biopulping, and other organizations jointly participated in drafting the current group standard Unbleached Straw Biochemical Mechanical Pulp—Part 1: Pulp. Century Sunshine was also among the organizations responsible for the agricultural and forestry fiber project that received the 2024 First Prize for Science and Technology Progress of Shandong Province.Specialty paper offers a new setting in which to transfer these capabilities. The Hong Kong-listed Group recorded specialty-paper revenue of RMB 2.035 billion in 2025, representing 26.1% of total revenue. Phase I of Xianhua Technology’s specialty-paper project completed a 120,000-tonne high-grade decorative base-paper line and passed its energy-conservation acceptance review. The company has also disclosed cooperation relating to carrier tape for electronics. Changes in consolidation affected specialty-paper revenue, and the full 360,000-tonne capacity has not yet been released. Nevertheless, from decorative base paper to electronic carrier tape, coating, surface control, and stable manufacturing are moving into more specialized international applications.Sources:Century Sunshine preprinting materials; National Digital Standards Library standard on straw pulp; Qilu University of Technology science and technology achievements; energy-conservation acceptance for Phase I of the specialty-paper project.The RMB 20.2 billion project moves Century Sunshine to a new industrial coordinate. The next question is whether more than two decades of differentiated capabilities can be replicated systematically in Rizhao.Rizhao Project at a GlanceRMB 20.2 billion Planned total investment2.65 million tonnes Planned integrated pulp-and-paper capacity for paper-based plastic substitutionApproximately 2,156 mu Planned site areaProject status:Planned in three phases; the agreement has been signed and the pre-submission disclosure of the revised environmental impact assessment report has been completed. This does not mean that full construction or commissioning has begun.05 THE RIZHAO COORDINATEThe RMB 20.2 billion Rizhao base is intended to replicate the system at a new scaleThe Rizhao project moves Century Sunshine to a new industrial coordinate. In January 2025, the company disclosed that its 2.65-million-tonne paper-based plastic-substitution project would involve planned total investment of RMB 20.2 billion, occupy approximately 2,156 mu, and be built in three phases. The company website further describes it as an integrated 2.65-million-tonne pulp-and-paper project for paper-based plastic substitution. The project was also included in Shandong Province’s 2025 list of major projects.According to the company’s agreement announcement, the completed project is expected to create more than 2,100 jobs and reach annual sales of RMB 16 billion and combined profit and tax contributions of RMB 3.3 billion. These figures describe an intended steady-state outcome, not current revenue or profit. In December 2025, the project company completed the pre-submission disclosure of its revised environmental impact assessment report, indicating that environmental review and project planning had moved to a more specific stage. Public evidence remains insufficient to describe the project as fully under construction, commissioned, or profitable.What matters most about the RMB 20.2 billion project is not tonnage alone. Rizhao’s port conditions can support the logistics of wood chips, pulp, energy inputs, and finished products, while pulp-and-paper integration can bring raw materials, papermaking, functional materials, and packaging applications together at one base. For the first time, Century Sunshine has an opportunity to replicate, at a larger new site, more than two decades of expertise in white-top linerboard, coating, preprinting, non-wood fibers, and customer collaboration.This is also where the assessment of a future-oriented paper company becomes testable. Century Sunshine already has a differentiated product base, relatively strong gross margin, positive operating cash flow, growing overseas revenue, global marketing touchpoints, and plans for a project exceeding RMB 10 billion. Whether that promise becomes durable will depend on six outcomes: project approvals and construction, grade-specific orders, capacity utilization, overseas repeat purchases, gross profit per tonne, and capital recovery.Sources:Rizhao project agreement; Shandong Province 2025 major-project list; pre-submission disclosure of the revised environmental impact assessment report for the Rizhao project; Century Sunshine company profile.PAPER PERSPECTIVES · THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE STORYCentury Sunshine is a future-oriented paper company with an international perspective and a global footprint that is beginning to take shape. Its distinctiveness lies in an uncommon combination of capabilities: white-top linerboard and coating create product value; standards and patents capture technical knowledge; preprinting connects the company with brand customers; agricultural and forestry fibers and specialty paper open new-material opportunities; and overseas markets and the Rizhao base move the company toward a broader industrial platform.What is already established is the foundation in products, technology, customers, and cash flow. What is now developing is coordination across overseas markets, specialty paper, and low-carbon packaging. What remains to be proven is the construction pace, order quality, and return on capital of the Rizhao base.This article is prepared to describe Century Sunshine as a “future star” in China’s paper industry. Here, “future star” refers to an observable strategic combination and is not a promise of growth or returns. Whether the company can evolve from a strong regional producer into a globally competitive materials and packaging platform will ultimately be determined by margins, cash generation, overseas repeat orders, project utilization, and customer value.High-quality development in China’s paper industry needs more of this kind of long-term commitment: choose a valuable niche, turn products into standards, connect manufacturing with customers, take domestic capabilities into international markets, and test every expansion through cash flow. Century Sunshine’s story is moving from a single sheet of white-top linerboard toward a much larger global industrial map.NEXT ARTICLENext: Zhejiang Xianhe Holdings Group Co., Ltd.The next study will examine how Xianhe organizes specialty-paper categories, pulp-and-paper coordination, and multi-base expansion into a new growth platform.Sources:China Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper Industry. Rankings and output use the Association’s key-company survey scope and are not equivalent to capacity, sales volume, or market share.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NotesThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging using public materials from the China Paper Association, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, listed-company annual reports, the National Public Service Platform for Standards Information, government agencies, and the company. BIOTEN Packaging has previously conducted technical exchanges and project-related research discussions with Century Sunshine; this article nevertheless relies only on publicly verifiable information, and those contacts are not used as evidence of market position, orders, or technical performance. The article is provided solely for research and learning across the paper, packaging, and materials value chains and does not constitute investment, procurement, compliance, or business advice. For corrections, clarification, or removal requests, please contact BIOTEN Packaging; we will complete our review within 24 hours.BIOTEN Observer · Data and Verification Sources01 | China Paper Association | 2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper Industry02 | China Sunshine Paper Holdings Company Limited | Annual Report 202503 | Xianhe Co., Ltd. | Annual Report 202504 | Wuzhou Special Paper Group Co., Ltd. | Annual Report 202505 | Zhejiang Jingxing Paper Joint Stock Co., Ltd. | Annual Report 202506 | Shanying International Holdings Co., Ltd. | Annual Report 202507 | Shandong Century Sunshine Paper Group Co., Ltd. | Corporate History08 | State Administration for Market Regulation | National Public Service Platform for Standards Information09 | Shandong Century Sunshine Paper Group Co., Ltd. | International Marketing Network10 | National Digital Standards Library | Standard for Unbleached Straw Biochemical Mechanical Pulp11 | Qilu University of Technology | Green and Efficient Utilization of Agricultural and Forestry Fiber Resources Project12 | Shandong Century Sunshine Paper Group Co., Ltd. | Energy-Conservation Acceptance for Phase I of the Specialty-Paper Project13 | Shandong Century Sunshine Paper Group Co., Ltd. | Rizhao Project Agreement14 | Century Sunshine (Rizhao) Pulp & Paper Co., Ltd. | Pre-submission Disclosure of the Revised Environmental Impact Assessment Report for the Rizhao Project15 | Shandong Century Sunshine Paper Group Co., Ltd. | Preprinting Products and Process Information16 | Shandong Century Sunshine Paper Group Co., Ltd. | Company ProfileRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-25T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-25T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-25-century-sunshine-white-top-linerboard/cms-image-d78d0cfd60db883c.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-24-paper-industry-price-increase-notices.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-24-paper-industry-price-increase-notices.html",
            "title": "Price-Increase Notices Are Not the Outcome: What Really Needs to Improve in the Paper Industry?",
            "summary": "A technical and commercial analysis of price-increase notices across the paper value chain.",
            "content_text": "Technical and Commercial Insights into Price-Increase Notices Across the Paper Value ChainPrice-Increase Notices Are Not the Outcome:What Really Needs to Improvein the Paper Industry?A price increase need not be a zero-sum conflict between paper mills and customers. Cost transparency, product value and reliable service delivery determine whether a price adjustment can support a long-term partnership.A sound price adjustment must protect both sides: paper mills need to cover genuine costs and maintain stable supply, while customers should receive lower losses, more consistent quality and more reliable delivery. Pricing is sustainable only when total cost and cash efficiency improve across the relationship.Price is a signal that allocates fibre, energy, capacity and service resources across the supply chain. When paper mills pair a price adjustment with quality, lead-time reliability, efficiency and sustainable products, customers can move from a narrow “price-per-tonne dispute” to an assessment of total value in use.This article does not judge how much any company should raise prices, nor does it advocate coordinated price increases. It examines only why prices change, how companies make independent pricing decisions, and how mills and customers can test a price adjustment through orders, quality, service, cash generation and customer satisfaction.Latest Price BenchmarksMarket-monitoring unit: RMB per tonne; changes are versus the previous ten-day period.June 2026 PPI for the manufacture of paper and paper products −0.1% year on yearJuly 2026 PPI for the manufacture of paper and paper products +1.2% year on yearH1 2026 Total profit of above-designated-size paper and paper-product manufacturers +27.5% year on yearMid-August AA-grade 120 gsm corrugating medium RMB 3,228.8 | +0.5%Mid-August Imported softwood pulp RMB 4,840.8 | +0.9%Research sources:National Bureau of Statistics of China: July PPI; profits of above-designated-size industrial enterprises; mid-August market-price monitoring.Important boundary:PPI, monitored market prices, a company’s average selling price and the customer’s net transaction price are different measures. Industry profit growth also cannot be attributed to price increases alone.01 · THREE PRICE SIGNALSRead the Three Price Signals SeparatelyThe industry PPI fell 0.1% year on year in June and rose 1.2% in July, although it remained down 1.2% cumulatively from January through July. In mid-August, the monitored price of AA-grade 120 gsm corrugating medium rose 0.5% from the previous ten-day period, while imported softwood pulp rose 0.9%.During the same period, the manufacturing new-orders index stood at 48.5% in July, below the 50% threshold. It is not a paper-industry order index, but it is a useful reminder: firmer prices do not mean that demand has strengthened simultaneously across every end market.Research sources:National Bureau of Statistics of China: July PPI; mid-August market-price monitoring; July manufacturing PMI.Level One | Notice Signal: Why Companies Propose Price IncreasesOn 10 August 2026, multiple Nine Dragons Paper mills issued customers with price-adjustment notices covering different grades and effective dates. Consolidating the verifiable originals produces the following operating snapshot.Summary of Recent and Pending Price Adjustments | As of 24 August 2026Effective Date Reached / Effective Today |Nine Dragons Paper’s Quanzhou, Dongguan and Hubei mills, together with selected Shanying International mills, have proposed increases of RMB 50 per tonne for specified grades in accordance with the effective dates stated in their notices.25 August 2026 |Nine Dragons Paper: Dilong kraftliner at the Quanzhou mill; premium V-grade kraftliner and Dilong kraftliner at the Dongguan mill; and premium V-grade kraftliner at the Beihai mill. Shanying International: Jinshan and Hongshan grades at its Zhejiang, Anhui and Suzhou mills. Dongguan Jianhui Paper: premium kraftliner. Each notice proposes an increase of RMB 50 per tonne.26 August 2026 |Shanying International’s Guangdong mill proposed an increase of RMB 50 per tonne for its Jinshan and Hongshan grades.28 August 2026 |Nine Dragons Paper’s Dongguan mill proposed an increase of RMB 50 per tonne for Jianglong-brand white-lined chipboard, while Dongguan Jianhui Paper proposed the same increase for all coated white-lined chipboard brands.7 September 2026 |Nine Dragons Paper’s Dongguan mill proposed an increase of RMB 50 per tonne for Dilong- and Nine Dragons-brand white-lined chipboard.The notices cite sustained increases in raw-material and other comprehensive costs, together with persistently high operating costs. They demonstrate proposed quotation changes; they do not prove that the higher net price has been realised for every grade, customer and effective date.Recent Sources of Price-Increase Notices The original images were publicly reproduced by Paper Industry Observer. They do not replace evidence of the customer’s net transaction price or actual implementation.Research sources:Customer notices reproduced by Paper Industry Observer; Sina Finance summary citing China Paper Magazine.Level Two | Market Signal: Have Prices Started to Move?For the same corrugating-medium specification, the monitored market price rose from RMB 3,216.3 per tonne in early July to RMB 3,263.2 in mid-July, was RMB 3,260.2 in late July, fell to RMB 3,212.4 in early August, and recovered to RMB 3,228.8 in mid-August.This is not a one-way rise, but a sequence of “increase—pullback—modest recovery”. It shows that the distribution market is searching for a new price level, but it cannot substitute for mill ex-works prices or customers’ net transaction prices.Level Three | Operating Signal: Have the Spread and Profit Been Retained?Recent Official Filing | Nine Dragons Paper Profit Alert, 20 August 2026For the year ended 30 June 2026, the Group expects profit ofRMB 3.9–4.1 billion,representing year-on-year growth of77.1%–86.2%.The company attributes the increase mainly to higher sales volume and to product selling prices rising faster and by more than raw-material costs, thereby improving gross profit.The announcement is an unaudited preliminary assessment. It is closer to an operating outcome than a price-increase notice, but it still does not prove that every grade or every round of notices has been fully implemented.Research source:Nine Dragons Paper: Positive Profit Alert.02 · HOW PRICES ARE FORMEDWhat Drives Paper Prices Up or Down?Driver One | Sustained Changes in CostFibre, energy, chemicals, logistics, environmental operations and working-capital requirements together determine a paper mill’s cost base. Higher costs can create a need for price adjustment, but the phrase “raw materials have all risen” cannot explain every paper grade.In July, purchase prices for timber and pulp were down 0.5% year on year and 2.0% cumulatively from January through July. In mid-August, imported softwood pulp rose 0.9% from the previous ten-day period and Shanxi premium blended coal rose 2.5%. Long-cycle year-on-year movements, short-cycle sequential changes and the fibre furnish of each grade are not identical; companies need to present their own cost bridge.Driver Two | Supply, Demand and Inventory Permit Price TransmissionRising orders, falling inventories, machine downtime or the exit of high-cost capacity can tighten short-term supply. New capacity, restarts, inventory accumulation or weaker downstream orders can create downward pressure. Price-increase notices and downtime plans are leading signals; orders, inventories, operating rates and post-restart prices provide confirmation.Driver Three | The Product Creates Verifiable Customer ValueCustomers deciding whether to accept a higher net price consider not only the mill’s cost, but also alternative supply and actual performance in use. More consistent quality, fewer web breaks and stoppages, lower converting losses and more reliable delivery can all reduce the customer’s total cost in use.Lightweighting is not simply the use of less fibre; it means completing the same packaging task with less material. Meeting base-paper specifications does not automatically mean that the corrugated board or finished box will achieve the required performance.Research sources:FEFCO Testing Methods; ISO 3037:2022.Driver Four | Transaction Terms and Risk Are RepricedThe same quoted price per tonne can produce very different operating outcomes under cash payment or extended terms, delivered or ex-works pricing, and standard or special specifications. Freight, rebates, payment terms, minimum order quantities, quality claims and delivery volatility all affect net price and cash generation.Paper prices can also fall for rational reasons: lower raw-material costs, new capacity, weaker orders, inventory accumulation, substitution, or discounts, rebates and extended payment terms used to secure volume. Direction cannot be judged from a quotation sheet alone.Paper Talk · Reading the Numbers: Why Are “Price-Cut Notices” So Rare?Price-increase notices are often used to reset a quotation benchmark and effective date consistently. Reductions are more commonly transmitted by sales teams through new quotations, discounts, rebates, payment terms or customer negotiations, enabling faster order conversion while preserving customer and regional differentiation. The absence of a price-cut notice does not mean that prices have not fallen—the customer’s final net price may already have declined through these transaction terms.03 · EFFECTIVE PRICE ADJUSTMENTSHow to Design an Effective Price AdjustmentStep One | Fix the Basis of ComparisonEstablish a baseline by customer, grade, specification, delivery location, tax and freight treatment, payment terms and service conditions. Without a like-for-like basis, notice prices, average selling prices and customer net prices cannot be compared.Step Two | Build the Cost BridgeBreak down fibre, energy, chemicals, freight, labour, quality losses and working-capital requirements. Short-term order decisions should consider incremental cash cost; sustained production should consider mill cash cost; long-term pricing and investment should consider full manufacturing cost. Financing and capital expenditure should be reviewed separately.Research sources:Ministry of Finance: Accounting Standard for Business Enterprises No. 1—Inventories; Accounting Standard for Business Enterprises No. 17—Borrowing Costs.Step Three | Test Orders, Inventory and Alternative SupplyModel at least three scenarios: a higher net price with stable orders; a higher net price with lower volume; and an announced increase that is surrendered through discounts or longer payment terms. Customer retention, operating rates, inventory and product mix must sit on the same operating scorecard.Step Four | Put Customer Value into the QuotationThe explanation cannot stop at “our costs have increased”. Consistency, lightweighting, converting efficiency, delivery assurance, compliance evidence and collaborative development determine why a customer may accept a higher net price. Different products need not follow the same increase or timing.Step Five | Price Independently and Track RealisationIf a notice proposes an increase of RMB 50 per tonne but the like-for-like net price rises by only RMB 30, the net-price realisation rate is 60%. The next checks are order retention, unit cost, gross profit, collections and operating cash flow.Each business must determine price adjustments independently on the basis of its own costs, contracts and customer value. Competing businesses must not enter into or implement monopoly agreements that fix or change commodity prices.Research sources:Anti-Monopoly Law of the People’s Republic of China; Provisions on Prohibiting Monopoly Agreements.04 · SHARED VALUE ACROSS THE SUPPLY CHAINFrom Price Conflict to Shared ValueTension between a mill’s need to raise prices and a customer’s need to control costs is natural, but it need not become a zero-sum contest. The answer is not a more forceful justification for higher prices, but a price adjustment that also delivers stable supply, better quality, lower customer losses and more sustainable product choices.Item One | Costs Are ExplainableIdentify which grade, fibre type, energy input or service cost changed, the comparison period used and the magnitude of the impact. Macroeconomic indices, actual company costs and customer quotations must remain distinct.Item Two | Product Value Is MeasurableConnect the price adjustment to results at the customer’s site: whether the packaging task is preserved after lightweighting; whether edge-crush strength, bonding and box performance remain stable; and whether web breaks, warp, waste and downtime decline. The customer is buying a more stable production outcome and a more controllable total cost.Item Three | Service Commitments Are TransferableInclude on-time, in-full delivery, lead-time volatility, emergency-order response, quality-complaint handling and problem-closure time in the service metrics. After a price increase, the customer should know exactly what supply assurance it is receiving.Item Four | Efficiency Gains Are ShareablePaper mills, corrugated-board plants and end customers can jointly improve demand forecasting, specification rationalisation, lightweighting validation, inventory positioning, grade-change schedules and loss data. Collaboration does not mean uniform pricing; it means reducing rush orders, obsolete inventory, repeated trials and quality losses through bilateral contracts and independent decisions.Item Five | Sustainability Value Is Evidence-BasedRecovered fibre, lightweighting, fibre traceability, water and energy efficiency, and designs that are easier to recycle must all be validated for the specific grade and final package. A green label cannot replace evidence on strength, converting performance, recovery pathways and total customer cost, nor should breakage, waste or food loss be shifted downstream.From Price Adjustment to Customer Satisfaction | Six Review AreasQuality Consistency |Basis weight, moisture, strength and batch-to-batch variation.Converting Efficiency |Web breaks, downtime, waste and unit consumption.Quality Outcomes |Complaints, returns and repeat purchases.Delivery Service |On-time, in-full delivery and lead-time variation.Response and Closure |Exception response and time to close problems.Total Value |Total packaging cost per unit and sustainability evidence.A sound price adjustment is not a contest for margin between upstream and downstream businesses; it uses more consistent products and service to reduce total system cost.05 · NET PRICE AND CASHWhy Does Cash Lag Behind Quoted Price Increases?Shanying International disclosed that the spread between the average selling price and unit cost of base paper was RMB 94.34 per tonne in 2025, narrowing 32.74% year on year, while the papermaking segment’s gross margin was 3.22%. Selling price, cost and margin do not automatically move in the same direction.Research source:Shanying International: formal response to the regulatory inquiry.In its interim report for the six months ended 31 December 2025, Nine Dragons Paper disclosed an 8.3% increase in sales volume and a 2.7% increase in average selling price, while gross margin rose from 9.5% to approximately 14.4%. The company attributed the improvement to higher selling prices together with lower raw-material costs. These figures are not for the first half of calendar year 2026 and are not an industry average.Research source:Nine Dragons Paper: 2025/2026 Interim Report.Cash must clear another hurdle. Changes in receivables, inventories and payables should be reviewed alongside operating cash flow, essential capital expenditure and interest burden. Without comparable segment cash-flow and volume data for the paper business, “operating cash flow per tonne” should not be calculated.06 · LONG-TERM CAPABILITIESHow Price Recovery Becomes CapabilityAdditional cash often first replenishes working capital, pays interest and maintains capacity. Only sustained investment in quality, resource efficiency, ramp-up speed and delivery reliability—demonstrated through yield, unit consumption, repeat business and on-time delivery—becomes customer-verifiable value in the next cycle.Research source:Valmet: paper-machine data and efficiency framework.Smurfit Westrock disclosed in its 2025 Annual Report that price-adjustment clauses in some customer contracts may still be insufficient to cover higher costs. In its corrugated and consumer-packaging businesses, even where price increases can be implemented, a lag of approximately three to six months typically remains between raw-material inflation and realisation in customer pricing. This is not a rule for the Chinese market, but it demonstrates that price transmission takes time.Research source:Smurfit Westrock: 2025 Annual Report.Three “Price Increases” That Are Easy to MisreadA higher net price accompanied by a marked decline in volume, customer retention or operating rate may be only a price recovery within a contracting business. If gross-profit improvement comes mainly from lower raw-material costs, it may be more cyclical than structural. If profit rises without a corresponding improvement in operating cash flow, while receivable days or inventory days lengthen, the improvement may remain largely on paper.Paper Talk · Reading the NumbersSound pricing is not about upstream and downstream businesses fighting over profit. It directs resources towards more stable, efficient and sustainable products and services, and is ultimately validated by orders, customer satisfaction and cash.BIOTEN ObserverUnderstanding the logic of price increases is not the same as resisting them. A healthy paper value chain needs rational prices so that mills can procure reliably, maintain equipment, sustain environmental operations, improve quality and continue innovating. Customers, in turn, need each price change to have a clearly defined scope, a transparent cost basis, a service commitment and verifiable benefits.What truly needs to improve in the paper industry is itspricing capability—the ability to translate costs, supply-demand conditions and customer value into independent quotations; itsmanufacturing capability—the ability to turn every tonne of paper into consistently qualified, saleable product; itsservice capability—the ability to convert quality, delivery and collaborative cost reduction into customer satisfaction; and itscapital-allocation capability—the ability to convert profit into operating cash and reinvest it in sustainable products and efficiency gains.A price-increase notice expresses intent; the market price confirms direction; net price, orders, customer satisfaction and cash are the outcomes that show what the adjustment actually delivered.BIOTEN Packaging focuses on whether value can truly be connected across paper performance, packaging conversion and end use. When each material property is applied where it belongs, differentiated high-quality products can enter the right applications and create lasting value through stable manufacturing and customer validation.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NoteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging from data published by the National Bureau of Statistics of China, original customer notices, formal listed-company disclosures, laws and technical standards. Information was verified in August 2026. Customer notices, statistical prices, average selling prices, net transaction prices and operating outcomes are treated as distinct measures. This article is intended solely for research and learning across the paper and packaging value chain and does not constitute investment, procurement, pricing, partnership or transaction advice. If you have concerns regarding the content, data or rights involved, please leave a message requesting a correction, clarification or deletion; we will review the matter within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources01 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Main Industrial Producer Price Data, June 202602 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Main Industrial Producer Price Data, July 202603 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Profits of Above-Designated-Size Industrial Enterprises, H1 202604 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Market-Price Monitoring, Early July 202605 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Market-Price Monitoring, Mid-July 202606 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Market-Price Monitoring, Late July 202607 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Market-Price Monitoring, Early August 202608 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | Market-Price Monitoring, Mid-August 202609 | National Bureau of Statistics of China | China Purchasing Managers’ Index, July 202610 | Paper Industry Observer | Compilation of Customer Price-Adjustment Notices from Multiple Nine Dragons Paper Mills11 | Sina Finance / China Paper Magazine | Second Round of August Price-Increase Notices from Major Paper Producers12 | Nine Dragons Paper | Positive Profit Alert for the Year Ended 30 June 202613 | Shanying International | Response to the Regulatory Inquiry on the 2025 Annual Report14 | Nine Dragons Paper | 2025/2026 Interim Report15 | Smurfit Westrock | 2025 Annual Report16 | State Administration for Market Regulation | Anti-Monopoly Law of the People’s Republic of China17 | State Administration for Market Regulation | Provisions on Prohibiting Monopoly Agreements18 | Ministry of Finance | Accounting Standard for Business Enterprises No. 1—Inventories19 | Ministry of Finance | Accounting Standard for Business Enterprises No. 17—Borrowing Costs20 | Valmet | Board and Paper Machine Data Analytics21 | FEFCO | Testing Methods22 | ISO | ISO 3037:2022Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-24T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-24T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-24-paper-industry-price-increase-notices/cms-image-2949d58b26286d3d.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-24-beijing-green-takeaway-packaging-guide.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-24-beijing-green-takeaway-packaging-guide.html",
            "title": "Beijing Releases Takeaway Packaging Guide: How Should Businesses Choose Green Packaging?",
            "summary": "The standard was proposed by the Beijing Municipal Commission for Development and Reform, which is also responsible for its administration and implementation.",
            "content_text": "DB11/T 2510-2026, Guidelines for the Use of Green Packaging by Food-Delivery Merchants, was proposed by the Beijing Municipal Commission for Development and Reform, which is also responsible for its administration and implementation. Participating organizations included the China Export Commodities Packaging Research Institute, China Packaging Federation, China National Pulp and Paper Research Institute Co., Ltd., YUTO Packaging, and other institutions and enterprises. This article was researched and compiled jointly by BIOTEN Packaging and DBC's Packaging Materials Division. Major New Guide for Takeaway Packaging: Beijing Standard Takes Effect on 1 September. How Should Merchants Choose?Starting with a single meal, what should a merchant do? A five-step checklist: classify the food, select the format, verify safety, check the end-of-life route, and standardize the process in an SOP.RESEARCH QUESTIONHow Should a Takeaway Meal Be Packaged?What makes the guide worth studying is not whether it will drive a particular material out of takeaway packaging, but whether it can turn “green packaging” into a practical selection framework for merchants: what package should be used for each meal, how many layers are necessary, whether a seal is required, and which viable route the package will follow after use.Analytical framework: Food classification → packaging selection → safe fulfilment → source reduction and end-of-life route → store SOP → supply-chain evidence.DB11/T 2510-2026 is not a materials blacklist. It is a set of selection rules for merchants that begins with safety and functionality, applies source reduction, and then connects the package to recycling, biodegradation or reuse.01 RECOMMENDATION / BOUNDARYIt Governs Selection Logic, Not a Materials BlacklistLocal standards are voluntary standards. The Standardization Law of the People's Republic of China states that industry standards and local standards are voluntary, while mandatory standards must be implemented and the state encourages the adoption of voluntary standards. The guide therefore does not amount to a new blanket ban on all takeaway packaging in Beijing from 1 September, nor does it prohibit paper, plastic, aluminium foil or biodegradable materials as an entire category.Four Questions for Merchants at the Packing StationIs it necessary? Does this film layer genuinely improve safety or delivery reliability?Can it be reduced? Can it be made thinner or narrower, or can the lid or a locking tab provide the seal?Can it be separated? After use, can the components be separated and enter a genuine recycling, biodegradation or reuse route?Sources: Standardization Law; official interpretation of the Beijing guide02 FOOD SCENARIOSoup Content and Temperature Determine the Packaging FormatThe official interpretation divides takeaway packaging into “simple packaging” and “sealed packaging.” A public interpretation reproduced on the Beijing municipal government portal provides a practical threshold: meals with no liquid, or fully enclosed meals in which the liquid level does not exceed one-quarter of the container height, may use simple packaging; when the liquid level exceeds one-quarter, sealed packaging should be considered. This one-quarter threshold is a classification criterion in the public interpretation and should not be presented as a separate legal provision.For ambient-temperature, chilled and frozen items, plastic wrapping film should not be used unless necessary. When hot meals genuinely require sealing, a small amount of narrow edge-sealing film may be used. For beverages, the guide recommends paper seals that can be physically separated easily from the cup.Steamed buns and flatbreads may be packed in bags; burgers, sandwiches and hot dogs should use fewer packaging layers; pizza and cakes are suited to paper food boxes; stir-fried dishes and rice bowls may use lidded containers without a separate sealing structure; barbecue items may use aluminium foil together with a sealing bag; and dumplings or sushi may use divided compartments to reduce crushing and flavour transfer.Sources: Official interpretation by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation; public interpretation on the Beijing municipal government portal03 FOUR PRINCIPLESThe Four Principles Form a Sequence, Not Four Parallel Slogans01 | Safety First satisfy food hygiene, temperature-resistance, leak-prevention and hygienic delivery requirements.02 | Reduction Match the package size to the food and reduce layers, film, void space and unnecessary outer bags.03 | End of Life “Easy to recycle” and “biodegradable” describe two different routes and must not be conflated simply because of a material name.04 | Reuse The public interpretation focuses reuse primarily on secondary uses for outer packaging that does not directly contact food.Sources: Official interpretation by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation04 MERCHANT ACTIONSWhat Should Merchants Do? A Five-Step ChecklistThe guide ultimately has to work at the packing station. Merchants do not need to begin by mastering every materials term; they can start with each menu item and build their packaging-selection rules in five steps.01 / Classify the MenuRecord serving temperature, liquid level, fat content, delivery time and leakage risk. Meals with no liquid, or with liquid not exceeding one-quarter of the container height, may first be assessed for simple packaging; above that threshold, focus on whether sealed packaging is required.02 / Select the Packaging FormatFor ambient-temperature, chilled and frozen items, avoid plastic wrapping film unless necessary. For hot meals that genuinely require it, use only a small amount of narrow edge-sealing film. For beverages, first assess paper seals that can be separated easily from the cup.03 / Verify Safety FirstCheck food-contact and hygiene requirements, service temperature, lid sealing, tamper evidence, leakage and the risk of contamination during delivery. Material reduction must not compromise safety or delivery performance.04 / Check Reduction and the End-of-Life RouteMatch the package size to the food, reduce layers and unnecessary outer bags, and prioritize mono-material or readily separable structures. When biodegradable materials are used, verify the applicable material standards, collection arrangements and treatment conditions at the same time.05 / Standardize the Store SOPBIOTEN recommendation: standardize the packaging model, assembly method, sealing conditions and exception handling for each SKU; conduct real delivery tests before training staff; and continually track packaging consumption, leakage complaints, rework rates and procurement costs.Three things not to do: Do not mechanically replace all plastic with paper. Do not remove sealing where safety conditions do not permit it. Do not claim that “biodegradable” materials have already delivered environmental benefits when no applicable standard or end-of-life conditions are in place.Sources: Official interpretation by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation; public interpretation on the Beijing municipal government portal05 CORE HIGHLIGHTSCore Strength of the Standard: Turning “Green” into Action at the Packing Station01 / RESPONSIBILITYResponsibility Moves Forward Responsibility shifts from relying on material names and test reports to managing actual food, temperature and delivery risks at the merchant site.02 / SCENARIOScenario-Based Selection Liquid content, temperature, fat content and leakage risk jointly determine the packaging structure; materials are no longer assessed in isolation.03 / ORDERA Clear Sequence Safety is the baseline, reduction is the first action, recycling or biodegradation is the end-of-life route, and reuse extends value.04 / PROCUREMENTActionable Procurement Stores can build a food-to-packaging matrix, while suppliers must document safety, functionality, material use, separability and end-of-life conditions.Sources: Official interpretation by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation; public interpretation on the Beijing municipal government portal06 STANDARD CHAINBeijing Is Building a Three-Tier Standards Framework for Green Takeaway Services01 / MANAGEMENTGB/T 43285-2023 Explains how green takeaway services should be managed, covering businesses, platforms, packaging, waste and information disclosure.02 / EVALUATIONDB11/T 2246-2024 Defines what kinds of takeaway packaging may be evaluated as green.03 / MERCHANT USEDB11/T 2510-2026 Explains how merchants should select and use packaging for different foods.Sources: Announcements for GB/T 43285-2023, DB11/T 2246-2024 and DB11/T 2510-202607 ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CODEConnecting the Guide to the Higher-Level Legal FrameworkChina's Ecological and Environmental Code came into force on 15 August 2026. It does not convert every food-specific packaging practice in the Beijing guide directly into a uniform national rule, but it provides a clearer higher-level legal direction for green takeaway services.Article 953 / CIRCULAR ECONOMYThe circular-economy framework emphasizes reduction, reuse and resource recovery, providing higher-level legal logic for questions such as whether a layer can be eliminated, whether an item can be reused and how it should be handled after use.Articles 973 and 974 / PACKAGINGThe Code encourages green and reduced packaging and seeks to prevent excessive packaging. The food-delivery sector should reduce packaging, prioritize reusable and readily recyclable packaging, and actively promote recovery and recycling.Article 1000 / GREEN SUPPLY CHAINBusinesses should implement green procurement, build green supply chains and promote coordinated green transformation across upstream and downstream partners.Article 1001 / FOOD SERVICEFood-service businesses should adopt material-saving technologies, equipment and facilities that help protect the ecological environment, and reduce consumer goods that waste resources or pollute the environment.Sources: Ecological and Environmental Code08 OPPORTUNITIES / CHALLENGESOpportunities and Challenges for the Packaging IndustryOpportunity 1 | Shift from selling individual packages to delivering SKU-level solutions. Food-service merchants need a food-to-packaging matrix that maps temperature, liquid proportion, fat content, delivery distance, sealing risk and eating method to the appropriate structure. It should identify which SKUs can eliminate a film layer and which must retain a leak-prevention solution. Suppliers able to deliver packaging, sealing, compartmentalization and store SOPs together are closer to the realities of procurement decisions.Opportunity 2 | Turn the standard into an operating interface for brands and platforms. Restaurant chains and delivery platforms can translate the guide into procurement catalogues, store training, green-store evaluation and in-platform prompts. The voluntary standard is not itself a blanket mandatory ban, but once incorporated into procurement contracts, platform rules or internal brand controls, it may become a practical condition of supply-chain access.Challenge 1 | Environmental claims cannot override functional boundaries. Hot, oily or liquid-rich foods and long delivery distances bring barrier performance, heat resistance, sealing and transport reliability to the forefront at the same time. Suppliers must demonstrate food-contact safety, resistance to oil, water and heat, sealing performance and leak prevention; labels such as “paper-based,” “plastic-free” or “biodegradable” are not sufficient on their own.Challenge 2 | The end-of-life route and economics must work together. Recyclability depends on identification, sorting, separation and an actual recovery system; biodegradability depends on applicable material standards and compatible treatment conditions. The number of packaging layers, material use per meal, structural separability, viable fibre-recycling or biodegradation routes, and a cost acceptable to merchants must all appear in the same evidence framework.Opportunity 3 | Clear openings for paper-based barriers, separable structures and sealing materials. Paper-based packaging will gain clearer application opportunities, but “paper-based” does not automatically mean environmentally preferable. The sustainable product opportunity lies in using less material to deliver the required functions for a specific SKU, while demonstrating safety, performance, end-of-life viability and cost.The industry's real question is therefore not whether paper should replace plastic or plastic should replace paper, but whether materials, structures, store practices and end-of-life routes can be integrated into a deliverable solution.Sources: Official interpretations of DB11/T 2246-2024 and DB11/T 2510-2026PAPER INSIGHTS · THE FUNDAMENTALS IN NUMBERSThe core of the standard is not to dictate which material a merchant must choose, but to require every SKU to demonstrate why each packaging layer is needed and what route it will follow after use.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research NoteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging using materials from the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, the Beijing municipal government portal, the National Public Service Platform for Standards Information, the Standardization Law of the People's Republic of China and other publicly available standards. Information was verified as of 22 August 2026. It is provided solely for research and learning concerning green packaging and related value chains and does not constitute compliance, procurement, engineering, investment, business or other decision-making advice. If you have comments concerning the content, data or rights involved, please leave a message requesting a correction, clarification or removal; we will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer: Data and Verification Sources1. Beijing local-standard announcement2. Official interpretation by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation3. Standardization Law of the People's Republic of China4. GB/T 43285-2023; DB11/T 2246-20245. Public interpretation on the Beijing municipal government portal; publicly available text of DB11/T 22466. Full text of the Ecological and Environmental Code; implementation information from the National People's Congress of ChinaRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-24T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-24T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-24-beijing-green-takeaway-packaging-guide/cms-image-9992baa926262594.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-23-paper-packaging-weekly-roundup-week-34.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-23-paper-packaging-weekly-roundup-week-34.html",
            "title": "Paper & Packaging Weekly Roundup: Week 34 of 2026",
            "summary": "Food contact, barrier performance, equipment compatibility, cost and end-of-life pathways must all work at the same time.",
            "content_text": "Paper & Packaging Weekly Roundup: Week 34 of 2026This Week, Competition in Paper and Packaging Entered a New PhaseStarbucks is offering US$100,000 for a cold-cup solution, 380,000 tonnes of softwood pulp capacity has been idled, and one paper producer has issued an RMB 4 billion profit outlook. These seemingly separate developments are moving competition in paper and packaging from “who can produce” to “who can deliver proven outcomes.”Materials and Sourcing01 | Starbucks Offers US$100,000 for a Transparent, Plastic-Free Cold Cup: Why Is It So Difficult?Starbucks has launched a global cold-cup innovation challenge through InnoCentive, with a US$100,000 award and a submission deadline of 14 September. It is not looking merely for a “more sustainable cup”, but for an integrated cup-and-lid solution that can enter a real-world supply chain.According to the project criteria, a target solution must simultaneously provide high transparency—with haze of no more than 5%—meet the challenge’s definition of “plastic-free”, be compostable, comply with food-contact requirements in the target markets, have no odour, withstand short-term heat exposure, remain leak-free after holding liquid for 24 hours, survive a one-metre drop when filled with ice water, and demonstrate manufacturing potential at a scale of at least several hundred tonnes per year.The difficulty is that these requirements are not naturally compatible. Transparency generally relies on a uniform, dense material structure; barrier performance, heat resistance and rigidity often require more complex formulations or structures; and compostability, compatibility with existing equipment and cost at scale further narrow the available options. A cold cup is therefore no longer an ordinary packaging item, but an integrated engineering challenge spanning materials, forming, food contact, consumer experience and end-of-life treatment.“Plastic-free” also requires precise interpretation. Here it is a screening criterion defined specifically for this challenge and is narrower than common market claims such as “bio-based” or “compostable”. It should not be extrapolated into a blanket rejection of material routes such as PLA or PHA. Each material still needs to be evaluated against its intended use, applicable regulations and available end-of-life conditions.For Chinese materials and packaging companies, brand procurement is shifting from “What material is it?” to “Can you provide a complete evidence package for the final SKU?” Food-contact compliance, stable barrier and heat-resistance performance, equipment compatibility, unit cost, and recycling or treatment pathways must all be addressed in one validation package. If any element is missing, a solution will often remain at the sample or pilot stage and struggle to enter a long-term procurement catalogue. The published criteria combine several requirements that constrain one another; whether a solution can enter an actual procurement system will therefore depend on materials, manufacturing, compliance, cost and end-of-life pathways forming a verifiable, integrated loop.Key Qualification RequirementFood contact, barrier performance, equipment compatibility, cost and end-of-life pathways must all work at the same time.Research sources:InnoCentive | Starbucks Global Cold Cup Innovation Challenge; yet2 | Detailed challenge criteria.Supply and Cost02 | 380,000 Tonnes Idled: Not a Turning Point, but a Contraction at the Margin of the Cost CurveOn 20 August, Domtar announced the indefinite idling of its Howe Sound pulp mill in Canada and the associated chip facility. The company said the decision would remove approximately 380,000 tonnes per year of northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp from market supply, citing weaker demand in Asia, persistently poor global pulp pricing and reduced availability of affordable fibre in the region.The most useful interpretation is not that “380,000 tonnes have disappeared, so pulp prices will reverse immediately”. The indefinite idling of a mill first indicates that current prices are insufficient to justify continuing to exchange cash for output at that asset. It changes the margin of the cost curve rather than instantly rewriting the global supply-demand balance for market pulp.For Chinese paper mills and traders, the next step should not be to watch only futures screens or regional averages. Four variables deserve continuous monitoring: arrivals of imported softwood pulp and port inventories; the spread between comparable import offers and domestic prices; whether other high-cost North American assets follow with downtime; and whether Howe Sound is ultimately restarted, sold or permanently closed. Whether furnish substitution is viable must still be assessed against the specific grade, quality requirements and end-use application.What to WatchWhether high-cost supply continues to contract—starting with inventories, price spreads and the status of comparable capacity.Research sources:Domtar | Announcement of the indefinite idling of Howe Sound.Profit and Cash03 | RMB 4 Billion in Profit: Rising Paper Prices Do Not Mean Profits Have Fully ReturnedNine Dragons Paper issued a positive profit alert on 20 August. For the year ended 30 June 2026, the group expects profit of approximately RMB 3.9–4.1 billion, an increase of 77.1%–86.2% year on year. The company’s explanation is straightforward: sales volume increased, while product selling prices rose faster and by more than raw-material costs, improving gross profit.That explanation is more informative than the headline profit increase. A recovery is sustainable only when comparable net selling prices outpace costs without sacrificing orders, extending payment terms or tying up more cash. Higher paper prices, improving industry quotations and company profit growth are related measures, but none can substitute for the others.For board, carton and other packaging converters, the most useful discipline is a weekly review of four indicators: realised transaction prices after increases, changes in downstream orders, inventory turnover for both base paper and finished goods, and accounts receivable together with operating cash flow. The first two show whether customers have accepted the higher prices; the latter two show whether profit has actually returned to the balance sheet and cash account.Research sources:Nine Dragons Paper | Positive profit alert.System-Level Competition04 | Fibre Trays and Recycled PET: System-Level Competition Has BegunCirkla has announced plans to build a moulded-fibre fresh-meat packaging plant in Georgia, United States, with production scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2027. Its published concept does not pit an uncoated “bare fibre” tray against modified-atmosphere packaging for fresh meat. Instead, it combines a fibre tray, a high-barrier liner, heat sealing and a design that allows the components to be separated. The company’s claims regarding plastic reduction and shelf life still need to be validated for specific SKUs, test conditions and local recycling pathways, but the route itself makes one point clear: the further paper-based packaging moves into high-performance applications, the more it must be engineered as a barrier system.In the same week, Suntory, Indorama Ventures and Iwatani announced a bottle-to-preform recycled-PET project in Thailand. The planned facility will have annual capacity equivalent to approximately 400 million recycled-PET preforms and is expected to supply Suntory PepsiCo Beverage Thailand from 2028. Plastic packaging is not standing still while it waits to be replaced; it is also using closed-loop recycling, shorter processing routes, brand procurement and scale manufacturing to reduce system costs.This provides a more mature frame for the “paper replacing plastic” debate. Paper should not be forced into applications where it cannot reliably deliver safety, barrier performance or supply; plastics should not use mature performance as a reason to ignore circularity and compliance pressures. The competition is not between material camps, but between technology routes seeking to deliver the same packaging service at the lowest total system cost.Research sources:Cirkla | U.S. moulded-fibre fresh-meat packaging project; Suntory | Thailand bottle-to-preform recycled-PET project.Rules and Exports05 | PPWR and Canada’s New Investigations: Evidence Must Follow the Final SKUThe EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) has been generally applicable since 12 August and covers all packaging placed on the EU market, regardless of material or origin. Restrictions on PFAS above specified thresholds in food-contact packaging have also reached their application date; this does not mean that every requirement scheduled for 2030—covering recyclability, recycled content, minimisation and reuse—has taken effect at the same time.For paper-based food packaging, customers will ask increasingly specific questions: Where does the barrier performance come from? What is present in the coating, inks and adhesives? Can the final packaging unit be supported by evidence on composition, testing, supply chain and structure? “Paper-based”, “biodegradable” and “plastic-free” are no longer stand-alone passports to market.On 17 August, the Canada Border Services Agency initiated dumping and subsidy investigations into certain paperboard cups and containers from China, extending the same evidence logic to exports. Initiation does not mean that duties have been imposed, but exporters should first verify the product definition, coated-paperboard structure, formed blanks and documentation chain before modelling possible duty scenarios. Product scope and documentation quality often shape the quality of a response well before a final determination is announced.Documentation FocusComposition, coatings, inks, adhesives, testing and the documentation chain must all be tied to the final SKU.Research sources:European Commission | PPWR packaging-waste rules; European Commission | PPWR frequently asked questions; CBSA | Notice of initiation for paperboard cups and containers; CBSA | Investigation schedule.Paper Talk | Reading the Data: Four Ledgers the Value Chain Must Now KeepAn idling of 380,000 tonnes is not, by itself, proof of a pulp-price reversal, and RMB 4 billion is not the profit statement of an entire industry. Starbucks’ 5%-haze cold cup, the requirement to remain leak-free for 24 hours, and capacity for 400 million recycled-PET preforms all point to the same conclusion: the next round of competition will not be decided by a single material, but by who can deliver resources, pricing, performance and evidence together.The most useful takeaway this week is not that “the industry is improving across the board”, but that the priority of four business ledgers has changed:Resource ledger:Do not look only at today’s price; assess whether fibre will remain available, substitutable and reliably deliverable over time.Price ledger:Do not look only at price-increase letters; assess net realised price, orders, collections and cash.Performance ledger:Do not look only at material specifications; determine whether the final SKU can consistently satisfy safety, processing, user-experience and end-of-life requirements.Evidence ledger:Do not rely on a single declaration; map composition, testing, structure, supply chain and market rules item by item.The companies that first turn these four ledgers into a feedback loop from raw materials to end of life will be better positioned to win stable orders through the next cycle of price volatility, customer screening and tightening rules. Paper, plastics and bio-based materials each retain applications in which they perform best. Industrial progress is not about eliminating one material, but about using every material where it can deliver sustainable value.BIOTEN Packaging | Industry Insights | Research NoteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging from company announcements, regulatory and trade-remedy materials, brand open-innovation pages and publicly available project information. It is intended solely for research and learning across the paper and packaging value chain and does not constitute investment, procurement, customs, trade-remedy or transaction advice. If you have comments concerning the content, data or rights involved, please leave a message requesting a correction, clarification or removal. We will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification SourcesDomtar | Announcement of the indefinite idling of Howe SoundNine Dragons Paper | Positive profit alertInnoCentive | Starbucks Global Cold Cup Innovation ChallengeYet2 | Detailed criteria for the Starbucks challengeCirkla | U.S. moulded-fibre fresh-meat packaging projectSuntory | Thailand bottle-to-preform recycled-PET projectEuropean Commission | PPWR packaging-waste rulesEuropean Commission | PPWR frequently asked questionsCanada Border Services Agency | Notice of initiation for paperboard cups and containersCanada Border Services Agency | Investigation schedule for paperboard cups and containersRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-23T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-24T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-23-paper-packaging-weekly-roundup-week-34/cms-image-16252a6e9b00b277.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-23-wuzhou-special-paper-food-packaging-platform.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-23-wuzhou-special-paper-food-packaging-platform.html",
            "title": "What Makes Wuzhou Special Paper Strong? Deep Expertise in Food Packaging Paper and a Broad Specialty-Paper Platform",
            "summary": "Operating cash flow turned positive in the first half of 2026, while the company’s expertise in food packaging paper is extending into a wider range of specialty-paper applications.",
            "content_text": "CHINA’S TOP 20 PAPER COMPANIES · NO. 15Deep Expertise in Food Packaging Paper, a Broad Specialty-Paper Platform.What Makes Wuzhou Special Paper Strong?Wuzhou Special Paper’s scale has a clear benchmark: output reached 2.2034 million tonnes in 2025, ranking No. 15 among the association’s key enterprises. In H1 2026, operating cash flow turned positive, while the company’s expertise in food packaging paper continued to extend into a wider range of specialty-paper applications.COMPANY SNAPSHOT2025 Output of key enterprises 2.2034 million tonnes No. 15 · Association survey basisH1 2026 Operating revenue RMB 4.895 billion YoY +18.76%H1 2026 Net profit attributable to shareholders RMB 230 million YoY +88.95%Sources: China Paper Association; Wuzhou Special Paper’s 2026 interim reportCORE ASSESSMENTWuzhou Special Paper’s advantage is evolving from “selling a large volume of one paper grade” to “reliably delivering multiple grades across different applications.” Food packaging paper provides the company’s specialist foundation; glassine, tracing, transfer, and industrial-support papers broaden the product spectrum; industrial packaging paper absorbs new scale; and chemi-mechanical pulp, river-linked production bases, and logistics projects connect raw materials with delivery. The simultaneous improvement in profit, production and sales, and operating cash flow in H1 2026 provides positive early validation of this chain. However, a higher share of value-added products, returns on capital expenditure, and pulp-and-paper integration will take longer to materialize.Scale enables Wuzhou Special Paper to move faster; product mix and cash flow determine how steadily it can advance.SCOPE OF ANALYSISThis analysis covers Wuzhou Special Paper Group Co., Ltd. (stock code: 605007), using primarily the company’s consolidated figures. “Output of key enterprises” follows the China Paper Association survey basis, while “designed capacity” follows the basis disclosed in the company’s periodic reports; the two are not used interchangeably. Annual and interim reports are formal corporate disclosures, while standards-platform materials are used to confirm the status of standards and participating drafters. The analysis in this article is not an independent audit opinion.The “platform” described in this article is an analytical summary of products, production bases, raw materials, and customer interfaces, not a legal or industrial registration category. Production-line commissioning, ramp-up to designed output, project construction, standards drafting, and customer cooperation represent different stages; none directly proves that every product already earns a high margin, that every SKU holds the same certification, or that projects under construction have begun generating revenue.01 SCALE BENCHMARKNo. 15 Establishes the Scale Benchmark; the Next Question Is Value per TonneIn 2025, Wuzhou Special Paper ranked No. 15 among the China Paper Association’s top 30 key paper enterprises by output. Production reached 2.2034 million tonnes, up 46.99% from 1.4990 million tonnes in 2024. These figures establish the company’s position on the industry’s supply side and show that new production lines at the Hubei base are changing the group’s production and sales scale.Output rankings answer only “how much was produced,” not “how much value was retained per tonne.” In 2025, the company reported operating revenue of RMB 8.884 billion, up 16.05% year on year; net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company was RMB 245 million, down 32.36%; gross margin for the principal business was 7.86%, down 1.90 percentage points; and net operating cash flow was negative RMB 57 million. The divergence between expanding revenue and output, on the one hand, and profit and cash flow, on the other, indicates that the commissioning of new bases, period expenses, and product-price competition were still being absorbed.Scale expansion is not an answer in itself. Once the number of paper machines and total tonnage are established, management must determine whether product mix, capacity utilization, gross profit per tonne, inventory, and cash collection improve together. Wuzhou Special Paper’s H1 2026 results provide the next window for assessment.Sources: China Paper Association’s output ranking for key enterprises; Wuzhou Special Paper’s 2025 annual report02 PRODUCT PLATFORMThe Product Matrix Determines Resilience Across the CycleIn its interim report, Wuzhou Special Paper divides its machine-made paper business into five series—food packaging, daily consumer, publishing and printing, industrial-support, and industrial packaging papers—supported by chemi-mechanical pulp. Food packaging papers include base paper for paper cups, noodle bowls, food containers, and other vessels. Glassine, silicone-coated release paper, greaseproof paper, digital transfer paper, and tracing paper serve labeling, food service and baking, printing, and consumer applications. Industrial-support papers serve functional applications such as stainless-steel interleaving paper, CTP plate interleaving paper, electronic-glass separator paper, and electrolytic-capacitor paper. Industrial packaging papers include kraft linerboard, corrugating medium, and paper core board.A broad product range does not automatically create an advantage. The advantage arises because demand, raw materials, and cycles do not move in perfect synchronization across paper grades. Food packaging paper is the company’s specialist foundation; industrial packaging paper absorbs the Hubei base’s incremental scale; and daily consumer and industrial-support papers provide more specialized customer interfaces. The more complete the product spectrum, the greater the opportunity to reuse capabilities internally across production scheduling, R&D trials, and customer collaboration.As of the disclosure date of the 2026 interim report, the company listed designed capacity in operation of 780,000 tonnes for food packaging materials, 652,000 tonnes for daily consumer materials, 350,000 tonnes for publishing and printing materials, 51,000 tonnes for industrial-support materials, 1.05 million tonnes for industrial packaging materials, and 300,000 tonnes for chemi-mechanical pulp, for total designed capacity of 2.883 million tonnes. Designed capacity is an equipment-and-project measure; it is not the same as current-period output and does not mean that every unit of capacity operates at the same level of profitability.In H1 2026, sales by series were 231,200 tonnes of food packaging paper, 233,000 tonnes of daily consumer paper, 125,400 tonnes of publishing and printing paper, 9,800 tonnes of industrial-support paper, and 616,100 tonnes of industrial packaging paper. Industrial packaging has become a major destination for incremental volume, while food packaging paper remains the company’s long-established specialist interface. The next step is to convert R&D and customer orders for value-added food paper, release paper, and industrial-support paper into more stable unit value.Sources: Wuzhou Special Paper’s 2026 interim report; Wuzhou Special Paper Product Center03 MANUFACTURING PLATFORMThree River-Linked Bases Connect Paper Machines, Energy, and Delivery into One Manufacturing PlatformWuzhou Special Paper’s three principal bases are located in Quzhou, Zhejiang; Hukou, Jiangxi; and Hanchuan, Hubei. The interim report summarizes their roles as follows: the Zhejiang base benefits from the local specialty-paper cluster, while the Jiangxi and Hubei bases are positioned along the main Yangtze River corridor, facilitating waterborne transport of raw materials and finished goods and complementing energy infrastructure and regional customer coverage. For a capital-intensive paper producer, the value of this layout is not simply “more factories on the map,” but the integration of raw-material procurement, pulp and paper production, energy consumption, and delivery radius into a single cost model.In H1 2026, the company reported 21 completed paper production lines with total designed capacity of 2.883 million tonnes; all five lines at the Hubei base had reached designed output. During the reporting period, machine-made paper output was 1.2042 million tonnes and sales were 1.2155 million tonnes, increasing 17.63% and 23.13% year on year, respectively. This indicates that released capacity has translated into sales, although peak-season utilization, inventory turnover, and contribution per tonne still require continued monitoring.The raw-material side is also being strengthened. The Jiangxi base already has 300,000 tonnes of chemi-mechanical pulp capacity, providing internal supply for food packaging and printing and writing papers. Civil construction and partial equipment installation for the 600,000-tonne-per-year chemical pulp project began in H1 2026, alongside construction of the Jiujiang logistics terminal. The company disclosed that PM19 printing and writing paper and PM25 industrial packaging paper had been commissioned, while PM22 industrial packaging paper, the 600,000-tonne chemical pulp project, and the logistics terminal are expected to be completed and commissioned in H1 2027. These projects are not yet fully operational; their value must be validated by actual data on raw-material self-sufficiency, transport efficiency, product cost, and cash returns.Advancing from “paper-machine commissioning” to coordination across pulp and paper, energy, and logistics is central to Wuzhou Special Paper’s next stage of competitiveness. Paper machines provide output; pulp-and-paper integration provides cost flexibility; and river-linked logistics improve the delivery radius. The platform advantage reaches operating results only when all three are reflected in the same orders and cash flows.Sources: Wuzhou Special Paper’s 2026 interim report04 STANDARDS & INNOVATIONFrom Product Innovation to Industry Standards: Expertise Is Becoming a Shared Technical LanguageCompetition in food packaging paper cannot be assessed only by brightness, basis weight, or price. Delivery performance also includes water and grease resistance, heat sealability, printability, forming stability, and the interaction among base paper, coatings, inks, adhesives, and finished containers. Wuzhou Special Paper disclosed in its annual report that the national standard Coated Paper and Board for Food Packaging and the industry standard Food Packaging Paper, both of which it helped draft, were formally issued in 2025. The national standards platform also lists Wuzhou Special Paper Group Co., Ltd. as one of the drafting organizations for GB/T 36392—2025.The value of participating in standards development is not an automatic “all products comply” label. It is the ability to place production metrics, testing practices, and application experience into a technical framework shared across the industry. GB/T 36392—2025 was issued on June 30, 2025 and took effect on January 1, 2026; QB/T 1014—2025 was issued on July 2, 2025 and took effect on February 1, 2026. The standards establish a common language for quality, but each product must still be assessed individually according to its intended use, structure, coating, and test results.R&D investment is also expanding with the production footprint. In 2025, the company invested RMB 93.5326 million in R&D, equivalent to 1.05% of operating revenue, and increased its R&D workforce from 286 to 545 people. In H1 2026, R&D expenses reached RMB 89.0853 million, up 92.87% year on year. These figures indicate that the company is adding engineering resources for new production lines and paper grades. The next test is whether this investment translates into sales of value-added grades, repeat customer orders, and higher gross profit per tonne.Sources: Wuzhou Special Paper’s 2025 annual report; National Public Service Platform for Standards Information, GB/T 36392—2025 and QB/T 1014—202505 OPERATING PERFORMANCEIn H1 2026, Volume, Price, Profit, and Cash Flow Began Moving in the Same DirectionThe financial statements first reflected the costs of expansion in 2025. By H1 2026, operating signals had become more complete: operating revenue was RMB 4.895 billion, up 18.76% year on year; net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company was RMB 230 million, up 88.95%; net profit excluding non-recurring gains and losses was RMB 226 million, up 96.87%; and net operating cash flow was RMB 106 million, compared with negative RMB 74 million in the prior-year period.The company attributed the improvement to the full commissioning of industrial packaging paper lines at the Hubei base, year-on-year profitability gains across nearly all paper grades, and continued refinement of cost controls. Sales and revenue also moved in the same direction: machine-made paper output was 1.2042 million tonnes and sales were 1.2155 million tonnes. The simultaneous growth in revenue and sales provides evidence of a phased operating recovery.Viewed by raw-material system, two distinct operating paths emerge. In H1 2026, revenue from wood-pulp-based products was RMB 3.266 billion, up 7.79% year on year, while revenue from recovered-paper-based products was RMB 1.613 billion, up 49.48%. The average selling price of wood-pulp-based products was RMB 5,449 per tonne, down 3.60%, whereas the average selling price of recovered-paper-based products was RMB 2,618 per tonne, up 9.46%. The company uses chemi-mechanical pulp and long-term procurement agreements to buffer wood-pulp volatility, while the release of industrial packaging paper capacity captures recovered-paper-based demand. Running both raw-material routes in parallel contributes to the platform’s operating flexibility.These results are encouraging, but the time horizon must remain explicit: H1 is a phased observation window, not proof that the full year or the entire cycle has reversed. The next questions are whether peak-season orders in H2 hold, whether low-margin grades are reduced, whether value-added products gain share, and whether positive cash flow can be sustained.Sources: Wuzhou Special Paper’s 2026 interim report06 OPERATING BOUNDARIESCapital, Capacity, and Customers Determine How Far the Platform Can GoCapital efficiency must pass the first test. At the end of June 2026, the company had total assets of RMB 14.416 billion, an asset-liability ratio of 73.33%, and a current ratio of 0.54. Net cash flow from investing activities in H1 was negative RMB 1.359 billion, while construction in progress stood at RMB 2.547 billion. Capital-intensive expansion creates room for a stronger product mix and pulp-and-paper coordination, but it also places funding costs, project schedules, and cash recovery squarely before management.Capacity absorption is equally important. The interim report notes that food packaging paper, glassine paper, and industrial packaging paper continue to face industry competition; if demand underperforms, incremental capacity may remain idle or intensify price competition. Total designed capacity of 2.883 million tonnes is a capability boundary, not realized sales or profit. Capacity utilization, inventory, gross profit per unit, and operating cash flow must be evaluated together.Customer mix and product mix determine order quality. The company disclosed customers across food service, labeling, and industrial-support applications, including Master Kong, Uni-President, and Avery Dennison. A customer list demonstrates a basis for cooperation but does not, by itself, prove current order volumes or sustained repeat purchases across all SKUs. The indicators that require tracking are the share of long-term orders, customer repurchase, export mix, and the contribution of premium grades to revenue and profit.Wuzhou Special Paper’s next stage of “strength” therefore is not about adding more paper machines. It is about proving that multi-base expansion has entered a phase of quality realization through higher-value paper grades, more stable customer orders, stronger cash collection, and lower unit costs.Sources: Wuzhou Special Paper’s 2026 interim reportBIOTEN OBSERVER · PAPER TALK · THE NUMBERS REVEAL THE ESSENCEWuzhou Special Paper has built a three-layer capability structure. The first layer is a product platform that began with food packaging paper and has expanded into five paper-grade series. The second is a manufacturing platform comprising the Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Hubei bases together with chemi-mechanical pulp, energy infrastructure, and river-linked logistics. The third is the phased operating validation reflected in the simultaneous improvement of production and sales, profit, and operating cash flow in H1 2026.What is already materializing is the release of industrial packaging paper capacity in Hubei and the parallel operation of wood-pulp-based and recovered-paper-based product lines. What remains to be proven is the cost return after the 600,000-tonne chemical pulp project and logistics terminal enter operation, a higher share of value-added paper grades, and the platform’s ability to withstand the next round of price volatility.For participants across China’s paper value chain, the lesson from Wuzhou Special Paper extends beyond a single company. Specialty-paper competition is moving from one paper grade, one paper machine, and one transaction toward application-specific products, pulp-and-paper coordination, shared standards language, and verifiable cash flow. Only when every technology, production line, and customer need is integrated into the same delivery chain can scale mature into sustainable industrial capability.NEXT ISSUENext: Shandong Century Sunshine Paper Group Co., Ltd.Ranked No. 16 among China’s top 20 paper companies. The next article will examine how the company converts a scale-based manufacturing platform into quality growth through a product mix spanning printing and writing paper and specialty paper, supported by pulp-and-paper integration.Sources: China Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper IndustryBIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NoteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging using public information from the China Paper Association, the Shanghai Stock Exchange and CNINFO, and the National Public Service Platform for Standards Information. It is provided solely for research and learning on the paper, specialty-paper, packaging, and materials value chains and does not constitute investment, procurement, compliance, or operating advice. If any data, source, or wording requires correction or supplementation, please contact BIOTEN Packaging to request revision, clarification, or removal; we will verify and process the request within 24 hours.Data and Verification Sources for BIOTEN Observer01 | China Paper Association | 2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper Industry02 | Wuzhou Special Paper | 2025 Annual Report03 | Wuzhou Special Paper | 2026 Interim Report04 | State Administration for Market Regulation | GB/T 36392—2025, Coated Paper and Board for Food Packaging05 | State Administration for Market Regulation | QB/T 1014—2025, Food Packaging Paper06 | Wuzhou Special Paper | Public Materials from the Product CenterRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-23T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-23T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-23-wuzhou-special-paper-food-packaging-platform/cms-image-4c190dc6b580a5ee.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-23-beijing-green-takeaway-packaging-guide.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-23-beijing-green-takeaway-packaging-guide.html",
            "title": "Beijing Releases Green Takeaway Packaging Guide: Effective September 1, It Defines How Merchants Should Choose Packaging",
            "summary": "The necessity of every packaging layer must be assessed at the merchant’s packing station. How should merchants choose?",
            "content_text": "PAPER TALK · THE NUMBERS REVEAL THE ESSENCE: The need for every layer of packaging should be assessed at the merchant’s packing station.Beijing’s New Takeaway Packaging Guide Takes Effect September 1 How Should Merchants Choose?Starting with each menu item, what should merchants do? A five-step checklist: classify, select, verify safety, check end-of-life pathways, and standardize the SOP.DB11/T 2510—2026, Guidelines for the Use of Green Packaging by Food-Delivery Merchants, was proposed, administered, and organized for implementation by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform. Participating organizations included the China Export Commodities Packaging Research Institute, China Packaging Federation, China National Pulp and Paper Research Institute Co., Ltd., and YUTO Packaging. This article was researched and compiled jointly by BIOTEN Packaging and DBC’s Packaging Materials Division.RESEARCH QUESTIONHow Should a Takeaway Order Be Packaged?The real issue is not whether the Guide will drive a particular material out of takeaway packaging. It is whether it can turn “green packaging” into an actionable decision framework at the merchant’s packing station: what packaging each menu item needs, how many layers it requires, whether it needs to be sealed, and which viable end-of-life pathway it should enter after use.Analytical framework: Food classification → packaging selection → safe fulfilment → reduction and end-of-life checks → store SOPs → supply-chain evidence.DB11/T 2510—2026 is not a materials blacklist. It is a set of decision rules for merchants that begins with safety and functionality, then minimizes material use, and finally connects the packaging to recycling, biodegradation, or reuse.01 RECOMMENDATION / BOUNDARYIt Regulates Selection Logic, Not a Materials BlacklistLocal standards are recommended standards. The Standardization Law of the People’s Republic of China states that industry standards and local standards are recommended, while mandatory standards must be implemented and the adoption of recommended standards is encouraged. Accordingly, the Guide does not introduce a blanket ban on all takeaway packaging in Beijing from September 1, nor does it prohibit paper, plastic, aluminum foil, or biodegradable materials as a category.Four Questions for the Packing StationIs It Necessary? Does this film layer genuinely improve safety or delivery reliability?Can It Be Reduced? Can it be made thinner or narrower, or can the lid or locking tabs provide the seal instead?Can It Be Separated? Can the components be separated after use and enter a viable recycling, biodegradation, or reuse pathway?Sources: Standardization Law; interpretation of the Beijing Guide02 FOOD SCENARIOLiquid Content and Temperature Begin to Determine Packaging FormatOfficial interpretations divide takeaway packaging into “simple packaging” and “sealed packaging.” A public interpretation reposted on the Beijing municipal government portal provides a more specific threshold: foods with no liquid, or fully enclosed foods whose liquid level does not exceed one-quarter of the container height, may use simple packaging; when the liquid level exceeds one-quarter, sealed packaging should be assessed. This one-quarter threshold is a classification criterion stated in the public interpretation and should not be treated as a standalone statutory provision.For ambient, chilled, and frozen products, plastic stretch film should not be used unless necessary. Where genuinely required for hot foods, a small amount of narrow sealing film may be used. For beverages, sealing paper that can be physically separated from the cup body is recommended.Steamed buns and flatbreads may use bag packaging; hamburgers, sandwiches, and hot dogs should use fewer packaging layers; paper food boxes are recommended for pizza and cakes; stir-fried dishes and rice meals may use lidded containers without an additional sealing structure; barbecue foods may use aluminum foil with a sealing bag; and dumplings and sushi may use divided compartments to reduce crushing and flavor transfer.Sources: Official interpretation by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation; public interpretation on the Beijing government portal03 FOUR PRINCIPLESThe Four Principles Form a Sequence, Not Four Parallel Slogans01 | Safety First satisfy food hygiene, temperature resistance, leak prevention, and hygienic delivery requirements.02 | Reduction Match packaging size to the food and reduce layers, film, empty space, and redundant outer bags.03 | End-of-Life “Readily recyclable” and “biodegradable” are distinct pathways and must not be conflated through material labels.04 | Reuse The public interpretation focuses primarily on the secondary use of outer packaging that does not come into direct contact with food.Sources: Official interpretation by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation04 MERCHANT ACTIONSWhat Should Merchants Do? A Five-Step ChecklistThe Guide ultimately has to work at the packing station. Merchants do not need to begin by mastering every material term; they can start with each menu item and build their own packaging-selection rules in five steps.01 / Classify the MenuRecord serving temperature, liquid level, fat content, delivery time, and leakage risk. Foods with no liquid, or with a liquid level no higher than one-quarter of the container, may first be assessed for simple packaging; above one-quarter, sealed packaging should be the focus of the assessment.02 / Select the Packaging FormatFor ambient, chilled, and frozen products, avoid plastic stretch film unless necessary. Where hot foods genuinely require it, use only a small amount of narrow sealing film. For beverages, prioritize sealing paper that can be separated from the cup body.03 / Complete the Safety Check FirstVerify food-contact and hygiene requirements, applicable temperatures, lid sealing, tamper evidence, leakage risks, and contamination risks during delivery. Material reduction must never compromise safe fulfilment.04 / Check Reduction and End-of-Life PathwaysMatch packaging size to the food, reduce layers and redundant outer bags, and prioritize mono-material or readily separable structures. When biodegradable materials are used, verify the applicable material standards, collection method, and treatment conditions at the same time.05 / Standardize the Store SOPBIOTEN recommends fixing the packaging model, assembly method, sealing-film conditions, and exception handling for each SKU; conducting real delivery tests before training staff; and continuously tracking packaging consumption, leakage complaints, rework rates, and procurement costs.Three Don’ts: Do not mechanically replace all plastic with paper; do not remove seals where safety conditions are inadequate; and do not claim that “biodegradable” packaging has already delivered environmental benefits without applicable standards and viable end-of-life conditions.Sources: Official interpretation by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation; public interpretation on the Beijing government portal05 CORE HIGHLIGHTSCore Highlight: Turning Green Principles into Actions at the Packing Station01 / RESPONSIBILITYMove Responsibility Upstream Shift the focus from material names and test reports to the food, temperature, and delivery risks at the merchant’s packing station.02 / SCENARIOScenario-Based Decisions Liquid content, temperature, fat content, and leakage risk jointly determine the packaging structure; materials no longer compete in isolation.03 / ORDERA Clear Sequence Safety is the baseline; reduction is the first action; recycling or biodegradation is the end-of-life pathway; and reuse extends value.04 / PROCUREMENTActionable Procurement Stores can build a food-to-packaging matrix, while suppliers document safety, functionality, material usage, separability, and end-of-life conditions as evidence.Sources: Official interpretation by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation; public interpretation on the Beijing government portal06 STANDARD CHAINBeijing Is Building a Three-Tier Standards Framework for Green Takeaway01 / MANAGEMENTGB/T 43285—2023 Addresses how green takeaway operations should be managed, covering enterprises, platforms, packaging, waste, and information disclosure.02 / EVALUATIONDB11/T 2246—2024 Defines which takeaway packaging can be assessed as green.03 / MERCHANT USEDB11/T 2510—2026 Guides merchants on choosing and using packaging for different foods.Sources: GB/T 43285—2023; DB11/T 2246—2024; announcement of DB11/T 2510—202607 ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT CODEThe Ecological Environment Code Connects the Higher-Level Legal FrameworkThe Ecological Environment Code took effect on August 15, 2026. It does not convert every food-packaging action in the Beijing Guide into a uniform national rule, but it provides a clearer higher-level legal direction for green takeaway.Article 953 / CIRCULAR ECONOMYThe circular economy is founded on reduction, reuse, and resource recovery, providing higher-level legal logic for “using one less layer, enabling reuse, and determining what happens after use.”Articles 973 and 974 / PACKAGINGEncourage green and reduced packaging and prevent excessive packaging. The takeaway industry should reduce packaging, prioritize reusable and readily recyclable packaging, and actively promote recovery and recycling.Article 1000 / GREEN SUPPLY CHAINEnterprises should implement green procurement, establish green supply chains, and drive coordinated green transformation upstream and downstream.Article 1001 / FOOD SERVICEFood-service enterprises should adopt material-saving and other technologies, equipment, and facilities that help protect the ecological environment, and reduce consumer goods that waste resources or cause pollution.Sources: Ecological Environment Code08 OPPORTUNITIES / CHALLENGESOpportunities and Challenges for the Packaging IndustryOpportunity 1 | Shift from Selling Individual Packages to Delivering SKU Solutions. Food-service merchants need a food-to-packaging matrix: which structures correspond to temperature, liquid ratio, fat content, delivery distance, sealing risk, and eating method; which SKUs can eliminate one film layer; and which must retain a leak-prevention solution. Suppliers that can jointly deliver packaging, sealing, compartments, and store SOPs are closer to real procurement decisions.Opportunity 2 | Turn the Standard into an Operating Interface for Brands and Platforms. Restaurant chains and delivery platforms can translate the Guide into procurement catalogs, store training, green-store assessments, and platform prompts. The recommended standard is not itself a blanket mandatory ban, but once cited in procurement contracts, platform rules, or brand-control standards, it may become a practical condition for supply-chain access.Challenge 1 | Environmental Claims Cannot Override Functional Boundaries. High temperatures, high fat content, high liquid content, and long-distance delivery simultaneously increase the need for barrier performance, heat resistance, sealing, and transport reliability. Suppliers must demonstrate food-contact safety, resistance to oil, water, and heat, as well as sealing and leak prevention; labels such as “paper-based,” “plastic-free,” or “biodegradable” are not sufficient evidence on their own.Challenge 2 | End-of-Life Pathways and Cost Must Both Be Viable. Readily recyclable packaging depends on identification, sorting, separation, and functioning recycling systems; biodegradability depends on material standards and compatible treatment conditions. The number of packaging layers, material use per meal, structural separability, viable paper-fiber recycling or biodegradation pathways, and merchant-acceptable cost must all be documented in the same evidence framework.Opportunity 3 | Clear Openings Exist for Paper-Based Barriers, Separable Structures, and Sealing Materials. Paper-based packaging will gain clearer application opportunities, but “paper-based” does not automatically mean green. A sustainable product opportunity exists only when a specific SKU achieves the necessary functions with less material and demonstrates safety, performance, end-of-life pathways, and cost together.The packaging industry therefore does not face a simple choice between “paper replacing plastic” and “plastic replacing paper.” The real question is whether materials, structures, store procedures, and end-of-life pathways can be integrated into a deliverable solution.Sources: Official interpretations of DB11/T 2246—2024 and DB11/T 2510—2026PAPER TALK · THE NUMBERS REVEAL THE ESSENCEThe core of this standard is not to order merchants to choose a particular material. It is to require every SKU to demonstrate why each packaging layer is necessary and where it will go after use.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NoteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging using materials from the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, the Beijing municipal government portal, the National Public Service Platform for Standards Information, the Standardization Law of the People’s Republic of China, and other publicly available standards. Information was verified as of August 22, 2026. The article is provided solely for research and learning on green packaging and related value chains; it does not constitute compliance, procurement, engineering, investment, operating, or other decision-making advice. If you have concerns regarding the content, data, or rights, please leave a message requesting correction, clarification, or removal. We will review the request within 24 hours of receipt.Data and Verification Sources for BIOTEN Observer1. Announcement on Beijing Local Standards2. Official interpretation by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation3. Standardization Law of the People’s Republic of China4. GB/T 43285—2023; DB11/T 2246—20245. Public interpretation on the Beijing government portal; public text of DB11/T 22466. Full text of the Ecological Environment Code; implementation information from the National People’s Congress of ChinaRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-23T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-23T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-23-beijing-green-takeaway-packaging-guide/cms-image-91d69e75668ddb4d.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-23-china-recycled-pulp-import-rules.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-23-china-recycled-pulp-import-rules.html",
            "title": "After China Banned Waste-Paper Imports, Why Does Recycled Pulp Need New Rules?",
            "summary": "After the ban on solid-waste imports, imported recovered fibre must first prove that it has genuinely become pulp.",
            "content_text": "PAPER INDUSTRY ANALYSIS, GROUNDED IN DATA: After the ban on solid-waste imports, imported recovered fibre must first prove that it has genuinely become pulp.After China Banned Waste-Paper Imports, Why Does Recycled Pulp Need New Rules?GB/T 43393—2026, Recycled Pulp, will take effect on 1 October 2026. In the post-ban market, competitiveness is no longer about renaming recovered fibre; it is about whether the raw material, processing, product identity and batch evidence can withstand verification across one consistent chain.2025 · RECOVERED-FIBRE SNAPSHOT12,891 × 10,000 tonnes of total pulp consumption · 6,948 × 10,000 tonnes of recycled-pulp consumption · 372 × 10,000 tonnes of imported recycled pulpSources: China Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report on China's Paper Industry; unit: 10,000 tonnes; recycled pulp accounted for 54% of total pulp consumption.01 · THE OLD ROUTEThe Import Ban Closed the Old Route, but Fibre Demand Did Not DisappearAnnouncement No. 53 of 2020 makes clear that, from 1 January 2021, China prohibits the import of solid waste in any form. Recovered paper can no longer enter China under the identity of solid waste; the word “recycled” does not relax that boundary.Recovered fibre remains an important feedstock for China's paper industry. In 2025, recycled-pulp consumption reached 6,948 × 10,000 tonnes (69.48 million tonnes), or 54% of total pulp consumption; imported recycled pulp accounted for 372 × 10,000 tonnes (3.72 million tonnes). China's domestic collection and recycling system determines the overall supply base, while imported recycled pulp remains a smaller but still industrially meaningful supplementary channel.The change is not simply a matter of moving one processing step offshore. If a shipment is to enter China as recycled pulp, the overseas producer must first perform sufficient processing—and assume sufficient quality responsibility—to support that product identity.Sources: Announcement on Matters Concerning the Comprehensive Ban on the Import of Solid Waste, issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and other authorities; annual statistics from the China Paper Association.CORE FINDINGThe new national standard raises the threshold not for using the name “recycled pulp,” but for proving that the material has undergone genuine resource-recovery processing.02 · DECLARATION AND INSPECTIONProcessing Alone Does Not Make It Recycled PulpThe six-agency Announcement No. 200 of 2025 specifies that overseas feedstock used to produce recycled pulp for import must consist of separately collected recovered paper, paperboard and paper products, and that the imported product must comply with GB/T 43393. Recovered-paper fragments that have undergone only simple sorting, cutting or baling remain solid waste prohibited from import.GACC Announcement No. 195 of 2025 requires importers declaring recycled pulp to state “dry process” or “wet process” in the remarks field of the customs declaration, according to the actual production process. This is a declaration and regulatory-identification requirement; it does not make either process inherently compliant or non-compliant.Announcement No. 200 also authorises Customs to conduct solid-waste identification on imported recycled pulp suspected of being solid waste. Material identified as solid waste must be returned in accordance with the law. Where metal, plastic, glass or other impurities exceed the announcement's 0.50% limit, official interpretations state that the shipment may be returned or destroyed.Sources: GACC and other agencies, Announcement No. 200 of 2025; GACC Announcement No. 195 of 2025; official government interpretations.KEY DISTINCTIONGB/T 43393—2026 is a voluntary product standard. It does not, on its own, determine whether a shipment will clear customs; product standards, customs inspection and solid-waste identification address different questions.03 · PRODUCT IDENTITYThe New Standard Provides a Technical Foundation for the Product, Not a Standalone Customs-Clearance LicenceGB/T 43393—2023 was issued and implemented on 27 November 2023. The national standards platform shows that the 2026 edition was issued on 31 March 2026, will take effect on 1 October, and will replace the 2023 edition in full. The revision project was assigned on 31 October 2025 with a six-month project cycle.The published scope of the revision covers terms and definitions, product classification, requirements, inspection rules, marking, packaging, transport, storage, quality documentation and test methods, while excluding recovered-paper fragments obtained only through simple cutting and baling. The central question is not whether the material “looks like pulp,” but whether it can be defined, tested, delivered and held accountable as a product.SN/T 5939—2025, Rules for Inspection of Imported Recycled Pulp, is already in force. The product standard supplies the technical benchmark; Customs' sensory checks, key-indicator testing and any necessary solid-waste identification for a specific batch form part of import supervision.Sources: National standards platform: GB/T 43393—2026; Recycled Pulp revision project; SN/T 5939—2025.04 · FOUR EVIDENTIARY GATESWhat Really Matters Is Passing Four Evidentiary GatesRaw-material gate | Where did the feedstock come from, and can its separately collected and recovered status be demonstrated?Processing gate | Do the declared process, batch records, warehousing records and shipping documents correspond?Product gate | Are key indicators and non-fibrous impurities controlled, and can the material withstand batch inspection?Accountability gate | Do the source, processing, testing, quality documents and customs-declaration information align? When a dispute arises, the party able to reconstruct this chain is the party with genuine control over the supply chain.Statistical note: All three figures are from the China Paper Association's 2025 annual statistics. The 3.72 million tonnes account for about 5.4% of recycled-pulp consumption—not 5.4% of China's total recovered-fibre supply.05 · SUPPLY-CHAIN VALUE3.72 Million Tonnes Is Not the Main Volume Driver, but It Can Still Shape a Supply ChainThe 3.72 million tonnes represented approximately 5.4% of recycled-pulp consumption in 2025. It is not the mainstay of China's recovered-fibre supply; the domestic collection and recycling system still determines the overall supply base.Procurement competition, however, is not determined by national totals alone. For a specific paper grade, region and furnish design, a stable and verifiable overseas source can influence sourcing options, raw-material volatility, mill furnish strategy and supply security. It cannot replace the domestic recovery system, but it can be an important variable at the margin.The National Development and Reform Commission and other authorities have called for stronger supervision of imported recycled pulp, while encouraging Chinese recycling enterprises to expand overseas and build an integrated domestic-and-international resource-circulation system. This is not a “reopening” of recovered-paper imports; it places cross-border secondary resources within two boundaries: zero solid-waste imports and verifiable resource use.Sources: National Development and Reform Commission and other authorities, Action Plan for Promoting the Application of Recycled Materials; annual statistics from the China Paper Association.Four Checks for Procurement and Pulping Teams1. Audit the raw material. Can the supplier document the separately collected feedstock source and exclude unsuitable materials?2. Audit the process. Does the dry- or wet-process declaration match actual production, warehousing, shipment and batch records?3. Audit the product. Do key tests, impurity controls and quality documents form a closed evidentiary loop that can withstand exception tracing?4. Audit the paper-machine application. What, exactly, does the fibre improve: furnish design, finished-paper performance, broke rate, fibre cost, or inventory and working-capital requirements? The first three checks correspond to regulatory concerns; the last is the mill's own operating decision.Keep the two ledgers separate. The import-compliance ledger answers “Can it enter China?”; the paper-machine application ledger answers “Is it worth importing, and what will it contribute?” Passing customs inspection does not automatically mean that the pulp is suitable for a particular grade's furnish. Mills must still assess runnability, paper performance and cost per tonne.PAPER INDUSTRY ANALYSIS, GROUNDED IN DATAThe import ban defines what may not enter; standards and regulation must define what qualifies to enter as an industrial resource.The Next Contest Will Not Be Fought on the Paper Machine AloneGB/T 43393—2026 is not a licence that allows recovered paper to cross borders under a different name, nor should it be understood as a “closed-door order” against compliant recycled pulp. Together with customs declarations, inspection and solid-waste identification, it raises the evidentiary standard for product identity.The companies that can connect source, processing, product and evidence into a stable supply chain will be better positioned to convert recovered fibre into lasting cost, delivery and circular-value advantages.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research NoteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging using the national standards platform, customs-regulatory announcements and official interpretations, policy documents from the National Development and Reform Commission, and annual statistics from the China Paper Association. It is intended solely for research and learning across the paper and packaging value chain and does not constitute a basis for customs clearance, compliance, procurement, investment or transactions. If you have concerns regarding the content, data or rights, please leave a message requesting correction, clarification or removal; we will review the matter within 24 hours of receipt.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources01 | Ministry of Ecology and Environment and other authorities | Announcement on Matters Concerning the Comprehensive Ban on the Import of Solid Waste02 | National standards platform | GB/T 43393—2026, Recycled Pulp03 | National standards platform | Recycled Pulp revision project04 | General Administration of Customs of China | Announcement No. 195 of 2025 (declaration requirements for imported recycled pulp)05 | General Administration of Customs of China and other agencies | Announcement No. 200 of 2025 (supervision of imported recycled pulp)06 | National standards platform | SN/T 5939—2025, Rules for Inspection of Imported Recycled Pulp07 | National Development and Reform Commission and other authorities | Action Plan for Promoting the Application of Recycled Materials08 | China Paper Association | 2025 Annual Report on China's Paper Industry09 | National standards platform | GB/T 43393—2023, Recycled PulpOriginal source unavailable",
            "date_published": "2026-08-23T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-23T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-23-china-recycled-pulp-import-rules/cms-image-4eef328ce48d367a.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-22-paper-mill-energy-systems.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-22-paper-mill-energy-systems.html",
            "title": "Why Paper Mills Increasingly Resemble Energy Plants",
            "summary": "The paper machine sets the production ceiling; the thermal system protects the profit floor. Steam, power and industrial heat pumps are reshaping energy cost per saleable tonne.",
            "content_text": "PAPER INDUSTRY ANALYSIS, GROUNDED IN DATA: The paper machine sets the production ceiling; the thermal system protects the profit floor.Why Paper Mills Increasingly ResembleEnergy PlantsSteam, power and industrial heat pumps are reshaping cost per tonne of paperA heat-pump retrofit must account simultaneously for the heat source, temperature lift, steam parameters, annual COP, energy use per saleable tonne and cash payback.ENERGY COORDINATESApproximately 70% EHPA/Cepi technical estimate of drying’s share of energy use in the European paper industry8 tonnes per hour Planned new steam capacity at UPM Augsburg15 million kWh per year Electricity savings reported by Hydro-Québec for the Domtar projectScope: Association estimates, targets for projects under construction and results from operating cases are not directly comparable or additive.RESEARCH QUESTIONHow Much Heat Cannot Be Recovered per Saleable Tonne of Paper?Paper mills often treat boilers, steam, condensate and exhaust air as utilities, yet the thermal system simultaneously affects machine speed, quality, web breaks and cost. A project should be judged by whether waste heat can be lifted reliably to the temperature required by the paper machine and converted into a lower cost per saleable tonne.Analytical sequence: Wet-web dewatering → waste-heat identification → temperature lift → steam displacement → energy use per tonne → cash payback.Whether a heat pump belongs in the operating model comes down to three outcomes: more stable production, lower unit energy cost and improved free cash flow.01 DRYING / HEAT BALANCEThe Dryer Section Drives Both Output and CostA joint technical paper from EHPA and Cepi estimates that drying accounts for approximately 70% of energy use in the European paper industry, and that around 70% of steam used by the sector is below 5 bar. These are regional technical estimates and cannot be applied directly to every Chinese paper grade, but they show why low-pressure steam, exhaust air and condensate merit systematic study.Dryness after pressing, hood air leakage, exhaust-air dew point, condensate recovery and white-water temperature all affect steam load and paper-machine operation. A project should begin with a heat balance, then determine where direct heat exchange is sufficient and where temperature lift is required.Research sources: EHPA/Cepi technical paper on heat pumps in the paper industry02 COP / TEMPERATURE LIFTCOP Is Not the Percentage Reduction in CostCOP is the ratio of useful heat output to electricity input. A COP of 3 does not mean that cost per tonne falls by 67%; electricity prices, boiler efficiency, auxiliary equipment, steam losses, maintenance and capital expenditure have not yet entered the calculation.SYSTEM COPHigher source temperature, lower target temperature and a smaller temperature lift generally make higher efficiency easier to achieve. Procurement decisions should be based on annual performance maps, load ranges and usable operating hours—not a single design point.Cepi recommends using heat pumps for stable baseload, with boilers, electric boilers or thermal storage handling start-up and fluctuations. The IEA’s 2026 monitor further distinguishes maturity by temperature: systems below 120°C are already in commercial operation; those below 160°C are beginning commercial deployment; and higher-temperature applications remain largely at the demonstration or prototype stage.Research sources: Cepi technical note; IEA Heat Pump Monitor 202603 MILL CASESSimilar Heat Pumps, Different Project PathwaysUPM AUGSBURG / PROJECT UNDER CONSTRUCTION 40–50°C waste heat → 8 tonnes per hour of new steam → 3.7 bar at 150°C → planned coverage of approximately 16% of PM3’s steam demand. Continuous operation is targeted for the first half of 2027; these results have not yet been realised.DOMTAR CLERMONT / OPERATING CASE Two water-to-water heat pumps return waste heat from the cooling circuit to the hot-water system. Reported results include a 4–5 MW reduction in winter demand, annual electricity savings of 15 million kWh and an approximately 12% reduction in winter freshwater use.Domtar’s reported payback of “less than 15 months” depended on approximately C$3 million of support covering 75% of project costs; it should not be treated as a general payback period for unsubsidised projects.The Ranheim case shows that heat recovery can also improve white-water temperature, product quality and output. The project sequence should be: use low-temperature heat directly first, lift its temperature second, and pursue high-pressure steam only last.Research sources: UPM Augsburg; Hydro-Québec/Domtar; Valmet Ranheim04 ECONOMIC STRESS TESTLower Carbon Does Not Necessarily Mean Lower Near-Term CostA 2024 tissue-mill simulation used a representative COP of approximately 1.9. At the study’s 2019 European energy prices, heat-pump steam cost 55% more than the gas benchmark; only after adding a carbon price of €100 per tonne of CO₂ did it fall approximately 12% below the benchmark.A 2026 packaging-paper study raised system COP to 2.8 in its optimised configuration. Modelled heat-supply cost approached the gas benchmark, with estimated annual energy-cost savings of approximately 18%. This is an optimisation model, not an equipment quotation or audited mill performance.The difference lies in boundary conditions: Temperature lift, cycle design, steam parameters for the paper grade, the electricity-to-steam price spread, carbon costs and operating hours can push the same class of equipment towards entirely different economic outcomes.Research sources: Energies 2024; Energy Conversion and Management: X 202605 CHINA DECISIONCalculate Five Accounts Before Choosing EquipmentGB 31825—2024 took effect on 1 May 2025, replacing the 2015 edition. Industry constraints are tightening, but whether an individual retrofit creates value still depends on five company-specific accounts.01 | Heat-source account Temperature, flow rate, contaminants, stability and available operating hours.02 | Heat-sink account Hot water, dryer cylinders, coating drying and steam at different pressures.03 | Operating account Annual weighted COP, load range, start-up and shutdown.04 | Cost-per-tonne account Steam, electricity and losses measured per saleable tonne.05 | Cash account Equipment, piping, power distribution, downtime, maintenance, subsidies and financing.The value of paper machines, heat exchangers, compressors, heat pumps, automation and papermaking chemicals must ultimately be measured in production stability, steam displacement, unit energy cost and free cash flow.Research sources: Status of GB 31825—2024PAPER INDUSTRY ANALYSIS, GROUNDED IN DATAThe heat pump is not the answer; the heat pathway is. First determine how much heat is required per saleable tonne, how much can be recovered and how much must still be purchased—then discuss equipment and payback.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research NoteThis article was independently researched and compiled by BIOTEN Packaging from material published by the IEA, Cepi, EHPA, China’s national standards platform, formal corporate disclosures, utility case studies and peer-reviewed papers. Information was verified as of 22 August 2026. It is intended solely for research and learning within the paper industry and related value chains, and does not constitute a basis for equipment selection, engineering design, investment, operations or any other decision. If you have concerns regarding content, data or rights, please leave a message requesting correction, clarification or removal; we will review it within 24 hours.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources1. EHPA/Cepi paper-industry heat-pump paper; Cepi 2024 note2. IEA Heat Pump Monitor 20263. UPM Augsburg; Hydro-Québec/Domtar4. Energies 2024; Energy Conversion and Management: X 20265. GB 31825—2024Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-22T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-22T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-22-paper-mill-energy-systems/cms-image-f9a2d5c3cf09e80e.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-22-softwood-pulp-capacity-rationalization.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-22-softwood-pulp-capacity-rationalization.html",
            "title": "380,000 Tonnes of Softwood Pulp Capacity Idled: Are Low Prices Forcing Capacity Rationalisation?",
            "summary": "Pulp prices have not yet turned, but higher-cost capacity has already begun to contract. This analysis examines whether the indefinite idling of 380,000 tonnes per year of NBSK marks an isolated event or an early cost-curve adjustment.",
            "content_text": "Pulp prices have not yet turned, but higher-cost capacity has already begun to contract.China Paper Industry Watch/ INDUSTRIAL PAPER STUDY380,000 Tonnes of Softwood Pulp Capacity IdledAre Persistently Low Pulp Prices ForcingCapacity Rationalisation?The 380,000 tonnes per year of NBSK capacity at Domtar’s Howe Sound site is being idled indefinitely, not permanently closed. Yet with permanent closures, indefinite idling, market-driven downtime and temporary curtailments all occurring at once, higher-cost softwood pulp capacity is beginning to contract first.SUPPLY-SIDE COORDINATES380,000 tonnes Annual NBSK volume removed from the market, as disclosed by DomtarNearly C$500 million Domtar’s cumulative investment since acquiring the site in 2010Europe +8% / China −3% Metsä’s quarter-on-quarter change in average invoiced softwood pulp prices in Q2 2026Scope:The three figures come from separate corporate disclosures by Domtar and Metsä. They should not be read as a measure of global net capacity withdrawal or as delivered prices in China.RESEARCH QUESTIONIs the 380,000-Tonne Idling an Isolated Event or Evidence of Cost-Curve Rationalisation?On 20 August, Domtar announced the indefinite idling of Canada’s Howe Sound pulp mill and Bayview Fibre wood-chip facility, removing approximately 380,000 tonnes per year of NBSK from the market. Around the same time, Europe also saw permanent softwood pulp closures, market-driven downtime and temporary curtailments.This article does not forecast pulp prices. It addresses a more useful question: when suppliers begin to cut output voluntarily, which capacity exits first, which fibre grades are still expanding, and which indicators should paper mills use to assess whether the market is bottoming or turning?Sources:Domtar announcement; Metsä Q2 2026Pulp prices have not yet turned, but higher-cost capacity has already begun to contract.01 SUPPLY STATUSMarket Withdrawal Is Not a Single Action—Different Operating States Must Be DistinguishedIndefinite idling |Domtar’s Howe Sound and Bayview Fibre facilities are currently out of the market, but the company has said it will evaluate future opportunities if market, fibre-supply and operating conditions improve.Permanent closure |Stora Enso plans to close the Skutskär L3 softwood pulp line in the third or fourth quarter of 2026 and shift towards fluff pulp and more specialised products.Market-driven downtime |Metsä Fibre’s Joutseno mill has been idle since 31 March and had not restarted by the second quarter; any restart depends on market conditions.Temporary curtailment |UPM has scheduled approximately six weeks of temporary downtime at Kaukas and is evaluating a temporary shutdown at Pietarsaari in October.Analytical boundary:These four operating states cannot simply be added together as a measure of global net capacity withdrawal, but collectively they point to active supply-side adjustment.02 COST CURVEWhy Does Higher-Cost Capacity Come Under Pressure First?Three variables recur throughout company disclosures:weak demand, low prices and expensive wood fibre.When selling prices fall below sustainable cash costs, continued production can add inventory, logistics expense and working-capital pressure. Downtime sacrifices revenue, but it can reduce cash losses.Domtar cited weaker Asian demand, persistently low global pulp prices and declining access to affordable local fibre. Stora Enso said European demand for softwood pulp has fallen since 2023, while prices have weakened and wood costs have risen, leaving Skutskär L3 loss-making.The capacity that exits first is therefore usually not the entire mill base, but marginal capacity with long wood-supply radii, high fibre costs, limited product differentiation and heavy exposure to market pulp prices. This article describes such assets as “higher-cost capacity”; it does not rank individual producers by unit cost.Sources:Stora Enso Skutskär; Metsä Joutseno03 FIBRE MIXWhy Does a 380,000-Tonne Withdrawal Not Automatically Mean Pulp Prices Have Turned?First, the capacity leaving the market is NBSK, not all market pulp. Suzano’s Cerrado eucalyptus pulp project has nominal capacity of approximately 2.55 million tonnes per year; UPM Paso de los Toros, approximately 2.10 million tonnes per year; and Arauco’s planned Sucuriú project, 3.50 million tonnes per year. Large-scale hardwood pulp capacity therefore remains in operation or under construction.Softwood pulp typically provides strength through its longer fibres, while hardwood pulp contributes more to surface quality and sheet formation. The two can be blended in some grades, but they are not fully interchangeable. Overall fibre availability may therefore continue to restrain a rapid price recovery. The key issue is the grade mismatch between new South American supply and North American capacity withdrawal—not a simple subtraction of tonnage.Second, regional demand is not moving in sync. Metsä reported that average invoiced softwood pulp prices in Europe rose 8% quarter on quarter in Q2 2026, while prices in China fell 3%. UPM reported that, over the same period, average market prices in China rose 4% for NBSK but fell 4% for BHKP. Pulp grades and regional markets are already diverging.Sources:Suzano Cerrado; UPM Paso de los Toros; Arauco Sucuriú; UPM market-price data; pulp-grade characteristics04 REVERSAL TESTA Genuine Price Inflection Requires Four ConditionsDemand |Do operating rates, orders and finished-paper inventories at Chinese and European paper mills improve together?Inventories |Do inventories held by producers, ports and downstream paper mills decline consistently rather than fluctuate for a single month?Persistence |Does indefinite idling become permanent closure or long-term conversion, and do temporary curtailments recur?Pass-through |Can paper mills pass higher pulp costs through via paper prices, product mix and operating rates, rather than merely absorb a higher raw-material bill?05 CHINA DECISIONWhat Should Chinese Paper Mills Recalculate?On the procurement side, safety stocks, contract tenors, foreign-exchange exposure and ocean-freight risk should be managed separately for NBSK, BHKP, unbleached pulp and other fibres. On the technical side, mills should quantify how changes in the softwood-pulp share affect strength, drainage, refining energy, dry-strength and wet-strength additives, retention aids and machine speed. On the commercial side, they should assess pulp prices, paper prices, operating rates, inventories and cash conversion together.For papermaking-chemical suppliers, equipment manufacturers and packaging converters, the opportunity is not simply to help customers “use one tonne less softwood pulp”. A substitution strategy must demonstrate its true operating limits for a specific paper grade through sheet strength, formation, machine stability, lightweighting, converting yield and total cost per tonne.CONCLUSION / PAPER INDUSTRY ANALYSIS, GROUNDED IN DATADomtar’s 380,000 tonnes per year of NBSK capacity is being idled indefinitely rather than permanently closed. Yet when viewed alongside the planned permanent closure at Skutskär, market-driven downtime at Joutseno, and temporary adjustments at Kaukas and Pietarsaari, it forms part of a broader set of supply-side contraction signals.What these developments demonstrate is that higher-cost softwood pulp capacity has begun to contract proactively. What they do not yet demonstrate is that global market pulp prices have completed a reversal.Pulp prices have not yet turned, but higher-cost capacity has already begun to contract.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research NoteThis article is based on formal disclosures and industry-market information from Domtar, Stora Enso, Metsä Group, UPM, Suzano and Arauco. Company announcements support statements about each company’s own downtime, prices, costs and projects. References to the “cost curve”, “capacity rationalisation” and “market bottoming” are the article’s analysis, not company forecasts or investment advice. Indefinite idling, permanent closure, market-driven downtime and temporary curtailment are treated as separate categories. Information verified as of 22 August 2026.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources1. Domtar: indefinite idling of Howe Sound2. Stora Enso: Skutskär L33. Metsä Fibre: Joutseno downtime4. UPM: production adjustments at Finnish pulp mills5. UPM: 2026 Half-Year Report6. Suzano Cerrado; UPM Paso de los Toros; Arauco SucuriúRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-22T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-22T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-22-softwood-pulp-capacity-rationalization/cms-image-d50640c2743409c3.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-22-paper-mills-recycling-responsibility-era.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-22-paper-mills-recycling-responsibility-era.html",
            "title": "Papermaking Enters the “Recycling-Responsibility Era”: Capacity Is No Longer Enough",
            "summary": "How Does Recycling Responsibility Translate into Orders?",
            "content_text": "Capacity determines scale; recycling compatibility and evidence determine how far customer orders can go.China Paper Industry Watch / CHINA PAPER INDUSTRYPapermaking Enters the “Recycling-Responsibility Era”The Next Competition Among Paper MillsIs About More Than CapacityChina’s Ecological and Environmental Code and the PPWR are bringing reduction, reuse, recycling and proof to the front end of procurement. Paper mills are no longer delivering tonnes of paper alone; they are also delivering the ability for customers to manufacture, verify and route packaging into recycling systems.DATA COORDINATES / 2026 OPERATING METRICSIndustry | H1 2026 Machine-made paper and paperboard output +6.0%Industry | H1 2026 Profits of above-designated-size paper and paper products enterprises +27.5%China / EU Code: 15 August / PPWR: 12 AugustSources:National Bureau of Statistics output data; industrial enterprise performance dataRESEARCH QUESTION / THE QUESTIONIf Output and Profits Are Both Rising, Why Must the Competitive Scorecard Be Rewritten?Article 974 of China’s Ecological and Environmental Code requires e-commerce, express-delivery and food-delivery operators to reduce packaging, give priority to reusable and readily recyclable options, and actively support recovery. Paper mills are not the direct regulated parties, but brands will incorporate these requirements into procurement and converting contracts.The PPWR has been generally applicable since 12 August 2026, covering all packaging placed on the EU market and addressing manufacturing, composition, reuse and recycling, and waste management; some specific obligations take effect at later milestones. The two regimes differ, but both require packaging to demonstrate performance, reduction, recycling and supporting evidence. The law does not assign all responsibility to paper mills, yet customer orders will transmit compatibility requirements upstream.Sources:China’s Ecological and Environmental Code; EU PPWR; implementation guidanceThe boundary of legal responsibility has not disappeared; the boundary of commercial capability is extending toward recovery and recycling.Capacity determines scale; verification capability determines the longevity of customer orders.01 FIVE CAPABILITIESPaper Mills Are Beginning to Deliver Recycling Compatibility, Not Just PaperFibre efficiency |Contaminants, ash, moisture, strength and variability must ultimately be measured by how much on-specification paper each tonne of input can produce.Paper-machine stability |Lightweighting is not automatically advanced. Basis-weight variation, sheet breaks, grade changes, broke rate, energy consumption and delivery deviations must be managed together.Functional headroom |A product standard does not replace testing of the final SKU for food contact, sealing, structural performance and recyclability.Functionality, reduction, manufacturability, circularity and evidence form a single assessment chain. This is the analytical framework used in this article, not language taken from the regulations.PE extrusion coating, with its thin gauge, low cost, barrier performance and heat-sealability, underpinned paper-for-plastic substitution 1.0. PLA- and PBAT-based extrusion coatings, water-based acrylic coatings and PHA-based waterborne composite coatings are medium- to long-term pathways that must be compared at the level of the complete SKU and within the intended processing and recycling facilities.Evidence as a deliverable |Paper grade, basis weight, functional layer, inks, adhesives, test conditions, batch information and recycling boundaries must form a coherent documentation chain.Recycling-network connectivity |Without collection, sorting, repulping or a defined outlet for recovered material, “recyclable” remains only a material description.Sources:GB/T 44834-2024; GB/T 36392-202502 | RECYCLABILITY TESTCalling Something “Recyclable” Requires More Than Stirring a Sample in WaterCepi Version 3 simulates pulping, screening and handsheet formation in a conventional recovered-paper mill. It assesses coarse and fine screening rejects, sheet adhesion and macrostickies, with optional COD/BOD testing of the filtrate. The 4evergreen 2026 guidance further connects design, collection and sorting, and distinguishes conventional, flotation-deinking and specialized recycling routes.Five Questions Paper Mills Should Actually AskFibre yield / screening rejects and stickies / filtrate load / mill route / resulting handsheetThis is an industry methodology, not a statutory PPWR pass/fail threshold, and it cannot replace testing of the complete package in the intended system.Methods:Cepi Version 3; 4evergreen Version 403 ORDER CONVERSIONHow Does Recycling Responsibility Translate into Orders?Add four columns to the capacity table:Fibre efficiency per on-spec tonne, final-SKU performance, evidence completeness, and customer validation cycle plus repeat orders.For pulp and recovered paper, track quality and traceability; for chemicals and coatings, paper-machine compatibility and recycling-system load; for equipment, sheet breaks, grade-change time and energy use; and for converters, base-paper performance and forming yield.Customers ultimately validate six things: the solution, mass production, collaboration, delivery, quality and repeat orders.Yum China reported a total packaging reduction of approximately 35,000 tonnes in 2025, including about 17,000 tonnes of paper packaging. By year-end, approximately 99% of its paper packaging was FSC-certified or carried equivalent certification. The implication for paper mills is clear: brands are not buying a label; they are buying reduction, certification, yield, consistency and a credible recycling route.Company disclosure:Yum China 2025 Sustainability Report; brand-level data should not be extrapolated to the industry as a whole.CONCLUSION / BIOTEN OBSERVERPapermaking entering the “recycling-responsibility era” does not mean paper mills alone assume every responsibility from collection through reprocessing. It means mills can no longer treat the moment packaging leaves the factory as the end of value creation.The next competitive battleground is the ability to connect fibre efficiency, paper-machine stability, functional structures, customer documentation and recycling networks into a verifiable delivery chain. What paper mills should fear most is not material rhetoric, but answering customers’ questions about complete SKUs, evidence and recycling compatibility with capacity figures alone.Capacity creates scale; responsible delivery determines the longevity of customer orders.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research Note“Recycling-responsibility era” is an industry interpretation used in this article, not the name of a statutory regime and not itself presented as factual evidence. China’s Ecological and Environmental Code, the PPWR, standards, industry methodologies and brand disclosures are treated separately. Information verified as of 21 August 2026.Data and Verification Sources1. National Bureau of Statistics: paper and paperboard output2. National Bureau of Statistics: industrial profits3. China’s Ecological and Environmental Code4. European Commission: PPWR5. PPWR implementation guidance6. GB/T 44834-20247. GB/T 36392-20258. Yum China 2025 Sustainability Report9. Cepi Recyclability Test Method, Version 310. 4evergreen Circularity by Design Guideline, Version 4Further Questions and PerspectivesRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-22T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-22T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-22-paper-mills-recycling-responsibility-era/cms-image-161fae87f4b45517.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-21-million-ton-paper-machine-business-value.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-21-million-ton-paper-machine-business-value.html",
            "title": "Why Doesn’t a Million-Tonne Paper Machine Automatically Create a Million-Tonne Business?",
            "summary": "Paper machines determine nominal capacity; operating stability, quality and orders determine saleable capacity; contribution per tonne and cash collection determine whether that capacity becomes a viable business.",
            "content_text": "Paper machines determine nominal capacity; operating stability, quality and orders determine saleable capacity; contribution per tonne and cash collection determine whether that capacity becomes a viable business.China Paper Industry Watch / CHINA PAPER INDUSTRYA Million-Tonne Paper Machine Is Running—Why Doesn’t It Automatically Createa Million-Tonne Business?What truly needs to be reassessed is not nominal capacity, but whether every tonne of paper can be produced reliably, meet specification, be sold and converted into cash.DATA COORDINATES / 2026 OPERATING METRICSH1 2026 Machine-made paper and paperboard output +6.0%H1 2026 Profits of above-designated-size paper and paper products enterprises +27.5%July 2026 PPI for the paper and paper products industry YoY +1.2%Jan–Jul 2026 Cumulative PPI for the same industry −1.2%Sources:National Bureau of Statistics output database; industrial enterprise performance data; July PPIRESEARCH QUESTION / THE QUESTIONWhy Are Output, Prices and Profits Moving Differently?In the first half of 2026, China’s output of machine-made paper and paperboard (excluding processing of purchased base paper) reached 83.132 million tonnes, up 6.0% year on year. Over the same period, operating revenue at above-designated-size paper and paper products enterprises rose 5.5%, while total profit increased 27.5%. In July, the industry’s PPI rose 1.2% year on year and 0.9% month on month, yet remained down 1.2% cumulatively in January–July.These signals are not moving in lockstep. The more important question is: how much capacity can operate steadily, deliver to specification, be absorbed by orders and ultimately convert into cash?CORE JUDGMENT / CORE VIEWPaper machines determine nominal capacity; operating stability, quality and orders determine saleable capacity; contribution per tonne and cash collection determine the business outcome. Only after capacity passes through stable operation, production to specification, customer orders, realized net prices and cash collection does equipment capability become an operating result.A paper machine is not a business; capacity acquires operating value only after passing through five gates.SCOPE / ANALYTICAL BOUNDARIESOutput of machine-made paper and paperboard, financial data for the paper and paper products industry, and the industry’s PPI describe different statistical populations and cannot be divided to calculate an “industry profit per tonne.” The National Bureau of Statistics’ capacity-utilization tables for the same period do not list the paper and paper products industry separately, so this article does not cite a purported “national capacity-utilization rate for papermaking.”01 CAPACITY FUNNELCommissioning Is Only the Entrance to the FunnelDesign capacity is based on machine speed, width, operating time and product mix. Real mills must also contend with maintenance, sheet breaks, grade changes, and fluctuations in energy and raw materials. The National Bureau of Statistics defines production capacity as the output that equipment can sustain over the long term under normal operation when production factors are adequately supplied. This is closer to operating reality than the headline figure in a project announcement.Source:National Bureau of Statistics explanation of capacity-utilization indicatorsGate 1 | Stable Tonnes Can the paper machine operate continuously, rather than merely reach design speed for a short period?Gate 2 | On-Spec Tonnes Do physical properties, formation, moisture, surface performance and batch-to-batch variation meet the target grade’s requirements? Downgraded product is not capacity of equal value.Gate 3 | Saleable Tonnes Can customer qualifications, order mix, regional delivery and grade-change requirements absorb the output? On-spec paper in a warehouse is still not revenue.Gate 4 | Profitable Tonnes After discounts, rebates and freight are deducted from realized net prices, is there enough contribution to cover alternative fibre, energy, chemicals, logistics and fixed costs?Gate 5 | Cash-Generating Tonnes Can profit pass through inventory, accounts receivable and maintenance capital expenditure and ultimately return as cash?MANAGEMENT CHECK / OPERATING CHECKSEffective saleable capacity = nominal capacity × stable operating rate × on-spec rate × saleable rateOperating outcome = effective saleable capacity × contribution per tonne × quality of cash conversionThe first equation asks how much can be sold; the second asks whether sales generate profit and cash. Both are management frameworks, not accounting formulas. If any factor remains weak, a million tonnes may still be little more than an illusion of scale.02 DECISION METRICSWhich Metrics Should the Value Chain Track Instead?Paper producers:Bring on-spec saleable tonnes per scheduled production hour, comparable realized net price, inventory ageing, collection days and operating cash flow onto one management dashboard. Output alone cannot reveal the quality of growth.Equipment, chemical and raw-material suppliers:Demonstrate value through sheet breaks per on-spec tonne, grade-change time, steam, electricity and water consumption, broke rate and quality consistency—not speed or unit price alone.Converters and brand procurement teams:Shift the focus from ex-mill price per tonne to total cost in use. Runability losses, downtime, converting yield, customer complaints, lead times and inventory carrying costs often determine real cost more than a quotation does.CONCLUSION / BIOTEN OBSERVERChina’s paper industry is showing improving signals in output, prices and profits. But the real upgrade is not to add more equipment to the capacity ledger; it is to convert more nominal tonnes into stable, on-spec, saleable, profitable and cash-generating tonnes.For paper producers, this is capital efficiency; for suppliers, it is the ability to prove value through results; for packaging customers, it is a more stable total cost in use. The essence of high-quality development is scale that can withstand the tests of orders, quality and cash flow.BIOTEN Packaging examines whether raw materials, paper performance, converting efficiency and end-use applications form a verifiable closed loop of value.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research NoteThis article is an independent industry analysis based on publicly available statistics. The “five gates” and “two operating checks” are analytical frameworks, not official statistical indicators or accounting formulas, and are not intended to evaluate any individual company. The PPI cited here is not equivalent to spot prices for a specific paper grade, company quotations or customers’ realized net prices. Information verified as of 20 August 2026.BIOTEN Observer: Data and Verification Sources1. National Bureau of Statistics: machine-made paper and paperboard output database2. National Bureau of Statistics: profits of above-designated-size industrial enterprises, H1 20263. National Bureau of Statistics: producer prices for industrial products, July 20264. National Bureau of Statistics: industrial capacity utilization, Q2 2026, and indicator definitionsRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-21-million-ton-paper-machine-business-value/cms-image-6e088e0adb59f1bc.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-21-china-top-20-printing-packaging-companies.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-21-china-top-20-printing-packaging-companies.html",
            "title": "China’s Top 20 Printing and Packaging Companies: What Makes Them Strong?",
            "summary": "The real differentiator is not the equipment list, but which supplier customers call first when a difficult order arrives.",
            "content_text": "The real differentiator is not the equipment list, but which supplier customers call first when a difficult order arrives.Printing and Packaging Company Review / PRINTING & PACKAGING STUDYChina’s Top 20 Printing and Packaging Companies: What Makes Them Strong?Why Do Customers Keep Coming Back?20 core samples · 1 industrial collaboration case · Six manufacturing pathways advancing high-quality development in packaging20 core research samples · RMB 70.867 billion in aggregate under the published ranking methodology · 80.67% of the revenue represented by the 30 candidate companiesFigure: The six capabilities show where companies excel; the six manufacturing pathways show where those capabilities are built; and the four value signals indicate why customers continue to work with them.Research materials |Compiled by BIOTEN Packaging Research.Research question | What is a customer really buying with a packaging order?Why do some companies repeatedly enter customers’ procurement shortlists even when they do not have the broadest product range? Why do others own extensive equipment yet still face pressure on profit and cash flow? The difference usually lies not in the product names, but in the manufacturing interface.Corrugated cases, folding cartons, films, cans, cups and labels are only the visible products. What customers actually pay for is whether a new product can reach production faster, whether their lines can run reliably, whether quality issues can be resolved promptly, and whether peak-season and urgent orders can be delivered on time.To assess a packaging company, therefore, the first question should not be “How many products can it make?” but:How much trial and error, downtime and delivery risk does it remove for customers?This study follows a single chain of logic:Product format → manufacturing interface → customer value → continued selection. The six capabilities show where each company is strong; the six manufacturing pathways explain where those advantages are created; and the four value signals indicate whether those capabilities are translating into enduring customer relationships.From the 30-company candidate pool in a published reproduction of the ranking, this study selects 20 companies. Based on recalculated 2025 product sales revenue disclosed in that source, the 20 generated a combined RMB 70.867 billion, representing 80.67% of the amount attributed to the original 30-company sample. Thirteen have both financial and business evidence, two have limited financial indicators, and five are included primarily for business evidence that rounds out the manufacturing pathways.Methodology note |“Top 20” is used here as an editorial shorthand for the 20 core research samples. It is not the official top 20 in the published ranking, nor is it a ranking of market share, technological capability or supplier qualification.Core conclusion | Keep complexity inside the factory and give customers confidenceThese 20 companies follow different paths, but they share six capabilities:1. Turn materials into solutions. Paper, film, containers, closures, labels and functional layers are not sold in isolation; they are engineered into complete structures that can be mass-produced.2. Turn prototypes into volume production. After sampling, a design must still pass through printing, lamination, forming, filling and actual production-cycle requirements.3. Integrate packaging into customer processes. From brand launches and industrial filling to multi-SKU retail operations and pharmaceutical batches, packaging becomes part of the customer’s business process.4. Turn a multi-site network into on-time delivery. Regional networks, supply-chain coordination and digital systems must ultimately support reliable fulfilment.5. Turn quality into traceability. Testing, anti-counterfeiting, variable data, batch identification and product identity information are becoming new customer interfaces.6. Convert capabilities into durable business. Professional capabilities must ultimately show up in repeat orders, margins, cash flow and capacity efficiency.Value framework | Four signals that show whether capabilities are becoming durable businessFour signals help determine whether a packaging company’s capabilities are translating into long-term value:Products run reliably |Yield, first-pass yield, defect rate and breakage rate.Projects arrive on time |Capacity utilization, line speed, on-time delivery and changeover time.New products launch quickly |Continuity of supply, new SKUs, repeat purchases and order renewals.Partnerships endure |Segment margins, operating cash flow, and the quality of receivables and inventories.These signals are not interchangeable. High revenue does not prove stable quality; large capacity does not prove high utilization; and a broad technology portfolio does not prove that customers are buying repeatedly.Research boundary | “Top 20” is a research title, not an official rankingThe candidate pool comes from a published reproduction of the “2026 Top 100 Printing and Packaging Companies in China,” ranked by 2025 sales revenue or product sales revenue. The core 20 are research samples selected for scale, strength of evidence and coverage of manufacturing pathways. They do not constitute a ranking of market share, technology, supplier qualification or food-contact compliance.Industry context | When profits are under pressure, customer value matters even moreAccording to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, in the first half of 2026 the printing and recorded-media reproduction sector generated RMB 297.12 billion in revenue, up 0.9% year on year; operating costs were RMB 248.21 billion, up 1.1%; and total profit was RMB 11.98 billion, down 13.8%. This statistical category is not the same as the packaging industry and cannot be added to the ranking data, but it makes one point clear: revenue can still grow even as profit becomes harder to protect.Conditions like these reveal which companies truly possess structural engineering, scale-up, delivery and customer-coordination capabilities. YUTO TECH. generated RMB 2.737 billion in operating cash flow in 2025; ZRP recorded year-on-year growth in revenue, profit and operating cash flow in the first quarter of 2026; and Donggang’s smart-card and RFID product revenue rose 60.66%. Each reflects a different source of value: scaled delivery, flexible response and information-enabled growth.Research source:National Bureau of Statistics data on industrial enterprises above designated size for the first half of 2026Main analysis | What distinguishes China’s 20 core samples?AMANUFACTURING TRACK · CAPABILITY PATHManufacturing Path A | Brand and consumer packaging: turning creativity into reliable mass productionBrand packaging is not won through a single prototype. The real test is whether a new product can be reproduced consistently across batches, factories and markets.01COMPANY CASECase 01 | YUTO TECH.: making global delivery a source of brand certaintyPublic information |No. 1 in the candidate pool, with paper packaging, molded fiber, flexible packaging, labels and functional materials.Recent developments |In 2025, revenue was RMB 17.238 billion, net profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 1.592 billion, operating cash flow was RMB 2.737 billion, and overseas revenue reached RMB 6.131 billion.Customer value |Coordinated design, materials and multi-region manufacturing allow brands to replicate new products more quickly across markets.Indicators to watch |Utilization at overseas sites, new SKUs, business margins and operating cash flow.Research source:YUTO TECH. 2025 Annual Report02COMPANY CASECase 02 | ZRP: flexible manufacturing that accelerates brand iterationPublic information |No. 7 in the candidate pool, centered on paper-based consumer packaging, R&D and cross-site manufacturing.Recent developments |In 2025, revenue was RMB 3.167 billion, net profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 153 million and operating cash flow was RMB 339 million. All three continued to grow year on year in the first quarter of 2026.Customer value |Digital printing and structural development provide a strong platform for short runs, multiple versions and rapid replenishment.Indicators to watch |Sampling lead time, first-pass yield, production margin and repeat orders.Research source:ZRP 2025 Annual Report; ZRP digital-printing materials03COMPANY CASECase 03 | MYS Group: turning industrial packaging into a one-stop solutionPublic information |No. 4 in the candidate pool, with a broad offering spanning light- and heavy-duty packaging, labels, materials and packaging services.Recent developments |Net profit attributable to shareholders was approximately RMB 261 million in 2025.Customer value |Heavy-duty packaging, structural design and supply-chain services are combined through a single interface, reducing coordination costs for industrial customers.Indicators to watch |Segment margins, project utilization, receivables and cash flow.Research source:MYS Group 2025 profit-distribution announcement04COMPANY CASECase 04 | JIHONG CO: building clear growth units across packaging categoriesPublic information |No. 10 in the candidate pool. Packaging revenue was RMB 2.345 billion, including RMB 1.218 billion from folding cartons and corrugated cases.Recent developments |The packaging business recorded a gross margin of 20.69% in 2025. Group operating cash flow was RMB 261 million, down 32.45% year on year.Customer value |Distinct business units for folding cartons, food packaging and paper bags enable more focused product responses in different applications while making the value of each category more visible.Indicators to watch |Packaging-segment margin, repeat orders, cash contribution and new-product introductions.Research source:JIHONG CO 2025 Annual ReportBMANUFACTURING TRACK · CAPABILITY PATHManufacturing Path B | Corrugated and industrial packaging: turning regional networks into on-time deliveryThe value of industrial packaging is often embedded in delivery distance, production cadence, transport damage and peak-season responsiveness.05COMPANY CASECase 05 | Hexing Packaging: using a nationwide network to protect delivery radiusPublic information |No. 2 in the candidate pool, principally engaged in corrugated cases, corrugated board, cushioning packaging and related printed products.Recent developments |In 2025, revenue was RMB 10.194 billion, down 11.13%; net profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 103 million, up 10.61%; and operating cash flow was RMB 258 million, down 53.07%. In the first quarter of 2026, revenue grew 7.04%, while profit and cash flow remained in an adjustment phase.Customer value |An extensive regional delivery network gives customers greater access to nearby production, rapid response and reliable supply.Indicators to watch |Site utilization, on-time delivery, unit margin and operating cash flow.Research source:Hexing Packaging 2025 Annual Report; Hexing Packaging First Quarter 2026 Report06COMPANY CASECase 06 | Forest Packaging: a solid integrated platform across paper, board and boxesPublic information |No. 11 in the candidate pool, with products spanning packaging paper, corrugated board and corrugated cases.Recent developments |The 2025 annual report continued to disclose production and sales trends for high-strength corrugating medium, corrugated board and corrugated cases.Customer value |Coordination across packaging paper, corrugated board and box converting strengthens cost pass-through, quality continuity and regional delivery.Indicators to watch |Inventory turnover, capacity utilization and packaging-segment margins.Research source:Forest Packaging 2025 Annual Report07COMPANY CASECase 07 | International Jifeng: winning orders through on-site heavy-duty packaging expertisePublic information |No. 13 in the candidate pool, offering corrugated cases, paper pallets, displays, heavy-duty and specialty packaging, and corrugated board.Recent developments |Order volume reached a record high in 2025. Revenue was RMB 2.092 billion and the overall gross margin was 13.2%. Under pressure from paper costs and selling prices, revenue fell 1.9% year on year and gross margin declined by 2.0 percentage points, resulting in an interim loss of RMB 44 million. Even so, operating cash flow remained positive at RMB 227 million. The Chongqing plant began operations in December 2025.Customer value |Heavy-duty structural expertise and regional delivery close to customers allow the company to work directly at industrial sites and solve transport, protection and loading challenges.Indicators to watch |Unit selling prices, paper-cost pass-through, ramp-up of the new plant, damage rates and operating cash flow.Research source:International Jifeng Packaging Group 2025 Annual Report08COMPANY CASECase 08 | Herui Packaging: making smart manufacturing the foundation of regional deliveryPublic information |No. 14 in the candidate pool, covering paper packaging, plastic packaging, labels and decorative packaging printing.Recent developments |A government report cited the company as saying that its unmanned production line had exceeded daily capacity of 2 million cartons. A digital-upgrade project also appeared on a proposed 2026 subsidy list.Customer value |Parallel capabilities in paper, plastics and labels, combined with MES and unmanned production lines, provide regional customers with a faster and more reliable fulfilment platform.Indicators to watch |Actual utilization, project commissioning, revenue by category and cash collection.Research source:Yinchuan Municipal People’s Government report; proposed project-subsidy listCMANUFACTURING TRACK · CAPABILITY PATHManufacturing Path C | Functional materials and flexible packaging: turning material properties into complete structuresBarrier performance, heat sealability, lamination and lightweighting create customer value only when engineered into a complete structure.09COMPANY CASECase 09 | Huangshan Novel: engineering material performance into complete flexible-packaging structuresPublic information |No. 5 in the candidate pool, covering vacuum metallization, multifunctional films, printed laminates, paper-based laminates and pharmaceutical packaging materials.Recent developments |The 2025 annual report continued to break down operations across packaging materials, printed packaging, metallized products and flexible-packaging films.Customer value |Coordination across printing, metallization, lamination and film production creates a complete manufacturing platform for high-barrier, lightweight and optimized multilayer structures.Indicators to watch |Barrier and heat-seal testing, yield, category-level margins and repeat orders.Research source:Huangshan Novel 2025 Annual Report10COMPANY CASECase 10 | Zijiang Enterprise: a multi-material platform for complete packaging systemsPublic information |No. 3 in the candidate pool, with PET bottles, closures, labels, laminated packaging, paper packaging and functional films.Recent developments |Public disclosures continue to report products, production and sales data for bottles, preforms, closures and plastic labels.Customer value |Containers, closures, labels, films and paper packaging can be coordinated to support a customer’s complete packaging system.Indicators to watch |Profit contribution, utilization and cash flow by product line and subsidiary.Research source:Zijiang Enterprise website11COMPANY CASECase 11 | Shanghai Ailu: connecting paper sacks directly to customer production linesPublic information |No. 27 in the candidate pool, with industrial paper packaging, consumer paper packaging, plastic packaging and intelligent packaging systems.Recent developments |In 2025, revenue was RMB 1.174 billion and operating cash flow was RMB 117 million. The ramp-up of expansion projects created interim earnings pressure: net profit attributable to shareholders was a loss of RMB 123 million, and the industrial paper-packaging project had not yet reached full production.Customer value |Paper sacks are integrated with automated bag handling, weighing and filling, inspection and palletizing, connecting packaging directly to powder and granular-material production lines.Indicators to watch |Project utilization, industrial paper-packaging margin, leakage and bag-breakage rates, filling cadence and operating cash flow.Research source:Shanghai Ailu 2025 Annual ReportDMANUFACTURING TRACK · CAPABILITY PATHManufacturing Path D | Food containers and forming: proving materials on customer equipmentFood packaging must run successfully through canmaking, cup forming, sealing, filling, warehousing and transport. Laboratory performance is only the starting point.INDUSTRY COLLABORATIONIndustrial collaboration case | Lido: water-based coated paper cups mobilizing an entire manufacturing chainWater-based barriers, paper, printing, cup forming and recycling are beginning to form a more complete industrial collaboration around the paper cup.Public information |The company website lists paper cups, bowls, plates, food containers and straws, and shows capabilities in single-wall, double-wall and ripple-wall cups as well as custom printing. Hunan provincial market-regulation records show that its production licence for paper packaging and containers for food use is valid until 3 April 2029.Recent development | Development-zone projectA project filing states that the company plans to invest RMB 38 million in plant renovation and upgrading, purchase 40 pieces of equipment, and complete intelligent upgrades to nine production lines. The designed target is annual capacity of 2.1 billion environmentally responsible paper cups.Research sources:Lido website; GB/T 44834—2024; GB/T 27591—2025; Hunan production-licence records; Pingjiang County project filing; public reports on industrial-chain collaboration involving BASF, APP Sinar Mas and DBC12COMPANY CASECase 12 | Jiamei Food Packaging: coordination from canmaking to fillingPublic information |No. 9 in the candidate pool, with two-piece cans, three-piece cans, filling services and aseptic paper packaging.Recent developments |Metal packaging accounted for 76.20% of revenue in the first half of 2025, including 56.24% from three-piece cans.Customer value |Coordination across cans, coatings and filling brings packaging manufacturing closer to the actual production cadence of food and beverage customers.Indicators to watch |Utilization, can-format changeovers, migration testing and margin per can.Research source:Jiamei Food Packaging 2025 Interim Report13COMPANY CASECase 13 | Hengxin Life: turning sustainable materials into finished productsPublic information |No. 18 in the candidate pool, with integrated capabilities across foodservice products, material modification, sheet extrusion, printing and forming.Recent developments |In 2025, revenue was RMB 1.845 billion, net profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 224 million and operating cash flow was RMB 340 million. Gross margin on biodegradable products was 26.25%, down 4.81 percentage points year on year.Customer value |From material modification through forming of cups, bowls, food containers and tableware, the company has built a relatively complete finished-product manufacturing chain.Indicators to watch |Unit costs, pass rates, category margins, repeat orders and operating cash flow.Research source:Hengxin Life 2025 Annual Report14COMPANY CASECase 14 | Pando: application-led service behind paper cups and bowlsPublic information |No. 20 in the candidate pool, covering paper cups, bowls, tubs, cartons, bags and straws.Recent developments |The company website continues to present application solutions for foodservice, coffee, convenience-store and packaged-food settings.Customer value |Coordination across cup formats, functional layers, printing and cup forming enables rapid configuration for different foodservice applications.Indicators to watch |Line speed, bottom- and side-seal yield, final SKU files and repeat orders.Research source:Pando website15COMPANY CASECase 15 | Nanwang: the organizational capability to serve multi-SKU retail operationsPublic information |No. 24 in the candidate pool, with products including paper bags, food packaging, nonwoven products, labels and receipt paper.Recent developments |Group revenue was RMB 1.759 billion in 2025. Food packaging and nonwoven operations grew, while paper-bag revenue and margins remained under pressure.Customer value |Coordination across materials, SKUs and regional delivery fits the complex, high-frequency packaging requirements of chain retailers.Indicators to watch |Margin and cash contribution from paper bags, food packaging, nonwovens and labels.Research source:Nanwang 2025 Annual ReportEMANUFACTURING TRACK · CAPABILITY PATHManufacturing Path E | Tobacco packaging, security printing and labels: making packaging a quality and data interfaceOnce packaging carries identity, batch, anti-counterfeiting and traceability information, it moves beyond print and into the customer’s information system.16COMPANY CASECase 16 | Shanghai Tobacco Package Printing: industrial-grade consistencyPublic information |No. 12 in the candidate pool, with capabilities in tobacco-pack design and printing as well as testing systems for paper, inks, printed materials and VOCs.Recent developments |Public materials continue to demonstrate capabilities in tobacco-pack design, specialty processes and quality testing.Customer value |Coordination across color, materials, anti-counterfeiting and testing creates systematic control of stability and consistency.Indicators to watch |Pass rates, continuity of supply, development lead time and quality-control performance.Research source:Shanghai Tobacco Package Printing website17COMPANY CASECase 17 | Donggang Inc.: opening identity and data interfaces beyond printingPublic information |No. 26 in the candidate pool, covering bills and forms, data printing, labels, smart cards, RFID, identity documents and technical services.Recent developments |In 2025, revenue was RMB 1.186 billion, net profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 144 million and operating cash flow was RMB 228 million. Revenue from traditional printing products declined 13.81% year on year, while revenue from smart-card and RFID products increased 60.66%.Customer value |Printing, identity, RFID, data and traceability are integrated through a single interface, creating room for information services in packaging and labels.Indicators to watch |Revenue quality and real-world deployment of smart-card and RFID products, repeat purchases of data services, and operating cash flow.Research source:Donggang Inc. 2025 Annual ReportFMANUFACTURING TRACK · CAPABILITY PATHManufacturing Path F | Integrated printing and complex finishing: turning process complexity into consistent qualityComplex finishing is not about accumulating decorative processes. It is about delivering consistent structure, tactility, color and assembly.18COMPANY CASECase 18 | Shengtong Printing: rigorous manufacturing for food and pharmaceutical packagingPublic information |No. 15 in the candidate pool. Its packaging-printing business primarily serves food and pharmaceutical products, alongside publishing and commercial-printing operations.Recent developments |Annual reports continue to disclose the customer industries served by its food and pharmaceutical packaging business.Customer value |Clear separation among food, pharmaceutical, commercial and publishing-printing operations supports continued improvement in batch control, artwork management and traceability for packaging.Indicators to watch |Packaging margin, order renewals, quality incidents, batch traceability and cash collection.Research source:Shengtong Printing 2025 Annual Report19COMPANY CASECase 19 | Leo Paper Group: using complex finishing to create premium packaging qualityPublic information |No. 16 in the candidate pool, with products including books, board books, game sets, gifts and packaging.Recent developments |The company website and official interviews describe a complete prepress, printing and postpress system.Customer value |Board books, gifts and premium packaging share complex finishing capabilities, creating combined strengths in structure, surface treatment and assembly.Indicators to watch |Packaging mix, export revenue, finishing yield, utilization and cash flow.Research sources:Leo Paper Group website; interview published by the National Press and Publication Administration20COMPANY CASECase 20 | Hung Hing Printing Group: long-established cross-category export manufacturingPublic information |No. 17 in the candidate pool, with folding cartons, books, paper-based toys and corrugated cases.Recent developments |The company website continues to present packaging design and manufacturing capabilities for global customers.Customer value |A portfolio spanning folding cartons, children’s products, corrugated packaging and export packaging creates cross-category manufacturing and responsiveness to international orders.Indicators to watch |Packaging revenue, customer concentration, export orders, paper costs and cash flow.Research source:Hung Hing Printing Group websiteWho wins the customer’s next order?Across these 20 companies, the answer is clear. Strength is not defined by a longer product list or newer equipment, but by whether customers turn to a supplier first when they face a product launch, an urgent order, a complex structure or a difficult quality problem.YUTO TECH.’s global delivery, ZRP’s flexible manufacturing, MYS Group’s integrated services, Hexing Packaging’s regional network, Huangshan Novel’s structural coordination and Donggang Inc.’s data interfaces follow different paths, but they all accomplish the same thing:They reduce customers’ trial and error, downtime and uncertainty.Lido offers another instructive answer. When water-based coatings, paper, printing, cup forming and recycling begin to collaborate around the same paper cup, a new material gains a credible path to industrial adoption.Operating pressure does not negate professional capability; it makes the stage of development more visible. International Jifeng’s record order volume and positive operating cash flow, Shanghai Ailu’s system integration and capacity ramp-up, and Donggang Inc.’s RFID growth are all constructive signals worth monitoring.For a packaging company, the most meaningful recognition is not the phrase “industry-leading,” but a customer’s willingness to entrust it with the next new product, urgent order or difficult project. The answer is not found in slogans, but in one reliable delivery after another.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NoteThis article is based on public disclosures that could be verified as of 21 August 2026. “Top 20” in the title refers to the 20 core research samples selected from BIOTEN Observer’s 30-company candidate pool; it is not the official top 20 in the published ranking. Lido is an industrial collaboration case and is excluded from the ranking revenue total.Relationship disclosure |BIOTEN Packaging and Lido are both founding members of the Zero-Carbon Circular Paper Cup Pioneer Alliance. This article describes the value of their industrial collaboration solely on the basis of public information.BIOTEN Observer data and verification sources | Research materialsNational Bureau of Statistics industrial data; the published reproduction of the 2026 Top 100 Printing and Packaging Companies in China and its selection methodology; exchange filings, standards, regulatory records, official interviews and company materials relating to the core 20 companies and Lido.Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-21-china-top-20-printing-packaging-companies/cms-image-6357b513dcf63c03.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-21-gold-east-paper-coated-paper-intelligent-manufacturing.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-21-gold-east-paper-coated-paper-intelligent-manufacturing.html",
            "title": "What Makes Gold East Paper Strong? From Coated-Paper Scale to Intelligent Manufacturing",
            "summary": "Gold East Paper’s real operating base is an integrated manufacturing system spanning paper machines, product platforms, port logistics and digital intelligence.",
            "content_text": "Rank 13 establishes the scale coordinate; Gold East Paper’s real foundation is an integrated manufacturing system spanning paper machines, products, port logistics and digital intelligence.CHINA’S TOP 20 PAPER PRODUCERS / CHINA PAPER INDUSTRY / RANK 13What Makes Gold East Paper Strong?From a Scale Base in Coated PaperTo Intelligent Manufacturing Across Diversified Printing and Writing PapersRank 13 in the association’s key-enterprise table is only a measure of scale. What merits closer study is how Gold East coordinates its port, paper machines, coating assets, specialty papers, utilities and end-to-end digital operations—and how it converts scale into products, reliable delivery, earnings and cash conversion.DATA COORDINATES / AT A GLANCE2025 Output among key enterprises2.2711 million tonnesRank 132024 Company-reported output2.23 million tonnesCompany-reported2024 Company-reported sales volume2.21 million tonnesCompany-reportedSources:China Paper Association; Gold East Paper company releasesRESEARCH QUESTION / RESEARCH FOCUSHow Does Gold East Paper Convert Scale into System Capability?The China Paper Association’s 2025 output table for key enterprises ranks Gold East Paper 13th. That establishes the company’s scale coordinate, but it leaves a more important question unanswered: after demand segmentation, product upgrading and manufacturing digitalization, how can a large printing-and-writing paper base continue to convert scale into consistent products, reliable delivery and operating results?Gold East’s public disclosures point to a clear architecture: paper machines and coating are the foundation; A4 copy paper, thermal paper and specialty offset paper extend the product portfolio; port facilities, captive heat and power, and water treatment form the manufacturing infrastructure; and an end-to-end smart factory seeks to connect raw-material procurement, production, quality and delivery within one data system.CORE JUDGEMENT / CORE VIEWGold East’s strength lies not only in its printing-and-writing paper scale of more than 2 million tonnes. Its paper machines, coating assets, specialty papers, port, utilities and digital operations already form a mutually reinforcing manufacturing base. Rank 13 indicates scale; product mix, saleable yield, delivery quality, profitability and cash conversion determine whether the system can mature into lasting competitiveness.FIVE CONTROL POINTS / FIVE OPERATING INTERFACESGold East can be understood through five operating interfaces: output measures scale; paper machines and coating reveal manufacturing capability; product mix drives growth; the port and utilities support stability; and digital and green manufacturing shape the transformation. Ultimately, every interface must translate into better products, delivery, earnings and cash conversion.Scale is only a coordinate; system coordination is the foundation.SCOPE / SCOPE OF ANALYSISThe association’s 2025 table reports Gold East’s paper and paperboard output at 2.2158 million tonnes in 2024 and 2.2711 million tonnes in 2025, an increase of 2.50%, ranking the company 13th; the table notes that companies are “arranged according to the data collected.” Capacity, product and project information disclosed on the company website follows company reporting conventions and cannot be divided directly into association output to infer utilization. Company releases on output, revenue, gross industrial output value, exports and honours are also used as company-reported information; they do not substitute for audited financial data or national market-share statistics.01 SCALE COORDINATEBeyond Rank 13: How Does Scale Convert into Results?The China Paper Association’s table of the top 30 key paper producers by 2025 output reports that Gold East Paper (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. produced 2.2158 million tonnes of paper and paperboard in 2024 and 2.2711 million tonnes in 2025, up 2.50%, placing it 13th. This figure establishes the company’s output position among the association’s key enterprises; it is not a ranking of capacity, sales volume or overall competitiveness.Sources:China Paper AssociationGold East’s website and company releases provide another set of operating coordinates for 2024: output of 2.23 million tonnes, sales volume of 2.21 million tonnes, revenue of RMB 11.15 billion, gross industrial output value of RMB 12.788 billion, and company-reported imports and exports totalling US$1.641 billion, up 12%. These figures are close to the association’s output data but do not describe precisely the same statistical population. This article neither adds them together nor uses them to calculate market share.Sources:Gold East Paper company releasesThe more important question is what comes after 2.2711 million tonnes. The next step is to align output growth with product mix, delivery reliability and cash conversion, so that scale becomes an operating foundation.02 PAPERMAKING PLATFORMPaper Machines and Coating: Converting Scale into Consistent ManufacturingGold East’s website states that the company operates two paper-machine lines, two coating lines and one on-machine coating line, with annual coated-paper capacity exceeding 2 million tonnes. Supporting assets include two A4 copy-paper converting lines, a 100,000-tonne thermal-paper project and a 300,000-tonne specialty offset-paper project. Paper machines enable continuous production, coating determines surface properties and functionality, and downstream converting brings products closer to customer applications.Sources:Gold East Paper website · About Gold EastThe value of this structure is that equipment, quality management, energy systems and the sales network at one manufacturing base can serve a wider range of applications. Coated paper remains the scale foundation, while copy paper, thermal paper and specialty offset paper create room to adjust the product mix. The quality of growth must be judged by paper-machine utilization, grade-change losses, saleable yield, converting performance at customer sites and repeat orders.Gold East’s product catalog covers gloss and matt coated papers, white book-cover board, drawing paper, photographic base paper, art paper, white kraft paper and white kraft paper for food packaging. The catalog establishes product categories and intended applications; it does not by itself prove the performance, food-contact compliance or customer adoption of every SKU.Sources:Gold East Paper product catalogAccordingly, collaboration with equipment and chemical suppliers should be measured by verifiable outcomes. For paper machines, the key metrics include web-break frequency, saleable yield, cross-web basis-weight profile and moisture uniformity; for coating, coat weight, surface strength and printability; and for converting, yield in slitting, rewinding, copy-paper converting and final forming. Large-scale equipment becomes genuine manufacturing capability only when it improves these metrics.03 PRODUCT MIXProduct Mix: From a Coated-Paper Base to a Diversified Printing-and-Writing Paper PortfolioGold East’s company releases state that A4 copy-paper, thermal-paper and specialty-paper lines built in recent years have progressively entered production, with portfolio optimization and diversification identified as a transformation priority. In 2024, the company also reported that its specialty offset-paper project and A4 copy-paper converting line had commenced operation, showing that product extension had moved from planning into production execution.Sources:Gold East Paper company releasesProduct diversification creates value on three levels. First, it reduces cyclical exposure to any single grade. Second, it turns paper machines, coating, slitting, warehousing and the sales network into more customer interfaces. Third, it requires specialty paper, thermal paper and copy paper to meet higher standards for quality, service and delivery. All three forms of value must ultimately be validated through orders, quality, delivery and cash conversion.Gold East’s website also states that the PM4/5 specialty-paper machine passed an on-site review by experts from the Jiangsu Institute of Quality Supervision and Inspection in February 2024 and obtained a QS production permit, with the public description that it “can produce paper for food packaging.” This supports the extension of manufacturing and quality-control capabilities into application-specific products. Food-packaging paper, however, must still be verified by grade, coating, ink, adhesive, final structure and target market; the statement should not be extrapolated into food-contact compliance for every product.Sources:Gold East Paper information on food-packaging paper capability04 PORT + UTILITIESPort and Utilities: Supporting Continuous Production and Reliable DeliveryGold East’s website states that the company has two dedicated berths rated at 35,000 and 40,000 tonnes, a captive combined-heat-and-power plant with total installed capacity of 290 MW, a water plant supplying 99,000 tonnes per day, a wastewater-treatment plant with capacity of 75,000 tonnes per day, and supporting projects for ground and precipitated calcium carbonate. These assets first secure the energy, water and material interfaces required for continuous production; they do not automatically establish an advantage in unit cost or carbon intensity.Sources:Gold East Paper website · About Gold EastA 2025 notice on the terminal-upgrade project states that loading, unloading and container-handling equipment will be added to the existing 40,000-dwt multipurpose berth and 35,000-dwt bulk berth. The adjusted cargo mix includes wood chips, limestone, coal, pulp, semi-dry pulp, cassava starch and quicklime. On completion, the terminal is designed for annual throughput of 3.3 million tonnes of bulk and general cargo and 50,000 TEU of containers. This supports a conclusion of stronger port-organization capability; it does not mean that additional paper orders or profits have already materialised.Sources:Gold East Paper terminal-upgrade project noticeThe value of the port and utilities should be tested through customs-clearance lead times, raw-material inventory days, specific energy consumption, downtime losses and on-time-in-full delivery. The port is more than a logistics facility: it is an operating node connecting raw-material organization, product dispatch and delivery cadence. Its impact on inventory and cash conversion still requires evidence from subsequent operating data.05 DIGITAL + GREENDigital and Green Manufacturing: Translating Transformation into Operating DataGold East states that it began its digital-intelligence transformation in 2019 and was selected in 2025 for the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s national 5G Factory list and Excellence-Level Smart Factory program. The company describes its direction as connecting raw-material procurement, production, quality and finished-goods delivery through end-to-end data visualisation and dynamic optimization.Sources:Gold East Paper company releasesThis progress creates a new interface for operational improvement. The next questions are whether scheduling accuracy, on-time delivery, saleable yield, inventory turnover and repeat purchases improve together.Green transformation must also be assessed through metrics. Gold East reports cumulative environmental investment exceeding RMB 2 billion, a reduction of 67,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide through energy-saving measures in 2024, and annual generation exceeding 50 million kWh from a 50 MW photovoltaic project. Its website also lists ISO 50001, ISO 14001, ISO 9001, ISO 45001, ISO 17025 and ISO 14024 certifications or management-system information. These disclosures support the public record of environmental and quality-management systems; they do not establish the environmental attributes or low-carbon performance of every SKU.Sources:Gold East Paper company releases; Gold East Paper certifications and credentialsFive Metrics to Test Whether Transformation Is Reaching Operating ResultsOutput measures scale, sales volume measures the market, saleable yield measures manufacturing, inventory and receivables measure cash, and repeat orders and product mix measure the quality of transformation. The next stage requires more than showcasing large equipment: Gold East must demonstrate system coordination through saleable yield, delivery, inventory and cash conversion.CONCLUSION / CONCLUSIONGold East’s 13th-place ranking is a verifiable output coordinate, but it is not the endpoint of this analysis. The question that matters is how a large printing-and-writing paper base connects paper machines, coating, specialty papers, port facilities, utilities, digital operations and green manufacturing into one system.The system already has a foundation in scale, equipment, products and infrastructure, while product-mix changes, the smart factory, the terminal upgrade and green projects continue to create new operating interfaces. The next issues to watch are the contribution of product mix to earnings, the improvement in saleable yield from intelligent manufacturing, the effect of port coordination on inventory and delivery, and the resource efficiency delivered by green investment.For value-chain companies, the collaboration agenda is therefore specific: equipment must improve stable operation and grade changes; chemicals must enhance coating and surface quality; energy and environmental solutions must improve specific consumption and emissions; logistics and trade services must improve customs clearance, inventory and delivery; and packaging converters and end customers must validate paper performance through actual converting results.BIOTEN Packaging focuses precisely on how scale is validated through products, manufacturing, delivery and customers—and ultimately becomes lasting competitiveness.NEXT / NEXT IN SERIESNext: Ningbo Asia Pulp & Paper Co., Ltd.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NoteThis article follows the methodology of the “China’s Top 20 Paper Producers” series, examining in sequence the top 20 companies in the China Paper Association’s 2025 output table for key enterprises. Gold East’s ranking and output come from the association’s annual report; information on paper machines, products, projects, the smart factory, green investment and port facilities comes from the company website, company releases, project notices and other public sources.This is independent research by BIOTEN Packaging based on publicly available information. It does not constitute investment advice, a supplier-qualification decision, product certification, a cooperation endorsement or a basis for any transaction. Information verified as of August 2026.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources1. China Paper Association, Annual Report of China’s Paper Industry 20252. Gold East Paper (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd.: About Gold East3. Gold East Paper: Group Profile—APP China4. Gold East Paper: Product Catalog5. Gold East Paper Receives Zhenjiang High-Quality Development Award6. Gold East Paper Listed among Jiangsu’s Top 100 Manufacturing Enterprises7. Gold East Paper Named among the “Ten Major Events in China’s Paper Industry in 2025”8. Commissioning Information for the Gold East Paper (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. Terminal Upgrade Project9. Gold East Paper PM4/5 Food-Packaging Paper Production-Capability Information10. Gold East Paper Certifications and Credentials11. Gold East Paper Phase III Rooftop Distributed Photovoltaic Project12. Gold East Paper Hazardous-Waste Disclosure13. Technical Proposal for Gold East Paper Boiler Flue-Gas Denitrification Retrofit14. APP (China) on Its China Operations and Integrated Forestry-Pulp-Paper FootprintRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-21-gold-east-paper-coated-paper-intelligent-manufacturing/cms-image-1861955c8b47eadf.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-20-golden-phoenix-paper-lightweight-corrugating-medium.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-20-golden-phoenix-paper-lightweight-corrugating-medium.html",
            "title": "What Makes Golden Phoenix Paper Strong? Lightweight, High-Strength Corrugating Medium for Central China Packaging",
            "summary": "Golden Phoenix Paper’s technical challenge is not simply to make paper lighter, but to deliver strength, stability and reliable supply across different basis-weight ranges.",
            "content_text": "Golden Phoenix Paper’s technical challenge is not simply to make paper lighter, but to deliver strength, stability and reliable supply across different basis-weight ranges.China’s Top 20 Paper Producers · No. 12 / CHINA PAPER INDUSTRYRanked No. 12 in the China Paper Association’s production table of key enterprises. Golden Phoenix Paper stands out not for the breadth of its grades, but for integrating lightweighting, high strength and reliable delivery into one industrial packaging-paper manufacturing route based on domestically recovered paper.MANUFACTURING PROPOSITIONUnder the constraints of domestically recovered paper, Golden Phoenix Paper’s core technical challenge is to stabilise low basis weight, strength and reliable delivery at the same time. Output of 2.481 million tonnes and a No. 12 ranking define scale; finished-product yield, sheet strength and delivery consistency determine the quality of that scale.The value of lightweight paper must be demonstrated jointly through strength per unit basis weight, finished-product yield and delivery consistency.DATA SCOPEIn this series, “China’s Top 20 Paper Producers” is BIOTEN Packaging’s editorial label for its sequential study of the top 20 companies in the China Paper Association’s production table of key enterprises; it is not a separate consolidated-group ranking published by the Association. This article treats 2.481 million tonnes in the Association’s table as the annual output of Wuhan Golden Phoenix Paper Co., Ltd., and approximately 2.6 million tonnes reported by local media as the combined annual capacity of the two production bases; the two figures are not used to calculate a utilisation rate. The Wuhan Jinkou and Xiaogan Xiaonan sites correspond to separate legal entities. Claims concerning grades below 60 g/m², reclaimed-water recirculation above 95%, biogas and sludge cake are company or media disclosures. This article does not infer ownership, consolidated financial statements, unified production scheduling or cash flow beyond the available public evidence.01 · SCALE & POSITIONFirst, Define the Business: Going Deep in Industrial Packaging PaperThe China Paper Association’s 2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper Industry shows that Wuhan Golden Phoenix Paper Co., Ltd. produced 2.2067 million tonnes of paper and paperboard in 2024 and 2.4810 million tonnes in 2025, up 12.43% year on year, ranking No. 12 in the production table of key paper enterprises. The Association also notes that the top 30 are ranked according to the data collected.This position places Golden Phoenix Paper among China’s large paper producers, but scale alone does not explain its competitiveness. Public information on the Golden Phoenix Paper system identifies two production bases: Jinkou in Jiangxia District, Wuhan, and Xiaonan District, Xiaogan, each operated by a different legal entity. Production is concentrated on high-strength, low-basis-weight corrugating medium, with a publicly reported product range of 45–170 g/m². In 2026, Xiaonan District media described the two bases as having combined annual capacity of approximately 2.6 million tonnes. That figure comes from company and local-media reporting and is not the same measure as the Association’s production statistic.Golden Phoenix Paper therefore should not be characterised as a broad, fully diversified paper group. A more precise lens is whether it can solve three linked problems in industrial packaging paper: maintaining a stable furnish supply from domestically recovered paper; preserving sheet strength at lower basis weights; and supplying finished paper consistently in line with corrugated-box plants’ production schedules.Sources: China Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper Industry; Paper Industry Observer, “Wuhan and Xiaogan Production Bases Can Produce 2.6 Million Tonnes of Corrugating Medium Annually.”02 · LOW-GRAMMAGE / HIGH-STRENGTHLightweight and High Strength: Reduce Basis Weight, Not PerformanceLightweighting is not a matter of simply lowering the basis-weight number. At the paper stage, performance must be assessed through basis weight, density, cross-direction ring crush strength index, flat crush or post-corrugation compression performance, machine-direction breaking length, water absorptiveness and moisture at delivery. Once converted into corrugated board and boxes, flute-profile compatibility, CCT/ECT, BCT, bonding and forming must also be considered. These belong to different test levels and should not be collapsed into the shorthand of “ring crush, compression and burst strength.”A 2024 Hubei Daily report cited staff at the Xiaogan plant as saying that domestic producers are relatively mature in making high-strength corrugating medium above 100 g/m², while Golden Phoenix Paper, through technical development, can produce grades below 60 g/m² without compromising specified strength performance. This is a technical claim made by company personnel in a media interview; it is not a substitute for customer laboratory results or third-party testing. It nevertheless defines the technical challenge clearly: the objective is not to make paper as thin as possible, but to stabilise strength per unit basis weight, paper-machine runnability and converting performance within a specified basis-weight window.Accordingly, the statement that “performance and strength can be maintained below 60 g/m²” should be read only as the company’s public technical claim for particular products, process windows and customer specifications. It should not be generalised to every grade, basis weight or box design.The real test is not whether a single roll of lightweight corrugating medium can be produced, but whether strength per unit basis weight, yield and converting performance can be maintained across batches, machines and order conditions. For the same packaging function, lightweighting may reduce fibre use and transportation load. The actual saving, however, must be calculated against the corrugated-board structure, flute profile, box dimensions, customer stacking requirements and real logistics conditions. “Lightweighting” cannot be presented as a guaranteed 10% cost reduction for every customer.Suppliers and customers need to verify more than one strength figure. They should examine cross-machine basis-weight and moisture profiles, sheet-break frequency, broke rate, reel-end quality, board forming and batch consistency. The value of lightweighting is ultimately established by strength per unit basis weight, paper-machine runnability and downstream box performance together.Sources: Hubei Daily Client, “Telling Industrial Stories Well: Xiaogan Ranks Among China’s Top 100 Advanced Manufacturing Cities for the Sixth Consecutive Year”; National Public Service Platform for Standards Information, GB/T 13023—2026, Corrugating Medium (Base) Paper.03 · RECYCLED FIBRE LOOPFrom Recovered Paper to Sheet: How the Mill Manages Furnish VariabilityPublic reports describe Golden Phoenix Paper as an industrial packaging-paper producer using domestically recovered paper. For a recycled-paper mill, the raw-material challenge is not simply whether recovered paper is available. It is how variations in fibre length, stickies, plastic film, ash content and moisture from different sources are managed through sorting, pulping, screening, cleaning and stock-preparation systems.Publicly reported environmental operations at the Xiaogan base describe a loop more complete than the simple phrase “turning recovered paper into new paper”: approximately RMB 270 million was invested in a wastewater-treatment centre; Hubei Daily cited company personnel as reporting a reclaimed-water recirculation rate above 95% and annual freshwater savings of approximately 6.5 million tonnes. According to the report, separated waste plastic film is pelletised, pulp rejects and sludge are dewatered into cake and sent to the combined heat and power boiler, and biogas is recovered for use. The report also states that approximately 27 million cubic metres of biogas were recovered in the preceding year and sludge cake displaced about 3,000 tonnes of coal. These figures are operating data relayed by local media, not the findings of an annual environmental audit. Actual handling routes remain subject to environmental-impact approvals, pollutant-discharge permits and compliant solid-waste disposal documentation.Contaminants and variability at the fibre input must be managed, absorbed and converted across stock preparation, wastewater treatment, solid-waste segregation and energy systems. The value of circular manufacturing does not come from attaching an environmental label to recovered paper. It comes from putting fibre losses, freshwater make-up, biogas utilisation, solid-waste destinations and emissions data for each tonne of paper on the same operating ledger. Long-term performance still requires verification through continuous operating records, pollutant-discharge permit data or third-party environmental data.Sources: Hubei Daily, “Xiaogan Observation | Giving Recovered Paper a New Life”; Hubei Provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology, Xiaogan Paper, Hygiene Products and Plastics Packaging Industry Development Conference.04 · TWO BASES / STANDARDTwo Bases: Beyond Transport Radius, Equipment Upgrades MatterWuhan Jinkou and Xiaogan Xiaonan are the two production bases identified in public reports. Their locations near the Central China packaging cluster offer the potential to shorten the transport radius for paper and leave room to allocate different machines, basis weights and order rhythms between sites. Public information is not sufficient to establish that the two sites already operate with unified production scheduling, furnish recipes or a single quality system; this remains an item for further observation.Public information on a 2023 technical-upgrading project from Wuhan’s industry and information authorities shows that Golden Phoenix Paper planned upgrades to stock-preparation and press-section equipment as well as a white-water reuse system, with projected freshwater savings of 2,496 m³ per day and improvements in wet-end temperature, wire-section drainage and sheet-formation stability. Hubei Province’s second 2025 list of projects for private capital also includes the “Golden Phoenix Paper Integrated Quality, Efficiency, Energy-Saving and Carbon-Reduction Upgrade Project,” which proposes upgrading paper machines and supporting turbines, motors, Roots blowers and pulpers, and adding 50 units including permanent-magnet motors, magnetic-bearing motors and papermaking machines. The latter is a construction plan listed in a project schedule and must not be presented as an energy-saving result already achieved.A further signal is the inclusion of Golden Phoenix Paper (Xiaogan) Co., Ltd. and Wuhan Golden Phoenix Paper Co., Ltd. among the drafting organisations for GB/T 13023—2026, Corrugating Medium (Base) Paper. This recommended national standard was issued on 25 May 2026 and will take effect on 1 December 2026. The two Golden Phoenix entities participated in drafting the product standard. This signifies participation in standards development; it does not mean that every company product has been certified, nor does it independently prove market quality. Specific inspection reports, customer acceptance records and batch data remain necessary.Sources: Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Golden Phoenix Paper Quality and Efficiency Upgrade Project; Hubei Provincial Development and Reform Commission, Second List of Private Investment Projects for 2025; National Public Service Platform for Standards Information.05 · SUPPLY CHAIN METRICSWhat Matters Is Reliability After LightweightingFor practitioners across the value chain, Golden Phoenix Paper raises a practical set of questions for on-site verification:• Recovered-paper collectors and sorters should track fibre cleanliness, moisture, contaminant composition and batch variability;• Stock-preparation, sizing and paper-machine suppliers should track the corrugating medium’s ring crush performance, short-span compression or flat crush, cross-machine basis-weight profile, moisture profile, sheet-break rate and finished-product yield;• Water-treatment, anaerobic digestion, biogas and combined heat and power systems should track freshwater make-up per tonne of paper, energy recovery, solid-waste handling routes and emissions monitoring;• Corrugated-box customers should track box compression performance, converting yield, batch variability, returns or complaints, and lead times.The value of Golden Phoenix Paper as an industry case lies not only in machine scale, but in the fact that fibre, stock preparation, paper machines, water treatment, energy and delivery are integrated within a single industrial packaging-paper chain. The next stage of assessment should move beyond one capacity figure to the share of low-basis-weight grades, raw-material consumption per tonne, broke rate, machine uptime, freshwater make-up per tonne and customer batch performance. Only when these metrics are repeatedly achieved across batches and sites does lightweighting become a manufacturing capability that customers can rely on, rather than merely a product claim.CONCLUSIONFrom Manufacturing Scale to Operating QualityGolden Phoenix Paper’s path is clear. Instead of widening its grade portfolio, it is going deeper in industrial packaging paper: starting with domestically recovered paper, turning lightweight, high-strength corrugating medium into a stable product, and supporting operations through the Wuhan–Xiaogan two-base system, water recirculation, combined heat and power, and solid-waste segregation, while supplying corrugated-box customers across Central China and neighbouring markets.Output of 2.481 million tonnes and a No. 12 ranking define scale. Lightweight grades, circular systems, participation in standards drafting, and quality-and-efficiency upgrade projects form capability signals worth tracking. The next step is to use customer testing, pollutant-discharge permit implementation, project acceptance and operating data to translate those signals into consistent basis weight, finished-product yield, lead times and repeat orders.For the Central China packaging value chain, Golden Phoenix Paper’s value lies not only in supplying paper, but in offering a route to lightweighting without sacrificing reliability and to continuous manufacturing based on recovered fibre.NEXT ARTICLE · No. 13 in the Association’s Production Table of Key EnterprisesGold East Paper (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd.2025 paper and paperboard output: 2.2711 million tonnes · Year on year: +2.50%The next article will examine its fine-paper production base and APP China’s multi-site system. Source: China Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper Industry.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research NoteThis article is an independent industry study by BIOTEN Packaging based on public sources. It cross-checks the China Paper Association’s annual production table, public documents from government departments, the national standards information platform, local Party newspapers and government media, and public materials from companies and suppliers. Association production data, media interviews, corporate disclosures, government project lists and analytical judgments are identified separately. Company publicity is not treated as audited financial information; project plans are not presented as completed operations; green-factory designations are not used as substitutes for current environmental performance; and product catalogues are not used as substitutes for evidence of customer quality, food-contact compliance or regulatory compliance. Information was verified as of 20 August 2026. This article does not constitute a collaboration endorsement, product certification, investment advice or a basis for transactions.BIOTEN Observer: Data and Verification Sources1. China Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper Industry2. National Public Service Platform for Standards Information: GB/T 13023—2026, Corrugating Medium (Base) Paper3. Hubei Daily Client: “Telling Industrial Stories Well: Xiaogan Ranks Among China’s Top 100 Advanced Manufacturing Cities for the Sixth Consecutive Year”4. Hubei Daily: “Xiaogan Observation | Giving Recovered Paper a New Life”5. Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology: Golden Phoenix Paper Quality and Efficiency Upgrade Project6. Hubei Provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology: Xiaogan Paper, Hygiene Products and Plastics Packaging Industry Development Conference7. Hubei Provincial Development and Reform Commission: Second List of Private Investment Projects for 20258. Xiaogan Converged Media: Golden Phoenix Paper’s Two Bases Have Annual Corrugating-Medium Capacity of 2.6 Million Tonnes9. General Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: Annex 1 to the 2023 Green Manufacturing ListRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-20T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-20T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-20-golden-phoenix-paper-lightweight-corrugating-medium/cms-image-71a526adf5ad4ac0.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-19-jingui-pulp-paper-integrated-manufacturing.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-19-jingui-pulp-paper-integrated-manufacturing.html",
            "title": "What Makes Guangxi Jingui Strong? From Eucalyptus Chemi-Mechanical Pulp to Premium Folding Boxboard",
            "summary": "Scale is visible in the production table; Jingui's real strength lies in integrating eucalyptus chemi-mechanical pulp with premium folding boxboard.",
            "content_text": "Scale is visible in the production table; Jingui's real strength lies in integrating eucalyptus chemi-mechanical pulp with premium folding boxboard.China's Top 20 Paper Producers · No. 11 / INDUSTRIAL PAPER STUDYIts No. 11 position in the association's table of key producers and its 2025 paper and paperboard output of 2.8169 million tonnes establish the scale benchmark. The more important question is how Jingui coordinates its chemi-mechanical pulp lines, premium folding boxboard lines, utilities and port logistics—and how that coordination translates into product quality, orders and operating cash flow.CORE JUDGMENTJingui's strength lies in coordinating eucalyptus chemi-mechanical pulp production, large-scale premium folding boxboard manufacturing and export delivery through the Port of Qinzhou at a single integrated site. Output of 2.8169 million tonnes and the No. 11 ranking demonstrate scale; the bulk–strength balance, saleable yield, converting yield, export execution, profitability and operating cash flow determine whether that scale becomes a durable competitive advantage.Scale appears in the production table; value is realized in the sheet, the order book and operating cash flow.This series examines, in order, the 20 largest producers in the China Paper Association's 2025 output table for key enterprises. According to that table, Guangxi Jingui Pulp & Paper Co., Ltd. produced 2.8169 million tonnes of paper and paperboard in 2025, up 5.91% year on year, ranking 11th. The association also notes that the table is ranked on the basis of data collected.That figure shows how large Jingui is, but not how it achieves stable production and delivery. Upstream, the system combines part of its wood supply from APP China's Guangxi forestry operations, diversified raw-material procurement and three chemi-mechanical pulp lines. At the mill, it includes two premium folding boxboard lines, captive heat and power, water supply and wastewater treatment, chemical recovery and automated warehousing. Downstream, it spans consumer-packaging board, food-service board, cupstock, bowlstock and food-container board, supported by export logistics through the Port of Qinzhou.Equipment suppliers describe the pulp-to-board relationship more directly. ANDRITZ states that two P-RC APMP fiberlines at Jingui were upgraded to meet the increased mechanical-pulp demand created by a new board production line. Valmet reports that Jingui's BCTMP line uses eucalyptus chips to produce chemi-mechanical pulp for integrated board production within the group.This manufacturing chain has reached substantial scale, but output, profit and cash flow do not move in lockstep. In 2024, folding boxboard accounted for 57.89% of consolidated revenue; operating revenue and net profit attributable to the parent fell by 16.83% and 28.52%, respectively, while net cash flow from operating activities was negative RMB 602 million. Output increased in 2025, but comparable financial data are still needed to determine whether operating quality improved at the same time.RESEARCH BOUNDARIESBasis of comparison:The 2.8169 million tonnes figure is the association's 2025 output for paper and paperboard. The 1.0 million tonnes per year of chemi-mechanical pulp and 1.9 million tonnes per year of premium folding boxboard reported by Guangxi Daily in March 2026 are annual capacities. Chemi-mechanical pulp and paper and paperboard are different product scopes, so this article neither adds the figures together nor derives a utilization rate from them. APP China's Guangxi forestry resources belong to the group system; they are not necessarily assets of Jingui itself and do not imply complete raw-material self-sufficiency. The proposed 3.0-million-tonne upgrade has reached the draft-for-public-comment and report-disclosure stages, but no verifiable EIA approval, construction, trial-production or commissioning document was identified in this review. A product catalogue likewise does not constitute evidence of food-contact compliance, barrier performance or recyclability for the finished package.01 · SCALE & REVENUENo. 11 Is Only the Starting Point: Folding Boxboard Generates Nearly 60% of RevenueAssociation data show that Jingui's paper and paperboard output increased in 2025. Annual capacity is a separate measure. Guangxi Daily reported in March 2026 that Jingui then had annual capacity of 1.0 million tonnes of chemi-mechanical pulp and 1.9 million tonnes of premium folding boxboard, whereas the association's 2.8169 million tonnes figure is 2025 paper and paperboard output.•2.8169 million tonnes: 2025 paper and paperboard output reported by the association, up 5.91% year on year and ranked No. 11;•1.0 million tonnes per year: chemi-mechanical pulp capacity reported by Guangxi Daily;•1.9 million tonnes per year: premium folding boxboard capacity reported by Guangxi Daily;•Three chemi-mechanical pulp lines and two premium folding boxboard lines: the current line count disclosed on Jingui's website.Capacity, output, product scope and source methodology are not fully comparable. This article does not add 1.0 million and 1.9 million tonnes and compare the result with 2.8169 million tonnes, nor does it use 2.8169 ÷ 1.9 to estimate utilization. Read together, the figures are more useful for tracking paper-machine operation, product mix and the actual progress of subsequent expansion.Jinyuan Securities' 2024 bond trustee report details Jingui's revenue mix. Folding boxboard generated RMB 6.592 billion, or 57.89% of consolidated revenue; toll-processing revenue was RMB 2.899 billion, or 25.46%; and pulp revenue was approximately RMB 600 million, or 5.27%.These figures confirm the central role of folding boxboard while showing that Jingui's revenue is not derived solely from sales of self-produced board. The accounting categories alone do not prove synergies among toll processing, pulp, trading and folding boxboard. More important questions are whether internally produced chemi-mechanical pulp can consistently match board demand, how toll processing affects the product mix, and whether orders convert efficiently into collections and operating cash flow.Sources: China Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report of China's Paper Industry; Guangxi Daily, “Industry Accelerates as Spring Arrives”; Jinyuan Securities, 2024 Bond Trustee Report of Guangxi Jingui Pulp & Paper Co., Ltd.02 · FIBER TO BOARDHow Eucalyptus Chemi-Mechanical Pulp Enters the Premium Folding Boxboard PlatformThe clearest link between the pulp lines and the board lines is the documented equipment upgrade. ANDRITZ reported in 2022 that one purpose of upgrading Jingui's two P-RC APMP fiberlines was to meet the increased mechanical-pulp demand from a new board production line. The work covered chip pretreatment, high-consistency refining and fiber–steam separation. Valmet reports that another BCTMP line at Jingui uses eucalyptus chips to make chemi-mechanical pulp for integrated board production within the group.Chemi-mechanical pulp can contribute bulk and opacity to premium folding boxboard furnish, but it does not determine finished-sheet performance on its own. Board stiffness, internal bond strength, surface strength, printability and die-cutting and folding performance also depend on the ratio of chemical to chemi-mechanical pulp, ply design, forming and pressing, drying, sizing and coating, calendering and moisture control. Higher bulk is not inherently better; the technical challenge is to keep bulk, strength, surface quality and machine stability within the same operating window.The group's forestry resources are only one part of the raw-material system. A company report on RCEP also refers to imported market pulp, wood chips and starch. “Integrated plantation–pulp–paper” should therefore be understood as coordination among group forestry resources, diversified procurement and mill operations—not as complete raw-material self-sufficiency at Jingui.The food-grade board, cupstock, bowlstock and food-container board listed on the company's website establish only the product range and intended applications. Before base paper enters beverage, hot-soup or oily-food applications, it often undergoes extrusion coating or other coating, printing, die-cutting, forming and sealing. Claims concerning food contact, barrier performance, heat sealing and end-of-life recyclability must be verified separately for the base paper, coating or film, inks and adhesives, finished structure and actual conditions of use.For material and equipment suppliers, the collaboration metrics are correspondingly specific. At the pulp stage, they include brightness, freeness, shive content and the bulk–strength balance. On the paper machine, they include sheet-break frequency, saleable yield, cross-direction basis-weight profile and moisture stability. In converting, they include printability, crease cracking, die-cutting, bonding, warp and forming yield.Sources: ANDRITZ, final acceptance of the upgrade to two P-RC APMP lines at Jingui; Valmet, “BCTMP Line Proves Success at Guangxi Jingui Pulp & Paper”; Jingui product information.03 · PROFIT & CASHAfter Output Growth, Profit and Cash Flow Still MatterIn 2024, Jingui reported consolidated operating revenue of RMB 11.387 billion, down 16.83% year on year; net profit attributable to owners of the parent of RMB 815 million, down 28.52%; and net cash flow from operating activities of negative RMB 602 million, versus positive RMB 1.379 billion a year earlier. At year-end, the debt-to-asset ratio was 45.76%, the current ratio 2.09 and the quick ratio 2.00.•Operating revenue of RMB 11.387 billion, down 16.83% year on year;•Net profit attributable to owners of the parent of RMB 815 million, down 28.52% year on year;•Net cash flow from operating activities of negative RMB 602 million;•Debt-to-asset ratio of 45.76%, current ratio of 2.09 and quick ratio of 2.00.These financial results show that manufacturing scale is established, but output does not automatically become profit and cash. Prices, order quality, raw materials, inventory and the pace of collections must improve within the same cycle.There are positive signals on the production side. A company feature reported gross output value of RMB 10.2 billion in 2025, above RMB 10 billion for a fourth consecutive year. A June 2026 Qinzhou Daily report quoted a company director as saying that Jingui produced 848,000 tonnes of folding boxboard and generated RMB 2.897 billion in pulp-and-paper output value from January through April 2026. These figures come from company reporting and a media interview. Gross output value is not operating revenue, and “stable operation at full load” is not a substitute for evidence on capacity utilization, downtime, the production-to-sales ratio or profitability.Both sets of facts therefore matter: paper and paperboard output increased in 2025, and production remained high during the first four months of 2026. Comparable 2025 financial data are still needed to determine whether profit and operating cash flow improved in parallel. The next issues to watch are the share of higher-value products, inventory and receivables turnover, the quality of export orders and whether operating cash flow moves in the same direction.Sources: Jinyuan Securities, 2024 Bond Trustee Report of Guangxi Jingui Pulp & Paper Co., Ltd.; China Industry News, citing Qinzhou Daily, “A Green Engine Powers a Hundred-Billion-Yuan Industry.”04 · OPERATIONS & PROJECTSAssess Environmental Operations and Expansion Projects by StageCaptive heat and power, water supply and wastewater treatment, and what the company describes as a chemical-recovery system first support continuous energy supply, water management and pollutant control. Public information is not yet sufficient to establish advantages in unit energy consumption, unit water use, chemical-recovery efficiency or carbon intensity. Future assessment should track electricity use per tonne of pulp, steam recovery, water use per tonne of paper, permitted emissions and unplanned downtime.Jingui's 2025 self-monitoring disclosure states that the company has three wastewater discharge outlets and 24 air-emission outlets, six of which are equipped with automatic monitoring systems. The company reported that all third-party manual-monitoring results met applicable limits and that its data-upload and publication completion rate was 100%. This shows that a self-monitoring and disclosure mechanism is in place, but it does not replace regulatory inspections, pollutant-discharge permit implementation reports or evidence of product environmental attributes.The stage of the premium paperboard workshop's green upgrade project must also be described precisely. The project progressed from an initial information disclosure in November 2025 to public consultation on the draft environmental impact report in February 2026. Industry media reported that the environmental impact report was released on 27 March 2026. This review did not identify verifiable documents confirming EIA approval, construction, trial production or commissioning. The proposed increase from 1.9 million to 3.0 million tonnes per year therefore remains a project plan, not realized capacity or an operating result.Project status should be recorded in sequence: initial disclosure, draft for public consultation, report publication, formal approval, construction, trial production, stable operation, full production and profitability. Each transition requires a new document or new operating data.Sources: Guangxi Jingui Pulp & Paper Co., Ltd., 2025 self-monitoring disclosure; Guangxi Daily, February 2026 public-participation notice; Paper Industry Observer, citing the publication of the project report.05 · INDUSTRY VALUEValue-Chain Opportunities Lie in Four Verifiable AreasJingui's value to the industry chain does not lie in the abstract idea of being “large,” but in several areas of collaboration that can be tested with process and operating data.Raw Materials and Chemicals: Stabilize the Bulk–Strength Balance. The balance among pulp brightness, freeness, shive content, bulk and tensile strength affects ply structure, coating and downstream converting. Collaboration should be evaluated through batch-to-batch variation, sheet-break frequency and saleable yield.Equipment and Digitalization: Turn High Speed into Consistent Saleable Yield. Paper machines, rewinders, slitters, automated warehouses and quality-data systems should be measured through cross-direction basis-weight, moisture and coat-weight profiles, surface strength, grade-changeover time and unplanned downtime.Packaging Conversion: Validate Base-Paper Performance through Printing, Die-Cutting and Forming. For food-service board, cupstock and food-container board, converters should evaluate printability, crease cracking, die-cut accuracy, bonding, warp, heat sealing and forming yield. Final compliance must still be verified for the complete packaging structure.Port and Trade: Translate Delivery Efficiency into Inventory and Cash Conversion. The customs-supervised export distribution warehouse provides an operating node for post-clearance storage, consolidation and distribution, but opening the facility does not itself create additional orders or profit. Its value should be assessed through customs-clearance time, inventory days, the on-time-in-full delivery rate, cargo-damage claim rate and collection cycle.These metrics make the direction of collaboration concrete: good pulp must become a stable sheet; a stable sheet must pass converting validation; and delivery efficiency must ultimately improve order quality and operating cash flow.Sources: the launch of Jingui's customs-supervised export distribution warehouse; “Qinzhou Smart Manufacturing Accelerates Its Global Reach.”CONCLUSIONFrom Manufacturing Scale to Operating QualityJingui's No. 11 position in the association's output table for key producers places it at a meaningful scale benchmark. More important is the combination of capabilities created by support from group forestry resources, diversified raw-material procurement, eucalyptus chemi-mechanical pulp, a premium folding boxboard platform, utilities and port logistics.This combination provides a foundation for coordinated manufacturing, but operating results remain exposed to the industry cycle. Changes in revenue, profit and operating cash flow in 2024 show that scale does not automatically become operating quality. Output growth in 2025 and production data for the first four months of 2026 show that the manufacturing base remains active. The next question is whether product mix, sheet quality, export orders, profitability and operating cash flow can increasingly move in the same direction.For value-chain partners, the opportunities are therefore specific: materials should improve sheet and converting performance; equipment should raise operating stability and grade-change efficiency; packaging converters should translate base-paper performance into end-use value; and logistics should shorten delivery and collection cycles.These are precisely the areas that BIOTEN Packaging continues to monitor—areas that can be validated by customers, data and cash flow. Only when the right material enters the right paper grade, and the right base paper enters the right packaging application, can manufacturing capability become durable value.Next Article · No. 12 in the Association's Output Table for Key ProducersWuhan Golden Phoenix Paper Co., Ltd.2025 paper and paperboard output: 2.4810 million tonnes · Up 12.43% year on yearThe next article will continue by verifying its product mix, raw-material system and customer-delivery capabilities. Source: China Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report of China's Paper Industry.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NoteThis article uses the China Paper Association to establish the series order; statutory disclosures to verify financial data; Guangxi Daily and the company website to verify production lines and capacity; equipment-supplier materials to verify the chemi-mechanical-pulp-to-board relationship; and environmental disclosures to verify project stage. Information was checked through August 2026.Output, capacity, revenue, profit, cash flow, product catalogues, supplier case studies, self-monitoring, EIA stage and customer adoption represent different levels of evidence. Company websites, supplier materials and media interviews are used according to the scope of the disclosing party and do not replace audited financial statements, independent testing, EIA approval or compliance evidence for the finished package.This is independent research based on public information. It does not constitute a partnership endorsement, product certification, investment advice or a basis for any transaction.BIOTEN Observer Data and Verification Sources1. China Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report of China's Paper Industry2. Jinyuan Securities, 2024 Bond Trustee Report of Guangxi Jingui Pulp & Paper Co., Ltd.3. Guangxi Daily, “Industry Accelerates as Spring Arrives”4. Jingui company profile5. Jingui product information6. ANDRITZ, final acceptance of the upgrade to Jingui's two P-RC APMP lines7. Valmet, “BCTMP Line Proves Success at Guangxi Jingui Pulp & Paper”8. China Industry News, citing Qinzhou Daily, “A Green Engine Powers a Hundred-Billion-Yuan Industry”9. “Qinzhou Smart Manufacturing Accelerates Its Global Reach”10. Launch of Jingui's customs-supervised export distribution warehouse11. Guangxi Jingui Pulp & Paper Co., Ltd., 2025 self-monitoring disclosure12. Guangxi Daily, February 2026 public-participation notice13. Paper Industry Observer, citing the publication of the project report14. APP China, overview of its China operations and integrated plantation–pulp–paper modelRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-19T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-19T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-19-jingui-pulp-paper-integrated-manufacturing/cms-image-4b7906b0b745cc87.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-19-liansheng-paper-quality-engineering.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-19-liansheng-paper-quality-engineering.html",
            "title": "What Makes Liansheng Paper Strong? Quality Engineering from Recovered Paper to Containerboard",
            "summary": "Liansheng Paper's advantage lies in turning the variability of recovered paper into containerboard strength, consistency and reliable delivery.",
            "content_text": "Liansheng Paper's advantage lies in turning the variability of recovered paper into containerboard strength, consistency and reliable delivery.CHINA'S TOP 20 PAPER PRODUCERS / INDUSTRIAL PAPER STUDYWhat Makes Liansheng Paper Strong? — Quality Engineering from Recovered Paper to Containerboard2.824 million tonnes is only an industry-association output benchmark. Liansheng Paper (Longhai)'s core capability is to convert variability in recovered fiber into stable performance across furnish preparation, paper-machine operations, combined heat and power, water systems and containerboard applications.CORE JUDGMENTLiansheng Paper's strength does not come solely from using recovered paper at scale. It comes from managing fiber quality, paper-machine efficiency, energy and water systems, and downstream converting requirements within one manufacturing equation: more consistent furnish produces more consistent paper, and more consistent paper underpins reliable converting and customer delivery.The competitiveness of a sheet of containerboard begins with recovered-paper sorting and is completed through furnish preparation, the paper machine, energy, water and customer converting.01 · SCALE AND SCOPE2.824 Million Tonnes and 2.6 Million Tonnes: Two Measures of the Same MillThe China Paper Association's Annual Report on China's Paper Industry 2025 states that Liansheng Paper Industry (Longhai) Co., Ltd. produced 2.824 million tonnes of paper and paperboard in 2025, up 0.57% year on year, ranking tenth among the key enterprises listed in the report. The association also notes that the ranking is based on the data collected.According to the company profile on Liansheng Paper's website, the Longhai operation primarily uses recovered paper as its raw material and covers recovered-paper collection, recovered-fiber pulping, papermaking, sales and logistics, supported by combined heat and power. Project-acceptance documents from 2021 record six pulping and papermaking lines with a combined designed and existing project scale of 2.6 million tonnes per year.THREE DATA BENCHMARKS2.824 million tonnes: Paper and paperboard output for 2025 as reported by the association; the 0.57% year-on-year increase is used only as a scale benchmark for this series.2.6 million tonnes per year: The containerboard and project scale cited on the company website and in 2021 project-acceptance documents; it is not the same as actual output in 2025.Six paper-machine lines: PM5 through PM10 form the established manufacturing base at the Longhai mill. This article does not infer the real-time operating rate or profitability of any individual line.Fujian Province's overview of the paper industry's performance in the first half of 2025 also listed Liansheng Paper (Longhai) among paper enterprises above designated size whose output grew by more than 10% year on year, although the page did not disclose the company's absolute output. Taken together with the association's full-year figure, this confirms that Longhai has established a large-scale production base. The next questions are product mix, raw-material efficiency and unit manufacturing cost.SCOPE BOUNDARY: Association-reported output, company-profile information, engineering design capacity and project-acceptance figures use different statistical bases. They cannot be divided to calculate a utilization rate, nor can they be used to infer the mill's actual output in 2026.Sources: China Paper Association, Annual Report on China's Paper Industry 2025; Overview of Production and Sales in Fujian's Paper Industry in the First Half of 2025.02 · FIBER QUALITY ENGINEERINGFrom OCC to the Sheet: Recovered Fiber as a Quality-Engineering DisciplineOCC, or old corrugated containers, is a major fiber source for recycled containerboard. Fiber length, contaminants, stickies, ash, moisture and batch-to-batch consistency successively affect screening and cleaning, furnish preparation, sheet formation, sizing, drying, ring crush strength, burst strength and printability.Liansheng's published patents are not merely a patent list; they reveal a set of process challenges centered on recovered-fiber quality: how to allocate short, medium and long OCC fibers by layer, how to control sheet cleanliness, and how to improve strength and moisture resistance through recycled linerboard furnish design and sizing.CAPABILITY PATH A · FIBER SORTINGFiber fractionation: Allocate short, medium and long OCC fibers to different sheet layers to establish the foundations of cleanliness, formation and strength.CAPABILITY PATH B · FURNISH DESIGNFurnish design: Balance strength, cost and consistency between recovered fiber and virgin pulp so that raw-material variability is not passed directly to the customer.CAPABILITY PATH C · FORMING AND SIZINGForming and sizing: Convert the fiber system into sheet strength, surface properties, moisture resistance and convertibility.CAPABILITY PATH D · CUSTOMER CONVERTINGConverting and delivery: Ensure that the base paper runs reliably through printing, lamination, die-cutting, forming, stacking and transportation to deliver the packaging performance customers actually experience.Patent CN108824062B describes a route for using OCC pulp in place of conventional ONP pulp to produce coated white-lined chipboard; CN113308944B describes a furnish route for recycled linerboard; and CN112012042B describes a sizing-agent route for linerboard and corrugating medium. These patents demonstrate a publicly disclosed technology portfolio, but they do not prove current application across every paper machine, every SKU or every customer.GB/T 43393—2026, Recycled Pulp, lists Liansheng Paper Industry (Longhai) Co., Ltd. as one of the principal drafting organizations. The standard was issued on 31 March 2026 and takes effect on 1 October 2026. Participation in the standards process demonstrates investment in recovered-pulp technology, but it does not mean that every product complied before the effective date or that the company owns exclusive rights to the standard's technologies.Sources: National Standard GB/T 43393—2026, Recycled Pulp; CN108824062B; CN113308944B.03 · PRODUCT AND CONVERTINGThe Value of Seven Containerboard Grades Lies in Serving Different Converting ApplicationsThe principal products listed on Liansheng Paper's website include coated white-lined chipboard, coated kraft linerboard, high-strength corrugating medium, premium kraft linerboard, coreboard, greyboard and T-paper. The broader the grade portfolio, the greater the need to organize fiber grades, furnish preparation, sizing, coating, calendering, slitting and inventory into a flexible manufacturing system.THREE CONVERTING INTERFACES FOR PACKAGING PAPERTransport packaging: High-strength corrugating medium and linerboard must meet requirements for ring crush strength, burst strength, stacking and logistics durability.Printing and folding cartons: Coated white-lined chipboard, coated kraft linerboard and greyboard are more closely tied to printing, folding-carton production and consumer-goods packaging.Industrial-paper extensions: Coreboard enters applications such as paper tubes, testing whether the base paper can perform reliably in downstream converting.A Valmet supplier case published in 2022 states that, during its early operation, PM10 at Longhai primarily produced 125–230 g/m² linerboard. The interview cited a speed of about 1,150 m/min and daily output of about 2,200 tonnes, using domestic recovered paper together with automatic reel change and winding equipment. The case helps explain how paper-machine engineering can buffer raw-material variability; it should not be presented as current operating data for 2026.Another link from base paper to application is the paper-tube project. Public project information from 2024 indicates that the Longhai mill planned annual capacity of 6 million meters of paper tubes; an industry project roundup in November of that year recorded the project's first trial production. This suggests that the company is extending its coreboard and containerboard capabilities into specific converting applications, but first trial production does not establish stable commercial production, customer qualification or realized revenue.PRODUCT BOUNDARY: Product categories, historical supplier interviews and the stage of the paper-tube project do not substitute for evidence on a specific SKU's performance, food-contact suitability, recyclability, order volume or repeat purchases.Sources: Valmet, A 15-year collaboration has made Valmet an all-round developer for Liansheng Paper; reports on the paper-tube project's planned capacity and first trial production.04 · ENERGY AND WATEREnergy and Water Systems Form the Manufacturing Foundation for Stable Paper-Machine OperationA paper mill's energy and water systems are not peripheral utilities. They determine whether paper machines can run continuously and influence unit manufacturing cost, freshwater intake, environmental responsibility and the reliability of customer deliveries.Acceptance documents for the 2.6-million-tonne Longhai project record two 410 t/h circulating fluidized-bed boilers, one 60 MW extraction-condensing turbine generator and one 70 MW back-pressure turbine generator in the power plant. Process water is drawn from the left main canal of the Beixi section of the Jiulong River. The documents also record a water-treatment station, partial wastewater reuse, beneficial use of ash and slag, and disposal routes for sludge and waste oil.TWO EXTERNALLY VERIFIABLE BENCHMARKS2025 water-efficiency qualification: Liansheng Paper (Longhai) was included on Fujian Province's list of taxpayers whose industrial water-use efficiency met the advanced values in the national water-use quotas.2026 carbon-management responsibility: The company was included on Fujian Province's list of existing key emitting entities covered by the provincial carbon market.The advanced water-efficiency qualification indicates external recognition of the company's water-management practices; designation as a key emitting entity means that energy and carbon management must be embedded in day-to-day operations. Neither fact can be extrapolated into a specific water-consumption figure per tonne, carbon intensity or a conclusion about the mill's current overall environmental performance.ENGINEERING BOUNDARY: The combined heat and power, water-treatment and solid-waste routes come from 2021 project-acceptance and existing-project documents. This article does not present them as real-time operating conditions for the entire mill in 2026, nor does it claim that all solid waste is fully recovered or that the whole mill is currently compliant in every respect.Sources: Acceptance documents for the technical upgrade of the captive power plant serving the 2.6-million-tonne Longhai project (2021 project-acceptance basis; original extracts retained in the local source register); Fujian Province's 2025 list for advanced industrial water-use efficiency; Fujian Province's 2026 list of key emitting entities covered by the carbon market.05 · NETWORK AND DELIVERYFrom the Recovery Network to End Use: How Base-Paper Capability Becomes Reliable DeliveryA 2026 circular-economy article from the Fujian Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology names Liansheng Paper (Longhai) as having built a closed loop spanning recovered paper, collection, pulping and papermaking. A case study republished by Zhangzhou's industry and information authorities also describes a cooperation network linking collection points, recycling companies and corrugated-box plants.This supports a more useful industry judgment: Liansheng's manufacturing system connects both the raw-material and demand sides. Recovery quality determines paper-machine stability; paper quality determines whether boxes, board and tubes can be converted reliably; and downstream converting feedback, in turn, informs base-paper formulations and inventory planning.The case study also discloses production value, recovered-paper volume and selected technical outcomes, but these are case-study or company figures rather than audited financial statements. This article uses them only to understand the value-chain structure, not to draw conclusions about operating performance. For industry participants, the more important question is whether recovery quality, paper-machine stability, downstream demand and project commercialization can form a durable closed loop.FOUR COLLABORATION INTERFACES ACROSS THE VALUE CHAINRaw materials and fiber quality: Recovered-paper sorting, OCC fractionation, stickies control, fiber testing and traceability across collection points.Chemicals and paper-machine operation: Sizing, starch, retention and drainage aids, screening and cleaning, press dewatering, coating and winding.Water, energy and solid waste: Water efficiency, condensate reuse, and ash, slag and sludge management—ultimately reflected in energy use, freshwater intake and stable operations.Corrugated-box and paper-tube applications: Application value is tested through converting yield, stable output, order quality and cash collection.WHAT TO WATCH: Whether the circular network can create sustained value depends on recovered-paper cost and quality, machine speed and web-break rates, product mix, energy use and water efficiency per tonne, downstream order quality, and the paper-tube project's progress from trial production to stable commercial output.Sources: Fujian Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology article on the circular economy; circular-economy case study republished by Zhangzhou's industry and information authorities.CONCLUSIONQuality Engineering Ultimately Means Reliable Converting and DeliveryLiansheng Paper (Longhai)'s strength is not merely its ability to turn recovered paper into new paper, but its manufacturing capability to translate recovered-fiber variability into strength, consistency and convertibility.The 2.824-million-tonne figure is a scale benchmark. Six paper-machine lines, seven containerboard grades, patents covering OCC fractionation and furnish preparation, energy and water systems, participation in the recycled-pulp standard, the water-efficiency qualification and the paper-tube project together form a more complete map of capability.This pathway has taken shape, but it still requires continuing validation through raw-material quality, paper-machine stability, product mix, energy use and water efficiency per tonne, the depth of corrugated-box partnerships and commercialization of the paper-tube project. For recovered-fiber and containerboard producers, these factors come closer to the essence of operating competition than a simple comparison of capacity figures.For BIOTEN Packaging, the value of studying companies like this lies in clarifying the interfaces among materials, chemicals, equipment and applications. An innovation creates long-term value only when it enters the right paper grade, process and customer-converting conditions—and is then validated by stable production, converting yield and sustained orders.Only when recovered fiber passes reliably through customer converting and delivery does circular manufacturing advance from resource utilization to sustainable operations.NEXT COMPANY · NO.11Next: Guangxi Jingui Pulp & Paper Co., Ltd.The ranking is used only to determine the sequence of this series. The next article will form its view after independent research rather than presupposing a conclusion based on Guangxi Jingui Pulp & Paper's business model.BIOTEN PACKAGING · INDUSTRY INSIGHTS · RESEARCH NOTESThis article uses the China Paper Association to establish the series benchmark; the company's website to confirm the legal entity and product portfolio; government sources to verify water-efficiency and carbon-market status; the national standards platform to verify participation in standards; environmental and project-acceptance documents and patent filings to analyze process routes; and industry and supplier materials to supplement application context. Information was verified through August 2026.The 2.824-million-tonne figure comes from the association's 2025 output table for key enterprises. The 2.6-million-tonne figure comes from the company website and project-acceptance or design-capacity documents. The RMB 7.5 billion production-value figure, 2.2 million tonnes of recovered-paper collection and cited technical outcomes are case-study or company disclosures and must not be presented as audited financial data. This article did not obtain independently audited financial statements for Liansheng Paper (Longhai) for 2025 or the first half of 2026 and therefore does not construct conclusions about revenue, profit, cash flow or gross margin.The subject of this research is Liansheng Paper Industry (Longhai) Co., Ltd., unified social credit code 913506815575947589. Unrelated companies may have similar names. Fujian Liansheng Paper Industry Co., Ltd., Liansheng Pulp & Paper (Zhangzhou) Co., Ltd. and other similarly named or affiliated entities are not included in conclusions about the Longhai company's operations.BIOTEN OBSERVER · DATA AND VERIFICATION SOURCES01 | China Paper Association, Annual Report on China's Paper Industry 202502 | Company Profile on the Liansheng Paper website03 | Overview of Production and Sales in Fujian's Paper Industry in the First Half of 202504 | Fujian Province list for advanced industrial water-use efficiency05 | Fujian Province's 2026 list of key emitting entities covered by the carbon market06 | National Standard GB/T 43393—2026, Recycled Pulp07 | Fujian Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology: Strengthening the Green Foundation for High-Quality Development08 | Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Fifth List of Green Factories09 | CN108824062B: Producing coated white-lined chipboard by replacing ONP pulp with OCC pulp10 | CN112012042B: Papermaking sizing agent and its preparation method11 | CN113308944B: Recycled linerboard and its preparation method12 | Report on the planned Longhai paper-tube project13 | Report on the first trial production of the Longhai paper-tube project14 | Valmet: A 15-year collaboration has made Valmet an all-round developer for Liansheng Paper15 | Southeast Net: Liansheng Paper continues to reduce costs, improve efficiency and advance green circular development16 | Zhangzhou circular-economy case study republished by industry and information authorities (case-study basis)Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-19T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-19T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-19-liansheng-paper-quality-engineering/cms-image-46e2312dd0e4afc2.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-19-upm-materials-transformation.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-19-upm-materials-transformation.html",
            "title": "Is UPM Moving Beyond Paper? How a Century-Old Paper Company Is Transforming into a Materials Solutions Business",
            "summary": "What UPM is really seeking to move beyond is not paper itself, but the practice of applying one set of capital rules across every business.",
            "content_text": "What UPM is really seeking to move beyond is not paper itself, but the practice of applying one set of capital rules across every business.Global Paper Industry Review / GLOBAL PAPER INDUSTRYGraphic-paper joint venture, plywood demerger, strong returns from functional materials and the continued Leuna ramp-up: UPM is not leaving paper behind; it is rewriting the capital rules for different assets. UPM's established Chinese-language name is Fen'ou Huichuan.CURRENT CONTEXT · CHINA'S PAPER INDUSTRY IN H1 2026Paper and paperboard output | 83.132 million tonnes · +6.0% year on yearRevenue of enterprises above designated size | RMB 689.79 billion · +5.5% year on yearProfit of enterprises above designated size | RMB 19.61 billion · +27.5% year on yearProducer Price Index (PPI) | -1.6% year on year, cumulativeOutput, financial data for enterprises above designated size and the PPI have different statistical scopes and cannot be divided to calculate profit per tonne. Together they indicate higher volumes, weak prices and recovering profits—not across-the-board price increases.Core AssessmentUPM is simultaneously rewriting its units of value and its capital rules: it manages fiber costs on a per-tonne basis, builds value in labels, release materials and packaging functionality per square metre, and validates wood-based chemicals at the molecular level. Every business must ultimately pass the tests of customer qualification, return on capital and operating cash flow.When additional tonnage no longer translates naturally into pricing power, should a paper company continue managing every business with the same capacity-expansion logic? Finland's UPM provides a revealing and internally conflicted international case.In 2025, its communication-papers business still generated €181 million in comparable EBIT and a 17.8% comparable return on capital employed. Yet in 2026, UPM is preparing to combine that business with Sappi's European graphic-paper operations. UPM Plywood achieved a 24.3% return on capital, but UPM still plans to demerge and list it separately. Meanwhile, the estimated investment in the Leuna wood-based biochemicals refinery has reached €1.37 billion and the facility remains in ramp-up.UPM is subjecting mature paper grades, pulp, labels and specialty papers, and emerging biochemicals to different rules—and using return on capital and cash flow to determine whether each path is viable.Research BoundariesUPM's industrial roots date to 1871–1872, while the present UPM-Kymmene began operations in 1996. The description “century-old paper company” refers to those industrial roots.The definitive agreement for the graphic-paper joint venture has been signed and Sappi's shareholders have approved the transaction, but it has not closed. Phase II review in the EU and approvals in the United States, China and other jurisdictions remain pending. The WISA demerger is still subject to the Extraordinary General Meeting on 31 August and other conditions.UPM's half-year report is unaudited, and UPM Plywood is presented as discontinued operations. Segment ROCE, CEPI member-country data, Chinese statistics and technical-performance data are not interchangeable.A genuine transformation into materials means subjecting mature assets, growth assets and technology options to different forms of capital discipline.01 · WHY CHINA SHOULD READ UPMWhy China Should Study UPM NowUPM today defines itself first as a material solutions company, yet pulp remains its largest capital base. UPM Specialty Materials continues to produce label papers, release papers, flexible-packaging papers, office papers and certain graphic papers. The shift toward materials has not made paper disappear.In the first half of 2026, sales from continuing operations were €4.781 billion, down approximately 3% year on year. Comparable EBIT rose 17% to €471 million, or 9.8% of sales. Operating cash flow, however, fell from €468 million to €225 million; working capital increased by €339 million; and net debt rose to €3.313 billion.Capital expenditure in continuing operations fell from €198 million to €109 million, equivalent to 2.3% of sales, with full-year spending expected to be approximately €300 million. Lower capital expenditure did not automatically produce stronger cash flow: working capital and project ramp-up also absorbed cash.China's paper industry is experiencing volume growth, continued pricing weakness and an early recovery in profits. The next capital allocation—to a new paper machine, an upgrade of existing assets, a pulp line, functional materials or debt reduction—requires a business case more rigorous than “the future market is large.”Sources: National Bureau of Statistics of China and UPM Half Year Financial Report 2026; statistical and company data are not used to derive cross-source ratios.02 · FIVE CAPITAL ACCOUNTSOne Company, Five Different Capital AccountsLooking only at product names makes it easy to interpret UPM as moving from traditional paper into higher-value materials. Average capital employed and comparable ROCE tell a more complex story.H1 2026 · Average Capital Employed / Comparable ROCEFibres | €8.248 billion / 4.9%Adhesive Materials | €855 million / 17.9%Specialty Materials | €673 million / 23.7%Communication Papers | €890 million / 10.1%Other Operations | €1.432 billion / -6.3%The segments perform different roles and should not be ranked mechanically; Other Operations also includes biofuels, biochemicals and group services. The figures nevertheless show that the largest capital base does not necessarily generate the highest return, that functional materials already demonstrate observable capital efficiency, and that new biomaterials do not earn high returns merely because they are new.The divergence within pulp is even greater. Fibres South recorded a comparable EBIT margin of 22.5% in the first half, while Fibres North achieved only 2.6% and posted a €10 million loss in the second quarter alone. Even within captive pulp, forest productivity, wood chips, logistics, energy, exchange rates, maintenance and mill efficiency can produce entirely different outcomes.For integrated pulp-and-paper companies in China, integration describes the asset structure; it does not replace evidence on delivered wood cost, cash cost per unit, energy, logistics and return on capital.03 · MATURE BUSINESS GOVERNANCEGraphic-Paper Joint Venture and WISA Demerger: Mature Businesses First Need Governance SolutionsCEPI Member Countries · 2025 Supply-and-Demand ReferenceGraphic papers | Output -7.3% · apparent consumption -7.1%Packaging paper and board | Output -0.1%Specialty papers and board | Output +1.2%2020–2025 | Capacity -5.1% · actual output -9.8% · operating rate 84.9% → 80.7%Capacity has exited more slowly than output has declined, turning mature European paper grades first and foremost into a supply-and-demand governance problem. CEPI's member countries include the United Kingdom and Norway and are not equivalent to the EU27.UPM Communication Papers still achieved a 7.3% comparable EBIT margin and a 17.8% comparable ROCE in 2025. By the first half of 2026, its average sales price had declined by 4% and its margin had fallen to 3.7%, although comparable ROCE remained 10.1%. The business still has value, but demand, pricing and capacity have become increasingly difficult to govern.The proposed joint venture between UPM and Sappi would place their graphic-paper businesses in a 50/50 independent platform with a combined enterprise value of €1.42 billion and estimated annual synergies of approximately €100 million. Sappi's shareholders have approved the transaction, but the EU Phase II review and approvals in the United States, China and other jurisdictions remain pending.The European Commission is examining coated mechanical magazine paper, woodfree coated paper, one-side-coated paper label face materials and pressure-sensitive label materials. The first two concern horizontal capacity and pricing; the latter two raise questions about competition in face materials, shareholder coordination and restrictions on inputs. A market boundary is not settled simply because the companies have defined it.Nor have the risks disappeared. UPM would receive cash, shareholder-loan receivables and a 50% equity interest, while certain pension and other liabilities would transfer to the joint venture. Direct operating exposure would be transformed into equity, loan and future-dividend risk.The WISA demerger also carries real costs. First-half sales were €240 million and the comparable EBITDA margin was 13.8%, yet operating cash flow moved from positive to slightly negative. Demerger and listing costs are expected to total €31–33 million. Operating independently requires rebuilding reporting, systems, legal structures, financing and governance. As of 18 August, the Extraordinary General Meeting had not yet taken place.Stora Enso has chosen to focus further on packaging, while Mondi continues to manage uncoated paper and corrugated packaging within a coordinated system. The common trend among European paper companies is not that they are all leaving paper, but that they are ceasing to manage every fiber asset under the same capital logic.04 · FUNCTION AND MOLECULETwo Paths to Materials: Surface Functionality and Wood-Based MoleculesUPM's materials businesses span three levels of maturity: profitable self-adhesive materials, functional substrates that remain predominantly paper-based, and wood-based chemicals still being scaled industrially. They should not be compressed into a single “premiumization” curve.Interface materials | UPM Adhesive Materials recorded first-half sales of €861 million, broadly unchanged, and comparable EBIT of €76 million, representing an 8.9% margin. It manages a self-adhesive system comprising face materials, adhesives, release liners, coating, slitting and application technology. Label selection should follow the recycling process of the primary packaging—not an assumption that either paper or plastic is always superior.Functional substrates | UPM Specialty Materials reported a 3.4% increase in deliveries, a 4.1% decline in sales and a 9.6% increase in comparable EBIT. The half-year report states that the profit increase came mainly from lower depreciation, while higher volumes and improved variable costs broadly offset lower prices. A materials label is not a substitute for a functional premium.Changshu is UPM's most tangible interface in China. The company website reports annual capacity of approximately 1.4 million tonnes and an Asian research-and-development capability; the product safety profile states that PM3 at Changshu produces UPM Solide™ Lucent barrier base paper. Food-contact controls and performance claims for the base paper do not cover coatings, inks, adhesives or the final package, and they cannot be used to infer the profitability or order book of a single mill.The Complete Structure, Not a Single SheetBarrier solution | UPM Asendo™ base paper + Michelman coating + BOBST process; oxygen transmission rate of 140 cm³/(m²·day) at 23 °C and 50% relative humidity.Repulping solution | A specific oneBARRIER structure achieved a material yield of 94.6%; a technical yield is not the same as the actual recycling rate in the market.These examples show that recyclable paper-based packaging does not have to pursue the absolute elimination of aluminum, coatings or polymers. What matters is whether the complete structure can be disintegrated and screened in the target process while retaining fibers of sufficient quality.Wood-based molecules | The latest estimated investment in Leuna is €1.37 billion, approximately 2.49 times the initial €550 million estimate announced in 2020. Because the dates, scopes and price assumptions differ, the change is used to illustrate scale-up risk in a new industrial facility—not as an emotive judgment.Industrial sugars have already been delivered commercially. Renewable functional fillers and other lignin derivatives are still expected to begin deliveries in the third quarter; no commercial deliveries of BioMEG or BioMPG have yet been confirmed. Full production and positive earnings in 2027 remain management targets.Renewable functional fillers are not one-for-one substitutes for carbon black or silica. With a density of approximately 1.3 g/cm³, a polar character and a tendency to absorb moisture, they operate mainly in the low-to-medium reinforcement range and require reformulation, compounding, molding and final-part qualification. “Carbon negative” applies only within the company's disclosed cradle-to-gate boundary.The Lappeenranta biorefinery has used crude tall oil to produce renewable diesel and naphtha commercially for ten years. It demonstrates that a by-product can become a standalone product—and that a mature commercial line and a first-of-a-kind molecular pathway require different return clocks.05 · CHINA ACTION COORDINATESAction Coordinates for China's Paper Value ChainChina Paper Association data show that in 2025, output of specialty paper and paperboard increased by 5.15%, while consumption declined by 2.18% and exports rose by 14.29%. Moving into specialty paper does not mean domestic functional demand, pricing and profit have risen in step.Pulp producers | Track delivered wood cost, cash cost per unit, energy, logistics, maintenance losses, realized pulp prices and exchange rates; do not let “captive pulp” substitute for cost evidence.Integrated paper mills | Track capacity utilization, the sales-to-output ratio, realized prices, inventory days, return on capital, and maintenance versus expansion capital expenditure; mature grades, growth grades and technology options cannot share a single return clock.Specialty and functional papers | Track qualification cycles, stable production yield, repeat-purchase rates, realized price per square metre, export concentration and converting complaints; a premium-sounding name does not establish a functional premium.Chemical and coating suppliers | Record the base paper, coat weight, line speed, temperature and humidity, barrier performance, heat sealing, release performance, food contact, repulpability and applied cost per unit; performance measured in a drum cannot substitute for the final package.Equipment suppliers | Track energy, water and steam consumption, downtime, ramp-up, multi-substrate changeovers, online inspection and investment payback. Opportunities extend beyond new paper machines to low coat weights, multilayer water-based coating, drying, slitting and repulpability-assessment equipment.Packaging converters and brand procurement teams | Track forming speed, scrap rates, material downgauging, shelf life, customer complaints, recycling compatibility and repeat purchases. A lower material price does not reduce total packaging cost if it creates more scrap or product loss.What to Watch Over the Next Two to Three Years: Whether the graphic-paper joint venture secures approval and can govern supply and demand; whether functional materials can sustain volumes and returns after restocking fades; whether Leuna can expand deliveries and reduce segment losses; whether lower capital expenditure and working capital translate into cash flow; and whether Chinese assets such as Changshu can connect base paper, coatings, equipment and customer qualification.CONCLUSION · THREE VALUE SCALESUPM Has Not Left Paper Behind—It Is Rewriting Units of Value and Capital RulesPulp remains the fiber platform; functional papers remain an important part of advanced materials; Changshu continues to provide paper production and R&D capacity for Asia; and the proposed joint venture means UPM plans to retain a 50% interest in the graphic-paper business.The real change is that every tonne of fiber must prove its resource cost, every square metre of material must prove its converting functionality, wood-based molecules must pass customer qualification and industrial scale-up, and every euro of capital must ultimately demonstrate returns and cash generation.The direction of the restructuring is clear, but it is not complete: the joint venture and demerger remain pending; improvement in functional-material earnings does not come entirely from pricing; Leuna remains in ramp-up; and group cash flow has not strengthened in step with profit.The future unit of competition will encompass the resource cost of each tonne of fiber, the functional value of each square metre of material, and whether every capital commitment can generate repeatable customer cash flows.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NotesThis article uses regulatory and industry statistics to establish market conditions, official financial reports to analyze capital returns, corporate technical materials to define the status of material solutions, and the author's analysis to connect these findings to decisions in China. Information was verified through 18 August 2026. Facts, company disclosures, calculated figures, the author's judgments and management forecasts are identified separately.China's output data, financial data for enterprises above designated size, PPI and paper-grade statistics have different scopes; no industry profit per tonne is calculated. CEPI member countries are not equivalent to the EU27. UPM segment capital employed and ROCE serve different purposes and are not used as a simple business ranking.UPM's half-year report is unaudited, and UPM Plywood is presented as discontinued operations. Sales and earnings from continuing operations are not mixed with group cash flow and debt. Transaction enterprise values, estimated synergies, demerger costs and project targets are not presented as realized results.Performance claims for functional papers, adhesive materials, barrier packaging, wood-based chemicals and renewable functional fillers are limited to the specified substrates, structures, test conditions, recycling processes and life-cycle boundaries. Base paper does not represent the final package; technical recyclability is not the same as recycling at scale; and first delivery does not establish stable utilization, repeat orders or positive cash flow.The value-chain collaboration opportunities discussed in this article are research recommendations and do not constitute an endorsement of a partnership, product certification, investment advice or a basis for any transaction.BIOTEN Observer · Data and Verification Sources01 | UPM Half Year Financial Report 202602 | UPM Annual Report 202503 | Definitive Agreement for the UPM–Sappi Graphic-Paper Joint Venture04 | European Commission Phase II Review of Case M.1227005 | Official Journal of the European Union, Case M.1227006 | CEPI Key Statistics 202507 | Sappi Third Quarter Results, Financial Year 202608 | UPM WISA Demerger Materials09 | WISA Supplemented Prospectus, 17 August10 | UPM Company History11 | UPM Strategy and Business Portfolio12 | UPM Adhesive Materials13 | UPM Specialty Materials14 | UPM Changshu Mill15 | UPM Solide™ Lucent Product Safety Profile, Changshu16 | UPM–Michelman–BOBST Joint Solution17 | UPM oneBARRIER Structure Description18 | UPM ProCycle™ Label Portfolio19 | UPM Leuna Initial Investment Announcement20 | UPM BioMotion™ RFF Technical Characteristics21 | UPM RFF Life-Cycle Boundary22 | UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery23 | Stora Enso Half-Year Report 202624 | Mondi Half-Year Results 202625 | National Bureau of Statistics of China: Profits of Industrial Enterprises Above Designated Size26 | National Bureau of Statistics of China: PPI, June 202627 | National Bureau of Statistics of China: Paper and Paperboard Output28 | China Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report on China's Paper IndustryRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-19T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-19T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-19-upm-materials-transformation/cms-image-455545e6f3e6befa.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-18-global-foodservice-packaging.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-18-global-foodservice-packaging.html",
            "title": "The Global Opportunity for Paper Packaging: A Ten-Region Policy and Market Map for Export Foodservice Packaging",
            "summary": "Who Buys: Real Orders Do Not Move Directly from Regulation to the Factory",
            "content_text": "The global opportunity for paper packaging is evolving from “replacing one material” into “delivering a complete, verifiable foodservice-packaging solution”.Overseas Foodservice-Packaging Policy and Market Map / GLOBAL PACKAGING MAPExport Foodservice Packaging: A Ten-Region Policy and Market Map — Where Demand Is Forming, Who Buys and How to EnterFrom the European Union, France, Germany and the United Kingdom to California, Australia, India, Canada, New Zealand and the Gulf, this report examines—region by region—why demand is emerging, who makes purchasing decisions, which evidence determines whether a SKU is accepted, and how Chinese suppliers can enter the market.19 candidates ·10 regions ·7 roles01 · EDITORIAL QUESTIONWhy do similar restrictions on plastics create different opportunities?The phrase “plastic restriction” is producing at least four very different markets. France is directing dine-in service at foodservice establishments with seating for at least 20 people towards washable, reusable tableware. The United Kingdom applies different extended producer responsibility fees to paper and board, fibre-based composites and plastic. Australia allows certain certified-compostable items to qualify for exemptions under some state rules, yet local food-organics and garden-organics (FOGO) collection systems may still reject them. In India, single-use-plastic prohibitions, extended producer responsibility (EPR) and enquiries about water-based coatings are appearing at the same time.The issue worth tracking is not which market has the “strictest plastic restrictions”, but how regulation becomes procurement: who sets the specification, who imports and pays, who bears EPR and testing obligations, and who can approve or reject a SKU. The ten regions in this report were selected from 19 candidates to represent research and market-entry priorities; they are not a ranking of the world’s ten largest markets.Core findingSimilar plastic restrictions have not created a single global product specification, but they are driving the same procurement upgrade. Buyers no longer compare only the unit price of cups and containers; they also examine functionality, food-contact compliance, EPR, end-of-life pathways and supply reliability. With its industrial manufacturing scale, forming and printing capabilities, and established fibre-recycling infrastructure, paper packaging is becoming an important platform for meeting this demand. The suppliers closest to winning orders will be those able to deliver a verifiable final SKU for each target region.Scope and limitationsThe ten regions were selected from 19 candidate market units and represent the first group of research and market-entry priorities; they are not ranked by market size, growth rate or likelihood of an order. Trade data are used only as a proxy for import channels. For fibre-based packaging, “repulpable” can refer to three different levels: repulpable in a laboratory, recyclable at a paper mill, and recyclable in the local collection system. Laboratory fibre yield is not the same as real-world recycling performance.02 · CIRCULAR FIBRE VALUEFrom material substitution to fibre circularityThe commercial starting point for paper cups and food containers is their ability to hold their contents, run reliably in conversion and be supplied at scale. Polyethylene (PE) extrusion coating provides mature water-resistance, heat-sealing and processing performance and should not be described simply as “non-recyclable”. The non-binding guidance issued by the European industry alliance 4evergreen provisionally classifies a thermoplastic extrusion layer applied only to the inside of a pack as either fully compatible or compatible under specific conditions with conventional paper recycling; double-sided structures generally require specialised mills. Some conclusions in the guidance still rely on expert judgement, and the final structure must be tested. The optimisation target is the non-fibre mass, fibre separation, screening rejects and burden on the paper mill—not the name “PE”.This is where the positive value of water-based dispersion coatings becomes apparent. The same guidance cites a typical wet application weight of approximately 5–20 g/m², with films potentially as thin as 1–2 µm, making them easier to separate from the fibre than laminated films. However, coat weight, bond strength and fillers can all change the outcome. “Water-based” describes the application system; the dry film may still be plastic. “Thinner and less” is a valid comparison only when the same base paper and equivalent functionality are being assessed.03 · TEN-REGION MAPThe ten regions at a glanceEuropean Union common rules: the product baseline is shared, but orders are placed in individual Member StatesPolicy and data. Regulation (EU) 2025/40 of the European Parliament and of the Council on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR) entered into force on 11 February 2025 and generally applies from 12 August 2026. It covers all packaging and establishes a common baseline for packaging minimisation, reuse, design for recycling, producer responsibility and PFAS limits for food-contact packaging. Takeaway operators must allow customers to bring their own containers by 12 February 2027 at the latest and must offer a reusable option by 12 February 2028; micro-enterprises are exempt from the latter obligation. Eurostat reports that the EU generated 79.70 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2023, equivalent to 177.8 kg per person. Paper and board accounted for approximately 32.30 million tonnes, or 40.4%. These figures are not a measure of the foodservice-packaging market.Demand, procurement and market entry. The demand signal is “direct regulatory pressure plus brand procurement”, but the PPWR does not prescribe water-based coatings. Barrier layers containing polymers may still be classified as plastic or as composite components. Brands and packaging producers set design and PFAS specifications; the importer or party first placing the product on the market in a Member State handles registration and EPR; coated-paper mills and converters make the actual material purchases; and compliance bodies, producer responsibility organisations (PROs) and recycling systems can reject a SKU. A Chinese supplier should begin with one Member State, one cup or container structure and one clearly identified responsible party, supported by a complete bill of materials (BOM), food-contact evidence, restricted-substance data, the coating’s mass share, and recyclability or reuse evidence—not by promoting a supposed “EU-wide water-based-coating certificate” across all 27 Member States.Principal sources:EUR-Lex, PPWR; Eurostat, “Packaging waste statistics” (2023 data, published in 2025).France: the 8% limit remains, while the “plastic-free” paper-cup deadline has moved to 2030Policy and data. A French decree of 24 September 2021 on the maximum permitted plastic content of certain single-use cups provides that, from 1 January 2024, plastic may account for no more than 8% of the cup’s weight. An amending decree of 28 December 2025 postponed the previous 2026 deadline for “no plastic or trace quantities only” to 2030, with a further review in 2028; compliant products manufactured or imported before the deadline may continue to be sold for 12 months. France’s 2025 technical assessment is explicit that a water-based dispersion containing chemically modified polymers and performing a barrier function still constitutes plastic. Under the AGEC Law and Article D.541-342 of the Environmental Code, establishments able to seat at least 20 people have, since 2023, been required to serve dine-in food and drink using reusable cups, plates, containers and cutlery. Takeaway cups are assessed separately against the plastic-content limit. ADEME reports that approximately 2.75 billion items of reusable packaging of all kinds were placed on the French market in 2024, giving an overall reuse rate of 1.82%; these figures cover all packaging, not only foodservice cups and containers.Demand, procurement and market entry. The demand signal is “plastic reduction plus reuse”, not “automatic growth in water-based coatings”. Foodservice chains set separate dine-in and takeaway specifications. The party liable for professional-packaging EPR fees still depends on the legal definition that the French government has committed to publish by September 2026 at the latest; producer responsibility organisations, food-contact reviewers and store operations can all prevent a SKU from being adopted. Materials suppliers must substantiate the composition of the dry film and its plastic mass share. The value of a water-based system lies in controlling polymer mass while delivering equivalent performance. The launch of the EPR system has been postponed from 1 July 2026 to 1 January 2027.Principal sources:Legifrance, the cup-content decree and the Environmental Code; French Ministry for Ecological Transition; ADEME, “Réemploi des emballages: données 2024”.Germany: even a thin plastic layer can trigger the reusable-option obligationPolicy and data. Germany’s Verpackungsrecht-Durchführungsgesetz (Packaging Law Implementation Act; VerpackDG) entered into force on 12 August 2026 and replaced the former Verpackungsgesetz (Packaging Act). Sections 60 and 61 continue the reusable-option obligations in place since 2023. Single-use plastic food containers filled by the final distributor—including in its kitchen, preparation area or other operating premises—and single-use beverage cups made from any material must be accompanied by a reusable option that is no more expensive and is offered on no less favourable terms. A food container falls within the definition if it is wholly or partly made of plastic. Small establishments with no more than five employees and a sales area of no more than 80 m² may comply by filling customers’ own containers; they are not fully exempt. The German Environment Agency (UBA) reports that Germany generated approximately 17.92 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2023, with an overall recycling rate of 69.4% and a rate of 86.6% for the broad paper-and-board category. A category-wide rate does not prove that a specific paper cup is recyclable.Demand, procurement and market entry. The most direct demand is for reuse. From 12 August 2026, the PPWR and VerpackDG distinguish between the manufacturer’s conformity obligations and the producer’s EPR obligations. The responsible party changes according to the brand, the position of the German supply-chain entity and whether a foreign seller supplies end users directly. The foodservice brand sets the specification, the manufacturer prepares the technical documentation, and the producer handles LUCID registration, system participation and EPR. Service packaging must therefore be reassessed by brand, supplier location and purchasing route rather than relying on the former “pre-participation in a system” assumption. A Chinese supplier should establish its legal role first, then provide evidence on plastic content, reuse, repulpability and food-contact compliance.Principal sources:German Federal Law Gazette, VerpackDG; UBA, “Verpackungsabfälle” (2023 data, updated in 2026); ZSVR.United Kingdom: “fibre-based” does not necessarily attract the paper-and-board feePolicy and data. The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 (SI 2024/1332), which apply across all four nations of the United Kingdom, entered into force on 1 January 2025. Brand owners, packer/fillers, importers and other parties are identified by their activities and the applicable thresholds. For packaging subject to waste-disposal fees, PackUK’s first-year base fees for 2025–2026 are £196 per tonne for paper or board, £423 per tonne for plastic and £461 per tonne for fibre-based composite packaging. These figures do not include every registration charge, PRN/PERN cost or other obligation. From 1 January 2026, a paper-fibre and plastic component that cannot be separated by hand is reported as a fibre-based composite if plastic exceeds 5% of its weight; it may be classified as paper or board only where plastic is 5% or less and supporting evidence is available. Components that can be separated are reported individually.Demand, procurement and market entry. The signal is “EPR fees directly influencing brand recyclability procurement”, not a plastic restriction automatically favouring water-based coatings. Where a water-based polymer forms an inseparable plastic layer, it still counts towards the 5% plastic threshold and is assessed under the recyclability assessment methodology (RAM). Lower dry-film coat weight and a lower share of inseparable plastic therefore enter directly into EPR classification, fees and purchasing calculations. Brands and retailers set the specification; UK importers or producers above the thresholds report and pay; converters purchase the paper; and PackUK, regulators and recyclers control classification and end-of-life acceptance. The market-entry pack should include, at minimum, the layer structure, dry coat weight, plastic mass share, food-contact evidence and repulpability test results.Principal sources:SI 2024/1332; PackUK, “2025 base fees”; UK Government guidance on EPR packaging-material classification.California, United States: switching from plastic to paper does not remove the product from the responsibility ledgerPolicy and data. California’s governor signed SB 54, the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, on 30 June 2022; CalRecycle’s permanent implementing regulations took effect on 1 May 2026. The system covers single-use packaging and single-use plastic foodservice ware and establishes EPR, source-reduction requirements and 2032 targets. Certain medical, prescription-drug and specified food and agricultural packaging is excluded. Since 1 January 2023, AB 1200 has prohibited plant-fibre-based food packaging containing either intentionally added PFAS that serves a functional or technical purpose or total organic fluorine at or above 100 ppm. CalRecycle estimates that approximately 8.457 million short tons of materials covered by SB 54 were landfilled in 2024, representing 21.1% of statewide landfill disposal. Paper and fibre accounted for approximately 3.929 million short tons, or 46.5% of covered materials. The 2026 covered material category (CMC) list also identifies “paperboard with plastic coating/lining” separately; the category group has an estimated recycling rate below 6% and was not listed as recyclable for that period. This is not a certification decision for any individual SKU.Demand, procurement and market entry. The demand signal combines direct regulation, brand procurement and end-of-life infrastructure; it does not exempt water-based systems. Under the statute’s hierarchy, the producer may be the brand owner, manufacturer or an in-state entity. Circular Action Alliance has been approved as the first PRO and submitted its plan in June 2026; the plan, budget and annual reports are subject to CalRecycle approval, and fees will follow the approved arrangements. Foodservice and retail buyers set SKU requirements, while sorting, recycling and composting systems determine end-of-life acceptance. Chinese suppliers should first identify the producer, component classification, PFAS status, applicable CMC and actual end-of-life route. Products intended for state facilities must also be checked separately against the SB 1335 approved-products list.Principal sources:CalRecycle, SB 54 permanent regulations, 2024 material-disposal study and 2026 CMC list; AB 1200.Australia: certification does not guarantee acceptance in a FOGO systemPolicy and data. The current federal baseline remains the National Environment Protection (Used Packaging Materials) Measure 2011 and the Australian Packaging Covenant; broader packaging reform is still under development. Under South Australia’s Single-use and Other Plastic Products (Waste Avoidance) Act 2020 and Regulations 2021, single-use plastic beverage cups, lids and ready-to-eat takeaway containers have been progressively restricted since 1 September 2024. From 1 March 2026, cups and containers exempted on the basis of AS 4736 or AS 5810 certification must also be clearly labelled for the applicable composting pathway. Under Western Australia’s Environmental Protection (Prohibited Plastics and Balloons) Regulations 2018, the rules for coffee cups, lids and takeaway trays took effect on 1 March 2024, with certain lids and lidded containers following on 1 September. Off-site pre-packaging, aviation services and supply outside the state are among Western Australia’s specific exceptions. A water-based polymer layer does not automatically fall outside the definition of plastic. AS 4736 and AS 5810 are not interchangeable, an upstream certificate does not automatically cover the finished cup, and certification does not guarantee acceptance by a FOGO service.Demand, procurement and market entry. The UN Comtrade Preview API estimates Australia’s 2024 imports under HS 482369 at approximately USD 206.5 million from the world and USD 158.7 million from China, implying a share of about 76.9%; both rows are markedisReported=false, so the figures can be used only as a proxy for an import channel that combines plates, dishes, cups and similar products. Western Australia uses more than 154 million takeaway coffee cups each year. Its 2026 FOGO communications guidance directs compostable cups, containers and trays to general waste, while local councils are adopting FOGO in stages. Importers and distributors place and pay for orders, foodservice chains set specifications, and state regulators, certificate scope and local end-of-life systems control whether a SKU is accepted. A Chinese supplier should validate “one state, one SKU, one end-of-life pathway” at a time.Principal sources:Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), federal packaging framework; South Australian and Western Australian legislation and Waste Authority guidance; UN Comtrade 2024.India: enquiry signals are emerging, but their scale and causes still need to be verifiedPolicy and data. India’s Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021 prohibit, from 1 July 2022, the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of listed single-use plastic items, including plates, cups, cutlery, straws and trays. They do not directly prohibit every paper cup. The 2022 amendment established EPR for plastic packaging; a pack consisting of at least one layer of plastic and one layer of a non-plastic material falls within the Category III assessment. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Packaging Regulations, 2018 require food businesses to obtain food-contact compliance evidence from a laboratory accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). In publicly available Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) material reviewed for this report, only the October 2024 CHD 16 (22358) WC consultation draft was found; no publication record for a final Indian Standard with the same title was identified, so the draft should not be treated as current certification. Between July 2022 and July 2025, authorities conducted 861,740 inspections, seized 1,985 tonnes of prohibited single-use plastics and imposed penalties totalling ₹19.82 crore (approximately ₹198.2 million).Demand, procurement and market entry. This review confirms only that the user has received enquiry signals; it does not establish a complete time series, customer set or project stage. Where the item constitutes plastic packaging, producers, importers and brand owners (PIBOs) must meet Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) EPR obligations according to their role. NABL-accredited laboratories provide evidence, while FSSAI, state food authorities and the CPCB, state pollution control boards (SPCBs) and pollution control committees (PCCs) enforce the rules. A Chinese supplier should first establish the final place of sale and then conduct joint sampling and trials with the customer.Principal sources:Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and CPCB plastic-waste rules; FSSAI packaging regulations; Indian parliamentary response on single-use-plastic enforcement; TNPL Annual Report 2024–25.Canada: the prohibition targets specified “problematic plastic” foodservice warePolicy and data. Environment and Climate Change Canada published the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations (SUPPR) on 22 June 2022. For specified foodservice ware, the manufacture and import prohibitions took effect on 20 December 2022, the sale prohibition on 20 December 2023, and the export-related prohibition on 20 December 2025. Following the Federal Court of Appeal’s judgment of 30 January 2026, the SUPPR remain in force. They apply to cups, plates, bowls and containers containing expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), carbon black or oxo-degradable plastic. Official guidance gives ordinary plastic-lined paper coffee cups that do not contain these problematic plastics, and PLA foodservice ware, as examples that are not automatically prohibited by this provision; PLA and PHA may nevertheless still be plastics. Statistics Canada recorded CAD 101.4 billion in sales by food services and drinking places in 2025, of which limited-service restaurants accounted for CAD 47.3 billion, or 46.6%. These figures are a proxy for the use environment, not the size of the packaging market.Demand, procurement and market entry. The signal comes from restrictions on specified resins plus brand and provincial EPR requirements, not from a federal rule prescribing water-based coatings. A water-based polymer may still be plastic; if it contains none of the five problematic plastics, it is simply not automatically prohibited by the SUPPR provision. Brands set specifications, while the importer, brand owner or provincial producer may be responsible for purchasing and EPR. Provincial PROs and local recycling systems control end-of-life acceptance. Health Canada’s Letter of No Objection (LONO) is a voluntary opinion on chemical safety, not a legal approval, and it does not transfer responsibility away from the food seller. Chinese suppliers should verify the responsible party, formulation and intended use for the target province.Principal sources:SUPPR and official technical guidance; Statistics Canada, 2025 foodservice sales; Health Canada food-packaging guidance.New Zealand: “compostable” packaging may still be directed to general waste by municipal systemsPolicy and data. Under New Zealand’s Waste Minimisation (Plastic and Related Products) Regulations 2022, certain PVC food trays and polystyrene takeaway food and beverage packaging have been prohibited since October 2022. Since July 2023, tableware such as plates, bowls and trays made predominantly from plastic has been prohibited, while forks, spoons, knives and chopsticks are covered if they contain any plastic. The definition of plastic includes bio-based and compostable plastics. Implementation guidance clarifies that plastic-lined paper, bamboo or bagasse tableware, non-EPS single-use cups and ordinary lidded plastic containers were not included in that phase. The original deadline for the third phase in 2025 has been removed. Since February 2024, local-authority kerbside food-scraps and FOGO services have excluded paper, board and compostable packaging; dedicated commercial collection must be verified separately.Demand, procurement and market entry. The UN Comtrade Preview API estimates New Zealand’s 2024 imports under HS 482369 from the world at approximately USD 31.10 million. The China partner row is approximately USD 23.89 million with a gross weight of about 7.829 million kg and is markedisReported=true, implying 76.8% by value; however, the tariff heading cannot identify water-based-coated products. A water-based polymer dry film is not automatically “plastic-free”. Even where a product is not prohibited, a composite layer may still be excluded from standard kerbside paper recycling. Importers and distributors pay for orders and brands set specifications; food businesses and suppliers must demonstrate packaging safety, the Ministry for Primary Industries/New Zealand Food Safety enforces the rules, and municipalities and facilities determine end-of-life acceptance. A paper-recycling route requires final-structure testing and confirmation of local acceptance; a composting route requires confirmation from the receiving facility.Principal sources:New Zealand Ministry for the Environment guidance on plastic phase-outs and kerbside collection; Ministry for Primary Industries food-packaging rules; UN Comtrade 2024.Gulf markets: Dubai is the regulatory anchor, while Saudi Arabia has a separate market-access systemPolicy and data. UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment Ministerial Decision No. 380 of 2022 establishes the federal baseline. From 1 January 2026, its second phase prohibits the import, production or trading of plastic beverage cups and lids, plates, cutlery, straws, stirrers and expanded-foam food containers; specified exceptions apply to export or re-export products and products made from recycled materials as determined by the competent authority. Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 124 of 2023 applies separately throughout Dubai, including its free zones. It covered Styrofoam cups and food containers from 2025 and covers plastic plates, food containers, cutlery, beverage cups and lids from 2026. Products labelled for export or re-export may not be sold in the UAE. Dubai added approximately 2,336 food establishments in the first half of 2025; this is only a proxy for channel activity.Demand, procurement and market entry. The demand signal is “direct UAE and Dubai regulation plus an active hotel, restaurant and catering channel”; regional re-export must still be verified order by order. The published rules do not yet provide a single classification for paper cups with water-based polymer coatings, so the local importer should obtain a written determination on the formulation and finished SKU before a quotation is finalised. Saudi Arabia is not an extension of the UAE prohibition. The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) regulation on degradable plastics covers listed PE/PP and oxo-biodegradable products; it is not a compostability route covering all paper cups. The Technical Regulation for Food Safety in Tools and Appliances Used in the Kitchen separately governs food contact. The Saudi importer must obtain a product certificate of conformity and a shipment certificate through Saber for each consignment. Chinese suppliers should maintain three separate SKU files: Dubai domestic sale, re-export, and Saudi domestic sale.Principal sources:UAE Ministerial Decision No. 380 of 2022; Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 124 of 2023 and Dubai Municipality 2025; SASO and Saber.04 · ORDER CHAINWho buys: real orders do not move directly from regulation to the factorySeven roles in an order |Specification setter → material buyer → importer/placer on the market → purchase-order payer → EPR-obligated party → evidence gatekeeper → end-of-life acceptance operatorWhat recurs across the ten regions is not a single “customer list”, but seven distinct roles that must be identified separately.First,the specification setteris usually a foodservice brand, supermarket, institutional customer or packaging brand. Second,the material buyeris the coated-paper mill, converter, or cup and container manufacturer. Third,the importer or party placing the product on the markethandles cross-border movement, inventory and registration. Fourth,the actual purchase-order payermay be the importer, distributor, brand-nominated supplier or converter; the contract and Incoterms determine who bears payment, testing costs and inventory risk.Fifth,the EPR-obligated party and fee payermay differ from the purchase-order payer because each market assigns the producer or PIBO role differently. Sixth,the evidence gatekeeperincludes food-contact reviewers, laboratories, certification bodies, PROs and regulators. They control whether reports, labels, listings or compliance claims are accepted, although not all of them are product-approval authorities. Seventh,the end-of-life acceptance operatoris the collection service, sorting facility, paper mill, composting facility or store system. It is entirely possible for a certificate to be valid while the relevant local collection bin still rejects the item.An effective enquiry should establish at least the final country or state of sale, the customer’s role, the SKU structure, food-use conditions, reason for substitution, applicable legislation or standard, who imports, who pays for testing, who bears EPR, the intended end-of-life pathway, expected annual volume and the next decision point. Policy interest begins to become commercial evidence only as buyer specifications, a responsible legal entity, paid samples, third-party testing, trial orders and repeat orders appear in sequence.05 · CHINA ENTRY PACKAGEA Chinese industry example:a distinctive case in water-based-coated paper cupsCup and food-container manufacturers must provide a “finished-SKU responsibility pack”. A materials report cannot cover the finished cup by itself; the side seam, rim, inks and adhesives must all be included in the BOM.Lidois a distinctive industry example in water-based-coated paper cups. China’s national standards platform lists the company as a principal drafting organisation for GB/T 44834—2024 and GB/T 27591—2025. For years it has worked with BASF, Bohui Paper and DBC across the value chain to advance the scaled application of waterborne-barrier-coated paper foodservice ware. For overseas buyers, the value of this work continues to grow. It lies not only in the Chinese value chain’s capability behind the label “water-based-coated paper cup”, but also in the transparency andverifiability of food-contact safety, reliability and recyclability.06 · CONCLUSIONThe real window of opportunity is to prepare the evidence before the order arrivesThe ten regions point to the same change in procurement: foodservice packaging is moving from “material substitution” to the delivery of region-specific, verifiable solutions. In takeaway, delivery and institutional settings where single-use formats remain necessary, paper packaging has room to advance because of its mature manufacturing, forming and printing capabilities and established fibre-recycling base. In markets that prioritise reuse, paper must be positioned alongside reusable systems according to the use case. The value of waterborne barriers lies in continuing to optimise the finished SKU’s functionality, non-fibre burden and recycling conditions.The opportunity for China’s paper-packaging supply chain is to be first in organising regional demand, functional benchmarking, structural plastic reduction, repulpability evidence, food-contact compliance, EPR and local end-of-life acceptance into a lower-risk SKU. In this form, replacing plastic with paper becomes a procurement language that buyers can audit, paper mills can verify and obligated parties can quantify.In subsequent editions, BIOTEN Packaging will provide professional research and interpretation of the policy, market-development logic and commercial opportunities in specific regional markets, offering evidence and reference points for high-quality innovation across China’s paper-based-packaging value chain.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research StatementThis article is based on legislation, regulatory materials and official data that could be verified as of 17 August 2026. Policies, fee levels and facility acceptance may change; actual projects must be rechecked for the target market and finished SKU. This article is provided for industry research and market assessment and does not constitute legal advice, certification or a product-performance commitment.BIOTEN research data and verification sourcesEuropean Union: Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR); European Commission packaging policy page; Eurostat 2023 packaging-waste data.France and Germany: current French provisions on plastic content in paper cups; French technical assessment of water-based polymers; ADEME 2024 reusable-packaging data; German Federal Law Gazette, VerpackDG; UBA 2023 packaging data; ZSVR guidance on responsibility changes from 12 August 2026.United Kingdom and California: PackUK 2025–2026 base fees; UK EPR material-classification guidance; CalRecycle SB 54; CalRecycle 2024 material-disposal study.Australia and India: Australian federal packaging-responsibility framework; Western Australian FOGO acceptance rules; Indian single-use-plastic enforcement data; FSSAI packaging-regulations compilation; TNPL Annual Report 2024–25.Canada and New Zealand: Canadian SUPPR technical guidance; Statistics Canada 2025 foodservice sales; New Zealand plastic phase-out policy; New Zealand FOGO exclusion list; Ministry for Primary Industries food-packaging rules.Gulf and trade methodology: UAE Ministerial Decision No. 380 of 2022; Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 124 of 2023; SASO technical regulation on degradable plastics; UN Comtrade API methodology.Dubai channel data: Dubai Municipality 2025 food-establishment data.Paper-for-plastic substitution and repulpability methods: 4evergreen, Circularity by Design Guideline, Version 4 (2026); Cepi, Paper and Board Recyclability Laboratory Test Method, Version 3 (2025); Lyytikäinen et al. (2026), study of repulpability for water-based suberin dispersion coatings.Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-18T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-20T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
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            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-18-global-foodservice-packaging/cms-image-4607956cb454fc01.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-18-longchen-paper.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-18-longchen-paper.html",
            "title": "What Makes Longchen Paper & Packaging Strong? The Recovered-Paper and Packaging Network Behind 3.07 Million Tonnes",
            "summary": "Jiangsu Longchen Greentech's core strength lies in integrating recovered fiber, industrial paper and regional corrugated-box delivery into a single operating system.",
            "content_text": "Jiangsu Longchen Greentech's core strength lies in integrating recovered fiber, industrial paper and regional corrugated-box delivery into a single operating system.China's Top 20 Paper Producers / INDUSTRIAL PAPER STUDYWhat Makes Longchen Paper & Packaging Strong? The Recovered-Paper and Packaging Network Behind 3.07 Million TonnesThe 3.07-million-tonne figure is only a scale marker. The more important question is how Jiangsu Longchen Greentech integrates recovered fiber, three industrial-paper bases in mainland China, a corrugated-box network spanning East and Central China, and closed-loop energy and water systems into an operating manufacturing and delivery network.Core AssessmentJiangsu Longchen Greentech's industrial foundation is a regional network comprising recovered-fiber collection, three industrial-paper bases in mainland China, a corrugated-box network across East and Central China, and combined heat-and-power and water-recycling systems. In the first half of 2026, both the industrial-paper and corrugated-packaging segments of Longchen Paper & Packaging improved, providing operating evidence of the value created by integrating paper and box production.Paper mills determine supply, while the corrugated-box network determines delivery; recovery, energy and water systems determine whether the network can endure.01 · MANUFACTURING NETWORKBehind 3.07 Million Tonnes Is a Mainland Manufacturing NetworkAccording to the China Paper Association's 2025 Annual Report on China's Paper Industry, Jiangsu Longchen Greentech Co., Ltd. produced 3.07 million tonnes of paper and paperboard in 2025, down 0.97% year on year and ranking ninth among the key enterprises listed in the report. The association also notes that the ranking is based on the data it was able to collect.This scale marker alone does not explain Jiangsu Longchen Greentech's organizational footprint. Longchen Paper & Packaging's consolidated financial statements for the second quarter of 2026 show that the group holds 100% of Jiangsu Longchen Greentech through Long Chen Paper (China) Holdings, Kunshan Rongzhong Investment and Suzhou Manguo Packaging. Jiangsu Longchen Greentech is, in turn, connected to industrial-paper bases in Wuxi, Pinghu and Hubei, as well as packaging operations in Kunshan, Suzhou, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Central China.Longchen Paper & Packaging's website currently lists Wuxi Longchen, Pinghu Longchen and Hubei Longchen as its low-carbon papermaking bases in mainland China; its eco-packaging and corrugated-box network covers Kunshan, Suzhou, Shanghai, Hangzhou and several cities in Central China. The group's consolidated structure for the second quarter of 2026 also includes Jiaxing Longchen Intelligent Eco-Packaging Co., Ltd.Three Reference Points3.07 million tonnes: The 2025 paper and paperboard output reported by the association, used here only as a scale marker for this series.Three industrial-paper bases: Wuxi, Pinghu and Hubei form the mainland base-paper supply platform.Regional corrugated-box network: Located close to customers in East and Central China, the network converts base-paper capacity into corrugated board, boxes and delivery services.Scope boundary: The association does not disclose whether the 3.07-million-tonne figure represents the output of Jiangsu Longchen Greentech as a single legal entity or an aggregate that includes related mainland paper mills. Longchen Paper & Packaging's 2024 Sustainability Report states that its mainland industrial-paper capacity was 3.3 million tonnes; the two figures cannot be used directly to calculate capacity utilization.Sources: China Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report on China's Paper Industry; Longchen Paper & Packaging, consolidated financial statements for the second quarter of 2026.02 · FROM FIBER TO DELIVERYHow the Network Runs from Recovered Fiber to Corrugated BoxesLongchen Paper & Packaging describes itself as a vertically integrated manufacturer of low-carbon paper and eco-packaging that uses recovered paper as its primary raw material. Its main products include linerboard, corrugating medium, corrugated board and corrugated boxes. The 2024 Sustainability Report likewise places recovered-paper collection, low-carbon papermaking, eco-packaging and post-consumer product recovery within a single value chain.The challenge in this chain is not simply whether recovered paper is available. Moisture, contaminants, stickies, ash content, fiber length and batch consistency affect pulp yield, paper-machine runnability, strength properties, and steam and chemical consumption per tonne—ultimately shaping the cost and quality of linerboard and corrugating medium.Capability Path A · RECOVERYCollection and sorting: Control moisture, contaminants, stickies and fiber damage to establish the basis for stable paper-machine operation and competitive cost per tonne.Capability Path B · INDUSTRIAL PAPERIndustrial-paper production: Translate fiber quality into ring-crush strength, burst strength, basis-weight consistency and continuous-run efficiency.Capability Path C · CORRUGATED PACKAGINGCorrugated board and boxes: Use flute profile, box design, printing, structural engineering and converting yield to translate base-paper performance into packaging performance.Capability Path D · REGIONAL DELIVERYRegional delivery: Use corrugated-box plants close to customers to shorten transport and response distances, enabling demand signals to flow back more quickly into board design and base-paper production.The financial statements for the first half of 2026 report intercompany sales and receivables between paper mills in Wuxi, Pinghu and Hubei and packaging entities in Jiangsu, Xiasha, Suzhou, Wuhan and Hunan. These transactions confirm that actual supply relationships exist between the paper mills and corrugated-box plants, rather than merely links on an organizational chart.Industrial paper secures base-paper supply; the corrugated-box network addresses customer proximity, lead times, structural design and service responsiveness. Because corrugated boxes have clear transport and service radii, regional plants can shorten delivery times and return customer feedback to manufacturing more quickly.Sources: Longchen Paper & Packaging website, Company Profile; Longchen Paper & Packaging, 2024 Sustainability Report.03 · OPERATING RESULTSBoth Paper and Packaging Returned to Profit in the First Half of 2026In 2025, Longchen Paper & Packaging recorded consolidated revenue of NT$44.708 billion, down approximately 6.47% year on year; a consolidated gross margin of 9.85%; an operating loss of approximately NT$13 million; a net loss attributable to owners of the parent of approximately NT$517 million; and net cash inflows from operating activities of NT$1.141 billion. Even a fully integrated value chain remains exposed to the combined pressures of paper prices, demand, costs and production-line ramp-up.Operating results improved more clearly in the first half of 2026: consolidated revenue reached NT$24.248 billion, up approximately 13.23% year on year; consolidated gross margin rose from 9.33% to 10.86%; operating profit was NT$232 million, compared with an operating loss of NT$121 million a year earlier; and net profit attributable to owners of the parent was NT$243 million, compared with a net loss of NT$570 million.First-Half 2026 Operating Scorecard · Consolidated Group BasisNT$24.248 billion RevenueUp approximately 13.23% year on year; revenue from the China market was NT$19.705 billion, up approximately 20.06%.10.86% Consolidated gross marginUp approximately 1.53 percentage points from 9.33% in the prior-year period.NT$1.338 billion Net cash flows from operating activitiesUp approximately 99.68% from NT$670 million in the prior-year period.Both core segments also returned to profit. External revenue from industrial paper was NT$18.109 billion, up approximately 15.48%, with segment profit of NT$314 million versus a loss of NT$305 million a year earlier. The corrugated-packaging segment—corrugated board and boxes—reported external revenue of NT$5.849 billion, up approximately 11.31%, and segment profit of NT$122 million versus a loss of NT$192 million.The simultaneous improvement in revenue, gross margin, segment profit and operating cash flow says more about the system's operating quality than group net profit alone. Company-reported figures show cumulative consolidated revenue of NT$28.535 billion for January–July 2026, up 13.88%, with cumulative operating profit of NT$350 million and profit before tax of NT$478 million.Financial scope: All amounts above are in New Taiwan dollars and are reported on the consolidated, segment or geographic basis of the Taiwan-listed parent, Longchen Paper & Packaging. They must not be presented as the standalone results of Jiangsu Longchen Greentech. The industrial-paper and corrugated-packaging segments include operations in both Taiwan and mainland China. The January–July figures are internally compiled, unaudited company data and remain subject to the financial statements reviewed or audited by the company's accountants.Sources: Longchen Paper & Packaging, 2025 consolidated financial statements; Longchen Paper & Packaging, consolidated financial statements for the second quarter of 2026.04 · CAPACITY REALISATIONThe Hubei Base Will Determine Whether Scale Converts into ProfitLongchen Paper & Packaging's consolidated financial statements disclose that Hubei Longchen planned an annual paperboard capacity of 1.5 million tonnes together with a 100 MW combined heat-and-power project. The first-phase project, comprising 1.15 million tonnes of paperboard capacity and the CHP facility, has been completed. The second-phase 350,000-tonne production line has also been completed, but grid-connection procedures are still under way, with acceptance expected in 2026.Each Project Stage Must Be Read SeparatelyPlanned: 1.5 million tonnes of paperboard capacity plus 100 MW of combined heat and power.Completed: The first-phase 1.15-million-tonne paperboard and CHP project; the second-phase 350,000-tonne production line.Outstanding: Grid-connection procedures and acceptance for the second phase.Operating delivery: Stable operating loads, energy consumption per unit, paper-machine efficiency, regional orders, internal offtake and cash flow.The mainland investment schedule for the first half of 2026 shows that Hubei Longchen recorded a net loss of approximately NT$306 million. Over the same period, Pinghu Longchen earned approximately NT$29 million, while Wuxi Longchen and Jiangsu Longchen Greentech each recorded a small loss. The group's industrial-paper and corrugated-packaging segments returned to profit overall, but the individual bases remain at different operating stages.The value of the Hubei base lies in linking recovered fiber in Central China with industrial-paper production, combined heat and power, and corrugated-box plants in Wuhan, Xiantao, Jingzhou and Hunan. The next indicators to watch are acceptance and operating load for the 350,000-tonne line, energy consumption per unit, paper-machine stability, internal offtake of base paper, regional orders and operating cash flow—not merely the planned capacity of 1.5 million tonnes.Project boundary: Completion of a production line does not mean it has been connected to the grid, accepted, operated stably, run at full capacity or made profitable. Nor can Hubei Longchen's loss be attributed solely to the new line's ramp-up on the basis of public financial statements alone.Source: Longchen Paper & Packaging, consolidated financial statements for the second quarter of 2026.05 · NEXT OPERATING SYSTEMLow Carbon, Intelligence and Organizational Restructuring Open the Next PhaseLongchen's circular capabilities extend beyond recovered-paper collection to combined heat and power, waste-heat recovery, water recycling, waste valorization and regional packaging. The company's 2024 Sustainability Report states that it operates three low-carbon paper mills and eight eco-packaging and corrugated-box plants in mainland China. It also says that, after mainland industrial-paper capacity reached 3.3 million tonnes, the operating focus shifted toward carbon reduction, expansion of corrugated-box operations, equipment upgrades and a higher internal-consumption ratio for industrial paper.The company's 2026 public materials state that hardware and software upgrades at upstream industrial-paper mills and downstream corrugated-box plants over the past eight years have enabled production data to connect automatically, and that AI applications in manufacturing are planned for the next three years. Just-in-time operations, production scheduling, quality prediction, predictive maintenance, inventory management and transport dispatch are the most direct areas in which these digital capabilities can produce measurable results.On 12 August 2026, Longchen Paper & Packaging's board approved a proposed transformation into an investment holding company. The plan would spin off the Taiwan industrial-paper and corrugated-packaging businesses into a wholly owned subsidiary and rename the parent Longchen Investment Holdings; the mainland business would continue to be managed by L&C and its subsidiaries. The proposal remains subject to approval at an extraordinary general meeting on 1 October 2026, with 4 January 2027 tentatively set as the effective date of the demerger.The restructuring indicates that Longchen is seeking to separate regional accountability more clearly across Taiwan, mainland China, Japan and other overseas operations, assigning manufacturing, resource allocation and strategic partnerships to more clearly defined organizations. For Jiangsu Longchen Greentech, this may strengthen its role as the group's mainland industrial platform, but the actual impact will depend on shareholder approval and subsequent implementation.Four Collaboration Interfaces Across the Value ChainRecovered fiber and collection: Sorting purity, moisture, stickies, ash content, fiber damage and supply radius.Chemicals, equipment and energy: Cost per tonne, paper-break frequency, machine speed, ring-crush strength, burst strength, and steam and water efficiency.Corrugated board, boxes and brand owners: System-level optimization of basis weight, flute profile, compression strength, printing, stacking, logistics damage and lead times.Digital operations: Connect models to real production metrics for scheduling, quality, maintenance, inventory and transport.Evidence boundary: The company's disclosed low-carbon indicators, AI plans and organizational transformation represent corporate data, future plans and a proposal still awaiting approval, respectively. Each must be tested against energy consumption, yield, downtime, inventory turns, order quality, profit and cash flow.Sources: Longchen Paper & Packaging website, Green Technology; Smart-Manufacturing Foundations and AI Applications; Longchen Paper & Packaging press release on its proposed transformation into an investment holding company.CONCLUSIONCircular Manufacturing Must Ultimately Deliver Operating ResultsThe research value of Jiangsu Longchen Greentech lies in the circular-packaging system behind the 3.07-million-tonne scale marker: recovered fiber enters the Wuxi, Pinghu and Hubei paper mills; base paper then flows into corrugated-board and box plants across East and Central China; and energy, water and digital systems support both manufacturing and delivery.In the first half of 2026, the industrial-paper and corrugated-packaging segments both returned to profit, revenue from the China market continued to grow, and operating cash flow improved materially. These results provide clearer operating evidence of Longchen's vertically integrated capabilities and illustrate the value that can emerge when recovered paper, a regional corrugated-box network and lean operations work together.The next-phase agenda is clear: stabilize the new Hubei production line, increase internal offtake of industrial paper and the quality of corrugated-box orders, continue reducing energy and water costs, and translate AI deployment and organizational restructuring into measurable gains in efficiency, profit and cash flow.When recovered fiber can be converted reliably into industrial paper, corrugated board and boxes—and delivered rapidly to regional customers—circular manufacturing becomes an operating capability capable of producing repeatable results.NEXT COMPANY · NO.10Next: Liansheng PaperAccording to the China Paper Association's table of 2025 output by key enterprises, Liansheng Paper ranked tenth with paper and paperboard output of 2.824 million tonnes, up 0.57% year on year.The ranking determines only the order of this series. The next article will develop an independent assessment after separate research, without presuming that Liansheng follows Jiangsu Longchen Greentech's model.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NotesThis article uses association statistics to establish the scale marker; Longchen Paper & Packaging's consolidated financial statements to verify entities and operating results; sustainability reports and the company website to analyze circular manufacturing; and official company releases to update organizational and smart-manufacturing developments. Information was verified through 18 August 2026.The 3.07-million-tonne figure follows the reporting scope for Jiangsu Longchen Greentech Co., Ltd. in the China Paper Association's table; the association does not publicly disclose the scope of consolidation. Revenue, profit, cash flow, segment and mainland-subsidiary figures in New Taiwan dollars come from the consolidated financial statements of Taiwan-listed Longchen Paper & Packaging and its subsidiaries and must not be presented as the standalone results of Jiangsu Longchen Greentech.Industrial-paper, corrugated-packaging and China-market revenue figures are reported on group segment or geographic bases; a single segment may include operations in both Taiwan and mainland China. Company sustainability and low-carbon data are corporate disclosures and are not substitutes for third-party product carbon footprints, evidence for a specific customer's packaging, or proof relating to an individual mill.The July 2026 figures are internally compiled company data; the proposed investment-holding-company transformation remains subject to approval at an extraordinary general meeting; and grid connection and acceptance for the second-phase 350,000-tonne line in Hubei are still in progress. Project completion, acceptance, stable operation, full production and profitability are recorded as separate stages.Data and Verification Sources01 | China Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report on China's Paper Industry02 | Longchen Paper & Packaging, 2025 Consolidated Financial Statements03 | Longchen Paper & Packaging, Consolidated Financial Statements for the Second Quarter of 202604 | Longchen Paper & Packaging, 2024 Sustainability Report05 | Longchen Paper & Packaging Website: Company Profile06 | Longchen Paper & Packaging Website: Green Technology07 | Longchen Paper & Packaging Press Release on Its Proposed Transformation into an Investment Holding Company08 | Longchen Shareholders' Meeting: Smart-Manufacturing Foundations and AI Applications09 | Longchen Paper & Packaging Website: Corrugated Board10 | Longchen Paper & Packaging 2026 Low-Carbon Progress Release11 | Longchen Paper & Packaging 2026 Monthly Self-Reported Consolidated Profit and Loss12 | Longchen Paper & Packaging 2026 Monthly Self-Reported RevenueRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-18T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-19T00:00:00+08:00",
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            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-18-longchen-paper/cms-image-47018f248d478efe.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-18-fiber-integration.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-18-fiber-integration.html",
            "title": "What Makes China Paper Corporation Strong? From Integrated Forestry, Pulp and Paper to Specialty Paper, Ecology and Computing Power",
            "summary": "As resource efficiency, product competitiveness and returns on assets continue to improve across its member companies, the strengths of China Paper's platform will become increasingly evident.",
            "content_text": "Scale provides the foundation, while specialization and sustained innovation are creating new momentum for China Paper Corporation.CHINA'S TOP 20 PAPER COMPANIES · NO. 08 / INDUSTRIAL PAPER STUDYWhat Makes China Paper Corporation Strong? From Integrated Forestry, Pulp and Paper to Specialty Paper, Ecology and Computing PowerStarting with 3.0979 million tonnes of output, China Paper Corporation is developing a clearer model of specialization: Yueyang Forest & Paper is reinforcing its integrated forestry-pulp-paper base and green-resource capabilities; Guanhao High-Tech is using specialty paper and functional coatings to strengthen product competitiveness; and Meili Cloud has shifted its operating focus. This article examines gross margins, net profit excluding non-recurring gains and losses, cash flow and utilization rates to identify the next stage of growth for this industrial platform.CORE ASSESSMENTChina Paper's platform value is already evident in the distinct operating paths pursued by its member companies: Yueyang Forest & Paper is strengthening its integrated forestry-pulp-paper and green-resource base; Guanhao High-Tech is moving specialty paper and functional coatings up the value chain; and Meili Cloud is opening new avenues for returns on assets through a sharper business focus.When each member follows the path best suited to it, their specialized capabilities can combine to create long-term platform value.01 · PROFESSIONAL PATHSThree Distinct Operating Paths on a Single PlatformAccording to the China Paper Association's 2025 Annual Report on China's Paper Industry, China Paper Investment Co., Ltd. produced 3.0979 million tonnes of paper and paperboard in 2025, up 19.15% year on year, ranking eighth among the key enterprises listed in the report. This scale provides a useful reference point for examining how China Paper organizes its businesses, allocates resources and directs technology investment.China Paper's official website describes the company as China Chengtong's operating platform for the paper sector and a wholly owned subsidiary of China Chengtong Holdings Group Ltd. It owns three listed companies—Yueyang Forest & Paper, Guanhao High-Tech and Meili Cloud—and is developing integrated forestry-pulp-paper bases centered in Hunan and Guangdong.At its February 2026 work conference, China Paper noted that 2025 marked the full launch of integrated reform. Its priorities for 2026 are to implement an integrated-management program, improve operating quality and efficiency through digital and intelligent technologies and operational excellence, and advance strategic emerging industries through related diversification and tiered incubation. China Paper is working to convert its scale into specialized management capabilities and operating synergies.Three Operating PathsResource Efficiency: An integrated chain spanning forests, wood chips, pulp, energy and paper machines is improving raw-material security, system-wide costs and production efficiency.Product Upgrading: Specialty papers, white paperboard, coated materials, labels and functional materials are moving closer to end-use applications, expanding high-quality orders and strengthening product competitiveness.Business Focus: By exiting businesses, restructuring assets and building new projects, resources are being reallocated toward clearer strategic priorities.SCOPE NOTE: Meili Cloud is included here as a case of business refocusing and asset restructuring. Public information currently available does not indicate that it has generated cloud-infrastructure synergy revenue for China Paper's other paper businesses.COMPANY CASE 01 · YUEYANG FOREST & PAPERYueyang Forest & Paper Converts Its Resource Base into Operating EfficiencyYueyang Forest & Paper has capabilities spanning integrated forestry, pulp and paper; market pulp; biomass power generation; ecology; and carbon sinks. In 2025, the company generated revenue of RMB 8.665 billion, up 6.78% year on year. Continued revenue growth has preserved a solid operating base for further improvements in product mix and cost efficiency.2025 CAPABILITY SNAPSHOTPrinting Paper: Revenue: RMB 4.425 billion; gross margin: 4.66%.Packaging Paper: Revenue: RMB 1.377 billion; gross margin: 6.89%.Market Pulp: Revenue: RMB 1.919 billion; gross margin: 26.20%.Biomass Power Generation: Revenue: RMB 348 million; gross margin: 22.15%.Pulp and energy have become strong profit anchors, while paper products still offer room to expand margins through product-mix improvements, greater use of internally produced pulp and higher production efficiency. The business value of integrated forestry, pulp and paper will become progressively more visible in cash cost per tonne, quality stability and the cash conversion cycle.In the first quarter of 2026, the company reported net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent company of RMB 12.9183 million and net cash flow from operating activities of RMB 36.742 million. Despite pressure from market-pulp selling prices and timber procurement costs, these quarterly figures provide an encouraging signal of operating recovery.The company's 2026 budget targets paper output of 1.48 million tonnes, market-pulp output of 329,000 tonnes and revenue of RMB 9.257 billion. It is also advancing a transition toward packaging paper, maximizing internally produced pulp capacity, developing a digital wood-chip procurement platform and expanding carbon-sink and high-value fiber-material businesses. The operating path is clear: use forestry resources to secure raw materials, internally produced pulp and energy capabilities to reduce costs, and packaging paper and high-value fiber materials to expand the product portfolio.For suppliers of raw materials, equipment and chemicals, this integrated system provides a more complete environment in which to validate collaboration outcomes. Any technology that reduces wood-chip losses, increases pulping yield, cuts sheet breaks, improves yield rates or lowers total cost per tonne of paper may create an opportunity for deeper, longer-term value-chain collaboration.FINANCIAL CONTEXT: Yueyang Forest & Paper reported a 2025 net loss attributable to shareholders of the parent company of RMB 235 million and net cash used in operating activities of RMB 477 million. The improvement in first-quarter 2026 cash flow also reflected the collection of maturing notes and the release of certain deposits. The company expects a net loss attributable to shareholders of the parent company of RMB 14 million to RMB 8 million for the first half of 2026; its official interim report has not yet been published.Sources: Yueyang Forest & Paper 2025 Annual Report; First Quarter 2026 Report; Preliminary Loss Announcement for the First Half of 2026.COMPANY CASE 02 · GUANGDONG GUANHAO HIGH-TECHGuanhao High-Tech Advances Innovation and Operating Quality in TandemGuanhao High-Tech's capabilities extend beyond its paper machines to the combination of base paper, coating, labels, films and papermaking chemicals. Its portfolio includes thermal paper, dye-sublimation transfer paper, coated white paperboard, self-adhesive materials, medical-film coatings and digital-printing films, providing a platform for continuous iteration across multiple end-use segments.The company's annual report states that revenue from new products reached approximately RMB 470 million in 2025. It secured 43 newly granted proprietary patents, including 20 invention patents, and its self-developed water-based high-barrier coated food paperboard entered volume applications in ready-to-eat and quick-service settings such as coffee and beverage packaging. These advances indicate that its R&D capabilities are moving from technology reserves into real applications.OPERATING PROGRESS IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2026Approximately 10.05% Consolidated Gross MarginApproximately 6.60% in the same period of 2025; based on disclosed revenue and cost of sales, the margin increased by approximately 3.45 percentage points.Revenue reached RMB 3.639 billion, up 6.94% year on year; net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent company was RMB 213 million, while net profit excluding non-recurring gains and losses was RMB 31.61 million.Net cash used in operating activities narrowed from RMB 922 million in the same period of 2025 to RMB 43.44 million, a significant reduction in the deficit.These improvements are substantive: sales volume and revenue increased, gross margin expanded and the operating cash-flow deficit narrowed significantly. For a company that is adjusting production lines, advancing a chemi-mechanical pulp project and developing new materials, the simultaneous improvement in innovation applications and operating performance is an encouraging sign.Guanhao High-Tech's collaboration opportunities are also becoming more specific for packaging converters, functional-coating suppliers and brand owners. Food paperboard, barrier coatings, thermal materials and self-adhesive products can be jointly validated across printing, forming, barrier performance, heat sealing, production yield and food-contact documentation. Each customer trial, process adaptation and repeat order can further strengthen the competitiveness of its specialty-paper and materials platform.FINANCIAL CONTEXT: Guanhao High-Tech reported a 2025 net loss attributable to shareholders of the parent company of RMB 304 million and net cash used in operating activities of RMB 312 million. Non-recurring gains and losses totaled approximately RMB 181 million in the first half of 2026, with land-disposal gains as the main positive contributor and production-line closure costs providing an offset. Net profit attributable to the parent, underlying net profit and operating cash flow should therefore be assessed together.PRODUCT SCOPE: The volume application of water-based high-barrier coated food paperboard is disclosed in the company's annual report. It does not automatically cover every SKU, nor does it replace product-specific evidence of food-contact compliance, recyclability or repeat customer purchases.Sources: Guanhao High-Tech 2025 Annual Report; Guanhao High-Tech 2026 Interim Report.COMPANY CASE 03 · MEILI CLOUDMeili Cloud's Strategic Refocus Establishes a New Growth AxisFollowing its exit from papermaking, Meili Cloud's operating structure has become sharply focused. In 2025, cloud-services revenue reached RMB 324 million, accounting for 94.65% of total revenue, with a gross margin of 45.58%. Photovoltaic power-generation revenue was RMB 17.5251 million, while papermaking revenue was zero. The former papermaker has thus established a new business portfolio centered on data centers, cloud services and clean energy.BUSINESS FOCUS94.65% Share of Revenue from Cloud ServicesIn 2025, facilities E1, E3 and C1 were delivered for customer use; civil works for B1, B3 and C3 were completed and construction continued.Natural cooling, wet-media humidification and Zhongwei's clean-energy conditions provide a region-specific efficiency foundation for green computing. Meili Cloud is reorganizing its legacy assets and locational advantages into a more focused digital-infrastructure capability.In the first quarter of 2026, Meili Cloud generated revenue of RMB 86.8306 million. Net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent company was RMB 22.1984 million, up 102.61% year on year; net profit excluding non-recurring gains and losses was RMB 16.6574 million, up 54.54%; and net cash flow from operating activities was RMB 22.0561 million. Positive underlying profit and operating cash flow make the benefits of the company's strategic focus more visible.Meili Cloud's next priority is to convert completed project construction into stable utilization and customer demand. Data-center utilization, revenue per cabinet, PUE, customer stability and sustained cash flow will together determine how much value this business-restructuring path can unlock.FINANCIAL CONTEXT: Meili Cloud generated revenue of RMB 343 million in 2025, down 62.40% year on year, primarily because of its exit from papermaking. Non-recurring gains and losses were approximately RMB 5.54 million in the first quarter of 2026. Profit growth also reflected lower operating costs and certain asset disposals, while improved operating cash flow was partly associated with reduced cash outflows following the closure of the papermaking business.Sources: Meili Cloud 2025 Annual Report; Meili Cloud First Quarter 2026 Report.05 · VALUE ROUTESThree Operating Priorities Define China Paper's Next ChapterViewed together, the three member companies reveal a clear outline of China Paper's long-term development path.Resource efficiency is led by Yueyang Forest & Paper. The links among forests, market pulp, energy and paper machines connect raw-material security, cost control and green manufacturing. Every future improvement in pulping yield, paper-machine efficiency and cost per tonne will strengthen the resilience of this value chain.Product upgrading is being broadened by Guanhao High-Tech. Specialty papers, white paperboard, barrier coatings, labels and functional materials are moving closer to packaging and consumer applications. As individual SKUs complete processing, compliance and customer validation, innovation can be converted into more stable, higher-value orders.Business refocusing is exemplified by Meili Cloud. Exiting papermaking to focus on cloud computing and data centers was a clear operating choice. As data centers under construction build utilization, customer demand and cash returns, the effects of asset restructuring will become more visible.These three priorities also open distinct entry points for value-chain collaboration. Suppliers of raw materials, chemicals and equipment can contribute to system-wide cost reduction and efficiency gains; packaging converters, functional-material companies and brand owners can participate in new-product validation and application expansion; and digital-infrastructure providers and industrial capital can collaborate around project efficiency and long-term returns.CONCLUSIONSpecialization Is Making the Platform's Value Increasingly VisibleTaken together, these figures and operating initiatives show that innovation at China Paper is not confined to a single product. It is occurring simultaneously across products, processes, resource organization, operational management and asset allocation.Yueyang Forest & Paper is converting integrated forestry, pulp and paper and green resources into stronger cost and product capabilities. Guanhao High-Tech's innovative products are moving steadily into applications, while its gross margin, underlying profit and cash flow have improved. Following its strategic refocus, Meili Cloud has established cloud services and green computing as new growth coordinates.More importantly, the three member companies have each established a clear path. This specialization allows China Paper to preserve its pulp-and-paper industrial foundation while developing new sources of growth in specialty materials, green ecology and digital infrastructure.As resource efficiency, product competitiveness and returns on assets continue to improve across its member companies, the strengths of China Paper's platform will become increasingly evident.NEXT COMPANY · NO. 09Next: JIANGSU LONGCHEN GREENTECH CO., LTD.According to the China Paper Association's 2025 key-enterprise output table, Jiangsu Longchen ranked ninth with paper and paperboard output of 3.07 million tonnes, down 0.97% year on year.The next article will examine its recovered-fiber system, environmentally focused paper operations and regional business structure. The ranking is a reference point based on data collected by the association and does not presuppose any conclusion about the company.BIOTEN PACKAGING · INDUSTRY INSIGHTS · RESEARCH NOTEThis article uses the following methodology: association statistics establish the scale reference point; the company's official website confirms the platform's identity; statutory reports filed by listed companies are used to analyze member-company operations; and exchange announcements are reviewed to verify the latest disclosures. Information was verified through 18 August 2026.The 3.0979 million-tonne figure represents China Paper Investment Co., Ltd.'s paper and paperboard output as listed by the China Paper Association. Revenue, profit, cash-flow and product data for Yueyang Forest & Paper, Guanhao High-Tech and Meili Cloud are reported on the respective listed companies' consolidated bases. This article does not aggregate the three companies' financial figures or construct consolidated revenue, profit or cash flow for China Paper's parent company.Guanhao High-Tech's 2026 interim report is unaudited; the consolidated gross margin cited here is an approximation calculated from disclosed revenue and cost of sales. Yueyang Forest & Paper's first-half 2026 figures are preliminary estimates from its loss forecast, as the official interim report has not yet been published. For Meili Cloud, this article uses its First Quarter 2026 Report.Product names, patents, disclosed applications, project construction and strategic plans do not replace SKU-specific evidence of food-contact compliance, recyclability, repeat customer purchases or commercial performance. No public information reviewed indicates that BIOTEN Packaging has entered into investment, supply, joint-development or procurement arrangements with China Paper or its member companies. This analysis does not constitute an endorsement of any cooperation, product certification, investment advice or basis for a transaction.DATA AND VERIFICATION SOURCES01 | China Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report on China's Paper Industry02 | China Paper Official Website: Company Profile03 | China Paper: 2026 Work Conference04 | Yueyang Forest & Paper 2025 Annual Report05 | Yueyang Forest & Paper First Quarter 2026 Report06 | Yueyang Forest & Paper Preliminary Loss Announcement for the First Half of 202607 | Guanhao High-Tech 2025 Annual Report08 | Guanhao High-Tech First Quarter 2026 Report09 | Guanhao High-Tech 2026 Interim Report10 | Meili Cloud 2025 Annual Report11 | Meili Cloud First Quarter 2026 Report12 | China Paper: 2025 Chongqing Paper Industry Expo13 | China Paper: Overview of Strategic Emerging Industries14 | Shanghai Stock Exchange: Yueyang Forest & Paper Announcement Search15 | CNINFO: Meili Cloud Announcement SearchRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-18T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-18T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-18-fiber-integration/cms-image-d6773282aaca85fd.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-18-australia-water-based-coatings.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-18-australia-water-based-coatings.html",
            "title": "Why Has Australia Become a High-Demand Market for Water-Based Coatings in Foodservice Packaging?",
            "summary": "Australia is not a single, uniform market, but a collection of state-level markets in which orders are shaped by state regulations, final-product certification and local end-of-life systems.",
            "content_text": "Australia is not a single, uniform market, but a collection of state-level markets in which orders are shaped by state regulations, final-product certification and local end-of-life systems.GLOBAL FOODSERVICE PACKAGING POLICY AND MARKET MAP / AUSTRALIA MARKETAustralia's Foodservice Packaging MarketWho Imports, Which State Moves FirstWhat Evidence Wins the Order?Official import records, state-level restrictions, AS and ABA certification, FOGO end-of-life requirements and the procurement chain together determine how Chinese materials suppliers, coated-paper producers and cup-and-container manufacturers can enter Australia's foodservice packaging market.AUD 305 million 2025 import basket · 79.3% value share sourced from China · 154 million takeaway coffee cups used annually in Western AustraliaValues are reported on a CIF basis. SITC 64293 is a mixed basket; source-country shares do not represent market shares for paper cups or water-based coatings.01 · EDITORIAL QUESTIONIs Australia an Import Opportunity or a Certification Maze?Australia's appeal begins with an import chain that already exists. In 2025, imports of paper or paperboard trays, dishes, cups and related articles under SITC 64293 were approximately AUD 305 million. About AUD 242 million came from China, representing 79.3% of the total value. Because the category covers several kinds of articles, including trays, dishes and cups, these figures indicate sourcing patterns rather than the size of the paper-cup or water-based-coating market.Volume and policy, however, sit on different maps. Western Australia and South Australia are using state-level rules to reshape the construction, certification and labelling of cups, lids and food containers. Meanwhile, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland together accounted for 73.5% of import value by destination state in 2025. Western Australia and South Australia are logical markets for initial compliance validation; scaling sales requires access to channels in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. The sequence matters.Western Australia also illustrates why supply eligibility and end-of-life acceptance must be assessed separately. Certain paperboard cups certified to an applicable Australian Standard may qualify for a supply exemption, yet the state's 2026 FOGO guidance still directs compostable cups, containers and trays to general waste. Certification answers whether a product may be supplied under an exemption; the local waste system determines where it goes after use. One certificate cannot replace both assessments.CORE ASSESSMENTAustralia is not a greenfield market. China is already the principal source within the relevant import basket; the next contest is over specification redesign. Western Australia and South Australia are suited to validating state compliance and final-product evidence, while New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland provide the larger sales channels. Suppliers that can deliver verified construction, food-contact compliance, certification, labelling and a credible end-of-life route are the ones most likely to reach the next round of procurement.SCOPE OF THE REVIEWThis article was verified through 17 August 2026. Import data are drawn from Australian Bureau of Statistics customs records for SITC 64293 and reported on a CIF basis. The category covers paper or paperboard trays, dishes, cups and similar articles under HS 482361 and HS 482369. It excludes moulded-pulp articles under HS 482370 and does not capture all coated paper imported under headings such as HS 4811 and subsequently converted into cups in Australia. Import value, weight and source-country shares are not market-share measures for paper cups, water-based coatings or the Australian packaging market as a whole. The federal framework and the rules in South Australia and Western Australia were reviewed in full; other states are compared only to the extent supported by verified official sources.02 · MARKET DATAThis Is Not an Empty Market Waiting for Chinese EntrantsIn 2025, imports under SITC 64293 totalled approximately AUD 305 million and 85,100 tonnes. China accounted for about AUD 242 million and 66,500 tonnes, equal to 79.3% of import value and 78.1% of recorded weight. In 2024, imports under the same classification were approximately AUD 316 million, with China representing 77.1% of value. By 2025, total value had fallen 3.3% and weight 1.1%; imports from China declined 0.5% in value but increased 3.7% in weight. The data point to adjustments in price, product mix and sourcing within a mature market, not to a demand surge created simply by plastic restrictions.China's share of import value increased by about 2.2 percentage points in one year. Other leading sources in 2025 were Indonesia at 7.3%, Taiwan at 6.5% and Vietnam at 4.7%. China has a clear supply advantage, but buyers retain several Asian alternatives. Structural compliance, dependable delivery and local inventory therefore affect both procurement negotiations and the ability to retain repeat business.From January through April 2026, imports in the basket were approximately AUD 88.15 million and 25,900 tonnes, down 17.3% in value and 3.4% in weight year on year. The sharper decline in value warrants continued monitoring of pricing pressure and product-mix changes, but four months of data cannot be extrapolated to the full year or used to conclude that Australian foodservice-packaging demand is contracting.Sea freight accounted for 99.7% of 2025 import value. Orders are therefore judged not only on ex-works price, but also on an importer's shipping plan, inventory position, interstate distribution and version control. Destination-state shares were New South Wales 29.0%, Victoria 24.0%, Queensland 20.5%, Western Australia 16.2% and South Australia 9.9%. New South Wales and Victoria together represented 53.0%, making them the principal scale channels. Western Australia and South Australia together represented 26.1%, enough to support state-specific compliance validation.Demand-side use cases are also verifiable. The ABS recorded seasonally adjusted turnover of approximately AUD 5.582 billion for Australian cafés, restaurants and takeaway food services in June 2025. The Western Australian Government reports that the state uses more than 154 million takeaway coffee cups each year. The first figure is one month's foodservice turnover and the second is a state-level cup count; neither is the size of the packaging market. They do, however, indicate the scale of the channel and the exposure of cup-related SKUs.Australia also has domestic production. Detmold Group is headquartered in South Australia and manufactures paper and paperboard food packaging in Australia and across Asia. Huhtamaki Australia publicly describes local capacity for paper cups, containers and plates. The market combines domestic manufacturing, multinational operations and import distribution. Chinese suppliers compete not only with one another, but also with sources in Indonesia, Taiwan and Vietnam and with Australian converting capacity.Principal sources: ABS international merchandise-trade records, 2024–2026; ABS, Retail Trade, Australia, June 2025; Western Australian coffee-cup fact sheet; official information from Detpak and Huhtamaki.03 · FEDERAL LAYERThe Federal Framework Assigns Responsibility; States Decide Whether a Cup or Container May Be SuppliedAs of March 2026, Australia's proposed national packaging regime remained under development. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) states that existing co-regulatory arrangements will continue until the new regulations commence. The federal layer establishes packaging responsibilities; whether a particular cup or container may be supplied still depends on state or territory product rules and the relevant local end-of-life system.The current national foundation consists of the National Environment Protection (Used Packaging Materials) Measure 2011 and the Australian Packaging Covenant.DCCEEW currently explains that businesses manufacturing or selling packaging in Australia with annual turnover of AUD 5 million or more must join APCO, report under state or territory arrangements implementing the NEPM, or participate in an approved program delivering equivalent outcomes. A factory in China may manufacture the product, but the Australian importer, brand owner or first seller must determine its own obligations. Those obligations flow upstream as requirements for construction, origin data, environmental claims and annual reporting.The Australian Government reports that about 6.84 million tonnes of packaging were placed on the market in 2023–24, of which 41% ultimately went to landfill. This is an all-packaging figure used only to describe national material flows. Reduction, reuse, design for recycling and chemicals management are directions of federal reform, but they should not be presented as an already operative, nationally uniform product rule. Export quotations must first identify the final state of receipt.Principal sources: DCCEEW, Taking Responsibility for Our Packaging, Reforming Packaging Regulation and A Circular Economy for Packaging in Australia; NEPM; APCO.04 · WESTERN AUSTRALIAWestern Australia Changes the SKU First: A Cup May Qualify, but Its Lid May NotWestern Australia is a practical first validation market for cup-and-container manufacturers because product scope and implementation dates are comparatively clear.Under the Environmental Protection (Prohibited Plastics and Balloons) Regulations 2018 and the state's Plan for Plastics, single-use plastic cold-drink cups were covered from 1 October 2022; hot-drink cups and all single-use plastic cup lids from 1 March 2024; lidded takeaway or dine-in containers, bowls, trays and related plastic lids from 1 September 2024; and moulded or cut expanded-plastic packaging from 1 July 2025.Western Australia assesses product composition rather than marketing terminology. Products made wholly or partly of plastic may fall within scope, including lined, coated and laminated structures. A product is not excluded simply because it is described as plant-based, biodegradable or water-based. The regulations also connect supply to the recipient in Western Australia; an overseas factory cannot avoid the rules merely by pointing to the place of contract or the supplier's location.Cups and lids must be assessed separately. A paperboard cup certified as a complete product to a current AS 4736 or AS 5810 scheme may qualify for a specific statutory exemption. Cup lids do not enjoy the same general exemption. The current Western Australian provision for certified paperboard lids applies to lids for food containers, trays and bowls, but not to cup lids; official guidance also requires coffee-cup lids to be entirely plastic-free. Certification of the cup body does not automatically cover its lid, and one non-compliant accessory can disqualify the complete SKU.As of 17 August 2026, Western Australia retained a temporary class exemption for certain takeaway containers and lids used for pourable soup or other liquid food served above 60°C. The official listing showed an expiry date of 31 August 2026, only 14 days after the verification date. Products for soup, curry, laksa and similar applications must therefore be rechecked before quotation and shipment. A temporary exemption should never be embedded in a long-term product manual.Principal sources: current Western Australian Regulations; Plan for Plastics; coffee-cup and cup-lid fact sheets; temporary exemption SUP0003/2024/2.05 · SOUTH AUSTRALIASouth Australia Changes the Evidence Next: From 2026, Item-Level Labelling Also MattersSouth Australia's focus is evidence and labelling. From 1 September 2024, hot- and cold-drink cups, cup lids and relevant containers for ready-to-eat food entered a new regulatory phase. A paper-based cup or container with plastic extrusion coating, an aqueous coating or a water-applied barrier layer is not automatically plastic-free merely because it is described as water-based or predominantly fibre.From 1 March 2026, relevant certified-compostable food and beverage containers seeking an exemption must follow a current AS 4736 or AS 5810 certification route and clearly identify, on each individual item, whether the product is home compostable, industrially compostable, or both. Marking only the outer carton is insufficient. Containers below 60 mL and lids below 70 mm in diameter may qualify for limited marking-condition exceptions, but the exceptions do not remove certification or record-keeping obligations from the entire product line.South Australia also retains narrowly defined transitional exceptions for certain clear, separable PP or PET lids and high-temperature soup containers. The market will not converge on a single material. Western Australia first alters the cup-and-lid SKU; South Australia then pushes certification, labelling and version control down to the individual item.New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland also restrict selected single-use plastic products, but their scopes are not identical. New South Wales covers specified plates, bowls, cutlery and expanded-polystyrene foodservice articles, and plastic linings or coatings may be relevant to classification; some lidded bowls fall outside particular categories. Victoria expressly covers plastic plates, including paper plates with plastic linings, as well as EPS food and beverage containers. Queensland focuses on plastic plates, open bowls, cutlery and EPS cups and containers. These states provide larger channels, but South Australian and Western Australian certification logic cannot simply be copied into them.Principal sources: South Australian Act and current Regulations; Replace the Waste labelling guidance; official guidance from NSW EPA, EPA Victoria and Business Queensland.06 · CERTIFICATIONAS and ABA: Evidence at One Level Does Not Automatically Replace Evidence at the NextAS 4736—2006 covers commercial or industrial composting and other controlled microbial treatment, while AS 5810—2010 covers home composting. The two standards are not interchangeable. Standards are generally voluntary until a state regulation incorporates one as a condition of an exemption for a defined product. Standards Australia develops standards but does not issue product certificates. The Australasian Bioplastics Association (ABA) is a certification body and industry organisation, not a legislature.ABA's public FAQ highlights several easily overlooked boundaries. A supplier's certification does not automatically certify its customer's finished product. Use of a certification mark is not automatically transferable and may require a trademark sublicense. Whether the thickest product represents an entire formulation family is subject to independent review, and the application must include the inks, colourants and additives actually used. State exemptions look at the certificate holder, product name, standard, thickness, formulation, printing, accessories, validity period and authorised scope of mark use.Evidence should be separated into three levels. Material-level evidence can establish the properties of a resin or coating formulation. Coated-paper evidence can define the base paper, coat weight and barrier construction. Only final-product evidence captures the cup bottom, side seam, rim, ink, adhesive, label, lid and actual maximum thickness within the same SKU. Evidence at one level can support, but cannot replace, evidence at the next.Food-contact compliance must be assessed independently. Clause 9 of FSANZ Standard 3.2.2 requires a food business to use packaging that is fit for its intended use and unlikely to contaminate food. Food type, acidity or fat content, contact time, temperature, heating or microwave use, freezing and reuse can all change the evidence required. AS or ABA certification does not substitute for food-contact compliance, and food-contact documentation does not establish compostability, fibre recyclability or eligibility for a state exemption.PFAS claims also require restraint. The federal government is considering future restrictions on packaging chemicals, and APCO's work on PFAS in fibre-based food-contact packaging remains an industry initiative and a subject of 2026 consultation, not a nationally uniform prohibition covering all food packaging. ABA processes may review total fluorine and declarations concerning intentionally added fluorinated substances, but participation in an ABA process should not be marketed as proof of “zero PFAS”.Principal sources: Standards Australia; ABA FAQ and sublicensing rules; FSANZ food-packaging guidance and Standard 3.2.2; DCCEEW and APCO PFAS materials.07 · END OF LIFECertified, Yet Still Excluded from Western Australia's FOGO System—Why?Western Australia's 2026 FOGO guidance accepts food, garden organics and certified kitchen caddy liners bearing the AS 4736 mark. Food packaging is outside the accepted stream. Non-recyclable packaging—including compostable cups, containers and trays—is currently directed to general waste. The official rationale is not that certification is invalid, but that kerbside systems cannot reliably distinguish certified packaging from non-certified packaging and must control contamination from plastics, coatings and chemicals.Certification and end-of-life systems answer different questions. Certification may determine whether a particular paperboard cup can be supplied under a state exemption. Local governments, treatment facilities, licence conditions and collection contracts determine whether the used product may enter FOGO. Some South Australian councils offering green-organics services may accept certified packaging bearing an applicable Australian Standard mark. The same certificate can therefore lead to different outcomes in different states and local systems.Environmental marketing is consequently part of the order threshold. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) requires environmental claims to be truthful, evidence-based and clear about the conditions under which they apply. Its official guidance uses takeaway coffee cups to show that a claim may mislead consumers if a cup can be handled only through a dedicated collection point but is presented as suitable for ordinary recycling. The Australian market assesses the product, the label, the disposal graphic and the sales language.Certification answers, “May this product be supplied under an exemption?” The end-of-life system answers, “Where does it go after use?” A commercially viable order must answer both.Principal sources: WA Waste Authority, Towards Cleaner Compost; Which Bin SA; ACCC environmental-claims guidance; ABA FAQ.08 · ORDER CHAINWho Imports, Who Pays, and Who Can Reject the SKU?ABS customs records disclose source country, value, weight, transport mode and destination state, but not a company-level ranking of importers. Public evidence can identify roles; it cannot support a credible “Top 10 importers” list. Australian packaging brands, importers and distributors typically convert a foodservice brand's functional, printing, cost and environmental objectives into an SKU, select the source country and manage ocean freight, inventory and interstate delivery. Local converters purchase materials or coated paper and manufacture the finished cups and containers.Two order routes are common. The finished-product route runs from a Chinese cup or container manufacturer to an Australian packaging brand or importer, then through a distributor to cafés, quick-service restaurants, hotels, supermarkets or institutional customers. The material route runs from a Chinese materials supplier or coated-paper producer to an Australian or offshore converter, then to a packaging brand or importer and finally to the foodservice channel. The importer may not be the brand owner, and the party paying for the order may not be the entity responsible under the federal packaging framework. Contract terms and brand ownership must be checked separately.Specifications are usually set by foodservice chains, coffee brands, packaging brands or institutional procurement teams. Chinese suppliers are commonly paid by Australian importers, packaging distributors or converters. State regulators determine whether the product may be supplied; ABA and laboratories determine the scope of certificates and tests; food businesses control safe use; local governments and treatment facilities determine the end-of-life route. Any of these parties can reject an SKU, but for different reasons.Before quoting, suppliers should identify the final state of receipt; the importer or first seller; the brand owner and payer; the full construction of cup and lid; food type and temperature; certificate holder; item-level labelling; intended end-of-life route; sea-freight minimum order quantity; delivery lead time; inventory arrangements; and responsibility for changes. Regulation becomes commercial evidence only when it is reflected in a formal specification, paid sampling, third-party testing, a trial order or repeat purchasing.Principal sources: ABS customs records; DCCEEW and APCO packaging-responsibility materials; FSANZ; South Australian and Western Australian implementation guidance; publicly available corporate supply-chain information.09 · CHINA ENTRYHow Can Three Types of Chinese Suppliers Reach the Next Round?Materials suppliers: deliver a controlled-composition and use-window dossier. It should identify the dry-film polymer, solids content, coat weight, residual monomers, crosslinkers and additives, restricted substances, PFAS and total-fluorine boundaries, food simulants, temperature and contact time. External claims should state that the material and technical package supports validation of the final SKU. “Water-based” or “bio-based” alone cannot substantiate claims of plastic-free status, compostability, recyclability or state-level market access.Coated-paper producers: deliver three evidence sets—performance, converting and end of life. Fix the base paper, basis weight, coating formulation, dry-film mass, thickness and roll batch. Provide Cobb and KIT results, heat-seal performance, crease resistance, edge-wicking data and printing and cup-forming parameters. Where fibre circularity is claimed, report total screening yield, rejects, DCS or COD, stickies and resulting paper quality separately. Repulpability evidence does not replace the AS pathway required in South Australia or Western Australia, nor does it prove acceptance by a local Australian waste system.Cup and paper-container manufacturers: deliver a final-SKU responsibility package in the condition actually sold. Control the cup or container, lid, ink, adhesive, label, sticker, dimensions, maximum thickness and transport packaging. Keep the certificate holder, certificate number, standard, validity period and authorised mark use consistent. Prepare item-level marking for South Australia and assess the cup and its lid separately for Western Australia. Food-contact evidence must cover the actual food and temperature. Any change in factory, formulation, thickness or accessory requires reassessment.Commercial entry should not begin with the idea of a single “all-Australia cup”. A practical sequence is to validate one state, one accountable importer, one final SKU and one real end-of-life route in Western Australia or South Australia, then use local import and distribution systems to reach the larger channels in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. For finished-product manufacturers, sea-freight MOQ, landed cost per thousand units, inventory and replenishment capacity matter as much as certification. For materials and coated-paper suppliers, local converting partners and cup-forming yields are earlier control points.10 · CONCLUSIONWhat Australia Actually Buys Is a Low-Risk SKUFor Chinese supply chains, the threshold for the Australian market has shifted from “we can make a paper cup” to “we can deliver a compliant final SKU state by state”. Official 2025 import records show that China is the principal source within the relevant basket of paper-based foodservice articles. State rules are moving competition beyond unit price toward construction, certification, food-contact compliance, labelling, inventory and end-of-life instructions.Western Australia's annual use of more than 154 million takeaway coffee cups does not translate into the same number of substitution orders. A more realistic objective is to complete one evidence-closed-loop cup: the target state and accountable importer are identified; cup and lid are assessed separately; the finished product can be manufactured consistently; food use is substantiated; and environmental instructions match the local bin system. An SKU that meets those conditions has a credible chance of entering the next round of Australia's mature supply chain.BIOTEN PACKAGING · INDUSTRY INSIGHT · RESEARCH NOTEThis article is based on Australian legislation, government statistics, standards, certification-body materials and official corporate information verifiable through 17 August 2026. Dynamic exemptions, certificate status and local acceptance must be rechecked for the target state and final SKU before quotation or shipment. The article is intended for industry research and market assessment and does not constitute legal, certification, product-performance or order advice.Data and verification sourcesFederal packaging responsibility: DCCEEW, Taking Responsibility for Our Packaging; status of packaging-regulation reform; circular-economy materials; NEPM 2011; APCO Covenant.Market and trade: ABS international merchandise-trade datasets and import-detail resources; ABS, Retail Trade, Australia, June 2025; UN SITC Rev. 4; official information from Detpak and Huhtamaki Australia.Western Australia: current Regulations, Plan for Plastics, takeaway-coffee-cup and cup-lid fact sheets, final-product certification guidance, temporary exemptions and current FOGO guidance.South Australia: 2020 Act, current 2021 Regulations, beverage-container and food-container guidance, 2026 labelling requirements and Which Bin SA.Other states: NSW EPA single-use-plastics FAQ, EPA Victoria and Business Queensland.Certification, food contact and environmental claims: Standards Australia AS 4736; ABA FAQ and sublicensing rules; FSANZ food-packaging guidance and Standard 3.2.2; DCCEEW sustainable-packaging and PFAS materials; APCO PFAS updates; ACCC environmental-claims guidance.Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-18T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-18T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-18-australia-water-based-coatings/cms-image-4e2f8cd7cb54d000.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-17-huatai-group.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-17-huatai-group.html",
            "title": "What Makes Huatai Group Competitive? Reshaping Growth from Newsprint to Pulp, Paper and Chemicals",
            "summary": "Understanding Huatai requires looking beyond its output of 3.1027 million tonnes to examine how the industrial capabilities built during the newsprint era are being redeployed.",
            "content_text": "Understanding Huatai requires looking beyond its output of 3.1027 million tonnes to examine how the industrial capabilities built during the newsprint era are being redeployed.China's Top 20 Papermakers · No. 07 / CHINA PAPER LEADERSHuatai's 3.1027 million tonnes of output demonstrates its scale. Paper-machine conversions, a 700,000-tonne chemical wood-pulp project, chemicals operations, the Rizhao project and its digital platform reveal how the company is shifting gears. This article separates group-level data from the listed company's consolidated figures to assess the progress of the transformation, operating results and opportunities across the value chain.KEY FINDING · CORE ASSESSMENTHuatai's strength has expanded from a single product—newsprint—into an integrated combination of paper machines, wood pulp, chemicals, multiple production bases and a digital platform.In 2025, gross margins improved in packaging paper and industrial paper, pulp-product revenue rose significantly, and overseas sales grew. The next indicators to watch are inventory turnover, profitability by production base and operating cash flow.In the China Paper Association's 2025 output ranking of major papermakers, Huatai Group Co., Ltd. ranked seventh with3.1027 million tonnesof paper and paperboard output, up 0.65% year on year.This single figure indicates scale, but it does not explain how Huatai is adjusting its products, raw materials and asset base.Newsprint once gave Huatai deep capabilities in paper-machine operation, quality control, printability, customer service and nationwide marketing. As newsprint demand continues to contract, Huatai is redeploying those capabilities across a broader range of paper grades, adding wood pulp upstream, extending into chemicals, and reorganising production through multiple bases and a digital platform.This transition affects the entire operating chain: which grades each paper machine should produce, how captive pulp should be allocated, how chemical plants should integrate with papermaking, what role each production base should play, and how quickly new investment can generate orders and cash returns.RESEARCH QUESTIONCan the equipment, technology, talent and customer systems inherited from the newsprint era support a more resilient pulp, paper and chemicals portfolio at Huatai?Scope of analysis:The 3.1027 million-tonne figure is the group-level basis used in the paper and paperboard output ranking. Financial and project data primarily refer to the consolidated accounts of Shandong Huatai Paper Industry Shareholding Co., Ltd. The two reporting scopes are kept separate. The 2026 interim figures remain an earnings forecast.01 · NEWSPRINT LEGACYHow Can Existing Capabilities Continue to Create Value as Newsprint Demand Declines?In 2025, China's paper and paperboard output reached 141.35 million tonnes, up 3.74% year on year. Over the same period, industry-wide revenue from pulp, paper and paper products fell 2.59%, while total profit declined 13.55%. The industry is still increasing output, but value growth is proving harder to achieve than volume growth.The shift is even more pronounced in newsprint. National newsprint output fell 7.14% to 650,000 tonnes in 2025, while consumption dropped 12.73% to 960,000 tonnes. From 2016 to 2025, output and consumption declined at average annual rates of 14.28% and 10.67%, respectively.Demand contraction has not erased the capabilities accumulated on the production side. Huatai Paper's annual report states that the company has long served national newspapers, Party newspapers and printing-materials customers, and has participated in the development and revision of standards for newsprint and supercalendered paper. Continuous operation of high-speed paper machines, basis-weight stability, printability and quality control remain valuable in machine conversions and the development of new paper grades.Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan, Huatai has upgraded newsprint machines at its Dongying, Hebei and Guangdong bases, completed the relocation and conversion of its Rizhao pulp and paper operations, and expanded into high-grade printing and writing paper, environmentally oriented communication paper, corrugating medium and food packaging paper.Newsprint generated RMB 1.092 billion in revenue in 2025, accounting for approximately 8.8% of Huatai Paper's total revenue and 14.1% of its paper-products revenue. Newsprint still retains technical and customer value, but it is no longer the principal growth engine.3.1027 million tonnes | Huatai Group's paper and paperboard output for ranking purposes1.8734 million tonnes | Machine-made paper output within Huatai Paper's consolidated reporting scopeBoth figures refer to 2025 and are used separately; they should not be subtracted to infer any supposed capacity gap.02 · PULP & CHEMICALSWhat Problems Do the 700,000-Tonne Wood-Pulp Project and the Chemicals Business Solve?In 2025, Huatai Paper completed and commissioned a chemical wood-pulp project with annual capacity of 700,000 tonnes, together with supporting cogeneration facilities. The construction-in-progress schedule in the annual report shows that RMB 2.196 billion was transferred to fixed assets during the year. In the same year, the company produced 679,970 tonnes of pulp products, sold 176,740 tonnes, and held 11,820 tonnes in closing inventory.These figures cannot be used to calculate the utilisation rate of the 700,000-tonne project. Huatai already had other pulping capacity, and the annual report does not separately disclose the project's output, internal consumption, pulp grades or unit costs.Nevertheless, pulp-product output was substantially higher than external sales and closing inventory remained low. Combined with the stated project objective of securing pulp supply and reducing raw-material costs, this indicates that internal supply is one of the project's principal uses. The specific volume consumed internally and the self-sufficiency ratio have not been disclosed.Whether this wood-pulp capacity becomes a competitive advantage will ultimately depend on substitution of purchased pulp, cost per tonne of paper, fibre quality, paper-machine efficiency and cash recovery.The chemicals business forms a second operating line. Huatai Paper's annual report states that some caustic soda and hydrogen peroxide are used internally in papermaking, while most chemical products are sold externally. The portfolio includes caustic soda, liquid chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, chloromethanes, propylene oxide, chloroacetic acid and aniline.In 2025, Dongying Huatai Chemical Group Co., Ltd. reported revenue of RMB 3.933 billion and net profit of RMB 158 million. In Huatai Paper's consolidated accounts, the chemicals segment reported revenue of RMB 3.560 billion and a gross margin of 7.62%, up 1.96 percentage points from the previous year. The former figures are reported at subsidiary level; the latter refer to the consolidated product segment.Chemicals and papermaking share feedstock synergies, but the chemicals business must also compete in its own markets. Higher liquid-chlorine disposal costs in 2025 show that the co-product balance between caustic soda and chlorine products still requires careful management. Plant utilisation, internal consumption, external sales and downstream offtake must be assessed together.Paper machines, wood pulp and chemicals now sit on the same operating scorecard. The next question is whether they can jointly lower costs, stabilise quality and generate cash returns.03 · OPERATING RESULTSWhich Changes Are Already Visible in the Financial Data?Packaging paper:Revenue was RMB 1.334 billion and gross margin was 10.35%, up 0.87 percentage points.Industrial paper:Revenue was RMB 1.011 billion, up 4.40% year on year, while gross margin rose 4.22 percentage points to 7.61%.Pulp products:Revenue was RMB 743 million, up 114.79% year on year, with a gross margin of 13.34%.Overseas sales:Revenue under the geographic segment of principal operations was RMB 449 million, up 70.02% year on year, with a gross margin of 29.51%.Reporting note:Overseas sales include multiple products and remain modest in scale; the figures should not be extrapolated to a single paper grade or to the entire export business. What they do show is that overseas revenue and gross margin improved in 2025 under this reporting scope.2025:Revenue was RMB 12.456 billion, down 4.52% year on year. Net loss attributable to shareholders was RMB 65.9821 million, and net loss excluding non-recurring items was RMB 109 million. Net cash generated from operating activities was RMB 186 million, down 48.93%.Production and sales:Machine-made paper output increased 1.17%, sales volume declined 0.53%, and closing inventory rose 12.25%. The product and asset mix has changed, but overall profitability and turnover remain in transition.Profitable examples have emerged among the production bases. In 2025, Rizhao Huatai Paper recorded net profit of approximately RMB 185 million, while Dongying Huatai Chemical Group recorded approximately RMB 158 million. Other papermaking bases remain in the improvement phase. The company has proposed independent operation and accounting, with each subsidiary responsible for its own profit and loss, alongside lower inventory and stronger collection of receivables.In the first quarter of 2026, revenue was RMB 3.124 billion, up 1.25% year on year, and net profit attributable to shareholders reached RMB 22.8765 million, returning the company to quarterly profitability. The interim earnings forecast projects first-half attributable net profit of RMB 14 million to RMB 21 million, down 68.95% to 79.30% year on year, and net profit excluding non-recurring items ranging from a loss of RMB 10 million to a profit of RMB 5 million.The company attributed the volatility mainly to declines in selling prices for printing and writing paper and coated paper that exceeded the reductions in the costs of wood pulp and coating chemicals. Proposed measures include accelerating the ramp-up of the pulp line, increasing substitution with captive pulp, reducing low-margin paper products, expanding higher-value products and overseas sales, and improving the efficiency of chemical plants.Status note:These measures remain operating plans. Their effectiveness must be confirmed by the formal interim report and subsequent operating data.04 · PROJECTS & PEOPLEWhat Capabilities Is Huatai Still Building Through Its Rizhao Projects and Digital Platform?Huatai Paper's 2025 R&D disclosure reported investment of RMB 416 million, equivalent to 3.34% of revenue, and 646 R&D employees. The company said it developed more than 30 new products and technologies during the year, including food-grade wood pulp. Its high-permeability, high-strength extensible sack paper designed to replace plastic was selected for the 'Shandong Manufacturing · Lu Chain Premium Products' programme.According to the company's announcement dated 2 June, the project with annual capacity of 150,000 tonnes of high-yield unbleached wood fibre and 45,000 tonnes of lignin involved total investment of approximately RMB 450 million. Trial production succeeded on 28 May 2026 and the project entered commissioning. The supporting 150,000-tonne high-permeability extensible paper project successfully began material feeding in September 2025; the company states that it is now operating normally and has received a positive market response.The wood-fibre and lignin project remains in commissioning. The announcement also does not disclose customers, sales volume, gross margin or repeat orders for the high-permeability extensible paper. At this stage, project progress can be confirmed, but commercial performance cannot.Huatai Paper's annual report also states that the company is building a 'paper-industry brain' spanning production, supply chain, marketing, logistics and capital flows. Shunjie Digital Technology (Shandong) Co., Ltd., a Huatai Paper subsidiary, was selected for the National Data Administration's 2025 Trusted Data Space Innovation and Development Pilot Programme. Selection does not in itself generate financial returns, but it provides publicly verifiable evidence of progress in connecting data across production bases.LEADERSHIP PROFILELi Jianhua and Fifty Years at HuataiLi Jianhua is inseparable from Huatai's development. Governance documents of the listed company show that he entered the papermaking business in 1976 and went on to serve as workshop director, head of production technology and deputy factory manager. The 2025 annual report identifies him as the de facto controller of Huatai Paper and chairman of Huatai Group. It also records his honours and public roles, including National Model Worker, National Outstanding Business Manager, deputy to the National People's Congress and recipient of a State Council special allowance.The most persuasive way to assess this record is through time and industrial trajectory. During his long tenure, Huatai expanded from newsprint into wood pulp, a broader range of paper grades and chlor-alkali chemicals, while investment gradually extended into environmental protection, digitalisation, and specialty pulp and paper. Through several industry cycles, the core business remained papermaking even as legacy equipment and capabilities were repeatedly repurposed.Over five decades, Huatai has remained committed to papermaking while repeatedly adjusting its product mix, raw materials and technology pathways. Li Jianhua's management style resembles that of a long-term industrial operator: close to the production floor, committed to sustained investment, and willing to keep upgrading existing capabilities.05 · INDUSTRY COOPERATIONHow Will Huatai's Restructuring Change Collaboration Across the Value Chain?Huatai's expansion of captive pulp, paper-machine conversions, development of specialty papers and growth in overseas sales will change how suppliers and downstream customers work with the company. The impact will extend beyond procurement volumes to quality, process control, delivery and inventory management.For suppliers of wood chips, pulp and chemicals,the focus of collaboration will shift from purchase price alone to fibre quality, pulp yield, specific chemical consumption, supply reliability and total cost per tonne of paper. The 700,000-tonne chemical wood-pulp project strengthens Huatai's internal pulp supply and requires external suppliers to articulate clearer differentiated value.For equipment, automation and digital-service providers,opportunities will centre on stable operation after paper-machine conversions. Machine speed, web-break frequency, grade-change losses, first-pass yield, energy consumption and maintenance intervals are more meaningful than simply stating that an upgrade has been completed.For functional-material and packaging-converting companies,new paper grades still require validation under actual converting conditions. Extensible sack paper, food packaging paper and other functional papers must continue to be tested for printing, bag making, coating, heat sealing, filling and transport performance. Food-contact, recyclability and biodegradability claims must also correspond to the specific finished-product structure.For brand owners and distributors,product value must be assessed through supply reliability, volume orders, return rates, commercial terms and repeat purchases. Overseas-sales data improved in 2025, but the ability to secure sustained, higher-value orders requires validation in subsequent years.For value-chain partners, captive-pulp utilisation, paper-machine performance, repeat orders for new products, inventory by production base and consolidated cash flow are key indicators of Huatai's progress. These data will emerge through periodic reports, project announcements and actual cooperation; they need not be forced into a single fixed checklist.CONCLUSIONHuatai's Transformation Must Ultimately Deliver Gross Margin, Turnover and Cash FlowHuatai has completed a substantial part of its structural transition: newsprint is no longer the revenue centre; its paper machines cover a broader range of grades; the 700,000-tonne chemical wood-pulp project strengthens upstream integration; the chemicals business both supports papermaking and operates independently; and the Rizhao projects and digital platform continue to expand the company's capabilities.In 2025, packaging paper, industrial paper, pulp products and overseas sales all showed improvement. At the same time, the listed company still needs to restore overall profitability, reduce inventory and strengthen cash flow. Both sets of facts must be considered together.Huatai's next operating priorities are clear: improve the utilisation of captive pulp, reduce exposure to low-margin products, expand higher-value orders, improve turnover across production bases, and ensure that synergies between chemicals and papermaking are reflected in consolidated cash flow.For a capital-intensive company, a successful transition rarely has a single defining moment. The new growth structure will be secure only when paper machines run steadily, customers place repeat orders, inventory declines and cash returns.NEXT COMPANY · NO. 08Next | China Paper Investment Co., Ltd.Its paper and paperboard output reached 3.0979 million tonnes in 2025, ranking eighth and increasing 19.15% year on year.The next article will first separate group, listed-company and multi-base reporting scopes before examining specialised integration, product portfolio and quality of growth. This note confirms only the sequence in the series and does not prejudge any business conclusion.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insight · Research NoteThis article uses association statistics to establish Huatai Group's scale, statutory reports from Huatai Paper to analyse its operating structure, project announcements to verify construction progress, and original government lists to confirm the digitalisation pilot. Information was verified through 17 August 2026.The 3.1027 million-tonne figure refers to Huatai Group's paper and paperboard output for ranking purposes. The 1.8734 million tonnes of machine-made paper output, product-level revenue, profit, inventory, cash flow and subsidiary data refer to Huatai Paper's consolidated reporting scope. Huatai Group is the controlling shareholder of Huatai Paper and held 39.78% of its shares at the end of the first quarter of 2026. The two reporting scopes are not combined.Dongying Huatai Chemical Group's revenue of RMB 3.933 billion and net profit of RMB 158 million are subsidiary-level figures. Revenue of RMB 3.560 billion and a gross margin of 7.62% refer to the chemicals segment in Huatai Paper's consolidated accounts. Overseas revenue of RMB 449 million and a gross margin of 29.51% are geographic figures for principal operations and include multiple products.The 700,000-tonne chemical wood-pulp project has been commissioned and transferred to fixed assets, but public disclosures do not separately identify project output, internal consumption, self-sufficiency or unit costs. The construction-in-progress schedule in the 2025 annual report referred to '450,000 tonnes of lignin'; however, the dedicated announcement dated 2 June 2026 consistently identifies the project in its title, construction scope and equipment description as45,000 tonnes of lignin.According to company announcements, the 150,000-tonne high-permeability extensible paper project is in normal production. The project comprising 150,000 tonnes of high-yield unbleached wood fibre and 45,000 tonnes of lignin has only entered commissioning. Product names, programme listings and pilot status do not replace evidence of food-contact compliance, recyclability, biodegradability, customer validation or commercialisation.The 2026 interim earnings forecast is a preliminary estimate prepared by the finance department and has not been audited. As of the verification date, the company had not released its formal interim report. This article does not estimate undisclosed revenue, inventory, gross margin or operating cash flow.Li Jianhua's identity, positions and honours are drawn from formal disclosures by the listed company. The value-chain analysis in this article does not constitute a partnership endorsement, product certification, investment advice or basis for a transaction.Data and Verification Sources01 | China Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report on China's Paper Industry02 | Shandong Huatai Paper Industry Shareholding Co., Ltd., 2025 Annual Report03 | Shandong Huatai Paper Industry Shareholding Co., Ltd., First Quarter Report 202604 | Shandong Huatai Paper Industry Shareholding Co., Ltd., 2025 Social Responsibility Report05 | Huatai Paper Valuation Enhancement Plan (revised April 2026)06 | Huatai Paper Announcement on Provisions for Asset Impairment07 | Huatai Paper 2026 Interim Earnings Forecast Announcement08 | Rizhao Huatai Announcement on Commissioning the 150,000-Tonne Wood-Fibre and 45,000-Tonne Lignin Project09 | Shanghai Stock Exchange: Huatai Paper Company Announcement Search10 | National Data Administration: 2025 List of Trusted Data Space Innovation and Development Pilot Projects11 | Huatai Paper Special Activity Report (Li Jianhua's résumé)Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-17T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-18T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-17-huatai-group/cms-image-f5b92157e4b5f7cc.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-17-paper-packaging-technology.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-17-paper-packaging-technology.html",
            "title": "How 10 fiber-based packaging companies turn manufacturing capabilities into customer value",
            "summary": "The next stage is not about one material replacing another, but about putting each material in the right application and continuing to increase customer value.",
            "content_text": "The next phase of packaging growth will not be driven by one material replacing another, but by putting each material in the right application and continuing to increase customer value.BIOTEN Packaging Industry Insights / PAPER PACKAGING STUDYOnce materials are used where they fit best, growth must ultimately be validated by profit, cash flow and repeat orders.Manufacturing capability → Qualified packaging → Customer value → Business resultsEDITORIAL QUESTIONResearch question | This is not a question of material substitution, but of value realization.Discussions of growth in the packaging industry are easily reduced to a single question: “How much plastic can paper replace?” Yet customers do not actually buy a position on materials. They buy packaging that protects its contents in real-world applications, runs reliably in production, is delivered on time, meets compliance requirements and controls total cost.Plastics remain clearly suited to applications requiring high barrier performance, toughness, low weight, transparent presentation or complex sealing. Fiber-based packaging can assume more functions in suitable applications through fiber structures, functional layers, structural design and forming processes. The next opportunity is not to make one material occupy every position, but to put each material where it performs best so that every function creates clearer customer value.The more useful question is this: how can companies turn their existing manufacturing capabilities into outcomes that customers are willing to purchase repeatedly? This article examines 10 purposively selected companies through one analytical sequence:Use scenario → Core capability → Qualified packaging → Customer value → Business resultsThe five value-creation pathways are neither a ranking nor five mutually exclusive boxes. They address the same question: through which primary interface does a company’s most distinctive capability enter the customer’s operation, and which business outcomes ultimately validate it?CORE JUDGEMENTCore judgementThe next phase of growth in fiber-based packaging does not depend on one material occupying every position. It depends on whether a company can organize design, materials, manufacturing, delivery and compliance into outcomes that customers are willing to purchase repeatedly. The pathways may differ, but the criteria remain the same: deeper customer relationships, higher value per unit, broader application scope, and ultimately profit, operating cash flow and repeat orders.Once materials are put in their proper place, the real differentiator is a company’s ability to keep turning qualified packaging into customer value.SCOPE & METHODScope of the studyThese 10 companies are core observation samples selected for a specific purpose. They are not a ranking, not a “top 10” and not a complete representation of the industry. Six additional companies are used as peer evidence under three growth themes. They are not renumbered and do not form a second list; they merely show that similar customer-value mechanisms also occur at other points in the industry. Companies with different scales, product portfolios and market definitions are not compared mechanically. This article focuses on packaging converting, food packaging and consumer packaging companies; it does not compare upstream papermakers and packaging manufacturers at the same analytical level.Project plans, exhibition displays, participation in standards, production licences and certification records prove only the stated stage and scope. They do not automatically demonstrate volume orders, market position or sustained profitability. “Growth” must ultimately be tested through the depth of customer relationships, value per unit, application scope, gross profit, profit, operating cash flow and repeat orders.FIVE VALUE PATHSFive value-creation pathways | First, examine how capabilities enter the customer’s operation.Value path / CAPABILITY PATHABRAND CO-CREATIONHigh-value brand packaging and customer co-creationThe value of brand packaging lies not only in printing and appearance, but also in whether a supplier can participate in the new-product process, reproduce creative, structural, color and process requirements reliably at scale, and turn a single order into a long-term supply relationship. The transferable lesson is that design becomes customer value only when a manufacturing system can reproduce it consistently.Company case / CASE 01GLOBAL BRAND DELIVERYYUTO TECH.: Replicating brand solutions in global mass productionBrand co-creation | Engineering conversion | Cross-regional replicationCore capability | YUTO organizes creative design, structural engineering, R&D sampling, color management, lean manufacturing, procurement, warehousing and logistics into an integrated mass-production chain, enabling different capabilities to work together toward the same customer outcome.Customer value | A new brand product must not only be designed; it must also reach different markets with consistent quality, timing and delivery standards. YUTO’s cross-regional network provides the organizational foundation for this replication and reduces the coordination cost of converting a concept into mass production.Business results | In 2025, the company recorded revenue of RMB 17.238 billion, up 0.47% year on year; net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB 1.592 billion, up 13.05%; and net cash generated from operating activities of RMB 2.737 billion, up 38.23%. Overseas revenue reached RMB 6.131 billion, accounting for 35.57% of total revenue and increasing 20.27% year on year. R&D investment was RMB 737 million, or 4.28% of revenue, down slightly by 0.91% year on year. Taken together, these figures show broadly stable revenue, improved profitability and cash returns, and continued overseas expansion.BIOTEN observation | At interpack 2026, the company presented FluoZero® grease-resistant technology and Ecocoon™ dry-formed plant-fiber cushioning material. At this stage, they are best understood as application reserves. Commercial realization should next be assessed through mass-production adoption, additional product categories from existing customers, gross margin and repeat orders.Sources: YUTO TECH. 2025 Annual Report; YUTO TECH. interpack 2026 presentation materialsCompany case / CASE 02FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURINGZRP: Turning brand iteration into a flexible manufacturing responseStructural R&D | Color management | Flexible responseCore capability | ZRP’s most distinctive capability is flexibility: structural R&D, color management, process development, digital-printing interfaces and cross-site manufacturing all support the frequent iteration required by brand customers.Customer value | When multiple batches, short runs, personalization and rapid replenishment become routine, customers need more than speed. They also need color consistency, structural reliability and stable mass production. ZRP translates brand changes into an orderly manufacturing response, providing a more flexible route for new-product iteration.Business results | In 2025, the company recorded revenue of RMB 3.167 billion, up 13.85% year on year; net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB 153 million, up 6.82%; net cash generated from operating activities of RMB 339 million, up 27.18%; and R&D investment of RMB 128 million, up 18.21%. Growth in scale, profitability, cash flow and R&D investment provides a positive foundation for further development of flexible manufacturing.BIOTEN observation | The digital-printing partnership disclosed by the company adds capabilities such as single-sheet minimum runs, personalization and rapid replenishment, but the partnership itself does not prove incremental orders. The more meaningful indicators are sample lead time, first-pass color consistency across sites, additional SKUs from the same customer, and the gross margin and repeat orders achieved after R&D outcomes enter stable mass production.Sources: ZRP 2025 Annual Report; ZRP digital-printing partnership materialsValue path / CAPABILITY PATHBDELIVERY NETWORKScaled manufacturing networks and supply-chain deliveryCorrugated boxes, paper bags and packaging for chain stores share one feature: customers buy certainty as well as products. The value of a network does not lie in the number of factories alone, but in whether orders can be scheduled, delivered reliably and fulfilled at a reasonable total cost. The transferable lesson is that distributed capacity creates delivery value only when it is organized as a coordinated network.Company case / CASE 03DELIVERY NETWORKHexing Packaging: Delivering certainty through a short-radius networkMultiple sites | Short radius | Order schedulingCore capability | Hexing connects a multi-site network located close to customers with paper procurement, order scheduling, VMI, CPS and packaging logistics services, enabling short-radius, time-sensitive delivery of corrugated packaging.Customer value | This network can reduce uncertainty during peak seasons, promotions, multi-plant supply arrangements and temporary order transfers. Hexing’s advantage is not simply that it has capacity, but that it organizes distributed nodes into a coordinated and responsive delivery system.Business results | In 2025, the company recorded revenue of RMB 10.194 billion, down 11.13% year on year; net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB 103 million, up 10.61%; a consolidated gross margin of 13.02%, up 1.00 percentage point; and net cash generated from operating activities of RMB 258 million, down 53.07%. Improved profitability despite lower revenue demonstrates operating resilience, while the change in cash flow shows that network efficiency must still be converted into higher-quality collections.BIOTEN observation | The annual report includes the company’s Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia sites in its 2026 plan to accelerate capacity ramp-up and efficiency improvement. A plan is not a realized contribution. Its value must be demonstrated jointly by capacity utilization, order sources, on-time delivery, the profitability of overseas subsidiaries and operating cash flow.Sources: Hexing Packaging 2025 Annual ReportCompany case / CASE 04MULTI-SKU DELIVERYNanwang: Keeping multi-SKU manufacturing aligned with store rhythmsMultiple categories | Store rhythm | Regional responseCore capability | Nanwang organizes multi-SKU manufacturing and regional delivery around paper bags, food packaging, nonwoven bags, labels and receipts. It addresses the “many, fast and changing” rhythm of chain stores, where product launches, promotions and replenishment all require a synchronized manufacturing response.Customer value | A multi-material, multi-node footprint gives customers more choice in their store-packaging mix. Evaluation must nevertheless distinguish between material categories rather than using growth in one category as a proxy for another category’s performance.Business results | In 2025, food-packaging revenue was RMB 604 million, up 13.01% year on year, with a gross margin of 14.94%, up 1.36 percentage points. Paper-bag revenue was RMB 576 million, down 11.91%, with gross margin down 8.33 percentage points. Nonwoven-bag revenue reached RMB 479 million, up 185.59%, making it the group’s main source of incremental revenue. Group revenue was RMB 1.759 billion, up 25.60%, while the net loss attributable to shareholders was RMB 26.4315 million. Net cash generated from operating activities was RMB 157 million, up 257.36%; the company stated that the increase was influenced by both sales collections and government grants.BIOTEN observation | A more complete view of the operating quality of Nanwang’s multi-category network will come from the recovery of paper-bag revenue and gross margin, continued profitability in food packaging, capacity utilization at its paper-products projects and nonwoven nodes, regional order density, and progress toward sustained profitability.Sources: Nanwang 2025 Annual ReportValue path / CAPABILITY PATHCCONTAINER ENGINEERINGFood-service applications and container engineeringA food container is not simply a formed material. Sealing, leak resistance, barrier performance, freshness preservation, printing, heat sealing, stacking and line speed must all work together in one product. Food-contact and end-of-life claims must also correspond to the specific structure and target market. The transferable lesson is that material innovation becomes a dependable solution only after it has passed through the finished product and the commercial production line.Company case / CASE 05VERTICAL MANUFACTURINGHengxin Life: Connecting material expertise with finished-product formingMaterial modification | Coating and sheet extrusion | Finished-product formingCore capability | Hengxin deserves recognition not for a single “PLA biodegradable” label, but for integrating resin modification, coating, sheet extrusion, printing, forming and logistics management into one manufacturing system. It translates the order language of food-service ware into quantifiable production at scale, allowing service, channel, platform and user-experience requirements to be calibrated repeatedly in the finished product.Customer value | For food-service ware customers, vertical coordination can shorten repeated adjustment between materials and processes and support a more stable supply of products such as paper cups and bowls. The real value lies not in the material name itself, but in yield, performance in use and reliable volume delivery.Business results | In 2025, the company recorded revenue of RMB 1.845 billion, up 15.73% year on year; net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB 224 million, up 1.80%; net profit attributable to shareholders excluding non-recurring items of RMB 181 million, down 15.44%; and net cash generated from operating activities of RMB 340 million, down 9.17%. Revenue from biodegradable products was RMB 915 million, accounting for 49.62% of total revenue and increasing 4.95% year on year. The category’s gross margin was 26.25%, down 4.81 percentage points. Growth in scale is already visible; the next priority is to convert category expansion more fully into recurring profit and higher value per unit.BIOTEN observation | The annual report states that Hengxin has ranked among the top 10 companies in the “biodegradable plastics” category of China’s light-industry plastics sector for six consecutive years. It also states that a specified PHA-coated paper product obtained BPI home-compostability certification in January 2026. The former applies only to the stated specialist category; the material identity and date of the latter come from the company’s disclosure, while the exact SKU and Home Certified status must be verified in the BPI database. Awards and certifications are not evidence of orders. Stable orders, unit cost, yield and repeat purchases provide the evidence of commercial depth.Sources: Hengxin Life 2025 Annual Report; BPI database entry for Hengxin productsCompany case / CASE 06FOOD CONTAINER ENGINEERINGOtor Technology: Making material selection serve the food applicationLeakproof sealing | Barrier and freshness preservation | Multi-material choiceCore capability | Otor Technology uses thermoformed food containers as its platform and organizes solutions around sealing, leak resistance, barrier performance, freshness preservation, appearance and delivery close to customers, while retaining a paper-container interface. Its expertise lies not in betting on one material, but in selecting materials according to the contents, production method and required use outcome.Customer value | Food manufacturing, prepared meals and on-the-go beverages require different container solutions. Otor Technology makes the material serve the application, enabling customers to choose the most appropriate structure for current performance, cost and manufacturing conditions. Such a candid and clearly defined capability boundary has more lasting value than a material label.Business results | In 2025, the company recorded revenue of RMB 1.057 billion, down 3.95% year on year; net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB 76.16 million, up 11.35%; a consolidated gross margin of 19.45%, up 1.15 percentage points; and net cash generated from operating activities of RMB 140 million, down 39.48%. Plastic food containers accounted for 96.24% of revenue from principal operations and paper food containers for 2.63%. Capacity utilization for the two categories was 79.77% and 13.66%, respectively. Paper food containers had a gross margin of 17.57%, down 4.81 percentage points. Improved profitability despite lower revenue demonstrates resilience in container engineering; paper containers remain at the capability-utilization and commercial-validation stage.BIOTEN observation | Plastic remains the company’s clear core business, while paper containers provide an interface for specific applications; this is not a “complete transition to paper.” The depth of its multi-material capability will be determined by improvements in sealing and leak resistance, customer adoption of different material solutions, capacity utilization and gross margin for paper containers, and the conversion of profit into cash.Sources: Otor Technology prospectus, signed 19 May 2026Company case / CASE 07CUP CONVERSIONLido: Bringing water-based coatings into real cup-converting processesFunctional layer | Complete cup format | Real production processCore capability | Lido’s most distinctive capability is its cup-converting interface. It brings disposable paper cups and water-based barrier coatings into the full production process, including die-cutting, side sealing, bottom sealing, rim rolling, stacking and cup separation. For many years, it has worked with BASF, APP Sinar Mas and DBC to promote environmentally preferable water-based acrylic barrier coatings, earning the trust of premium markets in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Lido has long focused on easy-to-recycle systems for water-based coated disposable paper cups and has also won long-term orders from coffee chains and well-known retailers in China.Customer value | Lido advances the discussion from “Can the material sample work?” to “Can the complete cup be manufactured reliably?” For material suppliers and brands, this interface exposes issues involving cup-line speed, heat sealing, bottom sealing, nesting and cup separation earlier, bringing water-based coated-paper structures closer to real commercial lines.Business results | Lido does not publish audited operating data on a consistent basis, so this article makes no judgement on its revenue scale, market ranking or customer share. Public evidence shows that the national standards platform lists it as a drafting organization for GB/T 44834—2024 and GB/T 27591—2025; Hunan’s licensing register lists a production licence for food-contact paper packaging, containers and related products; and the flustix database entry PF3R0016 covers paper cups, lids, bowls and plates and reports a recyclability assessment of 98%.BIOTEN observation | Lido keeps the food-contact documentation chain for its paper cups visible to customers, an important safety baseline for premium and brand customers. Customer repeat orders and actual production and sales volumes continue to grow. Public activities demonstrate the practical value of moving material solutions into complete products. Because Lido is not listed, no public revenue figures were found. This study makes no claim about its industry ranking.Sources: Lido website; GB/T 44834—2024; GB/T 27591—2025; Hunan production-licence materials; flustix certification database; and market and value-chain feedbackValue path / CAPABILITY PATHDFIBER + MULTI-MATERIALPlant fiber and multi-material platformsExtending plant fiber into more applications requires pulp formulation, tooling, structural design, surface functionality, automation, yield and unit cost to work together. A multi-material platform must help customers make better choices among performance, regulation, cost and market demand. The transferable lesson is that a broader product line does not automatically create more value; it must be demonstrated by category-level profitability, utilization and repeat orders.Company case / CASE 08MOLDED FIBER SCALEZX Packing Group: Scaling plant-fiber manufacturing through a specialized systemSpecialist focus | Scaled manufacturing | Cross-market replicationCore capability | ZX Packing Group has long focused on molded plant-fiber food-service ware, consolidating R&D, equipment, certification, manufacturing and customer service in one specialized system. Sustained focus allows similar orders to build cumulative experience in yield, efficiency and replication across markets.Customer value | For customers, specialization means more than a concentrated product portfolio. It also means that equipment, tooling, materials and quality control are continually optimized around the same application family. ZX Packing Group has advanced plant fiber from a material direction to an observable scaled-manufacturing system; this industrial platform is its most valuable strength.Business results | In 2025, the company recorded revenue of RMB 1.506 billion, down 2.62% year on year; food-service ware revenue of RMB 1.442 billion, down 4.97%; net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB 266 million, down 17.79%; and net cash generated from operating activities of RMB 417 million, up 30.36%. Its Thailand operation generated revenue of RMB 432 million and net profit of RMB 163 million, demonstrating an actual operating contribution from overseas manufacturing. The decline in revenue and profit must also be acknowledged: recovery in growth cannot be assessed from capacity expansion alone.BIOTEN observation | The company’s 2026 interim earnings forecast estimates net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB 175 million to RMB 220 million, an increase of 50.22% to 88.85% year on year, and identifies the Thailand capacity footprint as an important factor supporting resumed supply to the US market. The forecast is unaudited and remains subject to the formal report. Key indicators for cross-market replication include sales volume and profit per tonne for food-service ware, utilization and cash contribution at the Thailand site, continuity of customer relationships, and the actual commissioning milestones of US projects.Sources: ZX Packing Group 2025 Annual Report; ZX Packing Group 2026 interim earnings forecastCompany case / CASE 09MULTI-MATERIAL PLATFORMHomelink: Broadening customer choice through a multi-material platformMaterial portfolio | Application selection | Category coordinationCore capability | Homelink brings conventional plastics, fully biodegradable materials, plant fiber and paper products together on one product platform, enabling customers to compare performance, regulation, cost and market demand. It turns material selection from a single-choice question into a portfolio decision.Customer value | Different countries, channels and contents do not require the same solution. A multi-material platform lets customers configure product structures by application without committing to a predetermined route. Its real value is to shorten the selection and trial-and-error process while providing a one-stop, cross-category supply interface.Business results | In 2025, the company recorded revenue of RMB 2.687 billion, up 15.53% year on year. Revenue from plant-fiber products was RMB 195 million, up 53.90% and accounting for 7.26% of group revenue. The group reported a net loss attributable to shareholders of RMB 75.71 million and a net loss attributable to shareholders excluding non-recurring items of RMB 192 million. Net cash generated from operating activities was RMB 113 million, down 66.53%; the company attributed the change mainly to increased working-capital requirements following the start-up of its Thailand factory. Observable demand for the new route is emerging, but the breadth of the platform must still be converted into category-level profitability and cash quality.BIOTEN observation | Profit from the plant-fiber category is not disclosed separately, so profitability cannot be inferred directly from revenue growth. Plant-fiber capacity loading, unit cost at overseas sites, customer repeat orders, category-level gross margin, profit excluding non-recurring items and improvement in operating cash flow will determine whether the multi-material platform moves from “a broader product range” to “deeper solutions.”Sources: Homelink 2025 Annual ReportValue path / CAPABILITY PATHEBUSINESS MODEL BOUNDARYExtending the boundary between a manufacturing platform and digital commerceThe first four pathways primarily explain how packaging capabilities enter the customer’s operation. JIHONG CO provides a boundary case in business models: when packaging manufacturing and digital commerce operate in parallel, can each business first create value independently and then demonstrate synergy through measurable connections? The transferable lesson is that the value of diversified businesses is not created by stitching together a narrative, but by validating segment performance and genuine synergy separately.Company case / CASE 10MANUFACTURING + DIGITALJIHONG CO: Enabling two businesses to create value in their own rightFMCG packaging | Digital commerce | Parallel validationCore capability | JIHONG CO operates both FMCG paper packaging and cross-border social e-commerce. Its packaging segment serves FMCG customers through design, cartons, paper bags, food packaging and multi-site manufacturing, while its digital business has built an independent cross-market operating capability. The parallel operation of these two businesses distinguishes it structurally from most packaging companies.Customer value | Packaging customers receive stable manufacturing and category expansion, while the digital business brings the group closer to consumer and operating rhythms in different markets. A more professional and constructive interpretation of this model is to avoid assuming “natural synergy,” evaluate the two businesses separately and wait for measurable connections to emerge.Business results | In 2025, the packaging business recorded revenue of RMB 2.345 billion, up 11.71% year on year, with a gross margin of 20.69%, up 2.84 percentage points. Paper-bag revenue increased 21.15% and food-packaging revenue increased 23.17%. Group revenue was RMB 6.722 billion, up 21.56%, and net profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 277 million, up 52.16%; however, net cash generated from operating activities was RMB 261 million, down 32.45%. Improvements in the packaging segment’s product mix and profitability are clear, while the group still needs to convert profit growth more fully into cash returns.BIOTEN observation | Key indicators for judging whether “parallel” operations develop into “synergy” include new customers and repeat orders in food packaging and paper bags, cash contribution from the packaging segment, and whether the digital business produces verifiable customer referrals, demand insights or improvements in delivery efficiency.Sources: JIHONG CO 2025 Annual ReportTHREE GROWTH LINESThree growth lines | Bringing different pathways back to the same set of business outcomesThe 10 core samples provide the analytical framework. Six peer companies are placed directly under the growth line that best explains their value, without creating another list or renumbering them. The point is not to ask “Which other companies are included?” but to observe how the same growth mechanism recurs at different positions in the industry.Growth line / GROWTH LINE 01Increasing share of customer spend: From supplying one product to providing deeper supportYUTO and ZRP move design, structural engineering and process development forward into customers’ new-product workflows. Hexing Packaging and Nanwang use regional manufacturing and multi-SKU delivery to enter customers’ day-to-day supply chains. JIHONG CO provides a boundary case in which manufacturing and digital commerce operate in parallel, while Lido’s water-based coated paper cups create demand for a broader range of supporting solutions. The shared direction is a move from “winning one order” to “participating in more products and more stages.” This growth line should be assessed not only by customer count, but also by the number of categories supplied to the same customer, share of orders, renewal rate, receivables efficiency and operating cash flow.Peer evidence / INDUSTRY ECHOMYS Group: Organizing dispersed packaging interfaces into a coordinated chain that customers can call upon. From design and testing to third-party procurement, inventory, logistics and on-site packaging support, MYS Group connects multiple interfaces that customers would otherwise coordinate themselves. This moves the packaging supplier from product delivery toward process coordination.Sources: MYS Group 2025 Annual Report; official description of MYS Group capabilitiesPando: Keeping complexity inside the factory and giving customers certainty. Pando organizes material selection, structural design, printing and cup forming, quality standards and multi-site delivery as one customer system, giving a brand’s new cup formats, applications and materials a better path from concept to stable mass production.Sources: Pando website; Pando development history and manufacturing system; GB/T 44834—2024Growth line / GROWTH LINE 02Increasing value per package: From selling products to delivering outcomesPackaging value comes not only from the amount of material used, but also from the speed of a brand launch, protection of the contents, production-line speed, yield, inventory and logistics cost. Hengxin’s vertical manufacturing, Otor Technology’s food-container engineering and the industry possibilities opened up by Lido’s water-based coated paper cups all advance materials and processes toward finished-product performance. Genuine increases in value per unit must be demonstrated jointly by gross margin or unit contribution, yield, total customer cost, stable mass production and repeat orders; they cannot be inferred from technology displays or the number of certifications.Peer evidence / INDUSTRY ECHOGreat Shengda: Continuously extending the value radius of corrugated manufacturing. Multiple sites, make-to-order production and flexible scheduling protect efficiency, while design, premium printing and applications such as liquor packaging increase value density. Great Shengda is not leaving its corrugated platform; it is expanding the range of customer outcomes that the platform can support.Sources: Great Shengda 2025 Annual Report; Great Shengda digital-intelligence practicesShanghai Ailu: Turning an industrial paper sack into a risk-control interface for a powder-production line. Shanghai Ailu brings paper-sack structure, moisture and barrier protection, and intelligent filling systems into the same problem, allowing packaging to help manage risks at the interfaces between contents and production during filling, sealing, handling and storage.Sources: Shanghai Ailu 2025 Annual ReportGrowth line / GROWTH LINE 03Expanding application scope: Letting engineering determine material boundariesZX Packing Group advances scaled plant-fiber manufacturing through a specialized system, while Homelink broadens customer choice through a multi-material platform. Otor Technology reminds the industry that material solutions must serve the contents, production method and real cost. Application expansion does not mean pushing one material into every use. It means adding qualified solutions that withstand validation of function, manufacturing, compliance and end-of-life pathways, and ultimately deliver new qualified SKUs, commercial-line efficiency, capacity utilization, category-level profitability and repeat orders in new applications.Peer evidence / INDUSTRY ECHOBXL Creative Design: Translating a brand story into a commercial product that can be manufactured reliably. It connects brand strategy, cultural interpretation, structural materials, process validation and product delivery, enabling an engaging concept both to be seen by consumers and to be reproduced continuously and accurately by a factory.Sources: BXL Creative Design 2025 Annual Report; official BXL Creative Design profileSuperMix: Enabling corrugated packaging to change roles between transport and the retail shelf. From shipping cartons and printed boxes to paper display stands and display boxes, SuperMix places transport protection and retail presentation in one product system, allowing packaging to continue supporting display, recognition and in-store communication after the product reaches the store.Sources: SuperMix 2025 Annual Report; SuperMix websiteEvidence boundary | The six peer companies are used only to identify capabilities and their mechanisms for creating customer value. They do not provide a basis for inferring current orders, profit, market share or the complete realization of a project. Business and product conclusions remain subject to annual reports, finished products and the stated scope of application.VALUE VALIDATIONFrom capability to repeat orders | How a solution is truly realizedFor a new solution to become a customer order, it must answer a sequence of questions: Does it perform in the real application? Can it be mass-produced reliably on a commercial line? Can the finished product complete the required compliance assessment in the target market? Is the end-of-life pathway workable after use? Is the total cost per qualified package acceptable?A material sample answers the initial question, “Is it feasible?” The finished product, commercial line and repeat orders answer the further questions, “Can it be manufactured, can it be used and can it be scaled?” The closer a solution is to the customer’s operation, mass-production data and evidence of repeat orders, the more robust its value becomes.CONCLUSIONCustomers do not buy a position on materials; they buy sustainable packaging.Examining 10 core samples through five value-creation pathways, then considering evidence from six peers, shows that the basic unit of competition in fiber-based packaging is changing. Customers no longer need only an individual sheet of paper, a resin pellet or a forming machine. They need a capability system that connects materials, design, manufacturing, compliance and delivery.These companies do not share a single answer. Some bring brand creativity into mass production; some organize networks and multi-SKU manufacturing into delivery certainty; some advance materials into real container engineering; some broaden customer choice through specialization or multi-material platforms; and some explore measurable connections between a manufacturing platform and digital commerce. The pathways differ, but the criteria are the same: deeper customer relationships, higher value per unit, broader application scope, and ultimately profit, operating cash flow and repeat orders.A constructive assessment of a company does not mean ignoring lower revenue, pressure on profit, changes in cash flow or the ramp-up of a production site. A more measured and valuable judgement recognizes the operating platform already in place, the capabilities being released and the outcomes that remain to be realized.The next phase of growth, therefore, is neither paper replacing plastic nor plastic replacing paper. Once each material is put where it performs best, what matters is turning the right material into qualified packaging and then turning qualified packaging into sustainable customer value.This conversion—from materials to products, from manufacturing to customers, and from capabilities to business outcomes—is precisely what BIOTEN Packaging follows. Every performance claim should correspond to its manufacturing conditions, every environmental claim to its evidence boundary, and genuinely sustainable innovation should enter the customer’s operation more reliably.RESEARCH NOTEBIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research noteThis article uses 10 companies as purposively selected core observation samples and six companies as peer evidence under three growth lines. Neither group constitutes a ranking, an inclusion designation, investment advice, a legal opinion or a conclusion on product compliance. The five value-creation pathways and three growth lines are editorial analytical frameworks and may overlap. JIHONG CO is treated as a boundary case in business models and is not compared on a like-for-like basis with the first four manufacturing and delivery pathways. Group revenue, segment revenue, planned capacity, actual output, certified values and disclosures by unlisted companies are not compared across inconsistent reporting scopes.Facts, disclosures in annual reports or prospectuses, statements on corporate websites, certification-database records and this article’s analysis are treated separately. Project commissioning, partnerships, exhibition displays, technical exchanges, participation in standards, production licences and certification records do not automatically demonstrate full capacity utilization, stable orders, market ranking or compliance of all company products. Claims involving food contact, recyclability, compostability, PHA or water-based barriers must be assessed against the target market, finished product, specific SKU, test method and valid scope of the certificate.DATA & VERIFICATIONData and verification sourcesCore operating data are drawn primarily from company 2025 annual reports, prospectuses and exchange announcements, together with corporate websites. Information cut-off date: 16 August 2026.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry InsightsFrom materials to products, from manufacturing to customers, and from capabilities to business outcomes.Customers do not buy a position on materials; they buy sustainable packaging.Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-17T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-17T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-17-paper-packaging-technology/cms-image-6f447f91ec62ef42.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-16-asia-symbol.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-16-asia-symbol.html",
            "title": "What makes Asia Symbol strong? How stability creates value from market pulp to paper products",
            "summary": "Scale shows how much can be produced; stability determines whether every tonne of fibre can keep creating value.",
            "content_text": "Scale shows how much can be produced; stability determines whether every tonne of fibre can keep creating value.China’s Top 20 Paper Producers · 06/ CHINA PAPER LEADERSStarting from its ranking figure of 3.7781 million tonnes, this article explains how Asia Symbol turns fibre grading, continuous manufacturing, online control and coordination across multiple production bases into stable quality, supply and technical service—and how customers ultimately validate that stability through QPC results, repeat purchases and higher value per unit of resource.CORE JUDGEMENTAsia Symbol’s distinguishing capability is not merely the scale of its pulp and paper operations; it is the company’s effort to organise fibre, continuous manufacturing, online control, multi-site supply and customer technical service into a “stability system”.This system has established a manufacturing and product foundation. The next stage of value creation must be demonstrated through commercialisation of new products, stable project ramp-up, improved customer QPC results, sustained repeat purchases and clearer product-level environmental data.In the China Paper Association’s 2025 output ranking of major paper producers, Asia Symbol Group reported3.7781 million tonnesof paper and paperboard, ranking sixth, up 6.30% year on year.But that ranking excludes one of Asia Symbol’s most important businesses—market wood pulp. The company’s 2025 Sustainability Report states that its Shandong, Guangdong and Jiangsu operations produced a combined total of5.9148 million tonnesof wood pulp, printing and writing paper, and white paperboard.Both figures are valid, but they answer different questions: the first is a ranking figure for paper and paperboard; the second includes wood pulp and shows the breadth of the business system. They are not interchangeable and must not be subtracted, divided or used to infer capacity utilisation.3.7781million tonnes2025 paper and paperboard producer ranking · No. 6 nationwide5.9148million tonnes2025 company reporting scope · total output of wood pulp, printing and writing paper, and white paperboardScope note: do not combine the two figures mathematically. Sources: China Paper Association’s 2025 annual report and Asia Symbol’s 2025 Sustainability Report.The real question is not “how many million tonnes does Asia Symbol have?” It is this: when market pulp, printing and writing paper, white paperboard and tissue are distributed across different production bases, equipment and customer conditions, how does the company keep quality variation, supply cadence and technical service within a window customers can anticipate?In its 2025 report, Asia Symbol summarises its pulp-business principles as “stable quality, stable supply and stable technical service”. This is not a slogan to be accepted at face value, but a testable operating thesis: whether batch variation narrows; whether paper machines and converting equipment run steadily; whether delivery is predictable; whether complaints are closed out; and whether new products progress from trial runs to repeat orders.RESEARCH QUESTIONAgainst an industry backdrop of rising output but pressure on revenue and profit, can Asia Symbol translate pulp and paper scale into repeatable quality, predictable supply and verifiable customer value?Research boundary: this article examines the company’s pulp and paper operations in China. Because unified, consolidated group revenue, profit and operating cash-flow data were not available, output is not used as a proxy for profitability and no undisclosed financial results are inferred.01 · SCALE IS NOT STABILITYTwo sets of figures describe scale, not “stability”In 2025, China produced 141.35 million tonnes of paper and paperboard, up 3.74% year on year. Over the same period, operating revenue across the pulp, paper and paper-products industry fell 2.59%, while total profit fell 13.55%.These data make the industry reality clear:Volume can grow without revenue and profit moving in step.When new supply, pricing pressure and product differentiation coexist, scale is only the entry ticket to competition; it does not, by itself, demonstrate operating quality.141.35million tonnes +3.74%National paper and paperboard output−2.59%Operating revenuePulp, paper and paper-products industry as a whole−13.55%Total profitIndustry aggregate from the same association report; not used to infer Asia Symbol’s profitability.For downstream paper mills and converters, meeting an average specification is only the starting point. The harder task is to keep variation in brightness, cleanliness, fibre distribution, strength, wet expansion, stiffness and surface properties within an acceptable window.Because one sample with attractive test results cannot support long-term production,only a controlled distribution can keep paper machines running continuously, reduce converting abnormalities and maintain batch-to-batch consistency in finished products.The No. 6 ranking is therefore only a point of entry. The larger the scale and the broader the product range, the harder stability is to manage—and the more rigorously the company’s system capabilities are tested.02 · FIBRE AS A FUNCTIONStability begins by turning fibre into a defined functionThe capacity map disclosed in Asia Symbol’s 2025 report includes: Shandong, annual capacity of 2.35 million tonnes of wood pulp, 600,000 tonnes of white paperboard and 500,000 tonnes of printing and writing paper; Guangdong, 1.5 million tonnes of high-grade printing and writing paper; and Jiangsu, 1 million tonnes of high-grade white paperboard.SHANDONG · Rizhao2.35 million tonnes wood pulp · 600,000 tonnes white paperboard · 500,000 tonnes printing and writing paperControls the fibre and pulping foundation, while extending into paperboard, printing and writing paper, and tissue.GUANGDONG · Jiangmen1.5 million tonnes of high-grade printing and writing paperSupports large-scale production and market service for printing and writing paper.JIANGSU · Rugao1 million tonnes of high-grade white paperboardFocuses on applications including food packaging, paper cups and liquid packaging.The value of the three production bases is not a simple sum of their figures. It lies in their different product roles and in connecting upstream fibre, manufacturing processes and downstream applications.Upstream, official information from Asia Symbol’s Shandong operation states that it can supply more than 2 million tonnes per year of bleached kraft hardwood pulp. It uses continuous cooking, kraft pulping and elemental chlorine-free (ECF) bleaching, and differentiates its grades by application: BPT for tissue, BPSP for specialty paper and BPW for printing and writing paper.BPT | Tissue:Focuses on softness, formation and fibre bonding.BPSP | Specialty paper:Focuses on cleanliness, dimensional stability and converting suitability.BPW | Printing and writing paper:Focuses on opacity, smoothness, strength and printability.Market pulp is therefore no longer merely a generic “hardwood pulp”; it becomes a portfolio of fibre functions designed for different paper machines and finished-paper targets.In manufacturing, the company states that the 500,000-tonne high-grade printing and writing paper line in Rizhao has a design speed of 1,800 m/min and is equipped with distributed control systems (DCS) and quality control systems (QCS) for online quality monitoring. Downstream processes such as cutting, packaging, stacking and palletising are also automated.Advanced equipment does not automatically produce advanced results. A genuine quality system must close the loop among online data, laboratory testing, customer feedback, paper-machine settings and formulation adjustments. The test is whether variation can be kept within the customer’s window over high-speed, long-duration and multi-batch production.Fibre grading → continuous manufacturing → online control → customer feedbackThis is the process chain through which “stability” is created. Equipment configuration only shows that control conditions exist; it does not automatically prove long-term operating results.03 · FROM TONNES TO SQUARE METRESFrom tonnes of pulp to stable performance per square metre: how stability becomes product valueAsia Symbol’s portfolio extends across market pulp, printing and writing paper, white paperboard and tissue. The four categories share a fibre foundation but face different tests of value: market pulp is judged by batch consistency and paper-machine compatibility; printing and writing paper by print performance and machine runnability; white paperboard by printing, die-cutting, creasing, carton forming and filling; and tissue by softness, strength, absorbency, converting and channel turnover.China Paper Association data show that, in 2025, output of uncoated printing and writing paper grew 1.63% and consumption 1.25%; white paperboard output grew 2.62% and consumption 1.21%; and tissue output grew 4.37% and consumption 1.95%. Based on the association’s import and export tables, the three categories recorded net exports of approximately 920,000 tonnes, 2.51 million tonnes and 1.65 million tonnes, respectively.2025 · INDUSTRY CONTEXTUncoated printing and writing paper:Output +1.63% · consumption +1.25% · net exports approx. 920,000 tonnesWhite paperboard:Output +2.62% · consumption +1.21% · net exports approx. 2.51 million tonnesTissue:Output +4.37% · consumption +1.95% · net exports approx. 1.65 million tonnesThese industry figures describe the market environment for each category; they do not represent Asia Symbol’s sales, pricing, market share or profitability.As products span more customers, equipment and regions, consistency of quality, predictability of delivery and speed of technical response only become more important.In 2025, Asia Symbol disclosed R&D expenditure of RMB 1.1202945 billion, or approximatelyRMB 1.12 billion.The company employed 778 R&D staff, representing 15.98% of its workforce. The Jiangsu operation conducted 28 R&D projects and completed trial production of 8 new products; the Guangdong operation was granted 11 patents.1.12billion yuan2025 R&D expenditure778peopleR&D staff · 15.98% of the workforceJiangsu: 28 projects → 8 products completed trial production; Guangdong: 11 patents granted.Investment and trial production show that the R&D system is operating; they do not prove that commercial value has already been realised. The true conversion chain should be:Successful trial production → validation on customer equipment → batch consistency → sustained repeat purchasesHigh-bulk gable-top liquid-packaging paperboard is one typical stress test. The company reports that, while meeting the same finished-paper performance and customer requirements, paper weight for the same area can be reduced by approximately 10%. For lightweight kraft-back liquid-packaging paperboard, the company reports a reduction of 2%–5%.Lightweighting does not simply mean making paper thinner. At a lower basis weight, thickness, stiffness, interlayer bonding, edge wicking, printability, lamination, carton forming, filling and transport performance must all be maintained. Only when these properties remain stable on specific customer structures and equipment can lower fibre and chemical inputs become genuine customer value.The key to moving from “tonnes of pulp” to “performance per square metre” is therefore not a longer list of product names, but whether new products can perform repeatedly within more complex application windows.04 · THREE CLOCKSExpansion in 2026 must stand the test of three clocksOn 5 May 2026, a production snapshot published by Rizhao News showed all lines at Asia Symbol’s Shandong operation running at full load that day. Daily output was approximately 1,500 tonnes of printing and writing base paper, sheets and A3/A4 copy paper, and approximately 460 tonnes of tissue parent rolls, soft packs and toilet rolls.This is a positive single-day operating data point, but it is not average output for the first half of the year and cannot substitute for sales, profit or cash flow.The phase II tissue project began at the end of 2025. The current phase plans 6 tissue production lines plus slitting, converting and warehousing systems, adding 150,000 tonnes of capacity. The first line is planned to start production by the end of 2026, with the full project planned to be operational in the first half of 2027. These are planned dates, not realised results.In March 2026, Asia Symbol’s Shandong operation also published a draft environmental impact assessment for public consultation on an optimisation and upgrade of its pulp lines. The proposal would raise PL11 from 315,000 tonnes per year to 390,000 tonnes per year, and PL12 from 1.92 million tonnes per year to 2.10 million tonnes per year. Publication only confirms entry into public participation; it does not mean the project has been approved, completed or reached design output.01 · DELIVERY CLOCKWhether civil works, equipment installation, commissioning and start-up are completed as planned.02 · RAMP-UP CLOCKWhether paper machines ramp up steadily, and whether yield, web-break rate, energy consumption, unit consumption and batch consistency enter their target windows.03 · ADOPTION CLOCKWhether new products pass customer validation and achieve a sound sales mix, sustained repeat purchases and healthy collections.Starting a project on schedule is positive, but only when the three clocks gradually align will added tonnage become stable supply rather than additional depreciation, inventory and pricing pressure. Without unified consolidated group financial data, this article cannot conclude that overall profit, cash flow or investment returns have improved.05 · QPC AS PROOFThe industrial chain must jointly validate QPC outcomesAsia Symbol’s public materials repeatedly use the operating concept of QPC, meaningquality, production and cost.It turns “stability” from an abstract adjective into traceable outcomes: whether quality remains conforming, whether production lines deliver stable output and whether total cost stays under control amid volatility.QQUALITY · QualityBatch variation, customer acceptance rate, and closure of complaints and abnormalitiesPPRODUCTION · ProductionContinuous operation, conforming output and predictable deliveryCCOST · CostEnergy consumption, unit consumption, processing abnormalities and total cost in useWoodchip, pulp and chemical suppliers:The purchase price alone is not enough; refining energy, retention, strength, paper-machine abnormalities and batch variation must also be considered.Equipment and digital-technology providers:Supplying equipment specifications alone is not enough; online monitoring, predictive maintenance, web-break rate, energy consumption and yield must be connected.Printers and packaging converters:Laboratory paper samples alone are not enough; performance must be validated under real printing, die-cutting, creasing, carton-forming, laminating and filling speeds.Brand owners and procurement teams:Writing “green” or “lightweight” is not enough; performance windows, batch rules, traceability documents and responsibility for abnormalities must be written into procurement specifications.Functional-materials providers:Barrier, heat-seal or grease-resistance data cannot stop at a single material layer; they must be assessed against the specific base paper, coating structure, processing conditions and final package.Environmental indicators are also hard constraints on continuous production. Asia Symbol’s full Chinese-language report states that, in 2025, greenhouse-gas emissions were 0.43 tCO₂e per tonne of product; renewable and clean energy accounted for 73.60%; water consumption was 9.12 m³ per tonne of product; and the industrial-water reuse rate was 96.26%. Of purchased woodchips and pulp, 43.35% fell within the company’s category of “FSC or PEFC/CFCC certified, or covered by due diligence”.0.43tCO₂e / tonne of productGreenhouse-gas emissions per tonne of product73.60%Renewable and clean energyCompany reporting scope9.12m³ / tonne of productWater consumption per tonne of product · industrial-water reuse rate 96.26%43.35%Share of purchased woodchips and pulp included by the company within certification or due-diligence coverageThese are company-level indicators covering the Shandong, Guangdong and Jiangsu operations. They are not the product carbon footprint of any single paper grade, package or order, and they do not mean that all raw materials carry the same certification. What downstream customers need is further allocation of the company-level baseline to specific products, certificate holders, chain-of-custody scopes and order documentation.For material and application researchers, including BIOTEN Packaging, studying Asia Symbol does not mean assuming that any one material must be used in all paper products, and it certainly does not imply that the two companies already cooperate. The purpose is to identify the functions genuinely missing from a specific grade and validate them jointly against customer QPC and final-packaging conditions.Good collaboration does not force one material into every scenario. It allows fibre, chemicals, coatings, equipment and recycling systems to work together in the right application.CONCLUSION · THE DIVIDING LINEThe dividing line is not how much larger capacity can become, but whether “stability” can be verified repeatedlyAsia Symbol has established scale: its paper and paperboard output ranks sixth; market wood pulp, printing and writing paper, and white paperboard form a multi-site manufacturing foundation; and tissue and lightweight paperboard are extending the product boundary.More importantly, it is seeking to convert scale into three forms of stability: stable quality, stable supply and stable technical service. Fibre grading, continuous pulping, online monitoring, multi-site manufacturing and the R&D organisation provide the foundation for this path.What remains to be demonstrated is equally clear: whether new capacity can ramp up steadily; whether new products can move from trial production to repeat volume orders; whether company-level environmental indicators can be allocated further to specific products and orders; and whether these capabilities ultimately generate sustainable profit and cash flow.The dividing line for Asia Symbol’s future value is not how much larger capacity can become, but whether “stability” can be verified again and again across more products, more production bases and more customer conditions.NEXT · CHINA’S TOP 20 PAPER PRODUCERS · 07Next article | Huatai GroupAccording to the China Paper Association’s 2025 output ranking of major paper producers, Huatai Group Co., Ltd. ranked seventh with 3.1027 million tonnes of paper and paperboard.The next article will continue the series through four dimensions: product structure, manufacturing coordination, project progress and value realisation. This note establishes only the sequence and research question; it does not prejudge the conclusion.Ranking source: appendix to the China Paper Association’s China Paper Industry 2025 Annual Report.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research noteThis article uses the following method: association statistics establish the scale coordinate; the company’s full Chinese-language report is used to break down capabilities; official project information defines each project’s stage; and customer QPC tests industrial value. Information was verified through 16 August 2026. Facts, company disclosures, this article’s analysis and project plans are presented separately.The China Paper Association figure of 3.7781 million tonnes refers to Asia Symbol’s 2025 paper and paperboard output within the association’s major-producer ranking. Asia Symbol’s figure of 5.9148 million tonnes is the total output of wood pulp, printing and writing paper, and white paperboard disclosed in its 2025 Sustainability Report, covering the Shandong, Guangdong and Jiangsu operations. The 2025 report no longer includes the Jiujiang tissue mill in Jiangxi, so the figure cannot be compared directly with the 2024 total of 6.085 million tonnes, which included that mill and tissue.Asia Symbol’s English release note and the full Chinese-language report display different figures for three items: renewable and clean energy, the water reuse rate, and the procurement scope for woodchips and pulp. The 2025 report states that the Chinese version prevails in the event of inconsistency. This article therefore uses the 73.60%, 96.26% and 43.35% figures explicitly stated in the full Chinese edition, while retaining a record of the discrepancies in the internal source register.This article did not obtain consolidated revenue, profit or operating cash-flow data for Asia Symbol comparable with listed-company annual-report disclosures. It therefore makes no inference about profitability, cash flow or capacity utilisation. The tissue start-up timetable, pulp-line upgrade and lightweighting figures are qualified according to public disclosures and do not represent full production or applicability to every customer structure.Reference data and verification sources01 | China Paper Association, China Paper Industry 2025 Annual Report02 | Asia Symbol, 2025 Sustainability Report, full Chinese edition03 | Asia Symbol, release note for the 2025 Sustainability Report04 | Asia Symbol, pulp products and application-specific grades05 | Asia Symbol, paperboard product information06 | Asia Symbol, information on the 500,000-tonne high-grade printing and writing paper line07 | Asia Symbol, 2023 Sustainability Report and QPC explanation08 | Rizhao Daily, phase II tissue project and 2025 development review09 | Rizhao News, May 2026 production snapshot10 | Rizhao News, progress on key projects in the Rizhao Economic and Technological Development Zone11 | Public consultation draft EIA for Asia Symbol’s pulp-line upgrade project12 | Asia Symbol, 2024 Sustainability Report and reporting boundaryRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-16T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-16T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-16-asia-symbol/cms-image-88a2a538a1efda21.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-15-ecological-code-paper-substitution.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-15-ecological-code-paper-substitution.html",
            "title": "Ecological and Environmental Code Takes Effect Today: Paper Replacing Plastic, or Plastic Replacing Paper?",
            "summary": "What is really redefined is not paper-based winners, but the application boundaries of each material and functional layer.",
            "content_text": "What is really redefined is not paper-based winners, but the application boundaries of each material and functional layer.Green packaging and material observation / MATERIAL SYSTEMSBIOTEN Packaging:: Industry insightEcological and Environmental Code Takes Effect Today: Paper Replacing Plastic, or Plastic Replacing Paper?The Code does not declare a package to be successful. This explains why the PE lymphs are made in paper form along the scene, functional layers, material efficiency, real recovery and compliance evidence. 1.0 Ages, Aquatic Acid, PLA, PBAT, PEF andBIOTENHow would the new PHA water barrier route facilitate a re-distribution of labour in the next round?The scenes, the functional layers, the manufacturing, the terminal path, the evidence.Core Judgement / CORE JUDGEMENTThe regulation does not really promote “paper-win plastic” or “plastic roller”, but rather the packaging moving from material to system competition.00. THE QUESTIONThe conflict is real. The alternative is fake.15 August 2026 The most controversial argument that the packaging industry is prone to lightening is whether it is a new round of paper-substitution benefits or, if plastics are designed for light quantification, single materialization and recycling, will they then be replaced by paper packaging?The code requires green design, less packaging, anti-overpacking, recycling, cleaner production and step-by-step carbon footprint management; it does not declare a victory by material name.What really deserves to be studied is how paper, traditional plastics, bio-based polymers, functional coatings and reuse systems can be redistributed in different settings. The same packaging should answer: Can products be protected, can produce with the least possible material, can manufacture stabilize, can use them into a realistic recovery or fitting disposal path, and whether total costs and environmental claims are supported by evidence.The application scene.. Needs to combine the building blocks with the functional layers..01 • FIVE GATESThe code doesn't have a material station. It has five doors for packaging.Article 973 encourages green packaging and packaging reduction, requires compliance with mandatory standards limiting excessive packaging, and specifies that packaging materials, structures and costs should suit the contents. Article 974 requires e-commerce, express-delivery and takeaway businesses to reduce packaging use and prioritize reusable and readily recyclable packaging. Article 998 concerns non-degradable single-use plastics such as plastic bags that are prohibited or restricted by law, while encouraging reusable, readily recyclable, degradable and harmless alternatives.01 The X-ray door. The tasks of protection, hygiene, transportation and use are accomplished first to avoid damage, leakage and waste of content.02 The X-ray door. To stabilize the necessary functionality with fewer complete structural materials.03 The door to the mill. Include VOCs, chemical substances, cleaner production and process stabilization in programmes.04 The door to the rim. From \"Theory\"recyclable“To be collected, sorted, regenerated or adapted to disposal.”05 The evidence door. Environmental claims are supported by testing boundaries, methods, data, authentication scope and areas of application.Articles 213 to 215 of the Code require that primary materials containing volatile organic matter, low-volatile products and associated markings be regulated; articles 644 to 649, which establish a logic for managing risks from chemical substances and new pollutants. Ink, glue, coating and cleaning processes are no longer mere procurement parameters but also environmental management targets.Article 944 also places paper in the context of a green low-carbon transformation in traditional industries , for low-carbon energy conservation, cleaner production and upgrading of process equipment; Compulsory recovery liability under article 977 must correspond to legally established lists and management practices Article 13 sets out the direction of a carbon footprint system for products. They cannot be expanded in advance to uniform rules covering all packagings.The basis of the legislation is: Official text of the Environmental Code of the People ' s Republic of ChinaImportant boundaries: The Ministry of Ecology has clearly and simultaneously promoted document cleansing, the improvement of the supporting system and standard amendments. 8 months 15 is an important node for the commencement of the application of a uniform legal framework, and does not represent all catalogues, standards and technical rules completed on the same day.The regulation does not actually phase out a material; it is packaging that cannot explain functionality, reduction, manufacture, recovery and evidence.02. Papar BoundaryPaper will continue to grow, but \"paper\" is not a de-checkable label.Fiber-based packagingThe advantages are clear: good performance and printing, suitable for catering devices, boxes, transport overpacks and large quantities of dry commodities; mature fibre recovery systems that also provide a better circulation base for well-structured, less polluting paper packaging. Electric logistics, branding, dry food, and part of the restaurant scene still leave room for expansion of paper-based schemes.But fibre networks are porous, water-friendly and have limited capacity to undertake waterproofing, oilproofing and damping, resistance to oxygen and heat seals alone. Entering the wet heat, fat or long shelf stage usually requires coating, a lymphine, glue or multilayered structures. Once the functional layer is too thick, difficult to separate, or when there is a significant increase in gram weight for the purpose of filling it, the original recovery and reduction advantage of paper packaging may be weakened.Positive casesBASF X DBC x APP X Lido2023 Four industry chain companies have co-existed the disclosure of paper cups and food cards with water high performance barrier-free resin programs to improve waterproofing, oilproofing and heatproofing. It suggests that new opportunities for paper growth come from building blocks and functional layers working together instead of paper itself doing all the barriers naturally. 2025 The first release was a series of events. World's firstLarge paper online water-painted paper volume.Evidence boundary: Relevant paper and barrier materials are available for recovery, evidence of suitability and extensive market use.So the real opportunity for the paper-based industry is not to mechanically delete \"plastic\" but to improve it. Material efficiency for unit function : Use a thinner, more stable and better-suited functional layer of the target recovery system to allow fibre subjects into previously unavailable but not in need of extreme barrier.Source: DBCandBASFJoint technical disclosure03 • FUNCTIONAL LAYERPE is not a sin. It's finished with the paper. 1.0 The blogger says:The engineering contribution of the PE lymphs needs to be seen fairly. Paperboards provide a high degree of strength, shape and printing, while thin polyethylene layers are refilled with wet, liquid maintenance and heat sealing that allow for high-speed, stable, and scalding production of cups, catering containers, and parts of liquid and fat packagings. Without this functional collaboration, many packages that appear “paper-based” have not been really replaced by full plastic structures in the past.The stage judgement is a \"FROM\". 1.0 TO NEXTPaper Shape1.0: The first is to address whether paper can perform the packing tasks. PE serves as a long-term benchmark with mature permers, cups, hot seals, costs and supply chain windows.Next stage: Make the function layer thinner, more easily separated, better suited for recycling or move to a more appropriate source and terminal path without retrogression.The design guide of the EU ropean Paper Federation explicitly recognizes that paper packaging is designed to meet barriers and constraintsfood contactAt times, such functions need to be painted or compounded; it is critical that the combination approach does not impede recovery and should be validated according to the collection and regeneration conditions of the target market.PPWR also did not use the phrase “no permeable permime” to summarize all paper-based composite packagings. The annex lists paper cups, liquid packaging cardboard and plastic coating sheeting as composite packing categories with polyolefin film in the main paper/paper board, while requiring all packaging to meet progressively the conditions for material recovery design and scalability. Packet threshold Instead of replacing engineering with a material name.Go to the PE only if alternative routes are secured simultaneously, with a heat seal, speed of wire, good rate, food contactThe effective upgrade is when costs and real end paths are involved; otherwise, only a visible plastic layer will be replaced by a new layer where evidence is less clear.Source: CEPIfiber-based packagingrecyclabledesign guidelines; official PPWR text04 • MATERIAL PASSPORTSThe new material is not a substitute list, but five different \"material passports\"Advances in bio-based materials aim to retain plastic-like film formation, tactile qualities, transparency, toughness, heat sealing and barriers while changing carbon sources, material use or end-of-use pathways. Bio-based, biodegradable and compostable are distinct claims and cannot be determined from a resin name alone.Conceptual calibration of THREE DIFERENT CLAIMSBiobases only indicate that the feedstock is derived wholly or partly from biological resources, and it is not inevitable thatbiodegradableorcompostable (a) The following: biodegradableThe environment and conditions must be specified; compostableThe past means entering a specific area. Industrially compostableFacilities, in the future. CompostableIt's a general reference to satisfying. Home compostableAnd first, it needs to be matched. RecyclableThe conditions. There is no common ocean in the EU. BiodegradationStandard.01 / PLA Polylectic acidHigh maturity, but terminal path must be clear. PLA has a transparent, rigid and thermal processing base that can be used to block film, cups, boxes and paper lymphine; short panels are concentrated in heat-resistant, resilient, partially blocked and stable process windows, often with crystallized management, mixing PBAT, PBS or structural design. Industrially compostableValues are formed under conditions that do not amount to any arbitrary PLA packaging disappearing rapidly in the home, soil or ocean.02 / PHA · PolyhydroxyalkanoatesPHA is a family of materials rather than a single grade. Monomer composition affects properties ranging from highly crystalline and relatively rigid to more flexible. PHA extrusion coatings have biodegradation potential in different environments, but rates depend on composition, crystallinity, thickness, additives, temperature, humidity and microorganisms. BIOTEN PHA waterborne dispersed composite coatings form functional paper layers at low coat weights. The article describes bio-based, repulping and composting attributes, while dispersion stability, drying and film formation, heat sealing, barrier performance and compostability remain subject to application and target-market validation.03 / PBS Polybutyltinate butyl diolThe advantage is that the process is balanced with flexibility, and carbon sources cannot be taken for granted. PBS can be produced through different feedstock pathways, not all of which are naturally biological. Mechanical, thermal and process properties make it suitable for film thins, coatings, and materials such as PLA that are co-resilient; but crystallization, formulation, barrier partition and degradation performance needs to be system-by-system confirmation.04 / PEF polyfurans dimethylateThe main battlefield is closer to high barriers and cycles than composting. PEF is directed towards bottles, films and barriers, and studies show a significant potential for gas containment; however, resilience, scalability costs, sorting and recovery system compatibility still need to be advanced and current research does not support its direct classification as already clearhome compostableMaterials. Bio-based materialsThe same is true of the high performance plus recycling route.05 / Aquatic acrylic acid and other dispersed coatingsWater is a carrier, not the end of materials. Water technologies can reduce reliance on organic solvents and expand paper use through low-painting, membrane and thermal design; acrylic acid/EAA is a heterogeneous range of resins and fish complexes that need to be identified as non-requiredfood contactThe Acid coatings, and the VOC content in liquid products, benzene and other heavy metals such as formaldehyde are easily overstretched, require enhanced third-party monitoring before the fluid is ready for use. Compostable, still have to check the combination identity, coating volume, residues, re-slurries, wastewater effects, food contactAnd target market determination.The five-material passport does not have any natural superiority. A good design is not to write all the advantages on a label, but rather to recognize the trade-off and then make it a proven product.Research sources: European Commission concept note; PLA review; PHA degradation review; BIOTEN PHA waterborne dispersed composite coated-paper research; PBS review; PEF overview; waterborne polymer paperboard-coating research05.. PLASTICS BoUNDARYPlastics do not automatically exit, and they must move from “performance advantage” to “cycle certification”.Plastics have some non-alternative content in packaging. The film can be wet-resistant, resilient, hot envelopes and a certain barrier with lower weight; in sauce, liquids, frozen foods, meat, health care and long shelf life products, the cost of packing is often much higher than that of packaging material itself. It is easy to get wrong answers by looking at the name of the material without looking at leaks, broken bags and food losses.Positive case AMCORAmcor's in. 2026 Disclosures of Liquiflex AmPrima, a large packaging scene with single materials, light soft packaging service sauce, soup, frozen vegetables and protein. It shows not “plastic back to the old route”, but rather high functional values by decomposition, weight reduction and single material design.Evidence boundary: the company put \"recyclableDesign is clearly limited to EU ropean markets where flexible polyethylene recycling streams have been established. Recyclability (a) As product attributes and as regional infrastructure attributes; recyclableNot equal to actual recovery.Source: UNEP life cycle evaluation synthesis; Amcor corporate disclosure06 SCENARIO MAPWhy is it still possible to grow paper and plastic packaging at the same time?For packaging is not a fixed sum, single function zero market. Consumption patterns, channels, preservation needs, automated fillings, take-out, power suppliers, cold chains and circulation systems are changing, with different material growth likely to be from different scenarios, value layers and different regions.Dry goods, overpacking of transport, gift boxes and retail displays The heavy lifting, printing, stacking and mature fibre recycling usually allows more room for tiles, cardboard, and plastic fibers. A continuous attack on a scene that can be stabilized by light paper structures is liable to the combined pressure of both reduction and recovery logic.Wet, oily, high-blocking or high risk of leakage The plastic film, a single polymer structure or the necessary compounding options may still be more efficient when looking at wet-resistant, shutter, piercing and shelf periods.Breading, fast food and short shelf racks It's in the intersection of paper and new materials. PHADispersed coatings and other biological bases orrecyclableDesign, all of which may compete; lastly, the amount of cloth, blockage, heat seals, wire speed, good ratefood contactand target area terminal path.Closed loop transport and reuse of platinum The durable plastic boxes, pallets and so on have a systemic advantage only when return, cleaning, breakage and actual reuse are established; paper transport packaging may be superior to mature recovery pathways.High-value, perishable or health-sensitive products Controls the loss of content before optimizing packaging.Paper and plastics can grow at the same time, as growth occurs in different scenarios, functions and cycles.07. WRONG BATTLESIt's not competition, it's no border substitution.The paper company needs to avoid it most. A sample that is resistant to oil does not mean being able to withstand condensation, transport friction, prolonged wet resistance and high-speed heat sealing; a component test does not pass, nor does it amount to a complete package, whole machine, entire recovery path being closed. The more paper-based companies respect borders, the more they can concentrate resources on a real, affordable market.The plastic industry needs to be avoided. The more active the reduction, single materialization, regenerative compatibility, and innovation of new polymers, the more likely they will be to hold high-capacity scenes that are really good at doing so.The most important thing to avoid is new materials. The new material is changed from “material possibilities” to “packaging solutions” only if it enters a stable supply, processing window, customer line, product safety and target end path simultaneously.International PPWREU Code on Packaging and Packing Waste12 August 2026 Packaging, generally applicable, covering all materials and sources with objectives including reduction of packaging and use of primary resources, improvementrecyclabilityand safely improve the use of recycled plastics in plastic packaging.OthercompostableRequirement for specific categories and conditions, other organismsbiodegradablePackaging is still in principle designed for material recovery. PPWR is not a \"paper pass\" or \"compostable (b) A \" passable for materials \"; different obligations have different points of application and the EU rules are not equivalent to China's legal obligations.Source: European CommissionPPWR Official Note08 • DECISION TOOL\"Technology Five Questions\" for the industrial chain.A replacement project will be evaluated in the future and five questions proposed instead of “paper or plastic”.Asking what the cost of failure is. First list of leakage, breakage, tide exposure, oxidation, pollution, preservation period and stoppage risks.Two questions. What's the whole bag used, how much? (B) Merge base materials, coatings, glues, labels, ink, seals and secondary packagings and write the identity of the material.Three questions. Can it be made stable? Validation of coating, film, printing, formation, heat sealing, filling, transport and batch consistency.Four questions: Where exactly did you go after the use? Check for true collection, selection, regeneration or suitability of disposal and economic values.Five questions: Who will prove it better? (C) Clear methodology, boundaries, sample structure, range of certifications, year and area of application.Paper and paper-based materials enterprises: Defines strength, intensity, cloth fit, low-g weight and fibre recovery performance together , do not seek to replace without borders.Plastic resin and film industry: (B) The combination of light quantification, single materialization, regenerative compatibility, easy-to-selection and high functionality.Biomaterials and functional coating enterprises: Carbon source, formula, coatings, membrane, heat seal, food contactThe economic and terminal routes are made as a complete material passport.Packaging processing and equipment enterprises: Convert material performance into linear, good rates, seals, stable delivery and replicable process windows.Brands, channels and recycling enterprises: Sharing of real use, wear and tear, collection and regeneration data so that material selection is no longer available in the conference room.09 • The media BIOTEN VIEWBIOTEN Packaging: no material station, for the scientific boundaryThe Code of Eco-Environment is in effect. Fiber-based packagingIt's an opportunity, and it's a chance to create innovation with plastic packaging; for PLA, PHAThe joint expanded market for system innovation is the PBS, PEF, PBAT, water barrier materials, recycled materials, ink-coated glues, testing certification and recycling facilities.BIOTEN PackagingThe scientific innovation that is maintained is not to select a material before looking for all the scenes; rather, it is to clarify the features, costs, regulations and end paths of the scene and then send a good material to a place where it is truly good at and can be built over time. This paper site will make it lighter, stronger, more recyclable, and with real degradation potential; this plastic will make the plastic less, more monolithic and more recycled; and where it suits biological materials, the material identity, economics, functional performance and suitability disposal will be tested together.This restraint is not conservative, but a higher-quality attack. The upgrading of paper-based functional layers will drive traditional plastics to reprove their efficiency; the high performance benchmark for plastics will also push paper, coatings and biopolymeric materials to break down. Competition is not negative to each other, but it is by testing the criteria for jointly raising green packagings through technical pressure tests.The end point for green packaging is not that one material wins, but rather that the material is located and its value continuously uplifts.CONCLUSIONStop the material attacks, start to draw their own scene boundary maps through a technical competition.Neither “paper-making” nor “sculpture-based” can describe local market movements and cannot outline the overall direction of the packaging industry. The legal code has brought about a deeper change in the choice of materials from propaganda preferences to real systems: functions must be built, packaging must be moderate, manufacturing must be cleaner, circulation routes must be authentic, and environmental claims must be supported by evidence.PE lymphinefiber-based packagingSignificant crosses from \"paper\" to \"functional packaging\" were completed; today's PLA, PHAThe second upgrade is not intended to replace a name on the material list, but also to rewrite functional layer usage, carbon sources, processing windows, recycling or fitting disposals and regulatory evidence and sustainability.The most valuable action for businesses is to build their own landscape border maps and materials passports: which orders should be paper-based, which plastics should be used, which options are suitable for biological material, reuse or necessary compounding, and which should be abandoned. The clearer the boundaries, the more focused innovation, the easier it becomes for clients to believe that inputs are not too easy to waste.Using scientific innovation and verifiable evidence, China ' s packaging industry chain moved from material concepts to defining application boundaries and delivering global programmes.BIOTEN PackagingIndustry Insight Research NoteThe text provides a framework for industrial research and material selection, which does not constitute legal opinions, certification findings or product-specific recommendations.Assess material performance by layer: resin/formulation → coating or film → coated paper/composite structure → final packaging. Bio-based, biodegradable, compostable, recyclable, plastic-free, waterborne and food-contact claims are distinct and cannot replace one another. Laboratory research, company design targets and component tests must not be extrapolated to mass-production performance, whole-package certification or actual recycling/composting outcomes in the target region.BIOTEN PackagingConcern and participationPHAWater-based barrier materials andfiber-based packagingApplied research. PHAThe route is thus presented using only the publicly researched material and process boundary, with specific formulations, performance, etc. food contact. The state of re-sulpting, composting and commercialization is left to independent testing and project level evidence and does not replace certification with brand positions.BIOTEN Observation: data and sources of verification1. The official text of the Environmental Code of the People ' s Republic of China, which is part of the Ministry of Eco-Environmental Environment2. The issue of legislation in the Code on Eco-Environmental Law is a Chinese-language network.3. Preparations for the implementation of the Code on Eco-Environment4. PPWR Official Note by EU ropaan Commission5. Regulation 2025/40EUR-Lex6. Biobases, biodegradableandcompostablePlastics for EU ropaan Commission7. Fiber-based packagingrecyclableDesign Guide — CEPI8. Reciclability Test Method Version 3CEPI9. Food packagingSynthesis of the life cycle evaluation10. UPM withBASFFibre-based blocker package disclosureBASF11. Liquiflex AmPrima Food Services Packing Amcor12. Cup Pe coating and hot sealing |BioResources13. PLA Structure, Performance and Degradation Overview14. Water PLA paper coating study |press in Organic Coatings15. PHAbiodegradationThe study is a synthesis of the research by PubMed16. BIOTEN PHA dispersed composite paper barrier-coating research | Progress in Organic Coatings17. PBS Summary of Performance and Degradation18. PEF Summary of Performance, Recovery and Industrialization19. Water polymer cardboard blockage and recycling study |CoatingsRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-15T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-15T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-15-ecological-code-paper-substitution/cms-image-8698cbad4a3a249a.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-14-industry-insight.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-14-industry-insight.html",
            "title": "Global Paper Industry in H1 2026: Why Have Volume, Prices, and Profits Diverged?",
            "summary": "Volume recovery is only the starting point. The quality of the recovery depends on whether improved profitability can withstand pressures from costs, capacity and inventories and ultimately translate into cash flow.",
            "content_text": "Volume recovery is only the starting point. The quality of the recovery depends on whether improved profitability can withstand pressures from costs, capacity and inventories and ultimately translate into cash flow.BIOTEN Observer · Global Paper Industry / GLOBAL PAPER REVIEWThe global paper industry is not recovering along a single curve. Drawing on evidence from China, Europe, North America and representative pulp-and-paper companies, this article examines why orders, prices, costs, capacity, inventories and cash flow have diverged—and provides a decision framework for China’s paper value chain.Research Question / RESEARCH QUESTIONWhen output, shipments, price indexes, corporate profits and cash flow point in different directions, what common framework should China’s pulp, paper, packaging, materials, equipment and export businesses use to assess demand, profitability and risk?Four Signals / FOUR SIGNALS01 China Machine-made paper and paperboard output +6.0%, total profit of enterprises above designated size +27.5%, while the industry PPI remained −1.6%.02 European Union / EU27 Q2 NACE C17 output, year over year +1.1%, while the domestic-market PPI in June remained −0.6%.03 United States Q2 containerboard operating rate approached 95%, while H1 production was still −5%; nominal shipments of paperboard containers +4.4%.04 Brazilian pulp-and-paper sample Suzano’s average net export price for pulp +8%, pulp sales −11%, H1 cash inflows from operating activities −17.0%.Sources: National Bureau of Statistics product-output database; profits of industrial enterprises above designated size; producer prices; Eurostat output data; Eurostat PPI; AF&PA; U.S. Census Bureau M3; and Suzano. The four data sets cover different subjects and scopes and should not be compared directly in absolute terms.Global Paper Industry in H1 2026: Why Have Volume, Prices, and Profits Diverged? · Expert DebateBIOTEN Packaging · Audio · 06:49Download AudioThese data do not contradict one another. Orders, prices, costs, capacity, inventories and cash flow are simply at different points in the transmission chain.Scope of Analysis / SCOPEChina uses product-output data, financial data for enterprises above designated size and price indexes; the EU27 uses NACE C17 industry indexes; U.S. data include nominal shipment values and industry-association samples by paper grade; and some Japanese company data cover the first fiscal quarter from April to June 2026. This article does not construct a unified global total or average profit from non-comparable data.01 · China / CHINAProfit grew 27.5%. Why is it still too early to say pricing power has returned?According to National Bureau of Statistics product-output data, cumulative output of machine-made paper and paperboard, excluding processing of purchased base paper, reached 83.132 million tonnes in January–June 2026, up 6.0% year over year. Over the same period, paper and paper-products enterprises above designated size recorded operating revenue of RMB 689.79 billion, operating costs of RMB 607.73 billion and total profit of RMB 19.61 billion, up 5.5%, 5.2% and 27.5%, respectively.83.132 million tonnes Output / +6.0%RMB 19.61 billion Total profit / +27.5%Approximately 2.84% Total profit / operating revenue for the periodThe positive signal is clear: among enterprises above designated size, profits are recovering faster than revenue is expanding. However, a simple calculation using the published totals puts total profit at approximately 2.84% of operating revenue. This is neither a company gross margin nor a net margin and cannot be used to reconstruct the prior-year figure on a comparable basis. It shows only that the 27.5% profit growth rate must be read alongside an absolute ratio of less than 3% for the period.Prices have not strengthened in step. The PPI for the paper and paper-products industry fell 1.6% year over year in the first half; in June alone, it was down 0.1% year over year but up 0.3% month over month. Purchase prices for wood and pulp declined 2.2% year over year in the first half. The combined picture is closer to “higher volume, recovering profit and weak prices”: better profitability is not yet evidence that the industry as a whole has regained pricing power.Implications for China’s value chainPaper mills need to connect realized selling prices, cash cost per tonne, days of inventory and operating cash flow. Packaging converters and material suppliers need to verify whether lower input costs actually flow through order pricing and receivables turnover.Sources: National Bureau of Statistics product-output database; profits of industrial enterprises above designated size; and producer prices. Product-output data, financial data for enterprises above designated size and the PPI are based on different statistical scopes and therefore cannot be combined to estimate profit per tonne.02 · European Union / EU27Output has turned first; prices and cash flow are still catching upTerminology: EU27 means the 27 Member States of the European Union, not Europe as a whole; NACE C17 covers the manufacture of paper and paper products.Eurostat data show that EU27 NACE C17 output fell 1.6% year over year in the first quarter of 2026, then increased 1.1% in the second quarter. The year-over-year decline in the domestic-market producer price index narrowed from 2.0% in January to 0.6% in June. This looks more like rebalancing from a low base: output turned positive first and price pressure eased, but the data do not establish that price increases have succeeded for any particular paper grade.Q1 −1.6% → Q2 +1.1% C17 output, year over year−2.0% → −0.6% PPI, year over year / January → JuneCorporate reports show that regional output and corporate performance remain far apart. Revenue from UPM’s continuing operations was lower year over year; comparable EBIT increased 17%, but operating cash flow fell from EUR 468 million to EUR 225 million, and that cash-flow measure included both continuing and discontinued operations. Stora Enso’s adjusted EBIT improved, while IFRS operating profit and operating cash flow were lower year over year.Mondi’s underlying EBITDA declined from EUR 564 million to EUR 379 million. The company attributed the pressure to higher input costs and lower average selling prices, only partly offset by higher sales volumes and price increases. The three companies do not represent the EU27 average, but together they offer a clear warning for China’s export value chain: improvement in Europe’s output index does not mean that downstream customers have broadly accepted price increases, nor that customers’ ability to pay cash has recovered in parallel.2025 context: paper and paperboard production in Cepi member countries was 77.365 million tonnes, down 1.6% year over year, with an operating rate of 80.7%. This is based on the Cepi-member-country scope, not first-half 2026 data for the EU27.Sources: Eurostat output index; Eurostat domestic-market PPI; UPM; Stora Enso; Mondi; and Cepi 2025.03 · North America / NORTH AMERICAPackaging is not a single market, and operating rates are not a proxy for demandU.S. Census Bureau M3 data show that nominal shipment value increased 1.6% for paper product manufacturing and 4.4% for paperboard containers in January–June 2026, while the value for pulp, paper and paperboard mills edged down 0.3%. These are nominal U.S.-dollar values, not tonnage, and have not been adjusted for price effects.+4.4% Nominal shipment value of paperboard containers+6% Shipments of packaging papers and specialty packaging papers−5% / nearly 95% H1 containerboard production / Q2 operating rateWithin AF&PA’s reporting scope, shipments of packaging papers and specialty packaging papers increased 6% in the first half, while containerboard production fell 5%. The Q2 containerboard operating rate approached 95%; domestic demand increased 1%, exports declined nearly 19%, and mill inventories at the end of June fell to a 15-month low. Production, operating rates, domestic demand, exports and inventories were not moving in the same direction.A key reason these data can coexist is the capacity denominator. AF&PA’s annual survey shows that U.S. containerboard capacity fell 5.1% in 2025, while production declined 4.4% and the operating rate was 91.9%. The survey covers approximately 87% of U.S. paper and paperboard capacity, with the balance estimated. This is 2025 context, not a measure of new closures in the first half of 2026. It shows why operating rates alone can overstate demand if capacity, exports and inventories are ignored.Printing-writing papers remained notably weak: first-half shipments of uncoated free sheet, coated free sheet and mechanical papers declined 9%, 3% and 28%, respectively. For China’s containerboard and corrugated-packaging value chain, the lesson from North America is not simply that “packaging is recovering”; paper grades, domestic and export demand, inventories and capacity must be separated first.Canadian snapshot: the paper-manufacturing capacity-utilization rate was 82.8% in April 2026. This was a preliminary, unadjusted single-month figure and does not represent the North American average for the first half.Sources: U.S. Census Bureau M3; AF&PA packaging papers; AF&PA containerboard; AF&PA printing-writing paper; AF&PA 2025 capacity survey; and Statistics Canada.04 · Company Samples / COMPANY SAMPLESPrice is not profit per tonne; accounting profit is not cashMisalignment 1: price and volume. Suzano reported calendar-year first-half net sales of BRL 22.5585 billion, down 9.2% year over year; net income fell 46.1%; and cash inflows from operating activities declined 17.0%. In the second quarter, the average net export price for pulp rose to USD 601 per tonne, up 8% year over year, while pulp sales fell 11% and adjusted EBITDA declined 23%. Even after prices recover, sales volumes, unit cash costs, exchange rates, capital expenditure and cash conversion still need to be validated.Misalignment 2: total volume and product mix. In the first quarter of its fiscal year ending March 2027—April to June 2026, not the first half of the calendar year—Oji Holdings reported 3.5% sales growth in its Household and Industrial Materials segment, while operating profit rose from JPY 0.2 billion to JPY 5.8 billion; operating profit in Functional Materials increased 41.8%. Over the same period, sales in Printing and Communications Media fell 10.6%, and the segment continued to post an operating loss.The same mechanism appears at CMPC: calendar-year first-half sales were broadly flat and adjusted EBITDA declined, while pulp, the tissue and personal-care business Softys, and Biopackaging recovered at different speeds. Three material value chains within the same group do not necessarily follow the same cycle.Misalignment 3: accounting profit and cash conversion. Indonesian listed issuer INKP reported calendar-year first-half growth of 8.7% in net sales and 27.6% in industrial-paper sales, but net cash from operating activities declined 11.7%; net income included a USD 185.3 million net foreign-exchange gain. TKIM’s revenue increased, but operating profit did not keep pace; net cash from operating activities turned from positive to negative; and net income was materially influenced by income from associates. The two companies are samples of Indonesian listed issuers and should not be combined as APP Group performance.A recovery in prices must be read alongside sales volumes and cost per tonne; growth in net profit must be read alongside operating cash flow, working capital and one-off items.Sources: Suzano results release; Suzano interim financial statements; Oji results; Oji explanatory materials; CMPC results; CMPC financial statements; INKP interim report; and TKIM interim report. Company samples are used only to explain operating mechanisms and are not extrapolated as regional averages.05 · China Decision Framework / CHINA DECISION MAPStop guessing the “direction”; manage the transmission mechanismChina’s export-oriented deliveries did not weaken in step with the domestic price index. In the first half of 2026, the export delivery value of paper and paper-products enterprises above designated size was RMB 40.50 billion, up 6.1% year over year. This is not customs data for HS Chapters 47 and 48, nor the export value or tonnage of paper products, and it should not be used to estimate global market share.Market-access requirements for European orders are increasing. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) became generally applicable on 12 August 2026 and covers packaging and packaging waste of all materials and from all sources; specific obligations have their own application dates. The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) applies to large and medium-sized operators from 30 December 2026. Its annex covers relevant wood-pulp and paper products in Chapters 47 and 48 of the Combined Nomenclature (CN), while retaining exemptions for bamboo-based products, recovered paper and other specified categories.PPWR and EUDR are not evidence that replacing plastic with paper will inevitably generate incremental demand. Their industrial significance is that material design, recyclability, supply-chain provenance, due diligence and documentation are becoming part of customer qualification. Specific requirements must be assessed individually according to company size, product code, market role and applicable exemptions.01 Orders: first identify what is actually growingBreak orders down by paper grade, customer industry, region, domestic versus export demand, delivery cycle and market-access requirements. Paper mills should track actual shipments and order backlogs; packaging converters should examine customer mix and receivables quality; and exporters should incorporate data, traceability and compliance documentation into delivery schedules.02 Price and cost: track the realized spreadRealized selling prices, industry PPI and spot quotations are three separate measures. Paper mills should evaluate realized selling prices against pulp, recovered paper, energy, chemicals, exchange rates and logistics over the same calculation period. Materials and chemical suppliers must also manage customer-qualification cycles, evidence that alternative materials meet performance requirements, quotation validity periods and payment terms.03 Capacity and inventories: correct the denominator firstEvery increase in an operating rate should prompt three questions: Has the capacity denominator contracted? Does the change reflect permanent exits, short-term maintenance or the ramp-up of new capacity? How are exports and inventories changing? When equipment suppliers assess opportunities for technical upgrades and capacity expansion, they should evaluate stable orders, capacity utilization, capital-expenditure budgets, commissioning schedules and payment terms together.04 Cash flow: can profits be retained?Assess whether improvement in the income statement is truly retained in the business by considering operating cash flow, receivables, inventories, payables, capital expenditure and the maturity profile of debt. For supply-chain cooperation, it is no longer enough that “the customer is profitable”; the customer must be able to convert profit into cash and support capacity expansion, credit approval, long-term agreements and the adoption of new materials.90-Day Dashboard / 90-DAY DASHBOARDOrders and actual shipments · Realized prices and cash costsCapacity denominator and days of inventory · Operating cash flow and working capital“Recovery” becomes an operating fact rather than a data point only when order growth does not depend on discounting or inventory releases, realized prices cover costs, and cash flow begins to keep pace with profit. This is an analytical framework, not a forecasting threshold.Sources: National Bureau of Statistics export delivery values; European Commission PPWR topic page; PPWR application guidance; European Commission EUDR topic page; and the annex to EUDR.Conclusion / CONCLUSIONIn the second half, the key question is who can turn change into cashThe global paper industry in the first half of 2026 should not be reduced to either “a full recovery” or “continued weakness.” A more accurate conclusion is that the recovery sequence has diverged materially across regions, paper grades and companies; prices, output and profits no longer move automatically in the same direction.This divergence is also redefining competitive advantage. In China’s value chain, the companies best positioned to navigate volatility are not necessarily those expanding capacity fastest, but those able to connect precise orders, product mix, cost discipline, capacity planning, regulatory market access and cash conversion in a closed loop.The central question for the second half is not whether paper prices will rise broadly, but who can translate localized shifts—after accounting for costs, capacity and working capital—into sustainable cash flow.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NoteVerification date: 14 August 2026. This article applies a tiered approach to official statistics, public summaries from industry associations and formal corporate disclosures. Every data point is bounded by period, geography, paper grade, currency and statistical scope; company samples are used only to explain operating mechanisms and do not represent regional averages. “Profit-transmission efficiency,” the four transmission nodes and the 90-day dashboard are analytical frameworks developed for this article, not statistical findings, investment advice or price forecasts.The general application dates of PPWR and EUDR do not mean that every specific obligation takes effect on the same day. Companies must assess requirements individually according to their role, size, product codes and subsequent guidance. This article does not present unified global production, first-half global trade totals or average global profit figures because primary sources of equivalent quality were not available.Relationship disclosure: No commercial relationships have been disclosed. Corporate information in this article is used solely as a public-information research sample.Data and Verification SourcesChina: product-output database; profits of industrial enterprises above designated size; PPI; and export delivery value.Europe: Eurostat C17 output; Eurostat C17 PPI; and Cepi 2025.North America: U.S. Census Bureau M3; AF&PA packaging papers; AF&PA containerboard; AF&PA printing-writing paper; AF&PA capacity survey; and Statistics Canada.Company samples: UPM; Stora Enso; Mondi; Suzano; CMPC; Oji; INKP; and TKIM.EU market access: European Commission PPWR topic page; PPWR guidance; European Commission EUDR topic page; and the annex to EUDR.Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-14T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-14T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-14-industry-insight/cms-image-a4701a9937370f81.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-13-ppwr.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-13-ppwr.html",
            "title": "PPWR now applies: how EU Member States are putting it into practice",
            "summary": "Germany puts responsible parties on a public register; France brings reuse into restaurants; Spain splits annual reporting by date; Austria uses a €0.25 deposit to bring bottles and cans back; and Denmark translates packaging design into a cost per kilogram.",
            "content_text": "PPWR harmonises the product baseline, while Member States turn common rules into five operating systems for responsibility, reuse, data, return and fees.BIOTEN Observer on EU packaging governance / EU PACKAGING GOVERNANCEPPWR now applies: how are EU Member Statesputting it into practice?Germany puts responsible parties on a public register; France brings reuse into restaurants; Spain splits annual reporting by date; Austria uses a €0.25 deposit to bring bottles and cans back; and Denmark translates packaging design into a cost per kilogram.1 EU product baseline · 5 national implementation perspectives · 4 business ledgersScope of analysis:The five countries are representative perspectives, not a complete account of all 27 Member States, a ranking or legal advice. Information was verified as of 13 August 2026.01 · COMMON GROUNDThe EU sets the baseline, but Member States still operate their own packaging systemsPPWR entered into force on 11 February 2025 and generally applies from 12 August 2026. These two dates must not be conflated. General application does not mean that labelling, recyclability grades, recycled-plastic content, packaging minimisation, reuse targets and restrictions on single-use packaging all become due on the same day.From that date, PFAS limits apply to food-contact packaging. The first limit is25 ppb.The limit for the sum of targeted PFAS is250 ppb.The limit for total PFAS is50 ppm.This three-threshold framework applies to food-contact packaging.Testing boundary |The EU has not yet established a harmonised PFAS test method for food-contact packaging. At this stage, the European Commission recommends a stepwise approach: screen for total fluorine, distinguish organic from inorganic fluorine, and then use methods such as Direct TOP to verify compliance with the targeted limits.Evidence boundary |A “no intentionally added PFAS” statement, a raw-material report or a single total-fluorine screening result cannot automatically replace a complete assessment of the final food-contact packaging.Also from 12 August, Article 6(1)—“all packaging placed on the market shall be recyclable”—begins to apply. However, harmonised design-for-recycling criteria and assessment methods still depend on subsequent delegated acts and will apply from 1 January 2030 or 24 months after those acts enter into force, whichever is later.Recyclability is now a legal principle, while the harmonised scoring framework is still being developed.79.7 MtTotal EU packaging waste in 2023; 177.8 kg per capita40.4%Share of paper and cardboard, the largest material category67.5%Recycling rate for all packaging waste, still below the 70% target for 2030Europe is not starting from a perfect position. PPWR harmonises the product baseline for packaging while leaving national authorities, producer registration, EPR, collection systems, deposit return, reuse promotion and enforcement to Member States. The practical reality is therefore neither “27 product standards” nor “one EU certificate that clears all 27 countries”, but:one EU product platform combined with multiple national operating accounts.Legislation and sources:Regulation (EU) 2025/40; European Commission PPWR implementation guidelines C/2026/3084; Eurostat 2023 packaging-waste data02DE / GERMANY · RESPONSIBILITYGermany: put responsible parties on a public register firstIts first question: who is responsible?Germany’s core action is not to dismantle the existing system, but to clarify roles on the established foundations of LUCID packaging registration, system participation and volume reporting. ZSVR states that PPWR and Germany’s new Packaging Law Implementation Act operate together from 12 August 2026 and replace the former Packaging Act. Existing basic registration and EPR obligations remain, while the responsible party changes in some own-brand, import and service-packaging scenarios.Two roles are most easily confused:the manufacturer bears product-compliance responsibility for the complete packaging, while the producer bears the national EPR responsibility once that packaging becomes waste.The same company may hold both roles, or the roles may need to be assessed separately depending on the brand, commissioned design and route by which the packaging is first placed on the market.For service packaging such as paper cups and food containers, “we are only the contract manufacturer” is no longer a sufficient answer. The relevant questions are who determines the structure, who influences materials and design, and who places the packaging on the market under its own name. From 12 August, a non-EU business with no German establishment that sells directly to end users in Germany must also appoint an authorised EPR representative; however, the producer must still complete its own LUCID registration.What this means for companies |Product role, EPR role, authorised representative, LUCID status, system-participation contract and volume data must all reconcile within the same transaction chain.Sources:ZSVR: changes from 12 August; guidance on service packaging; authorised representatives03FR / FRANCE · REUSEFrance: bring reuse into restaurants—and put the shortfall on the tableIts first question: how can single use be reduced?Since 1 January 2023, dine-in food-service establishments able to serve at least 20 customers at the same time have been required to use reusable cups, lids, plates, containers and cutlery. France has also set national packaging-reuse targets of 5% for 2023 and 10% for 2027.1.82%Overall reuse rate for all packaging in France in 202410%National packaging-reuse target for 20272.75 billion unitsApproximate number of reusable packaging units placed on the market in 2024Moving from 1.82% to 10% is not achieved simply by replacing a single-use cup with a heavier cup. It requires simultaneous improvements in container standardisation, in-store take-back, washing capacity, transport radius, loss control and the actual number of reuse cycles.The latest adjustment to France’s EPR scheme for professional packaging illustrates the same logic. The new scheme, originally scheduled to operate from 1 July 2026, was officially deferred to 1 January 2027 because the identification of responsible parties and the fee structure were not ready. This is neither a delay to PPWR nor a suspension of all French EPR. It is a specific national scheme completing its interfaces before formal charging begins.Implementation watch |Reuse is first and foremost an infrastructure and operating challenge. The real indicators are return rate, number of rotations, loss rate, washing radius and cost per cycle.Sources:French rules on reusable tableware for dine-in service; ADEME 2024 data; adjustment to professional-packaging EPR04ES / SPAIN · DATASpain: write the regulation’s dates into annual reportingIts first question: who reports how much, and for which dates?Producers in Spain must enter the national Product Producers Register (RPP) and report the volume of packaging first placed on the Spanish market in each calendar year. Because PPWR changes the status of some “producers” from 12 August, the authorities do not simply require every company to report the full year. Instead, they divide 2026 into three cases according to changes in the responsible party.Producer throughout the year |Report the period from 1 January to 31 December 2026.No longer a producer after 12 August |Report only the period from 1 January to 12 August.Becomes a producer only after PPWR applies |Report the period from 13 August to 31 December.The reporting window runs from 2 January to 31 March 2027. Companies therefore cannot ask only, “How much packaging did we sell in 2026?” They must also ask:For each batch of packaging, who was the producer under the rules in force when it was first placed on the market?Spain also brings e-commerce platforms into advance verification. Before allowing a producer to use a marketplace, the platform must verify RPP registration information and the declaration of EPR compliance, and it may consult the government’s public list of producers. The list dated 31 July 2026 is already online; an automated query interface is still under development.What this means for companies |Compliance data is becoming specific to the entity, date and quantity. Orders, first-placement dates, registration status and annual volume declarations must correspond with one another.Sources:Spain’s MITECO: RPP registration, 2026 reporting and platform verification05AT / AUSTRIA · RETURNAustria: €0.25 to bring bottles and cans backIts first question: how can packaging actually be returned?Since 1 January 2025, plastic beverage bottles and metal beverage cans from 0.1 to 3 litres within the scope of the scheme have been subject to a one-way packaging deposit of €0.25 per item. Consumers recover the deposit only when they return an empty container bearing the Austrian deposit mark to a reverse-vending machine or return point.€0.25Uniform deposit for each eligible bottle or can81.5%Actual first-year return rate reported by the system operator1 billion+Bottles and cans returned in the first ten months of operationA €0.25 deposit may be small, but it simultaneously gives consumers a reason to retain the container, enables identification, encourages return, improves material purity and creates a stable feedstock stream.Austria also assesses “whether it came back” separately from “whether it is easy to recycle”. In March 2026, the system operator reported an average recyclability rate of 99.5%, calculated by weight of recyclable components for packaging covered by the scheme, and an average recycled-plastic content of more than 60% in one-way plastic bottles placed on the market. Both figures are operator disclosures based on registration and assessment data and should not be extrapolated to all packaging in Austria.Important boundary |The 99.5% figure describes structural recyclability; 81.5% describes the actual return rate. Being designed for easy recycling does not mean a package has actually been returned by the consumer.Sources:Austrian government deposit rules; first-year return rate; disclosures on recyclability and recycled plastic06DK / DENMARK · COSTDenmark: translate packaging design into a cost per kilogramIts first question: what will this packaging ultimately cost?From 1 January 2025, all packaging-material categories were brought within the producer-responsibility registration scope after categories such as ceramics, cork, porcelain and textiles were added. The practical start date for extended packaging EPR was 1 October 2025. New entrants must in principle register nationally no later than 14 days before placing packaging on the market and subsequently report volumes annually.Layer one |DPA charges a one-off registration fee and an annual administration fee calculated by volume to fund registration, allocation and system maintenance.Layer two |Responsibility for collecting, sorting and treating packaging waste operates through collective schemes and the national allocation mechanism. Eco-modulated fees are linked to the design, material composition and recyclability difficulty of the specific packaging.In the past, removing 1 g of material meant calculating mainly the savings in purchasing and transport. Companies must now continue asking: what material category does that 1 g belong to? How many kilograms are placed on the market annually? Which grade applies under the eco-modulation criteria? What registration, collection and treatment costs will result?Packaging is therefore no longer merely a purchasing cost. It is an operating responsibility that design, supply-chain, finance and environmental teams must calculate together. The measure of success is not only whether the “material is greener”, but whether material classification, weight data, fee grades, collective-scheme invoices and actual waste costs form a closed loop.Important boundary |January 2025 marks the expansion of material-category coverage; 1 October 2025 marks the practical start of extended EPR. DPA administration fees are not the same as the total cost of waste treatment.Sources:Danish DPA registration; DPA fee guidance; eco-modulated fees; the 1 October 2025 operating milestone07 · FIVE OPERATING MACHINESFive countries, not five separate stories, but one operating chainDEResponsibility system |Who is responsible?FRReuse system |How can single use be reduced?ESData system |Who reports how much, and for which dates?ATReturn system |How can packaging actually be returned?DKCost system |How does responsibility enter operating cost?The five systems are not legal categories under EU law, but the comparative framework used in this article. Together they perform five basic functions: identify the responsible party, calculate packaging volumes, attach costs to responsibility, build collection or reuse infrastructure, and use data to demonstrate outcomes.PPWR harmonises the baseline for packaging entering the market. Member States operate the national systems through which packaging is registered, measured, charged and taken back.08 · BUSINESS RESPONSEFor Chinese companies: move from one test report to four auditable ledgersMaterial composition, food-contact testing, heavy-metal reports, physical performance and evidence of recycling or compostability within a defined scope remain important, but they do not cover all product rules and national operating obligations. A more robust approach is to maintain one EU master technical file and four auditable ledgers for each destination country.01 / PRODUCTComplete packaging product ledgerDefine the packaging hierarchy, components, materials and weight BOM at final-packaging-unit level. Record the paper, barrier layer, inks, adhesives, labels and sealing structure; retain evidence of product roles, technical documentation, declarations of conformity, PFAS and food-contact compliance, recycling pathways and version changes.02 / RESPONSIBILITYMember State responsibility ledgerDetermine country by country who is the EPR producer, whether an authorised representative is required, the registration number, which scheme is joined, and who reports and pays. The EU technical file can be reused, but German LUCID, Spanish RPP and Danish registration evidence cannot substitute for one another.03 / QUANTITYMaterial quantity and cost ledgerRecord each SKU’s component weights, material categories, annual volume placed on the market, reporting period, fee version, collective-scheme invoices and change dates. Volume data should link to the BOM, orders and first-placement records in the destination country.04 / END-OF-LIFEEnd-of-life pathway evidence ledgerExplain how the packaging is identified, collected, returned, sorted, reused or recycled in the destination country. Distinguish four states: “recyclable by design”, “actually collected”, “recycled at scale” and “incorporated into new products”.Connect the four ledgers through a change-control system:Whenever paper grammage, barrier formulation, coat weight, ink, adhesive, factory, intended use, brand or sales route changes, the company should be able to determine which tests, declarations, roles, fees and country-specific actions must be repeated.09 · PAPER PACKAGINGThe opportunity for paper packaging is not that “paper automatically replaces plastic”Paper-based, water-based, bio-based, biodegradable, compostable, repulpable, recyclable, food-contact safe and PPWR-compliant are distinct evidence pathways. None can be inferred automatically from a material name.The real opportunity is to reduce unnecessary material and hard-to-separate structures while meeting barrier, sealing, mechanical-strength, food-contact and shelf-life requirements—and to ensure that the final packaging is recognised by the collection, sorting and recycling systems of the target market. Water-based barriers or bio-based functional systems containing PHA may enable downgauging, functional integration or material substitution in specific structures, but their value must be demonstrated step by step fromspecific formulation—coating—coated paper—final packagingmust be demonstrated at each stage.Stress test one |Even if a structure reduces plastic, its system value is not established if it introduces additional hard-to-separate composite layers.Stress test two |Laboratory repulpability does not prove recycling at scale if the destination country lacks the corresponding collection and sorting route.Stress test three |Reusable packaging cannot deliver reuse value without take-back, washing and circulation networks.The opportunity belongs to companies that can do three things at once: deliver the required function, provide the data, and return the packaging to the system.CONCLUSIONPPWR is not a certificate; it is a European operating systemWhat is already in place is the common EU product baseline. What is now taking effect is the national implementation capacity represented by Germany’s public responsibility register, France’s reuse infrastructure, Spain’s date-based reporting, Austria’s deposit return and Denmark’s fee modulation. Still to be delivered are phased outcomes such as harmonised labelling, full recyclability assessment, reuse at scale, collection rates, data quality and subsequent enforcement.The most positive and profound aspect of this change is that packaging competition is moving from “what is the material called?” to “can the system handle it?”. Packaging that can enter the European market reliably in future must be:identifiable, measurable, accountable, recyclable and verifiable.Companies do not need an unrelated product design for each of the 27 Member States, but they do need one EU master technical file connected to each destination country’s responsibility, registration, fee and recycling interfaces. Those that first turn these interfaces into repeatable organisational capabilities are more likely to convert compliance cost into customer trust and long-term order capability.BIOTEN Packaging will continue to examine the real interfaces between paper, functional materials, packaging design and Europe’s collection, reuse and recycling systems. Our criteria remain unchanged: has progress actually occurred, how is industrial value created, and which data and operating indicators demonstrate it?BIOTEN Packaging · Industry insights · Research noteThis article is based primarily on public information from EU legislation, European Commission implementation guidelines, Eurostat, Member State governments, regulators, statutory registries and deposit-system operators, verified as of 13 August 2026. EU legislation and government or regulatory sources are treated as primary evidence. Austria’s return-rate, recyclability and recycled-content figures are expressly identified as operator disclosures and are not extrapolated to all packaging.The five-country sample is not a complete compliance checklist for all 27 Member States and does not constitute legal advice. Dynamic fee rates, producer status, authorised representatives, registration fields, labels, deposit scope and national penalty rules should be verified again before actual market placement and formal release. “Five operating systems” and “four ledgers” are analytical frameworks used in this article, not statutory EU terms or prescribed forms.This article was prepared by BIOTEN Packaging from public information and does not treat any potential commercial relationship as factual evidence. Paper-based, water-based, bio-based, biodegradable, compostable, repulpable, recyclable, food-contact safety and PPWR compliance are separate evidence pathways; materials, coatings, coated paper and final packaging must also be substantiated separately.Data and verification sourcesCommon EU rules |Regulation (EU) 2025/40; European Commission implementation guidelines C/2026/3084; Eurostat packaging-waste statistics.Germany and France |Germany’s ZSVR transition arrangements; French dine-in rules; ADEME reuse data.Spain |MITECO producer registration and 2026 reporting guidance.Austria |Government deposit rules; operating data and assessment boundaries.Denmark |DPA packaging registration; Danish Environmental Protection Agency producer-responsibility guidance; extended-EPR operating milestones. Read OriginalRead Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-13T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-13T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-13-ppwr/cms-image-b255adb091f4d8df.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-13-chenming-paper.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-13-chenming-paper.html",
            "title": "What Makes Chenming Paper Strong? Understanding the System Restart of a Pulp-and-Paper Giant",
            "summary": "When assessing Chenming in 2026, the most important question is not whether its capacity has returned, but whether its system efficiency has returned.",
            "content_text": "PAPER LEADERS · 06What Makes Chenming Paper Strong?Understanding the System Restart of a Pulp-and-Paper GiantBIOTEN Packaging · Industry Review of Leading Paper Companies Bringing five production bases back online is only a relaunch. A true restart means reconnecting pulp, paper, energy, products, channels and capital—and consistently generating positive gross profit, operating cash flow and sustainable deleveraging capacity.Restarting a paper machine requires raw materials, energy, people and orders to be in place at the same time.Restarting a capital-intensive company such as Chenming Paper is far more difficult. It must coordinate five production bases, chemical-pulp lines, multiple paper grades, a sales system serving domestic and overseas markets, and a vast financing structure. If any one link falls behind, a wide gap can remain between getting the machines running and making money.That is why the most important question when assessing Chenming in 2026 is not, “Has capacity returned?” but:Has system efficiency returned?RMB 8.296 billion2025 net loss attributable to shareholdersRMB 2.981 billionRevenue in the first quarter of 2026RMB 700–800 millionEstimated net loss attributable to shareholders for H1 2026 | Unaudited01 · SYSTEM UNDER PRESSUREThe RMB 8.296 Billion Loss Was the Result of an Entire System Losing MomentumThe paper industry had a difficult 2025. According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, total profit in the paper and paper-products industry fell 13.6% year on year to RMB 44.30 billion. Yet industry pressure alone does not explain the full extent of Chenming’s loss.According to the company’s 2025 annual report, revenue fell 72.78% year on year to RMB 6.187 billion, while net loss attributable to shareholders reached RMB 8.296 billion. Sales of machine-made paper declined from 4.47 million tonnes in 2024 to 1.00 million tonnes. The segment recorded revenue of RMB 4.209 billion against costs of RMB 6.476 billion, resulting in a gross margin of –53.85%; shutdown losses accounted for approximately RMB 2.058 billion of those costs.Layer 1 | Production DisruptionsThe Shouguang, Jiangxi and Jilin bases were largely shut down during the first three quarters of 2025, while the Zhanjiang base remained offline throughout the year. When sales volumes collapsed, the fixed costs of depreciation, maintenance, staffing and energy could not disappear at the same pace.Layer 2 | Financing CostsFinance costs still reached RMB 1.636 billion in 2025. Restarting operations requires working capital, while high leverage continues to consume cash—the two constraints reinforce each other.Layer 3 | Risks Becoming VisibleCredit-impairment losses, asset impairments and investment losses further enlarged the reported loss. The debt-to-assets ratio reached 94.44% at year-end, with certain borrowings and supplier payables overdue. The auditor issued an unmodified opinion with an emphasis-of-matter paragraph.Data boundary: shutdown losses were already included in the cost of machine-made paper and therefore cannot be mechanically added to the gross loss. Together, the figures show simultaneous pressure on production, funding and asset quality.02 · THE INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMThe Real Foundation Is Not One Paper Machine, but an Industrial SystemChenming’s core strength begins with the completeness of its system. The company operates production bases in Shandong, Guangdong, Hubei, Jiangxi and Jilin, with supporting chemical-pulp lines at sites including Shouguang, Zhanjiang and Huanggang.Pulp | 4.3 million tonnes of wood-pulp capacity · 87% self-sufficiencyBased on disclosures at the company’s 2025 annual results briefingBases | Five provincial production basesA foundation for capacity coordination, regional delivery and operational collaborationPaper | Seven product series · More than 200 gradesFlexibility across printing and writing paper, coated ivory board, industrial paper and specialty gradesNetwork | Procurement, logistics, and domestic and international salesConnecting manufacturing capacity with orders, delivery and cash collectionThis industrial platform can serve a wide range of markets, including publishing, gift boxes and cigarette packaging, food-grade board, paper cups and bowls, release base paper, glassine paper and labelstock.The real value lies not in nominal capacity itself, but in whether pulp supply, paper machines, energy, grade switching, quality control, customer mix and delivery radius can once again work as an integrated system.03 · EARLY RESTARTPositive Signals Have Emerged, but the Restart Is Still in Its First StageThe company disclosed that all five bases had fully resumed operations by March 13, 2026. Its subsequent first-quarter report showed revenue of RMB 2.981 billion, up 273.97% year on year, and a net loss attributable to shareholders of RMB 512 million, compared with a loss of RMB 1.452 billion a year earlier.This is a clear improvement: production and sales volumes recovered, shutdown losses decreased, and the loss narrowed materially. However, first-quarter operating costs of RMB 3.238 billion still exceeded revenue, while net cash generated from operating activities was only about RMB 26 million.The half-year results forecast estimates a net loss attributable to shareholders of RMB 700–800 million, sharply narrower than RMB 3.858 billion in the same period a year earlier. The direction is encouraging, but the forecast is unaudited and the company remains loss-making.Funding Buffer | Company DisclosureOf 109 relevant financial institutions, 90 have reached agreements on interest-rate reductions or maturity extensionsThe company expects these arrangements to reduce annualized finance costs by more than RMB 600 million. Lower rates and extended maturities are buying time for an operating recovery;they do not mean that debt has already fallen.A more accurate description of the current position is:The production system has restarted and operating results are recovering, but profitability and cash flow have yet to complete the transition.04 · FIVE GATESA True System Restart Must Pass Through Five Gates01Restart the machines02Stabilize operations03Generate positive gross profit04Generate operating cash flow05Sustain deleveragingIf one stage is not secure, the next is difficult to sustain. Four gauges can show whether this industrial giant has truly returned to course:1. Operating StabilityA full production restart answers whether the machines can run. Equipment uptime, capacity utilization and continuous production answer whether they can run reliably.2. Unit EconomicsWhether selling prices cover pulp, chemicals, energy, depreciation and logistics determines whether scale creates profit or magnifies losses.3. Operating Cash FlowSustained cash collection is the real measure of self-generated funding. Higher working-capital requirements for raw materials are understandable during a restart, but cash flow must subsequently improve.4. Debt ReductionMaturity extensions and lower interest rates can buy time, but positive gross profit, cash flow and asset revitalization must ultimately translate into deleveraging.05 · PRODUCT MIXFor 31 New Products, the Key Is Not the Number but the Profit MixChenming has disclosed plans to develop 31 new products in 2026, some of which have already been introduced. It also intends to increase the share of higher-return grades—including premium coated paper, high-brightness offset paper, premium yellow release base paper and premium electrostatic-copy paper—while reducing lower-return output.Management has also said that it has no near-term plan to expand capacity; the current priorities are improving cash flow and optimizing the debt structure.The direction is clear: instead of increasing nominal capacity, Chenming must make its existing system more productive. New products need to improve the gross-profit mix while also bringing more stable orders and collections.06 · VALUE FOR THE CHAINFor the Value Chain, Opportunity Comes from Validation—not AssumptionChenming’s system restart also raises more specific questions for upstream and downstream participants:Raw-material and chemical suppliersCan they ensure stable supply, reduce unit consumption and maintain batch-to-batch consistency?Equipment and service providersCan maintenance, speed optimization, energy-efficiency improvements and online inspection raise the quality of continuous operations?Packaging convertersCan they validate converting compatibility, delivery performance and quality consistency for specific grades such as food-grade board, coated ivory board and release base paper?Functional-material suppliersCan they validate coating, barrier performance, heat sealing, printing, food-contact compliance and recyclability compatibility on actual paper grades and finished packaging?For functional-material suppliers, including BIOTEN Packaging, these should be treated only as potential areas for collaboration. Until validation has been completed on actual paper grades, coating processes and finished packaging, it would be inappropriate to infer that Chenming has adopted the relevant materials or to imply that the two parties have established a partnership.CONCLUSIONThe System’s Value Must Be Proven Again Through ResultsChenming Paper’s real strength lies not in how large it once was, but in the fact that it still retains an industrial system that can be reorganized.The full resumption of its five bases has restarted the engines of this pulp-and-paper giant. Product-mix adjustments, cost and efficiency measures, and narrowing losses show that it is beginning to regain speed.A true system restart will come only when every tonne of pulp, every paper machine, every product and every cash collection reconnects—and consistently converts into positive gross profit, strong cash flow and sustainable deleveraging.The process will not be completed overnight, but the direction is clearer than it was a year ago.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights — Data Sources and Verification NotesChenming Paper 2025 Annual ReportChenming Paper 2025 Annual Results Briefing RecordChenming Paper First Quarter 2026 ReportChenming Paper 2026 Half-Year Results ForecastNational Bureau of Statistics of China: 2025 Profits of Industrial Enterprises Above Designated SizeInformation was verified through August 13, 2026. Half-year figures are company forecasts and are unaudited. Capacity, self-sufficiency, financing arrangements, product plans and future operating measures are presented on the basis of company disclosures and do not indicate that the corresponding operating results have already been achieved.This article is an industry study of paper and packaging. It does not constitute investment advice or a basis for trading, nor does it endorse any company’s product performance, partnership status or certifications.",
            "date_published": "2026-08-13T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-13T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-13-chenming-paper/cms-image-72e9d4c386243522.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-12-bohui-paper.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-12-bohui-paper.html",
            "title": "Why Is Bohui Paper Strong? It Has Turned Large Paper Machines into a Product Platform",
            "summary": "What is truly difficult to replicate is not 4.8777 million tonnes of output, but Bohui Paper's ability to integrate furnish preparation, coating, grade changes, customer qualification and global distribution into a product system capable of continuous iteration.",
            "content_text": "CHINA PAPER LEADERS · NO.05Why Is Bohui Paper Strong?It Has Turned Large Paper Machines into a Product PlatformWhat is truly difficult to replicate is not 4.8777 million tonnes of output, but Bohui Paper's ability to integrate furnish preparation, coating, grade changes, customer qualification and global distribution into a product system capable of continuous iteration.A large paper machine is merely an expensive physical asset. It becomes a true \"product platform\" only when a company can repeatedly reconfigure fibre furnish, wet-end chemistry, coating structure, surface properties, specification mix and customer qualifications for different applications while keeping grade-change losses within acceptable limits.When Bohui Paper is discussed, the industry usually thinks first of its white paperboard capacity. In 2025, the Company produced 4.8777 million tonnes and sold 4.7922 million tonnes of machine-made paper, including 3.1158 million tonnes of white paperboard output and 3.0790 million tonnes of sales. Scale is Bohui's entry ticket to top-tier competition. The more valuable capability to study is how it continually moves this asset-heavy system into new applications.Large paper machines are designed for long, stable, high-speed runs and are not inherently flexible. Every grade change may affect the furnish, fillers and additives, sizing, coating formulation, machine speed, basis weight, moisture, calendering, rewinding and quality release. The transition also incurs costs from off-spec transition paper, cleaning, reduced speed and restabilisation. Bohui's real capability is to organise distinct value pools—including tobacco packaging board, food-grade paperboard, liquid packaging board, blister-pack board, playing-card board, cupstock, white kraft paper and digital printing paper—into a product portfolio that can be manufactured consistently at scale despite these rigid constraints.In 2025, the Shandong base developed and commercialised 21 new products, while the Jiangsu base launched 28 R&D projects. The gross margin of white paperboard reached 11.33%, up 1.96 percentage points year on year. Overseas revenue from principal operations increased by 36.14%, with a gross margin of 17.25%. R&D expenditure reached RMB 676 million, while comprehensive energy consumption per unit of product at the Shandong base fell from 0.24 tonnes of standard coal equivalent per tonne of pulp and paper in 2023 to 0.22 in 2025. Together, the product, market and efficiency evidence shows that Bohui is upgrading from scale manufacturing to platform manufacturing.The year 2025 was also a stress test of the platform's ability to convert capability into returns. Revenue rose 1.20% to RMB 19.158 billion, while net profit attributable to shareholders fell 11.56% to RMB 155 million. Yet profitability in white paperboard and overseas operations improved in parallel, the debt-to-asset ratio declined from 69.74% to 65.48%, and net operating cash flow increased to RMB 2.065 billion. This is not simply a case of \"growth failure\". It shows a transition in which the stronger businesses are gaining ground while pricing and the product mix still require further optimisation.This article therefore does not offer a general company profile, nor does it book new products, technical upgrades or certifications as profit in advance. The real questions are: How has Bohui transformed a fleet of large paper machines into a product platform? What do the APP system, its two production bases, pulping capability and global channels each contribute? Which operating results already demonstrate progress, and which indicators will determine whether the platform can deliver higher returns?FOUR NUMBERS4.8777 million tonnesMachine-made paper output in 2025Up 7.70% year on year21 productsDeveloped and commercialisedat the Shandong base in 202511.33%White paperboard gross margin in 2025Up 1.96 percentage points year on yearRMB 4.027 billionOverseas revenue from principal operations in 2025Up 36.14% year on yearBasis of presentation: All figures above are from Bohui Paper's 2025 Annual Report. The number of new products refers specifically to the Shandong base. Overseas revenue and gross margin are reported by geographic segment for principal operations and cannot be equated directly with an export-price advantage for any single product.CONCLUSION FIRSTBohui's greatest strength is not the length of its product list, but its ability to use the same large-scale manufacturing system to enter new value pools continuously.It has built a complete chain spanning equipment stability, product development, paper-machine scale-up, customer qualification and global sales. The improvement in white paperboard gross margin shows that the product mix is beginning to create value. Growth in overseas operations shows that its market reach is expanding. Better energy, water and quality indicators show that the platform is not running on output growth alone.POSITIVE EVIDENCE CHAIN · FIVE SETS OF POSITIVE EVIDENCEProduct valueWhite paperboard gross margin reached 11.33%, up 1.96 percentage points year on year. Source: audited annual report.Innovation conversionR&D expenditure reached RMB 676 million; the Shandong base commercialised 21 new products; and the Company held 201 granted patents. Sources: annual report and ESG report.Market growthOverseas revenue from principal operations increased by 36.14%, while the overseas gross margin rose 5.16 percentage points to 17.25%. Source: audited annual report.Manufacturing efficiencyComprehensive energy consumption per unit at the Shandong base fell from 0.24 to 0.22 tonnes of standard coal equivalent per tonne of pulp and paper, while water consumption per unit declined from 0.91 to 0.89 tonnes per tonne of pulp and paper. Source: operational disclosures in the Company's ESG report.Quality performanceCustomer satisfaction at the Shandong and Jiangsu bases reached 92.0% and 91.0%, respectively. Average customer-complaint resolution time shortened to 4.03 days, and there were zero product recalls. Source: operational disclosures in the Company's ESG report.Evidence boundary: Financial data are from the audited annual report. Energy, water, customer and quality indicators come from the Company's ESG report and are company-reported operating data, not conclusions from an independent financial audit.EVIDENCE MAP · HOW THIS ARTICLE ESTABLISHES CREDIBILITYFinancial results:Production, sales, revenue, profit, and product- and region-level gross margins for 2025 are taken from the audited annual report.Operating evidence:R&D, energy and water use, quality and certifications are drawn from the Company's annual and ESG reports, with their company-reported nature clearly stated.External validation:Green-factory status and project progress are based primarily on public information from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and environmental authorities.Research judgements:Average prices, platform mechanisms and industry opportunities are identified as calculations or analysis. Price-increase notices, media reports and environmental-assessment progress are not treated in advance as realised revenue or profit.CORE JUDGMENTA product platform is not about \"how many grades can be made\";it is about \"whether grades can be changed reliably, compliantly and profitably.\"Treating a product platform as merely a product catalogue overstates the significance of new-product counts and understates the difficulty of industrialisation. Meeting specifications in a laboratory sample is only the start of R&D. A genuine commercial loop also requires stable paper-machine operation, batch consistency, printing and converting validation, food-contact or customer-standard verification, volume delivery and repeat orders.A formula closer to the operating realityProduct-platform value = depth of qualified grades and certifications × stable volume-production capability × quality of effective orders − grade-change losses − inventory tied up − energy and financing costsBohui's strength is that it has already built an integrated framework spanning large-scale equipment, two production bases, furnish and coating R&D, customer trials and global sales. What it must still prove is whether this framework can continue to raise gross profit per unit and free cash flow.01 · EQUIPMENT BASECapability One:Large-scale equipment is not the destination; it is the foundation for stable manufacturing.Bohui operates two major production bases in Zibo, Shandong and Yancheng, Jiangsu. Its principal equipment comes from suppliers including Valmet, Voith, ANDRITZ and Siemens, supported by DCS, QCS, MES and WAS control and management systems. For white paperboard and premium packaging board, the value of these systems extends beyond automation: they continuously control basis weight, moisture, cross-web profile, coat weight, surface properties and paper defects so that variation on high-speed machines remains within customers' acceptable limits.The Shandong base sits within a mature papermaking cluster, facilitating collaboration among equipment suppliers, chemical providers, converters and technical talent. The Jiangsu base is close to Dafeng Port, providing better access for imported pulp and wood chips and for seaborne shipment of finished products. The two-base structure is not merely additive capacity; it provides complementary raw-material routes, customer radii, port logistics and product roles.In 2025, several core production lines at both bases set new records for single-machine output, operating efficiency and speed, while machine-made paper output increased by 7.70%. More importantly, the release of scale was accompanied by efficiency gains: comprehensive energy consumption per unit at the Shandong base fell from 0.24 tonnes of standard coal equivalent per tonne of pulp and paper in 2023 to 0.22 in 2025, while water consumption per unit declined from 0.91 tonnes per tonne of pulp and paper in 2024 to 0.89.Quality indicators provide additional operating evidence. According to the Company's ESG report, customer satisfaction at the Shandong and Jiangsu bases reached 92.0% and 91.0%, respectively, in 2025. Average complaint-resolution time fell from 5.02 days to 4.03 days, and there were zero product recalls. These are company-reported indicators rather than independently audited financial data, but they show that Bohui is pursuing not only machine speed, but also reliable delivery, customer responsiveness and a closed quality loop.Bohui's equipment advantage can therefore be described more precisely: it is bringing together the economies of scale, process stability and product adaptability of large paper machines, laying the foundation for continuous volume production and reliable delivery across multiple demanding grades.02 · PLATFORM ARCHITECTURECapability Two:Deconstructing a sheet of paper into four reconfigurable engineering layersFrom a process perspective, Bohui is not simply adding SKUs. It is reconfiguring four sets of capabilities across a fleet of large paper machines. Each layer can create differentiation, but all four must work together before a product can enter a higher-value application.Fibre and furnish layerThe mix of virgin pulp, chemi-mechanical pulp, fillers, and long and short fibres determines the foundation for stiffness, bulk, strength, formation and cost.Sheet-structure layerBasis weight, internal bond, smoothness, surface strength and moisture determine printability, die-cutting, creasing, carton gluing and the tactile quality of the finished product.Coating and functional layerPigments, binders, sizing and functional coatings provide printability, moisture resistance, grease resistance, barrier properties, heat sealability or special visual effects.Application and qualification layerFood-contact requirements, infant and child safety, FSC chain of custody, overseas regulations, and printing and filling trials determine whether a product can enter a customer's supply chain.This architecture means that white paperboard is no longer governed by a single value proposition of standard commercial board. Blister-pack board prioritises bulk, stiffness and flatness after thermoforming. Playing-card board requires opacity, ply structure, folding endurance and printability. Cupstock must support extrusion or functional coating, die-cutting and ultrasonic side sealing. Digital-printing white paperboard places greater emphasis on surface smoothness, ink or toner compatibility, and defect control.For the same reason, a \"grade change\" is not completed instantly at the push of a button. It requires the coordinated management of order scheduling, formulation windows, transition losses, quality release and customer qualification. Making these changes predictable is the true industrial meaning of a product platform.03 · PRODUCT ENGINECapability Three:White paperboard is the core platform; new products extend it into new applications.In 2025, white paperboard generated RMB 11.802 billion in revenue from principal operations, accounting for approximately 63% of Bohui's papermaking revenue. Its gross margin was 11.33%, up 1.96 percentage points year on year. It is both Bohui's largest revenue segment and its clearest current profit anchor. Its significance lies not only in scale, but also in its ability to extend into tobacco, food, personal care, pharmaceutical, maternal and infant, cultural and creative, digital-printing and consumer-goods packaging applications.In 2025, the Shandong base developed and commercialised 21 functional paper products, including food-grade coated kraft board, unbleached liquid packaging board, premium coated board for playing cards, uncoated woodfree paper and business digital-printing paper. It also developed high-basis-weight cupstock, upgraded coated cupstock, and created blue-core playing-card board and ultra-high-bulk digital-printing white paperboard for overseas markets. Its high-bulk blister-pack board was also recognised as a Shandong Manufacturing Single Champion Product and a \"Premium Shandong\" product.The Jiangsu base launched 28 R&D projects, introduced acrylamide-free paper products and high-smoothness, low-picking printing paper, and developed acrylamide-free, one-side-coated white paperboard for infant and children's paper products. According to the annual report, this product was certified under the Basic Safety Technical Specification for Paper Products for Infants and Children. The application of in-house seed latex also reduced dependence on imported styrene-butadiene latex and certain imported kaolin clay.R&D expenditure totalled RMB 676 million in 2025, equivalent to 3.53% of revenue. By year-end, the Company had obtained 201 patents, including 63 invention patents, 127 utility-model patents and 11 acquired invention patents, with another 54 applications pending. The numbers themselves are not a moat. What matters is that Bohui has established a cross-functional innovation mechanism involving technology, production, procurement and marketing, enabling R&D to progress from formulations and paper samples to paper machines, supply chains, customer validation and orders.Industry judgementThe core evidence of Bohui's strength is not the number of products launched at one time, but the closed loop it has formed: application demand, formulation design, paper-machine scale-up, converting validation, customer qualification and feedback-driven iteration. New products ultimately prove the platform's value only when they achieve stable repeat orders and improve the product mix.04 · APP SYNERGYCapability Four:APP synergies broaden the resource interface; transparent governance makes them more sustainable.Following the change in ultimate control in 2020, Bohui became part of the Sinar Mas Paper and APP China system. The direction of industrial synergy is clear: upstream, it can access a broader base of wood-pulp and wood-fibre resources; midstream, it can draw on equipment, process, certification and technical expertise; and downstream, it can reach overseas customers through a more comprehensive trading and sales network. Bohui's directors and executives also include people with experience in APP and Sinar Mas Paper businesses, supporting alignment in management systems, product roadmaps and global markets.Transaction data for 2025 further show that these connections are not merely conceptual. The five largest suppliers accounted for 60.81% of annual procurement, with related-party purchases representing 48.28% of total annual procurement. Related-party sales to customers among the five largest customers accounted for 5.94% of annual sales. Intra-group procurement and channels can improve resource coordination, while also requiring transparency in related-party pricing, continuity of supply and independent decision-making by the listed company.On 28 July 2026, shareholders approved a proposal allowing the indirect controlling shareholder a six-year extension to fulfil its undertaking to avoid horizontal competition. According to the announcement, 1,002 shareholders and proxies attended; 65.9938% voted in favour and 33.9335% voted against. Both the approval and the significant dissent should be presented. Operating synergies already exist, but resolving deeper horizontal-competition issues and clarifying asset boundaries remain long-term tasks. Industry readers should assess \"operating synergy\" separately from \"asset integration\" and should not assume that the former automatically implies the latter.The most professional and constructive description of APP synergy is therefore this: Bohui has access to a broader interface for raw materials, technology, certification and market coordination. The quality of that synergy must be demonstrated through market-based pricing, diversified sourcing, independent governance and sustained improvement in the listed company's performance.High-quality group synergy converts large-scale resources into lower sourcing costs, faster product validation and broader customer reach, while preserving independent operating capabilities that remain comparable, auditable and sustainable.05 · MARKET ACCESSCapability Five:Certifications and exports turn \"manufacturable\" into \"marketable.\"Bohui has established 36 sales offices in China and maintains sales offices or marketing personnel in key regions worldwide. In 2025, domestic revenue from principal operations declined 6.20% to RMB 14.587 billion, with a gross margin of 7.50%. Overseas revenue from principal operations rose 36.14% to RMB 4.027 billion, with a gross margin of 17.25%, up 5.16 percentage points. Overseas markets are no longer a supplementary channel; they are an important outlet for value created by the upgrading product mix.This gross-margin gap cannot simply be interpreted as proof that overseas selling prices are necessarily higher. Product mix, geography, trade terms, freight treatment, exchange rates and customer mix all affect regional gross margins. At a minimum, however, it shows that overseas operations carried higher unit value within Bohui's 2025 business mix and provided an important channel for mitigating homogeneous competition in the domestic market.Certifications such as FSC chain of custody, ISEGA, ISO 9001 and FSSC food-safety management provide a foundation for raw-material traceability, food packaging and overseas customer audits. More importantly, demanding customers generally also conduct printing, converting, filling, migration, odour, batch-stability and factory audits. Orders for products such as liquid packaging board may undergo several rounds of testing. Certification is the threshold for market access, not the end of the order-conversion process.In July 2026, public information from the Huantai County Converged Media Centre stated that Bohui's food-grade packaging paper, aseptic liquid packaging board and other products had been sold to more than 90 countries and regions and had entered the supply chains of certain global food and personal-care companies. This is a local-media disclosure and cannot replace customer or order announcements, but it is consistent with the audited high growth in overseas revenue in 2025 and indicates that overseas coverage is not an isolated signal.Global capability must also include responses to trade remedies. Mexico's anti-dumping final determination issued on 8 July 2026 applied duties of US$0.2837 per kilogram and US$0.3909 per kilogram to relevant paperboard from Jiangsu Bohui and Shandong Bohui, respectively. This does not negate Bohui's overall export capability, but it clearly demonstrates the practical value of diversification across \"more than 90 markets\": the faster overseas business grows, the more it requires a balanced country mix, evidence of origin and cost, cost-sharing mechanisms with customers, and higher-value products to strengthen resilience.Large paper machines answer whether a product can be manufactured consistently. Certifications and customer trials determine whether it can enter a supply chain. Multi-market coverage and repeat orders determine whether the platform can withstand demand and trade volatility in any single country.PLATFORM PRESSURE TESTThe stronger businesses have begun to improve;the next step is to transmit those gains into overall returns.01 | Growth in output and sales shows that the core business is still expanding.In 2025, machine-made paper output increased by 7.70%, sales volume by 5.04%, and revenue by 1.20%. A rough calculation based on product-level revenue and sales growth indicates that the average realised price of white paperboard fell by approximately 3.9%, while that of printing and writing paper declined by approximately 5.6%. These are calculations based on segment data, not average prices directly disclosed by the Company. They show that Bohui sustained production and sales growth despite pricing pressure. The next source of improvement is clear: differentiated products and a better market mix must offset pressure on revenue per tonne.02 | White paperboard improved first, demonstrating that product-mix adjustments are working.The gross margin of white paperboard increased by 1.96 percentage points to 11.33%, while linerboard rose by 0.59 percentage points to 3.11%. The gross margin of printing and writing paper declined by 4.31 percentage points to 8.21%, and gypsum liner paper fell by 3.21 percentage points to 2.47%. This divergence does not disprove the platform's capabilities; it establishes an operating priority: resources should continue to move towards white paperboard, higher-value functional paper and overseas orders that have already demonstrated gross-margin improvement.03 | Higher inventory percentages must be assessed alongside absolute volumes.Year-end inventories of white paperboard, printing and writing paper, gypsum liner paper and linerboard increased by 40.84%, 148.72%, 50.00% and 58.03%, respectively. Yet total inventory across the four grades was 223,400 tonnes, equal to approximately 4.7% of annual sales volume on a simple basis. Percentage changes are affected by the prior-year base and cannot be equated directly with weak demand. The Company should nevertheless continue to improve order forecasting, the timing of goods in transit for export and grade-change scheduling, upgrading from \"being able to change grades\" to \"optimising grade changes around orders.\"04 | The cost moat begins with fibre and energy engineering.Of disclosed papermaking costs in 2025, raw materials accounted for 66.27% and energy for 16.97%, or 83.24% combined. The product platform therefore cannot be discussed separately from pulp prices, wood chips, steam, electricity and the share of internally produced pulp. Bohui's chemical-pulp projects, chemi-mechanical-pulp upgrades, waste-heat recovery and spent-liquor resource recovery are fundamentally intended to create a cost foundation for product innovation, rather than simply expand upstream capacity.05 | Cash flow and the capital structure improved materially.Net operating cash flow reached RMB 2.065 billion in 2025, up 197.06% year on year. Cash paid to acquire and construct long-term assets was RMB 483 million during the same period. The debt-to-asset ratio fell from 69.74% to 65.48%, and administrative expenses declined by 24.49%. The annual report also states that operating cash-flow growth came mainly from lower procurement payments. Finance costs rose 18.96%, but the breakdown shows that interest expense declined; the increase was driven mainly by the swing in exchange gains and losses from a gain in the prior year to a loss in the current year. The Company is therefore actively repairing cash management, cost control and its capital structure. The next task is to convert these improvements into profit and free cash flow.06 | Net profit attributable to shareholders returned to growth in the first quarter of 2026.First-quarter revenue was RMB 4.460 billion, down 2.27% year on year, while net profit attributable to shareholders rose 3.75% to RMB 55.37 million. Net profit excluding non-recurring items declined by 1.85%, and operating cash flow fell by 28.62%. Based on the financial statements, the overall gross margin was approximately 9.22%, slightly below approximately 9.60% a year earlier. The period-end debt-to-asset ratio was approximately 69.53%, while both cash and short-term borrowings increased materially. The positive signal is that attributable net profit has returned to growth. The next tests are whether recurring earnings, gross margin and working capital can improve in tandem.Overall assessment: 2025 was not a failure of Bohui's platform capabilities, but a stress test that exposed strengths and weaknesses at the same time. White paperboard, overseas operations, cash flow and the capital structure improved first. Platform returns will be released more fully when higher-value products continue to grow faster than standard products, sales volume continues to grow faster than inventory, and gross-margin gains continue to outpace financing costs.2026 CHANGE SIGNALSSeven recent developments are strengthening the product platform.March 2026 | Shandong Bohui was included in the national Green Factory list.Shandong Bohui Paper Industry Co., Ltd. appears as item 1,147 on the 2025 Green Factory list published by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Green Factory status does not directly prove a product premium, but it places the Company within the national tiered development programme for low-carbon energy, resource efficiency, cleaner production, greener products and intensive land use, supporting brand-customer audits and green-supply-chain requirements.February–May 2026 | The chemi-mechanical pulp upgrade received environmental-assessment approval in principle.Public environmental-assessment information indicates total investment of approximately RMB 219 million. The project proposes increasing two chemi-mechanical pulp lines from 200,000 tonnes each to 300,000 tonnes each, raising total capacity from 400,000 to 600,000 tonnes, and adding twin-roll pulp presses, screw presses and two waste-heat recovery systems. Its strategic value lies in raising self-sufficiency in high-yield pulp and improving energy recovery. Approval in principle under the environmental assessment does not mean that the project has been built, reached design capacity or already reduced costs.2025–2026 | Chemical wood-pulp capacity is being expanded from 95,000 tonnes to 320,000 tonnes.Public information from the Zibo Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau indicates that the project plans a new 320,000-tonne continuous cooking, screening and washing, oxygen-delignification and bleaching system, supported by alkali recovery and back-pressure power generation. The annual report includes \"accelerating the commissioning and effectiveness of chemical-pulp and chemi-mechanical-pulp self-sufficiency upgrade projects\" in the 2026 operating plan. The project could narrow the purchased-pulp gap, but its ultimate effect will depend on wood-chip costs, start-up efficiency, yield, energy balance and capital employed.February–May 2026 | Existing paper machines are being upgraded and reassigned to different product categories.Public acceptance information for the \"1.5-million-tonne premium packaging board technical-upgrade project\" shows that the project requires no additional land and proposes upgrading 16 sets of equipment. Specifically, the existing 500,000-tonne linerboard line would be expanded to 800,000 tonnes, while the existing 500,000-tonne corrugating-medium line would be converted into a 500,000-tonne printing and writing paper line. The \"1.5 million tonnes\" in the project name should not be read directly as the combined post-upgrade output of these two lines; the two publicly disclosed lines total 1.3 million tonnes. The real signal is that Bohui is using upgrades to existing assets to reshape its product mix.2025 into 2026 | Water-based barrier food-grade paperboard is moving onto an in-line paper-machine production route.The Company has initially established a paper-machine line for in-line coating of water-based barrier food-grade paperboard, together with an in-line recovery system for dry and wet broke. Its ESG report states that a specific EPP product is directly coated and formed in one pass on the paper machine, and discloses related food-contact, recyclability and compostability certifications. This marks an extension of white paperboard from a structural material into \"base paper plus a functional layer\". Specific performance and compliance conclusions, however, apply only to the corresponding formulation, use and certification scope.July 2026 | Overseas application coverage continued to expand.Local converged-media reports stated that food-grade packaging paper, aseptic liquid packaging board and other products had been sold to more than 90 countries and regions. Together with the 36.14% increase in overseas revenue from principal operations in 2025, this shows that exports are shifting from \"absorbing capacity\" to serving as an important market for differentiated products. The next step is to continue testing the quality of overseas revenue, customer concentration, payment terms, exchange-rate exposure and after-sales technical-service capability.July 2026 | Price notices for relevant paper products signalled an attempt to restore value.Public reports on price-increase notices stated that Bohui proposed raising prices for certain paper products by RMB 200 per tonne from 1 July; different public reproductions were not fully consistent about the exact grades covered. At a minimum, this shows that the Company and the industry are attempting to restore product value and pass through costs. A price-increase notice expresses quoted-price intent; it does not mean that transaction prices, implementation rates or profits have already improved. Real validation requires subsequent average selling prices, volumes, gross margins and receivables to improve together.BIOTEN PACKAGING VIEWBIOTEN Packaging perspective:The paper-machine platform is evolving into a \"base paper plus barrier engineering\" platform.Bohui's route for water-based barrier food-grade paperboard reveals a new interface for collaboration between paper manufacturers and functional-material companies. Rather than relying entirely on downstream extrusion coating or lamination, the approach seeks to integrate the functional layer directly into base-paper production on the paper machine or an in-line coater. This could eliminate one transfer and converting step, improve broke recovery, and enable base paper, coating and application performance to be designed together.However, \"water-based\" describes a dispersion medium or process route. It does not automatically mean plastic-free, fluorine-free, recyclable, compostable or compliant with every food-contact requirement. The silicone-free, wax-free and fluorine-free claims and related certifications disclosed in Bohui's ESG report refer to a specific EPP product and certification scope. They cannot be extrapolated to all water-based barrier coatings, nor can they replace migration testing under the food types, contact temperatures and exposure times required in different jurisdictions.From an industrialisation perspective, Bohui combines large paper machines, in-line coating, an established base in food-grade paperboard and cupstock, dry- and wet-broke recovery systems, and customer interfaces in food and liquid packaging. This gives it an application advantage for validating material formulations within a continuous manufacturing system. The value lies not in leading on any one metric, but in repeatedly calibrating the system-wide balance among coat weight, machine speed, drying, yield, converting and recycling on the same platform.A genuinely scalable paper-based barrier system must pass at least six categories of validation:Base-paper interface: surface energy, porosity, liquid absorption, smoothness, fibre lifting and batch stability;Barrier targets: Cobb water absorptiveness, grease resistance, water-vapour transmission rate (WVTR), oxygen transmission rate (OTR), and resistance to heat and moisture;Paper-machine operating window: coating rheology, foaming, drying load, machine speed, coat weight, roll sticking and web-break risk;Converting performance: printing, die-cutting, creasing, carton gluing, heat sealing, ultrasonic side sealing and three-dimensional forming;Safety and compliance: overall migration, specific migration, odour, non-intentionally added substances and target-market regulations;Recycling compatibility: repulpability, screening rejects, stickies, fibre yield, wastewater load and the stability of broke reuse.For BIOTEN Packaging's functional-material systems and barrier-engineering innovation, the opportunity is not to offer paper mills an isolated coating. It is to define the cost per unit of function jointly with base-paper manufacturers, converters and brand owners: achieving stable performance on high-speed paper machines with the lowest practicable coat weight and energy use, while delivering evidence for printing and converting, food contact, and the recycling pathway together.The industry-chain analysis above is based on publicly available information about Bohui Paper. It does not indicate that Bohui Paper has adopted any specific BIOTEN Packaging material, nor does it imply any testing, supply or cooperation relationship between the parties.CONCLUSIONPaper machines are assets;the product platform is the capability.Bohui Paper's real strength is not merely its large white paperboard and packaging-board equipment. It lies in the Company's work to organise its fleet of large paper machines, furnish architecture, coating technologies, two production bases, APP industrial synergies, customer qualifications and global sales network into a continuously extensible product platform.The platform has been validated at three levels. On the product side, white paperboard gross margin improved and 21 new products were commercialised. On the market side, overseas revenue from principal operations increased by 36.14%. On the manufacturing side, comprehensive energy consumption per unit at the Shandong base fell from 0.24 tonnes of standard coal equivalent per tonne of pulp and paper in 2023 to 0.22 in 2025, while customer satisfaction reached 92.0%. This shows that Bohui's product expansion rests not only on capacity, but is also beginning to generate reinforcing evidence in innovation, efficiency and quality.Profit, inventory and pricing data for 2025 constituted a stress test for the platform. They did not disprove its capabilities, but clarified the next stage of value realisation. A broader grade portfolio demands stronger order forecasting, grade-change decisions, inventory management, customer qualification and capital discipline. Deeper pulping upgrades must demonstrate genuine unit-cost advantages across wood chips, energy, yield and depreciation.Six indicators should be tracked to determine whether Bohui's platform ultimately converts capability into value:Can the gross margin of white paperboard continue to improve, and can higher-value new products make identifiable contributions to revenue and gross profit?Can growth in output, sales volume and revenue reconverge, and can inventory growth return to a reasonable range?Can the chemical-pulp and chemi-mechanical-pulp projects reach design capacity on schedule and genuinely reduce fibre and energy costs per tonne of paper?Can the high gross margin of overseas operations be sustained while controlling customer payment terms, exchange-rate exposure, certification and trade-compliance risks?Can functional papers such as water-based barrier grades move from certification and trial orders to stable repeat business and yields at scale?Can operating cash flow improve in step with net profit and translate into a lower debt ratio and more stable free cash flow?Bohui has proved that it can use large paper machines to manufacture a wider range of products. The more important task in the next stage is to show that every grade change moves closer to an order, a higher gross margin and sustainable cash returns.NEXT ISSUE · SERIES PREVIEWNext: Why Is Asia Symbol Strong? It Has Made Fibre Quality a Manufacturing Standard.The China Paper Industry Leaders case-study series does not provide basic company profiles. It continues to examine the resources, costs, products, management and value-chain capabilities of leading Chinese paper companies.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NotesBohui Paper 2025 Annual Report: mirror of the original announcementBohui Paper 2026 First Quarterly Report: mirror of the original announcementBohui Paper 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance Report: mirror of the original announcementMIIT 2025 Green Factory List: official notice and listBohui's 1.5-million-tonne premium packaging board technical-upgrade project: acceptance notice from the Zibo Municipal Ecology and Environment BureauBohui's chemical wood-pulp expansion project: proposed-approval notice from the Zibo Municipal Ecology and Environment BureauBohui's chemi-mechanical pulp upgrade project: public environmental-assessment summary and approval-in-principle informationLatest public information on Bohui's overseas markets: reproduction of information from the Huantai County Converged Media CentreBohui 2026 Second Extraordinary General Meeting resolution: mirror of the company announcementJuly 2026 public information on paper-product price increases: compilation of reproduced price-increase noticesMexico's final anti-dumping determination on paperboard from China: translated compilation by the Trade Remedy and Investigation Bureau of China's Ministry of Commerce based on Mexico's official gazetteVerification guide: See pages 14–20 of the annual report for operations, products, production and sales, and segment gross margins; page 153 for the composition of finance costs; pages 31–34 of the ESG report for innovation projects; pages 59–60 for energy and water consumption; pages 87–88 for quality performance; and page 31, item 1,147 of the MIIT Green Factory list for the company name.This article provides industry research and general information only and does not constitute investment, business or legal advice. Its analysis of corporate strategy, competitiveness, product pathways and industry opportunities contains professional judgements based on public information. It does not represent official company statements and does not imply any cooperation or product-adoption relationship. Financial data for 2025 are from the audited annual report; the first-quarter 2026 report is unaudited. Average realised prices, overall gross margins, debt-to-asset ratios and other indicators identified as \"rough calculations\" or \"calculated from the financial statements\" are estimates derived from disclosed data. Company rankings, product certifications, media reports, project names, environmental-assessment acceptance or approval in principle do not constitute authoritative industry rankings, applicability to every product and use, secured orders, completed construction, attainment of design capacity or commercial returns. Price-increase notices express quoted-price intentions rather than actual transaction prices or implementation rates. Shareholder resolutions reflect governance arrangements rather than asset integration. The scope and rates of trade remedies should be assessed under the Mexican rules and product classifications in effect at the time of import. A water-based barrier does not automatically mean plastic-free, fluorine-free, recyclable or compostable. Specific conclusions must be verified against the formulation, base paper, intended use, contact conditions, target-market regulations, certification scope and recycling tests. Information verified through 9 August 2026.",
            "date_published": "2026-08-12T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-13T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-12-bohui-paper/cms-image-fe2f61aa687a6b56.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-12-the-cup-a-second-chance.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-12-the-cup-a-second-chance.html",
            "title": "Giving the Cup a Second Chance: Meaningful Work in Practice",
            "summary": "The force of certainty stems from awe of the rules and continued innovation in bottom technologies",
            "content_text": "Today, the EU Packaging and Packing Waste Regulations (PPWR) are officially in their application, with the packaging industry moving toward a new phase of quantification, recycling, and full-life value design. At such an important node, we want to share something that has been being pushed seriously: a cup of coffee paper that is finished and does not necessarily go to trash cans after drinking it; it can also load coffee slags, seeds, and soil into a nursery cup, allowing one-time packaging to have a second life that can be seen and involved. Your browser does not support HTML5 video. It is a new scene of breeding, co-generation and shifting when it first uses a reliable drink. This is not only a material change, but also a reperception of the value of packaging, and our long-term practice of sustainability. We have been doing something meaningful — giving the Cup a second life and looking forward to working with more small partners to make it work. PPWR In-depth Industry Study to Connect Industries to Co-innovation — The debate is a reality, and the strength of the debate stems from awe of rules and continued innovation in bottom technologies. Your browser does not support HTML5 video.",
            "date_published": "2026-08-12T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-12T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-12-the-cup-a-second-chance/cms-image-752562dd08e9e156.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-12-shanying-intl.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-12-shanying-intl.html",
            "title": "Why Is Shanying International Strong? The Circular Network It Really Operates",
            "summary": "2025 Net Profit Attributable to Shareholders of the ParentLoss Widened Year over Year",
            "content_text": "CHINA PAPER LEADERS · NO.04Why Is Shanying International Strong?What It Really Operates Is a Circular NetworkLooking Beyond the Losses to See How Recovered Fiber, Seven Major Production Bases, 2 Billion Square Meters of Packaging, and End Customers Are Connected—and Why Profits Are Under Pressure, What Adjustments Have Already Occurred, and What Still Needs to Be Verified in the Recovery A truly valuable circular network is not created by simply placing “recycling, papermaking, and packaging” side by side in an organizational structure. It is created by channeling recovered fiber generated by end customers back into the base-paper system, enabling base-paper mills and packaging plants to share order, pricing, quality, and inventory data, and jointly optimizing logistics, energy, and working-capital turnover.Scale is the most visible aspect of Shanying International. According to the company’s 2025 annual report, its seven domestic papermaking bases have installed capacity totaling 10 million metric tons, while its packaging segment produces more than 2 billion square meters annually; base-paper sales volume reached 7.4860 million metric tons and packaging sales volume reached 2.097 billion square meters. This scale is certainly important, but explaining Shanying only through capacity and sales would miss the part that is harder to replicate: it simultaneously occupies four nodes—recovered-paper sourcing, base-paper supply, corrugated board and box manufacturing, and major end customers.More worthy of industry attention is that these nodes do not form a one-way chain. Packaging plants serve customers in consumer electronics, home appliances, food, chemicals, light industry, and e-commerce and express delivery; recyclable paper generated by end customers can flow back into recovered-fiber procurement; the seven base-paper production bases are respectively located near consumption, manufacturing, and recovered-paper generation regions; and digital systems further connect procurement, quality inspection, production scheduling, warehousing, and gross-profit calculations. What Shanying is truly attempting to operate is a closed loop of “recycling–papermaking–packaging–recycling.”But network scale has not automatically translated into strong profits. In 2025, the company recorded a loss of RMB 1.136 billion in net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent, while the papermaking business had a gross margin of only 3.22%; in the first quarter of 2026, net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent was a loss of RMB 497 million, and the overall gross margin calculated from the financial statements was approximately 2.46%. Looking only at the profit result can make the issue appear to be “scale failure”; considering sales volume, the spread per metric ton of paper, supplier payment terms, depreciation on new capacity, and convertible-bond redemption together leads to a more accurate conclusion: the core business remains operational, while pressure is concentrated in gross profit generated per unit of product and funding costs.This distinction matters. Base-paper sales volume still increased 2.25% in 2025, while the sales-to-output ratios for base paper and packaging reached 99.21% and 99.96%, respectively; the preliminary 2026 interim earnings forecast also stated that base-paper production and sales volumes increased year over year. Meanwhile, the net loss attributable to shareholders of the parent for the second quarter of 2026 is estimated to have narrowed by 63.18% from the first quarter, and the company achieved a monthly profit in June. This indicates that the losses were not caused solely by a slowdown in the sales network and that recovery variables can already be identified; however, the interim earnings forecast remains an unaudited preliminary estimate and cannot yet support a declaration of a full turnaround.Therefore, this article is not a “company scale overview,” nor does it portray network advantages as certain profitability. The questions worth answering are: Which industrial variables does Shanying’s circular network actually control? Why has this network temporarily failed to generate returns commensurate with its scale? And which indicators must validate the strategic transformation that began in 2026?FOUR NUMBERS · Four Key Figures7.4860 Million Metric Tons2025 Base-Paper Sales VolumeUp 2.25% Year over Year2.097 Billion Square Meters2025 Packaging Sales VolumeDown 1.81% Year over YearRMB 3.381 Billion2025 Net Cash Flow from Operating ActivitiesDown 6.64% Year over Year–RMB 1.136 Billion2025 Net Profit Attributable to Shareholders of the ParentLoss Widened Year over YearScope note: All figures above are from the 2025 annual report. The company’s references to “10 million metric tons of installed capacity” and its industry ranking are based on company disclosures; designed or installed capacity does not equal actual output, effective capacity, or profitable capacity.EVIDENCE LEVEL · First Distinguish Three Types of EvidenceRealized results:2025 operating, financial, production and sales volume, and segment gross-margin data are from the audited annual report.Preliminary operating signals:The first-quarter 2026 report is unaudited; the interim earnings forecast is a preliminary estimate by the finance department, and the formal interim report has not yet been disclosed.Strategic and project signals:“7030,” the chemical pulp project, and cooperation with JD Industrials all require validation through construction, operations, and financial results and are not counted as realized earnings.LOSS BRIDGE · First Understand the LossesThe Essence of the Losses: It Is Not That Products Cannot Be Sold,but That Contribution per Metric Ton Is InsufficientFirst, rule out a common misreading: base-paper sales volume and the sales-to-output ratio did not break down in 2025. What actually hit the income statement was the spread per metric ton of paper. In its response to the regulatory inquiry, the company disclosed that the nationwide average purchase price of recovered paper rose 9.28% year over year, while the company’s average base-paper selling price declined 1.63%, pushing the papermaking business gross margin further down to 3.22%; according to the impact calculation in the company’s response, changes in gross profit from principal products explained 56.98% of the change in net profit for the period. This is therefore closer to a “gross-margin problem” than a “sales-volume problem.”This also included an operating adjustment made for a clearly stated purpose. To address redemption of the “Shanying 19 Convertible Bonds” and concentrated capital expenditures, the company stated that it offered purchase-price concessions to certain upstream suppliers in exchange for extended payment terms; normal monthly settlement terms of 30 to 90 days could mainly be extended to 6 to 12 months through supply-chain financing. The procurement side therefore gave up part of its gross margin; according to the supplementary information to the cash flow statement, increases in operating payables provided a positive RMB 2.207 billion adjustment to 2025 operating cash flow, helping the company generate RMB 3.381 billion in net cash flow from operating activities. It should be emphasized that the RMB 2.207 billion is the adjustment from all operating payables and cannot be attributed entirely to supply-chain financing. This was a choice to “prioritize liquidity protection while sacrificing gross margin temporarily”; it should not be embellished as profit, nor misread as a failure of sales capability.From operating pressure to financial results, the evidence chain can be fully closed:External spread:Higher domestic recovered paper purchase prices and lower base-paper selling prices directly compressed gross profit per metric ton of paper.Active adjustment:Purchase-price concessions were exchanged for longer payment terms, converting part of the profit margin into a liquidity buffer.Capacity cycle:New capacity in Jilin, Suzhou, Anhui, and other locations came onstream, increasing sales volume while initially absorbing depreciation, ramp-up costs, and unit fixed costs.Profit result:The base-paper business gross margin fell to 3.22%; combined with lower investment income and higher asset and credit impairment losses, this ultimately resulted in an annual loss.MARGINAL REPAIR · Marginal Changes Already VisibleFirst Quarter 2026–RMB 497 MillionSecond Quarter 2026Approximately –RMB 183 MillionJune 2026Monthly ProfitNote: Second-quarter data are derived from the interim earnings forecast and first-quarter report; June profitability also comes from the earnings forecast. All remain subject to verification in the formal interim report.A rigorous yet constructive conclusion is not “the company has already turned around,” but rather: the sources of the losses can be decomposed, the largest single concentrated redemption event has been resolved, and quarterly losses are narrowing; if supply-chain credit discounts decline, utilization efficiency of new capacity improves, and gross profit per metric ton of paper recovers, the income statement has substantial operating leverage. However, this pathway must still be demonstrated jointly by formal gross-margin data, short-term debt coverage, and free cash flow.ONE SENTENCE · Shanying in One SentenceShanying’s real strength is not any single paper machine, but its simultaneous control of fiber entry points, regional capacity, packaging customer touchpoints, end-market recycling entry points, and industrial data; what it must now prove is whether this network can evolve from “supporting scale and liquidity” into “consistently generating profits and free cash flow.”CORE JUDGMENTBottom Line First: Shanying Is Strong in “Circular-Network Control”This network can be broken down into six interlocking control surfaces:Fiber entry: domestic collection channels, overseas recovered-paper trading, and recycled pulp jointly form the raw-material interfaceProduction-base network: seven papermaking bases are located near manufacturing, consumption, recovered-paper generation areas, and core marketsPackaging touchpoints: corrugated board and box plants extend base-paper sales into end-customer service and demand sensingClosed-loop recovery: packaging customers can in turn connect to high-quality recovered fiber, reducing supply uncertaintyDigital scheduling: quality, price, orders, capacity, inventory, and gross profit are integrated into the same data systemCapital and credit: payment terms, supply-chain financing, and cash flow serve as hidden infrastructure for network operations01 · FIBER ENTRYLayer One: Recovered Paper Is Not a Single Raw Material, but a Procurement and Quality NetworkThe cost starting point for recycled packaging paper is not the quoted price of recovered paper, but the “delivered-to-machine cost of qualified fiber.” For the same metric ton of recovered paper, differences in moisture content, contamination rate, fiber strength, sorting purity, transportation distance, and settlement terms can produce completely different costs for usable fiber. What a large enterprise truly needs to manage are four variables: stable volume, qualified quality, delivery cadence, and capital tied up.Shanying’s annual report discloses that approximately 97% of the raw materials used by its major papermaking subsidiaries come from recovered fiber; the company has established procurement networks domestically and overseas and supplements its raw-material pathways through recovered-fiber trading in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and other locations, as well as recycled-pulp bases in Southeast Asia. The value of overseas trading cannot simply be understood as “shipping overseas recovered paper directly into China”—following changes in solid-waste import policies, trading, overseas material use, recycled-pulp processing, and domestic raw materials are distinct compliance pathways and must be accounted for separately.Of the RMB 1.816 billion in principal-business revenue from recovered fiber in 2025, the company explained in its response to the annual-report inquiry that 93.44% came from WPT, headquartered in the Netherlands, and that this portion did not involve domestic supply-chain financing. U.S.-based Cycle Link primarily serves Asian customers, with group-affiliated customers accounting for more than 90%, making it closer to a group raw-material channel. In other words, Shanying’s overseas recovery system includes both external trading and internal supply, and the strategic value and profit reporting of the two are not the same.Professional AssessmentThe moat of a recovery network is not “the more procurement points, the better,” but simultaneous improvement in the unit cost of qualified fiber, direct-procurement ratio, loose recovered-paper collection capability, quality traceability, and delivery stability. Shanying’s 2026 plan to reduce transfer-trading business and increase the share of loose-material procurement at sorting centers indicates that the network is shifting from scale coverage toward procurement efficiency.02 · NETWORK GEOMETRYLayer Two: The Essence of Seven Production Bases Is to Reshape Supply-and-Demand RadiusPackaging base paper has relatively limited unit value and high transportation volume, making it highly sensitive to logistics radius. Locating bases closer to recovered-paper generation areas can reduce raw-material collection and transportation costs; locating them closer to corrugated board and box plants and end-market manufacturing can shorten finished-product transportation and delivery cycles. Shanying has established seven papermaking bases in Ma’anshan, Jiaxing, Zhangzhou, Jingzhou, Zhaoqing, Songyuan, and Suzhou, Anhui, covering East China, South China, Central China, and Northeast China.According to the company’s annual report, its capacity serves 19 provinces and 1 municipality, covering regions that account for approximately 78% of the domestic market. This percentage is based on company disclosure, but the layout logic is clear: the Yangtze River Delta combines packaging demand and recovered-paper supply, Fujian and Guangdong connect to export-oriented manufacturing, Central China serves as a regional hub, and the Northeast base fills distant-market coverage. Phase I of the Suzhou, Anhui, base, with 900,000 metric tons of packaging-paper capacity, commenced production in 2025, largely completing the domestic footprint. The next stage has already shifted from “whether a base exists” to “whether each base can operate at high load and low cost.”The production-base network also includes energy and environmental infrastructure. Except for the Guangdong base, which relies on centralized power supply from the industrial park, the company discloses that all other domestic papermaking bases have captive power plants; industrial combustible-solid-waste power-generation projects in Ma’anshan, Haiyan, and Jingzhou have commenced operation. Coordinating heat, electricity, water, sludge, and solid-waste treatment at the base level can reduce infrastructure costs otherwise borne independently by individual paper machines.The more production bases there are, the greater the potential for synergy—and the greater the scheduling complexity. A truly effective network must continuously reduce “kilometers from recovered paper to mill, kilometers from base paper to packaging plant, order lead time, and idle-capacity cost,” rather than merely adding capacity points on a map.03 · CUSTOMER LOOPLayer Three: 2 Billion Square Meters of Packaging Turns the Per-Ton Paper Business into a Customer InterfaceBase-paper producers generally know market prices, but may not directly know why brand customers change box designs, reduce basis weight, change printing, or adjust delivery batches. Packaging plants are closer to applications and can detect earlier the order structures, quality complaints, promotion cycles, and overseas-expansion needs of customers in consumer electronics, home appliances, food, e-commerce, and industrial products.Shanying’s packaging segment covers Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Shandong, Sichuan, Tianjin, Guizhou, and other regions, with secondary plants in Vietnam and Thailand; products include flexographically printed, preprinted, offset-printed, and digitally printed corrugated boxes, as well as industrial molded-fiber packaging and food molded-fiber packaging. Five independent R&D and testing centers in Qingdao, Suzhou, Jiangsu, Jiaxing, Zhuhai, and Taipei focus on design for 3C packaging and innovative logistics packaging.More important is the reverse closed loop. The company discloses that downstream customers of the packaging segment can be connected with recovered-fiber procurement, enabling access to more consistent-quality recovered fiber through end-customer cooperation. Thus, a corrugated box does not leave the system after delivery: customer orders create packaging demand, and used paper packaging can become upstream raw material again, meaning base paper, corrugated boxes, and recycling are no longer three isolated transactions.Why Does the Packaging Segment Matter?In 2025, the papermaking business had a gross margin of 3.22%, while paper products had a gross margin of 12.20%. The two differ in products, capital intensity, and accounting structure and therefore cannot be compared simplistically as better or worse; however, the data at least indicate that value density is generally higher closer to customers and solutions. In 2026, Shanying is no longer making rapid packaging-revenue expansion its primary objective and is instead shifting toward high-return orders and high-value-added customers, precisely to repair this part of the value chain.04 · DIGITAL CONTROLLayer Four: A Network Can Become Efficient Only When It Is Scheduled by DataMultiple production bases, paper grades, and packaging plants do not inherently create synergy. Without unified data, the network can instead generate duplicate inventory, inefficient transfers, order mismatches, and pricing distortions. The value of Shanying’s digitalization lies precisely in turning a complex network into something that can be scheduled.According to the annual report, the company uses an advanced planning and scheduling system connected with ERP and MES to enable multi-plant, multi-product, multi-constraint scheduling; a unified intelligent warehousing platform works with autonomous forklifts; AI vision and intelligent whole-vehicle moisture detection are used for recovered-fiber quality inspection; and a business-intelligence platform integrates procurement, production, customer, and financial data while establishing real-time calculation and forecasting mechanisms for papermaking gross profit. Ma’anshan Xiangheng’s intelligent scheduling and production-planning system was selected as a 2025 digital transformation exemplary case by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.The most industrially meaningful point here is not that “AI is being used,” but whether data actually change decisions: can the moisture content of a batch of recovered paper affect procurement settlement; can an order be assigned to the production base with the lowest total cost; can changes in base-paper prices be transmitted in real time into corrugated-box quotations; and can inventory and transportation operate for network-wide optimization rather than single-mill optimization.Digitalization is not an independent moat. Only when it continuously reduces procurement deviations, scheduling losses, inventory days, quality claims, and unit logistics costs does it move from “system go-live” to “profit go-live.”05 · NETWORK ECONOMICSLayer Five: Network Value Must Ultimately Be Reflected in an Economic AccountA circular network is easy to justify narratively but difficult to validate financially. Connecting more collection points, paper machines, packaging plants, and end customers only means that a company has more nodes; whether those nodes create value depends on whether procurement, manufacturing, logistics, products, and capital all improve simultaneously.Circular-Network Value FormulaNetwork Value = Qualified-Fiber Procurement Advantage + Transportation-Radius Savings + Capacity-Utilization Benefit + Packaging Value Added + Working-Capital Efficiency – Cross-Regional Coordination Costs – Credit Costs – Depreciation and Capital Tied Up.In 2025, the company generated RMB 3.381 billion in net cash flow from operating activities, significantly better than the RMB 1.136 billion loss in net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent. However, supplementary information to the cash flow statement shows that increases in operating payables contributed a positive RMB 2.207 billion, while increases in inventories and operating receivables tied up RMB 461 million and RMB 164 million, respectively. This means cash-flow resilience genuinely exists, while also relying materially on supplier payment terms and operating liabilities.The annual-report inquiry response further opens up the credit layer: most suppliers normally have monthly settlement terms of 30 to 90 days, while supply-chain financing can mainly extend the company’s payment terms to 6 to 12 months. The company disclosed that supplier-financing interest borne by it in 2025 was RMB 16.2750 million, accounting for 1.79% of finance expenses; the current ratio was 0.43 and 0.45 excluding supply-chain financing. Based on its review, the annual auditor concluded that the relevant transactions had commercial substance and that the accounting treatment complied with applicable standards. This should be understood as the company’s response and the auditor’s review conclusion, not as a reason to disregard liquidity constraints.As of the end of March 2026, the company had RMB 12.160 billion in current assets and RMB 28.999 billion in current liabilities, for a current ratio of approximately 0.42; the debt-to-asset ratio was approximately 70.92%. The RMB 4.793 billion in cash and cash equivalents on the balance sheet also cannot all be interpreted as freely available cash, because the main reason for the increase in monetary funds at year-end 2025 was an increase in deposits pledged as guarantees.The most professional assessment of Shanying is not a binary choice between “strong cash flow” and “high debt,” but rather: this network has strong cash-organization capabilities, while free cash flow, short-term debt coverage, supplier payment terms, and returns on capital still need to improve together.06 · PROFIT CONVERSIONLayer Six: The Losses Reflect a “Profit Mismatch,”and the Conditions for Recovery Are Taking ShapeThe first mismatch is the combination of higher raw-material costs and lower finished-product prices. In its inquiry response, the company disclosed that the average purchase price of domestic recovered paper in 2025 was RMB 1,733.08/metric ton, up 9.28% year over year, while the average base-paper selling price was RMB 2,926.88/metric ton, down 1.63% year over year. Industry supply and demand depressing finished-product prices was an external pressure; offering purchase-price concessions to certain suppliers in exchange for extended payment terms to secure convertible-bond redemption and cash reserves was an active choice. The two forces acted simultaneously on procurement and sales, causing gross profit per metric ton of paper to come under pressure before sales volume did.The second mismatch is the timing difference between new output and the absorption of fixed costs. Projects in Jilin and Suzhou, Anhui, gradually commenced production in 2024–2025, increasing production and sales of corrugating medium, but new capacity must pass through equipment run-in, product qualification, order ramp-up, and efficiency improvement. Supplementary information to the 2025 cash flow statement lists RMB 1.769 billion in depreciation of fixed assets and related items. Scale reduces unit costs only when high utilization, stable yield, and reasonable selling prices are achieved simultaneously; during early ramp-up, depreciation and operating and maintenance expenses often enter the income statement first.Third, the network’s high-value segments are still not large enough. In 2025, principal-business revenue from papermaking was RMB 19.566 billion with a gross margin of 3.22%, while principal-business revenue from paper products was RMB 6.729 billion with a gross margin of 12.20%. Packaging is closer to customers and has a higher gross margin, but its revenue scale is far smaller than base paper. Shanying must continuously increase the share of high-return orders, design services, lightweighting, and functional packaging to change the overall profit structure.Fourth, overseas assets remain a drag. In 2025, overseas principal-business revenue was RMB 3.428 billion, with an overall gross margin of –0.33%; gross margins for recovered fiber and paper products were 8.41% and 15.16%, respectively, while the main drag was Phoenix Paper, with a gross margin of –14.91%. According to the company’s response, Phoenix Paper was affected by lower selling prices, capacity not yet fully released, equipment recovery, and market rebuilding. This shows that not every node within the “global network” makes a positive contribution.These four types of pressure are not the same in nature. Industry spreads and credit discounts are cyclical and temporary, leaving room for recovery after the debt peak passes; fixed costs from new capacity can be diluted through higher utilization and yield; increasing the share of packaging is a slower structural project; and Phoenix Paper requires separate improvements in products, markets, and asset efficiency. It would be inaccurate to classify all of them as “a weak industry,” and equally unscientific to classify all of them as “permanent losses.”The Real Dividing Line Is the Sequence of RecoveryFirst resolve concentrated redemption pressure, then reduce the credit discounts paid in exchange for longer payment terms; next, restore gross profit per metric ton of paper through capacity utilization and product mix; and ultimately convert net cash flow from operating activities into free cash flow. Only if this sequence is completed can Shanying’s large network evolve from “cash-organization capability” into “stable-return capability.”REPAIR EVIDENCE · Recovery Evidence ChainFive Quantifiable Positive Signals,and the Verification Boundary for Each01 | The Core Operating Network Has Not Lost MomentumIn 2025, base-paper sales volume increased 2.25% and the sales-to-output ratio was 99.21%; the packaging sales-to-output ratio was 99.96%. This indicates that channels, customers, and delivery systems remain resilient. Boundary: a high sales-to-output ratio proves only that products can be absorbed by the market; it does not mean that selling prices and unit profits have recovered.02 | The Largest Concentrated Redemption Event Has Been PassedDuring 2025, approximately RMB 1.828 billion of the “Shanying 19 Convertible Bonds” was converted into shares, while the remaining approximately RMB 16 million in principal was redeemed and the bonds were delisted; non-current liabilities due within one year declined from RMB 5.766 billion to RMB 2.133 billion, a decrease of approximately 63%. This creates conditions for reducing the practice of “trading gross margin for payment terms,” but short-term borrowings and the current ratio still need further improvement.03 | Capital Use Is Shifting from Expansion Toward DisciplineFinance expenses declined to RMB 911 million in 2025, down 12.70% year over year; in the first quarter of 2026, cash paid to acquire and construct fixed assets, intangible assets, and other long-term assets was RMB 134 million, significantly lower than RMB 799 million in the same period a year earlier. This is consistent with the company’s direction of “strictly controlling capital and expense expenditures,” but quarterly capital expenditure can be affected by project-payment timing, so long-term intensity cannot be judged from a single quarter alone.04 | Existing Capacity Is Beginning to Shift Toward Efficiency-Oriented OperationsIn Q&A at its May 2026 earnings briefing, the company stated that its current capacity utilization rate was 90% to 95% and that it planned to optimize, upgrade, or dispose of inefficient fixed assets. This point-in-time operating metric indicates that core capacity still has a strong operating foundation; however, it is not an audited full-year average utilization rate, and the ultimate assessment must still consider unit costs, maintenance losses, and profitability by production base.05 | The Profit Side Has Shown Consecutive Signs of ConvergenceThe interim earnings forecast indicates that the second-quarter net loss attributable to shareholders of the parent was approximately RMB 183 million, about RMB 314 million lower than in the first quarter, narrowing by 63.18%, while June was profitable on a monthly basis. This is currently the most direct evidence of marginal recovery; however, monthly profitability may be affected by paper prices, costs, maintenance, and non-recurring factors, and the formal interim report is still needed to provide a bridge between gross margin and cash flow.Therefore, there is sufficient basis for a positive assessment, but it must be stated accurately as “the conditions for recovery are taking shape and early signals have emerged.” The three hard indicators for verifying a genuine turnaround remain: sustained recovery in the papermaking gross margin, net cash flow from operating activities no longer relying primarily on increases in payables, and positive free cash flow after capital expenditures.2026 CHANGE SIGNALSSix Latest Signals Are Rewriting This NetworkApril 2026 | “7030” Shifts the Operating Objective from Scale to ReturnsThe company’s new five-year strategy proposes moving the papermaking business’s gross-margin level into the industry’s 70th percentile, increasing high-return packaging orders by 30% annually, and incorporating free cash flow as a core metric in operating assessment and decision-making. These are targets and a management framework, not profit commitments, but the direction has shifted from asset expansion toward liquidity, profit, and returns on assets.First Quarter 2026 | Collections and Investment Discipline Improve First; Gross Margin Remains to Be VerifiedFirst-quarter revenue was RMB 6.215 billion, down 8.15% year over year; net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent was a loss of RMB 497 million; net cash flow from operating activities was RMB 452 million, up 69.54% year over year; and cash received from sales of goods and rendering of services increased approximately 7.68% year over year. During the same period, cash paid to acquire and construct long-term assets declined from RMB 799 million to RMB 134 million. Collections and investment discipline have improved, but the overall gross margin calculated from the financial statements remained only approximately 2.46%, meaning the recovery has not yet fully transmitted to the profit side.May 2026 | Central China 706,000-Metric-Ton Chemical Pulp Project Enters Environmental Impact Assessment Public-Notice StageThe publicly available environmental impact assessment summary indicates that the project proposes two phases comprising bleached kraft chemical pulp production lines of 400,000 and 306,000 metric tons, with more than 95% imported wood chips, and that the products are planned to be sold externally in pulp-sheet form. The company’s annual-report strategy, meanwhile, emphasizes building wood-pulp lines at Central China and other bases and improving pulp-paper integration for high-end packaging paper. The emphasis of these two public disclosures is not entirely the same; internal synergies, capital expenditure, and construction timing should be subject to formal approvals, project implementation, and subsequent announcements.June 2026 | Connecting Recycling, Logistics, and Packaging-Material Demand with JD IndustrialsOn June 5, the two parties signed a strategic cooperation agreement. Public information points to recovered-paper recycling systems, two-way logistics, AI production management, low-carbon initiatives, and packaging R&D, and states that Shanying became JD Industrials’ first designated partner factory in the packaging-material category. This cooperation is highly aligned with Shanying’s circular network, but at this stage it remains a cooperation framework and cannot be used to project procurement volumes, orders, or profit contributions in advance.July 2026 | Regulatory Inquiry Makes the Network’s Credit Layer More TransparentThe company disclosed in detail seven categories of supply-chain financing products, underlying procurement documents, goods and fund flows, payment terms, and financial impacts. The annual auditor stated that, based on its review, the relevant transactions had commercial substance and the accounting treatment complied with applicable standards. For industrial analysis, the significance of this response is that supply-chain finance is not a peripheral tool, but part of how the recovered-fiber network stabilizes small and medium-sized suppliers, extends payment periods, and safeguards liquidity.July 2026 | Second-Quarter Loss Narrows, but the Inflection Point Still Awaits Verification in Formal Financial StatementsThe interim earnings forecast estimates a loss of RMB 680 million in net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent and a loss of RMB 730 million in net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent excluding non-recurring gains and losses; the second-quarter net loss attributable to shareholders of the parent was approximately RMB 183 million, about RMB 314 million lower than in the first quarter, narrowing by 63.18%, and June was profitable on a monthly basis. The trend has shifted from “widening losses” to “narrowing losses,” but before the formal interim report is disclosed, the complete bridge among selling prices, gross profit per metric ton of paper, working capital, and free cash flow remains unavailable.CONCLUSIONThe Network Is the Capability,Returns Are the ProofShanying International’s true strength lies in progressively organizing within a single network several critical nodes that papermaking companies typically leave outside their boundaries—recovered fiber, regional paper machines, packaging converting, end customers, recycling entry points, logistics data, and supply-chain credit.This network gives the company broader procurement coverage, shorter supply radii, more direct customer insight, and stronger cash-organization capabilities; but it also brings capital intensity, cross-regional coordination, overseas operations, supplier payment terms, and credit costs. The 2025 loss is not a simple negation of the network’s value, but a clear stress test: when industry spreads narrowed while concentrated redemption obligations and new-capacity ramp-up occurred simultaneously, the network first preserved production and sales and cash organization, while profits absorbed the adjustment costs.The positive side is that this stress test has exposed a specific sequence for improvement rather than leaving a vague problem. The peak in convertible-bond redemption has passed, capital expenditures and finance expenses have begun to converge, and the second-quarter loss is estimated to have narrowed significantly; if supply-chain credit discounts decline as liquidity improves, new-capacity efficiency continues to rise, and high-return packaging orders gradually expand, Shanying’s profit elasticity may be released faster than its revenue elasticity.Going forward, six verifiable indicators should be monitored to determine whether Shanying has truly completed its transformation:Can the papermaking gross margin recover sustainably from the low level of 3.22% and approach the “industry’s 70th percentile”?Can high-return packaging orders grow 30% annually and translate into improved segment profits and customer mix?Can direct procurement of domestic recovered paper, loose-material procurement, and quality data genuinely reduce the delivered-to-machine cost of qualified fiber?Can new production bases complete capacity ramp-up so that sales-volume growth outpaces growth in depreciation and unit fixed costs?Can net cash flow from operating activities reduce its reliance on growth in payables and extended payment terms and convert into free cash flow?Can Phoenix Paper and other overseas nodes move from strategic coverage to stable positive gross margins and returns on capital?Shanying has connected the industrial chain; its most important task in the next stage is to turn every connection into lower unit costs, higher order value, and more reliable free cash flow. NEXT ISSUE · Series PreviewNext: Why Is Bohui Paper Strong? It Has Turned Large Paper Machines into a Product Platform“China Paper Leaders Case Study Series” goes beyond basic company profiles to continuously analyze the resource, cost, product, management, and industrial-chain capabilities of leading paper companies.Your browser does not support HTML5 video. BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NotesShanying International “2025 Annual Report”: Mirror of Original AnnouncementShanying International “First Quarter 2026 Report”: Mirror of Original AnnouncementShanying International “2026 Interim Earnings Forecast”: Original Disclosure on the Shanghai Stock ExchangeShanying International’s Response to the Regulatory Inquiry on Its 2025 Annual Report: Original Disclosure on the Shanghai Stock ExchangeSummary of Q&A from Shanying International’s 2025 Annual and First Quarter 2026 Earnings Briefing: Public Information from China Paper NetworkEnvironmental Impact Assessment Information for Shanying’s Central China 706,000-Metric-Ton Chemical Pulp Project: Public Environmental Impact Assessment SummaryStrategic Cooperation Between Shanying International and JD Industrials: Information from China Paper MagazineThis article is provided for industry research and general informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, business, or legal advice. The analysis of corporate strategy, competitiveness, and industry opportunities contains professional judgments based on publicly available information, does not represent official statements by the company, and does not imply any cooperation or product-adoption relationship. 2025 data are from the audited annual report; the first-quarter 2026 report is unaudited; the 2026 interim earnings forecast is a preliminary estimate and cannot substitute for the formal interim report. The 90% to 95% capacity utilization rate stated at the company’s earnings briefing is a point-in-time operating metric and does not equal an audited full-year average utilization rate. Designed capacity, company rankings, strategic targets, cooperation agreements, filings, and environmental assessments do not equal actual output, authoritative industry rankings, secured orders, completed commissioning, or commercial returns. Facts and compliance conclusions related to supply-chain financing follow the company’s inquiry response and the annual auditor’s review. Companies should conduct further verification based on formal exchange announcements, project approvals, actual operations, and specific application requirements. Information verified through August 9, 2026.",
            "date_published": "2026-08-12T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-12T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-12-shanying-intl/cms-image-8498c9e0a2dc4296.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-11-china-paper-leaders.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-11-china-paper-leaders.html",
            "title": "Why Is Lee & Man Paper Strong? It Has Turned Cost Advantage into a System",
            "summary": "Cost optimization is the objective; system-level control is the real capability.",
            "content_text": "CHINA PAPER LEADERS · NO.03Why Is Lee & Man Paper Strong? It Has Turned Cost Advantage into a SystemLooking Beyond the “Low-Cost” Label to Examine the Raw Materials, Energy, Production Bases, Product Mix, and Capital Efficiency Behind Every Metric Ton of PaperA genuine cost advantage does not come from buying one raw material cheaply or running one paper machine faster. It comes from organizing qualified fiber, energy and steam, equipment efficiency, logistics radius, product mix, and working capital simultaneously—making the full cost of every metric ton of qualified paper more controllable, margins more recoverable, and earnings more readily convertible into cash.A public summary of the China Paper Association’s 2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper Industry shows that national paper and paperboard output increased 3.74% year over year in 2025, while consumption rose 1.80%, meaning supply continued to grow faster than demand. Lee & Man Paper ranked third among key papermaking enterprises by output. For a company centered on packaging paper, scale remains important, but the real basis of industry differentiation has shifted from “whether it can produce” to “whether it can preserve reasonable marginal profitability under weak demand, raw-material volatility, and heavy-asset constraints.”In 2025, Lee & Man Paper recorded revenue of HK$26.642 billion, up 2.5% year over year, and profit for the year of HK$1.941 billion, up 43.0%. Profit attributable to ordinary shareholders was also approximately HK$1.941 billion, up 47.9%; the difference between the two growth rates mainly reflects approximately HK$45 million of 2024 profit attributable to holders of perpetual capital securities. Based on annual-report data, gross margin increased from approximately 11.97% to 14.62%, an improvement of 2.65 percentage points. External revenue from packaging paper grew only 0.4%, while corresponding segment profit increased approximately 65.5%. The combination of modest revenue growth and a pronounced release of profit elasticity is the first key to understanding Lee & Man Paper.In July 2026, the company issued a positive profit alert: for the six months ended June 30, 2026, it expected profit of approximately HK$1.33 billion to HK$1.39 billion, representing growth of approximately 64% to 71% from HK$811 million in the prior-year period. The announcement attributed the increase primarily to higher marginal profit for the Group. The company subsequently announced that its board would meet on August 3 to consider the interim results; as of this article’s verification date of August 9, 2026, no formal interim-results announcement had been found in searchable HKEX disclosures. This signal should therefore still be treated as a preliminary estimate based on unaudited management accounts and cannot substitute for full data on revenue, sales volume, profit per metric ton of paper, and cash flow.This article therefore does not equate “profit growth” directly with “every capability becoming stronger.” Instead, it asks a more industrially relevant question: how does Lee & Man Paper connect raw-material procurement, pulp-and-paper integration, energy and environmental infrastructure, cross-regional production bases, tissue paper, and capital discipline into a system that jointly influences cost per metric ton and marginal profit?FOUR NUMBERS · Four Key FiguresHK$26.642 Billion2025 Revenue Up 2.5% Year over YearHK$1.941 Billion2025 Profit Attributable to Ordinary Shareholders Up 47.9% Year over Year14.62%2025 Gross Margin Up 2.65 Percentage Points Year over YearHK$1.33–1.39 BillionEstimated Profit for the First Half of 2026 Up 64%–71% Year over YearScope note: HK$1.941 billion is stated on the basis of profit attributable to ordinary shareholders; on the consolidated income statement’s “profit for the year” basis, the year-over-year increase was 43.0%. Gross margin and its change are calculated from annual-report data. First-half 2026 data are from a positive profit alert and are preliminary and unaudited; as of the verification date of August 9, 2026, no formal interim-results announcement had been found.EVIDENCE LEVEL · Three Types of EvidenceResults Achieved: 2025 revenue, profit, segment performance, debt, and cash flow are drawn from the audited annual report.Preliminary Operating Signal: The first-half 2026 profit range comes from a positive profit alert and cannot yet be broken down into volume, price, cost, and cash contributions.Planning and Construction Indicators: The PM7 technical upgrade, the Guigang project, and future technology deployment are not counted as existing capacity or realized performance.ONE SENTENCE · Lee & Man Paper in One SentenceLee & Man Paper’s real strength is not that “one cost item is lower,” but that it links fiber, pulp, energy, paper machines, production bases, products, and capital—turning low cost from a temporary outcome into an ability to adjust continuously. This does not mean it has the industry’s lowest absolute cost in every period or for every product grade.CORE JUDGMENTBottom Line First: Lee & Man Paper’s Strength Lies in Its “System-Level Cost Capability”Lee & Man Paper’s competitiveness can be divided into six interlocking control dimensions:Full-Cost Management: Managing every metric ton of qualified paper rather than comparing only recovered-paper or wood-pulp purchase pricesPulp-and-Paper Optionality: Dynamically seeking a better mix among captive pulp, market pulp, and recovered fiberEnergy Infrastructure: Integrating steam, electricity, solid-waste treatment, and carbon constraints into one engineering systemNetworked Production Bases: Reshaping supply radii and risk boundaries through core Chinese markets and Southeast Asian production basesProduct Portfolio: Using packaging paper as the operating foundation while tissue paper and wood pulp reshape the profit mixCapital Discipline: Subjecting technical upgrades, debt, inventory, and cash flow to a common return-on-investment test01 · FULL COST SYSTEMLayer One: Cost Is Not the Purchase Price, but the Total Outcome of One Metric Ton of Qualified PaperThe most common mistake made by packaging-paper producers is to equate low cost with cheap recovered paper, lower coal prices, or large paper machines. True competitiveness is determined by the full cost of converting incoming raw materials—through sorting, pulping, stock preparation, papermaking, sizing, drying, rewinding, and transportation—into qualified products ready for delivery.Cost FormulaFull Cost per Metric Ton of Qualified Paper = Delivered Cost of Qualified Fiber + Energy and Steam + Chemicals + Process Losses and Yield + Depreciation and Maintenance + Logistics + Inventory and Working-Capital Costs.In 2025, the packaging-paper segment generated external revenue of HK$20.178 billion, up only 0.4% year over year, while segment profit increased from HK$766 million to HK$1.268 billion, a rise of approximately 65.5%. On this basis, segment profit as a percentage of external packaging-paper revenue increased from approximately 3.81% to 6.29%. “Segment profit” is not equivalent to gross profit or net profit, and publicly disclosed segment data are insufficient to attribute the improvement precisely among selling prices, raw materials, product mix, and manufacturing efficiency. At a minimum, however, the figures show that the profit recovery cannot be explained by revenue expansion alone and that marginal conditions in the packaging-paper business changed materially.The company disclosed net profit per metric ton of HK$257 for 2025. The value of this figure lies not in an isolated high-or-low comparison, but in showing the sensitivity of profit to cost per metric ton, selling prices, and product mix: for a company producing several million metric tons, a sustained improvement of several tens of HK dollars per metric ton can translate into profit on the scale of hundreds of millions of HK dollars.Lee & Man Paper’s cost capability should not be interpreted as “always having the lowest cost.” A more accurate description is that it has established multiple continuously adjustable cost levers, giving it a basis for restoring marginal profitability more quickly when industry prices and raw-material conditions change.02 · PULP OPTIONALITYLayer Two: The Value of Pulp-and-Paper Integration Is Not Maximizing Self-SufficiencyA simple aggregation of the eight production bases listed in the 2025 annual report indicates annual capacity of approximately 7.58 million metric tons of paper and paper products, 950,000 metric tons of wood pulp, and 1.2 million metric tons of tissue paper. Designed capacity is not actual output, but this structure shows that Lee & Man Paper’s wood-pulp operations are not an isolated external-sales business; they are an important raw-material platform for packaging paper and tissue paper.In 2025, external revenue from the wood-pulp segment declined 32.6% to HK$447 million, while intersegment sales still reached HK$1.913 billion. Looking only at external wood-pulp revenue therefore understates its contribution to internal supply stability, pulp furnish design, and industrial-chain profitability. A pulp mill’s strategic value often lies in internal substitution and risk buffering, not merely in external pulp sales.But “having captive pulp” does not automatically mean “having the lowest pulp cost.” Captive pulp still bears delivered wood-chip costs, yield, chemicals, energy, depreciation, operating-rate, and logistics costs. Professional pulp-and-paper integration should enable dynamic choices among captive pulp, purchased market pulp, and recovered fiber based on price differentials, fiber strength, cleanliness, paper-machine compatibility, and customer quality requirements.Lee & Man Paper’s annual report describes a strategy consistent with this balance: continuing to enhance vertical integration while optimizing pulp-line equipment and processes, and reducing exposure to raw-material price volatility through a combination of internal production and external procurement. Its moat is not closed-loop self-sufficiency, but a broader set of raw-material pathways and stronger switching capability.Professional JudgmentThe most valuable measure of pulp-and-paper integration is not the pulp self-sufficiency ratio alone, but “qualified-fiber optionality”: whether the company can continuously select a fiber mix with a lower full cost and lower supply risk without compromising quality.03 · ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURELayer Three: Energy and Environmental Management Are Part of the Manufacturing System, Not Back-Office CostsPaper machines require continuous, stable supplies of electricity and steam, while recovered-paper pulping generates plastic contaminants, pulp rejects, and sludge. For a large packaging-paper producer, energy prices, generating-unit efficiency, solid-waste disposal pathways, and environmental compliance are not four separate matters; together, they form an infrastructure network that affects both cost per metric ton and production continuity.Lee & Man Paper’s 2025 annual report states that the Group’s comprehensive energy consumption was below 0.34 metric tons of standard coal equivalent per metric ton of paper and that more than 80% of production water was recycled. These figures follow the company’s ESG reporting scope, but they help explain why energy management is an important component of its cost system: sustained reductions in unit consumption directly affect a paper machine’s ability to withstand low-price competition.The energy recovery of solid waste deserves particular attention. A 1,000-metric-ton-per-day solid-waste incineration line at Chongqing Lee & Man commenced operation in 2024. The annual report states that in 2025 it generated 116.418 million kWh of electricity and produced 1.039 million metric tons of high-pressure steam, while reducing raw-coal consumption by 44,900 metric tons and solid-waste discharge by 128,700 metric tons. These are disclosed annual operating results, not project-planning figures.The comprehensive waste-to-energy projects at the Guangdong and Malaysia production bases disclosed investments of RMB 350 million and RMB 300 million, respectively, together with their designed benefits. They convert waste residue, waste plastics, pulp rejects, sludge, and biogas into steam and electricity, theoretically reducing both purchased-energy requirements and end-of-pipe disposal pressure. Project economics must still account for investment, depreciation, operations and maintenance, emissions control, and fluctuations in feedstock heating value.Lee & Man Paper’s energy advantage does not mean that “environmental protection has no cost.” Rather, through combined heat and power, solid-waste energy recovery, energy-efficiency upgrades, and process control, it seeks to convert previously fragmented energy-procurement, waste-disposal, and compliance expenses into system costs that are more manageable and, where possible, recoverable.04 · SUPPLY RADIUSLayer Four: Eight Production Bases Are Not a Scale Collage, but a Supply-Radius DesignPackaging paper has relatively modest value per unit, is bulky, and is highly sensitive to transportation distance; logistics for both raw materials and finished products therefore materially affect delivered cost and customer responsiveness. Lee & Man Paper’s annual report lists eight production bases—Dongguan, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Chongqing, Jiangxi, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Chongzuo in Guangxi—forming an interconnected manufacturing network across South China, East China, Southwest China, Central China, and Southeast Asia.The domestic production bases are close to packaging consumption, corrugated-box converting, and manufacturing customers in China; Chongqing, Jiangxi, and Guangxi also provide different support points for pulp, tissue paper, and regional markets. The Vietnam and Malaysia bases together list approximately 1.95 million metric tons of annual paper and paper-products capacity, enabling Lee & Man Paper to serve Southeast Asia from more than its Chinese factories and providing a second supply radius under different raw-material, trade, and market environments.In 2025, approximately 84% of Lee & Man Paper’s revenue came from external customers in China, compared with approximately 89% in the prior year; the remainder came mainly from customers in Malaysia and Vietnam. The rising share of overseas revenue signals that regional production bases are beginning to translate into a market structure, but it also introduces management complexity involving cross-border procurement, foreign exchange, quality consistency, production-sales coordination, and local policy.More production bases do not automatically make a company stronger. The key to network capability is whether every base can secure suitable raw materials, maintain stable operating rates, reach economically viable customers, and reduce duplicate inventories and cross-regional backhauls. A production-base network forms a genuine cost moat only when gains in market responsiveness and logistics exceed organizational complexity.The Metrics That Truly Define a NetworkEvaluating a production-base layout requires more than counting factories and capacity. It also requires examining delivered raw-material costs, finished-product distribution radius, regional production-to-sales ratios, inter-base transfers, customer delivery cycles, and return on invested capital at each base.05 · PROFIT MIXLayer Five: Packaging Paper Is the Foundation, While Tissue Paper Is Reshaping the Profit MixIn 2025, packaging paper contributed 75.7% of Lee & Man Paper’s external revenue and remained its absolute core. Tissue-paper revenue was HK$6.017 billion, up 15.1% year over year, representing 22.6% of external revenue; external wood-pulp revenue accounted for approximately 1.7%. By revenue structure, Lee & Man Paper remains a company built on packaging grades such as linerboard and corrugating medium.The profit structure, however, is no longer identical to the revenue structure. Tissue-paper segment profit reached HK$1.063 billion, up 12.9% year over year and representing approximately 43.7% of aggregate profit across the three segments, based on annual-report data; packaging paper accounted for approximately 52.2%. Tissue paper generated more than 40% of segment profit on less than one-quarter of revenue, showing that it is no longer a peripheral business but an important pillar of Lee & Man Paper’s profit portfolio.Tissue paper has different demand patterns, brand channels, and price-formation mechanisms from industrial packaging paper and can reduce exposure to a single packaging-paper cycle. Packaging paper provides the foundation for scale manufacturing, customer networks, and cash turnover, while wood pulp supplies fiber internally. Together, the three form a portfolio combining “industrial-product scale + consumer-product value + upstream raw materials.”A portfolio does not provide an automatic hedge. In 2025, tissue-paper segment profit grew more slowly than revenue. Based on annual-report data, segment profit as a percentage of external revenue edged down from approximately 18.01% to 17.66%. Consumer businesses must also bear the requirements of branding, channels, promotion, finished-goods inventory, and quality consistency, so long-term competitiveness cannot be explained by capacity expansion alone.The advantage of Lee & Man Paper’s product structure is not that “more businesses are always safer,” but whether different businesses can share pulp, energy, manufacturing, and supply-chain capabilities while preserving their own customer value and returns on capital.06 · CAPITAL DISCIPLINELayer Six: Technical Upgrades and Capital Discipline Must Generate Higher Returns from Every Metric TonPublic filing and environmental-assessment information in 2026 indicates that Guangdong Lee & Man plans to invest RMB 720 million in an in-situ technical upgrade of its PM7 line, with a filing-period construction schedule from June 2026 to June 2027. According to an industry summary of publicly available environmental-impact-assessment application materials, capacity would remain at 300,000 metric tons per year before and after the upgrade, while the proposed basis-weight range would shift from 120–250 g/m² to 60–160 g/m². The project would also upgrade systems including machine width, operating speed, stock screening, the headbox, and film-transfer sizing. These items are project plans, not realized upgrade results.The most important feature of this kind of project is that “capacity remains unchanged.” Rather than pursuing growth through additional nominal tonnage, it seeks to improve product fit and asset output per metric ton through lower basis weight, higher quality, greater efficiency, and lower energy consumption. If customers can reduce packaging-paper basis weight while meeting compression-strength, burst-strength, ring-crush, and converting requirements, value may shift from “price per metric ton” to “material cost and performance per box.”The capital position also improved. In 2025, Lee & Man Paper’s total finance costs, including capitalized amounts, declined from HK$935 million to HK$736 million; bank borrowings fell from HK$21.982 billion to HK$21.006 billion; the net gearing ratio, as defined in the annual report, decreased from 0.73 to 0.63; and net cash generated from operating activities rose from HK$426 million to HK$3.520 billion.Cash-flow improvement cannot be assessed from one headline figure alone. In 2025, operating cash flow before changes in working capital was HK$2.673 billion, up approximately 24.8% year over year. Final operating cash flow was also supported by a HK$952 million decrease in inventories, a HK$162 million decrease in receivables and prepayments, and a HK$674 million increase in accounts payable as presented in the cash-flow statement. Collections improved, with trade-receivable turnover days shortening from 47 to 41 days.One distinction is particularly important: the “HK$952 million decrease in inventories” shown in the cash-flow statement cannot be interpreted directly as a decline in the period-end inventory balance; inventory on the balance sheet actually increased from HK$4.419 billion to HK$4.822 billion. Public financial statements do not fully disaggregate the bridging factors between the two measures. At the same time, raw-material and finished-goods inventory turnover days increased from 54 and 14 days to 60 and 18 days, respectively, while accounts-payable turnover days extended from 43 to 61 days. This indicates that part of the cash-flow improvement coincided with slower inventory turnover and longer supplier payment terms.Together, these figures support a more complete judgment:Lee & Man Paper’s profitability, debt position, and cash position are improving, but raw-material and finished-goods inventory efficiency, supplier payment terms, and returns from technical upgrades still require continued observation. Genuine capital discipline means simultaneous improvement in margins, inventory, payables, debt, and free cash flow—not reliance on any single indicator.2026 CHANGE SIGNALSSix Recent Developments Are Redefining Lee & Man Paper’s Cost BoundariesMarch 2026 | Profit Recovery Confirmed by the Annual Report2025 revenue increased 2.5%, while profit attributable to ordinary shareholders rose 47.9% (profit for the year increased 43.0%). The packaging-paper segment significantly restored profit while revenue remained broadly flat, indicating at a minimum that the operating improvement cannot be explained by scale expansion alone. The contribution of individual factors still requires more granular volume, price, and cost data.March–July 2026 | PM7 Shifts from “More Tons” to “Better Tons”The RMB 720 million technical upgrade would keep annual capacity unchanged at 300,000 metric tons while shifting toward lower-basis-weight, high-grade kraft linerboard and upgrading stock preparation, papermaking, and automatic-control systems. The project is currently at the filing and public environmental-assessment stage and cannot be described in advance as completed.2026 Operating Direction | Automation and Artificial Intelligence Enter Manufacturing ProcessesIn its annual report, the company states that it will actively deploy automation, artificial intelligence, and other technologies to optimize production processes and workflows and advance power-station technology upgrades. This shows that smart manufacturing has entered its cost-reduction framework, but quantified results in cycle time, energy consumption, quality, and labor efficiency are still needed.May–June 2026 | Guigang Project Enters Equipment InstallationPublic information from Guigang indicates that the “Guigang Lee & Man Paper Project” has planned total investment of RMB 27.5 billion. Phase I has planned investment of RMB 10 billion for 1 million metric tons of bleached chemical pulp and 800,000 metric tons of high-grade tissue paper and related products; Phase II has planned investment of RMB 17.5 billion for bio-based, biodegradable high-end new materials. Equipment installation for Phase I began in May, with production expected in mid-2027. The project is not among the eight production bases listed in Lee & Man Paper’s 2025 annual report, so this article does not include the planned capacity in the listed company’s existing capacity. Formal disclosure is still needed to confirm how the project’s investment, assets, and earnings would be included in the listed company’s consolidated reporting scope.July 2026 | Marginal Profit Continues to Rise in the First HalfThe positive profit alert forecasts a 64% to 71% year-over-year increase in first-half profit, explicitly attributing the increase to higher marginal profit. The company announced that its board would meet on August 3 to consider the interim results; as of this article’s verification date of August 9, no formal results announcement had been found. Subsequent results must establish whether the improvement came from selling prices, raw materials, product mix, output, expenses, or a combination of factors.2026–2028 | Overseas Sales Interfaces Become More InstitutionalizedA continuing connected-transaction announcement sets annual caps under the packaging-paper agreement for 2026, 2027, and 2028 at HK$279.8 million, HK$542.3 million, and HK$569.4 million, respectively. Transactions will be conducted through individual orders, and neither party is subject to an exclusive-dealing obligation. The annual caps are not secured orders, sales commitments, or revenue forecasts. Their value lies in providing an institutionalized interface for overseas sales and leveraging the cost and location advantages of the Malaysia and Vietnam production bases—not in recognizing revenue in advance.CONCLUSIONCost Optimization Is the Objective; System-Level Control Is the CapabilityLee & Man Paper’s true strength does not lie in having a permanently fixed lowest cost, but in breaking cost into manageable variables: how fiber is selected, where pulp comes from, how energy is recovered, how far production bases reach, how products are combined, how paper machines are upgraded, and how capital turns over.When these variables work together, a modest change in revenue can release much greater profit elasticity. When one link becomes unbalanced, the operating load of pulp mills, energy facilities, overseas production bases, tissue-paper channels, and inventory capital can simultaneously amplify complexity. This is the real boundary where “system advantage” and “heavy-asset risk” coexist.Five questions will determine whether Lee & Man Paper can continue to strengthen:Will the 2026 interim profit forecast translate into simultaneous improvements in sales volume, profit per metric ton of paper, and operating cash flow?Can the PM7 upgrade achieve its quality-consistency, customer-qualification, and energy-consumption targets for lower-basis-weight products?Can tissue paper maintain its high profit contribution without erosion from channel expenses and inventory?Can the overseas production bases and the Guigang-related project generate clear market, capital, and consolidated-reporting returns?As debt declines, can raw-material inventory, finished-goods inventory, and supplier payment terms return together to more favorable levels?Lee & Man Paper’s deepest competitiveness lies in turning “cheap” into an engineering system, cost into controllable variables, and controllable cost into profit resilience and market optionality.NEXT ISSUE · Series PreviewNext: Why Is Shanying International Strong? It Actually Operates a Circular Network“China Paper Leaders Case Study Series” goes beyond basic company profiles to continuously analyze the resource, cost, product, management, and industrial-chain capabilities of leading paper companies.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NotesChina Paper Association, 2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper Industry: Industry Operations and Key Enterprise InformationLee & Man Paper 2025 Annual Report: Original HKEX DisclosureLee & Man Paper 2026 Interim Positive Profit Alert: Original HKEX DisclosureLee & Man Paper Notice of Board Meeting for the 2026 Interim Results: Original HKEX DisclosureLee & Man Paper Production Bases and Capacity Layout: Company WebsiteGuangdong Lee & Man PM7 Production-Line Technical-Upgrade Filing: Summary from the Guangdong Online Investment Project Approval and Supervision PlatformPublic-Participation Notice for the Guangdong Lee & Man PM7 Environmental Impact Report: Technical Summary from the Original Page of the Dongguan Environmental Protection Industry AssociationConstruction Progress of the Guigang Lee & Man Paper Project: Guigang Daily · Guigang News Network2026–2028 Packaging-Paper Agreement: Original HKEX DisclosureThis article is provided for industry research and general informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, business, or legal advice. Its analysis of corporate strategy, competitiveness, and industry opportunities contains professional judgments based on publicly available information, does not represent official statements by the company, and does not imply any cooperation or product-adoption relationship. 2025 data are from the audited annual report; the 2026 interim profit forecast consists of preliminary unaudited data. Designed capacity, planned investment, filing, environmental assessment, equipment installation, and expected commissioning dates do not equal actual output, effective capacity, completed commissioning, or commercial returns. The Guigang project is a locally disclosed project development and is not among the eight production bases listed in Lee & Man Paper’s 2025 annual report. Available public information is insufficient to confirm how all of its investment, assets, and earnings would be included in the consolidated reporting scope of the Hong Kong-listed company. Companies should conduct further verification based on formal announcements, project approvals, actual commissioning, and specific application requirements. Information verified through August 9, 2026.Read Original",
            "date_published": "2026-08-11T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-11T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-11-china-paper-leaders/cms-image-e5f3c5cfc8acb5ef.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-11-packaging-second-life.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-11-packaging-second-life.html",
            "title": "After the Coffee, the Cup Can Grow: BIOTEN Gives Coffee Cups a Second Life",
            "summary": "The industry is discussing materials substitution.BIOTENI'm doing my job.",
            "content_text": "PACKAGING SECAND LIFE... 2026When the coffee is finished, The cups begin to grow.Recovering is just the entrance. Second value is the second value.BIOTENThe idea of balance. A cup of coffee is finished, and the cup's full-time mission ends. For packaging, the real problem begins: where it goes next, can it continue to create value in a controlled system?Paper fibres themselves have the ability to enter biological cycles andcompostableMaterial potential. Traditional PE lymphs provide reliable waterproofing, but they also combine fibres with persistent polymers into composite structures, often a key barrier to complete paper cups entering organic treatment pathways.BIOTENPackaging is therefore rethinking not just “for a different coating”, but rather: how long should the barrier work and when should it be withdrawn?Use Assigned BIOTEN PHA The cup of coffee paper with a water barrier system is first carried to drink; it is processed in accordance with the regulations and then fed into stable coffee slag complexes and suitable seed.BIOTENPackaging will be less than30 The sky is set as a target window for physical collapse and structural looseness, with seedlings subsequently replanted with the cup and the cup continues to undergo subsequent biotransformation under suitable conditions.This is not to make the cup disappear faster, but to get it into the next life after every task.BIOTENPackaging gives \"second life of coffee paper cups\": instead of recycling as the end of a story, it is designed to pre-design a second functional cycle from materials, cups, doorways, seedlings to terminals.01 ..whoo nawThe industry is discussing materials substitution.BIOTENI'm doing my job.National Development Reform Commission 2026 The “15th Five-Year Plan” for the ETC, published in the year, puts production, consumption, recycling, and use into the same chain. For the packaging industry, our judgement is that there is a sustainable competition, moving from “change one material” to “designing the path after use.” We have clear from the design source how value can continue to be created and systematically solved after use.* The present document is being issued without formal editing. 30 Billions of glasses.Global coffee day consumption estimates* The present document is being issued without formal editing. 1,140 Tonnes.Global annual production estimates of coffee slag10,336 Home.Shanghai 2025 Coffee shop, yearSource: International Coffee Organization; Shanghai Municipal Government website. Data on the size of material flows and the density of the shop site do not equal the results of the project.The larger the scale, the more an implementable and traceable system is needed, rather than a moving green imagination.The coffee gate thus became a high-density entry to the paper cup, coffee slag, consumers and nursery scenes.A paper cup, A cup of coffee. A coffee slag, a seed, together with the functional relay from consumption to growth. This would be a meaningful innovation.The true closed ring must answer: Where does the cup come from, how is it handled, how the seedlings grow and can the paper cup compose?02 • FOUR GATESA paper cup. How to make four transformations.01From paper-based potential to a full cup.Lock the paper base,BIOTEN PHA Water barrier systems, ink, light oil and processing structures, let's say:compostableDesigned to correspond to a clear cup, not to refer to all paper cups in general.02The ginseng is from drinking containers to seedlings.After drinking, dehydrated coffee slags and composite seed nutrients, suitable seeds and conservation programmes are loaded.03From barrier to structural reliefThe cup is used in the pre-generation phase to support seedlings using its holding and hydrologic management capabilities; it gradually moves into structural transformation as watertime, temperature and root growth progress.04The platinum is from seeding containers to the moving plant.30Within days, the target is to start wet-state intensity decline, fibrous lysing or local cracking into a structural transformation window suitable for changing cups that will enable them to grow. Survival rates have increased significantly.30Day is not a degradation endpoint, but a functional shift.Here's \"starting a breakup\" for initial physical structural changes, not equal to 30 Day complete.biodegradationOr finish composting.03 ..Function RELAYA paper cup. Why do you want to get your performance out of time?STAGE 01 :: Drinking loadsThe necessary barrier is stable and the cup is used normally.STAGE 02 :: Producing children• Water management. Root zone balance.STAGE 03 • Planting with seedlingsPhysical collapse. Root stretching. Follow into biodegradation composting.The collapse is too early to complete the seedlings; it is too late to break, which may limit the root system from continuing. The real technical difficulty is to align the cup ' s structural transformation window with the seeding migration window as much as possible.BIOTEN PHA The value of the water barrier system is not to add an “environmental label” to the paper cup, but rather to PHA Water-based membrane routes replace traditional PE lymphine and provide engineering base for drinking resistance, post-supplier structural transformation and use of organic treatment pathways.METARIAL EVIDENCE - Material Level EvidenceOverdraft BIOTEN PHA Barrier Coating gotBPI home compostablePainting authentication.It's for the whole cup.compostableDesign to provide evidence of material layers.The barrier is not the longer it lasts, but rather the reliable and the quit.04 • STORE CO-CREATIONThe coffee shop is a co-founder, and it's the starting point for second life.01I'll be right back.After the designated cups have been regulated, they form a seedling gift with a combination of stable coffee slag matrix, suitable seeds and maintenance cards to allow a coffee to continue growing in the family.02 | Centralized cultivation · Recommended first roundThe doormans are directed to collect designated cups that are treated, planted and nurtured by the seedling partners in a unified manner; seedlings are used for community, school or brand green operations and can be reviewed for seedling data.03A glass of wine.Customers can participate in the filling of complex matrices and seeding, as well as receive pre-bred nursery cups or branded seedling kits that allow the doorman to experience from drinking to real growth.For coffee brands, this is not an additional environmental gift but rather a biocycle path that allows cups, coffee slags, seeds and customers to be experienced, documented and replicable in the same scene.05 ..Patent PortfolioFrom an idea to a whole set of engineering practicesA paper cup spanning materials, cups, transformation processes, seedling applications and follow-up paths, we use system thinking to create peacekeeping operations to facilitate the operation of this system.7 The patenting of related inventions,7 I've got a copy of the invention authorization bulletin.Cup conversionPaper cup secondary use and seedling package (CN121694147B)Candour-ceramic reformurance packagingsCoffee slags.Paper cups in conjunction with coffee slag, C.C.121694148BPHA Blocking and structural transformationPHA Contracted Puncture Co-operative Cups (CN121713790B)PHA Water-resistant pulp modeling plant (CN121730120B)Root and Terminal PathThe gas-guiding engine is responsible for the collapse of the seedling container.compostablebiodegradableThe nursery-based system is CN121694145BThe technology layout shows that it is being systematized, not a temporary idea.06 . VERIFY THE PILOTThe time logic of the material becomes re-readable growth dataFIRST PILOT . Minimum Authentication Unit1 Cup-type thug lock complete BOM and structure1 The sub-species are targeting the seedling cycle.1 Set of cytosone locking process versus match1–3 stores | Validate before expandingCoffee chain brands. You can apply for the project.CONTINOUUS RECORD. Continuous recordsDay 0 • The media 7 • The media 14 • The media 21 • The media 30 • The media 45 Emergence and seedlings Water accumulation and molding Wet strength Fibre loose and partially cracked . Physical collapse start time The roots are piercing, the cups are moving and the plants are moving. The whole cup will fall.biodegradationAnd composting processThe test was not to question the route, but rather to clarify the applicable boundaries of cups, seeds, matrices, water-fed and transplanted windows so that they could truly be replicated.The ectomy reduces the decupancy and root disturbance, with a mechanical value to increase the stability of the transcide; it increases by more or less drawing data from the comparison of the cups with the decouples.07 • CO-CREATE THE SYSTEMLet the packagings out of function and start to connect with the growth of young seedlings.BIOTENPackagings invite coffee chains and catering brands, paper and cup companies, seedling partners, testing and composting certification partners to launch a reviewable shop pilot.Coffee chain and catering brandDefines the doorman's operation and customer experience.Paper and Cup EnterprisesLock paper foundations, coatings, ink, glue and whole cup structure.Growling partnerVerify seeds, matrices, water pouring, roots and shifting windows.Test and composting test partnerVerify physical collapse, complete cupcompostableConditions and ecological security.When materials, cups, seedlings and composting conditions are validated on the same time line, a second life of a paper cup is no longer a green event but becomes an industrial capacity that can be replicated across shops, brands and plantations.Coffee is finished and the cups are growing. Quit the mission and keep moving.Let the end of a paper cup be the starting point for industrial collaboration and innovation.BIOTENThe mission of packaging to create a more sustainable paper-based green future.",
            "date_published": "2026-08-11T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-11T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-11-packaging-second-life/cms-image-cfe4ca577a9a9aab.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-11-sunpaper.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-11-sunpaper.html",
            "title": "Why Is Sun Paper So Strong? The Answer Lies in a Single Fiber",
            "summary": "A look through the forest–pulp–paper chain at how one fiber is converted into cost advantages, product value, innovation, and returns on capital.",
            "content_text": "CHINA PAPER LEADERS · NO.02Why Is Sun Paper Strong? The Answer Lies in a Single FiberLooking Through the “Forest–Pulp–Paper” Chain to Decode How a Single Fiber Is Allocated into Cost, Products, Innovation, and Capital ReturnsOwning forestland, pulp mills, and paper machines only proves that the industrial chain is longer; true forest-pulp-paper integration lies in determining where a fiber should be pulped, what type of pulp it should become, which paper grade it should enter, which market it should serve, and ultimately how it can generate better cash returns.In the China Paper Association’s 2025 production ranking of key enterprises, Sun Holdings ranked second. During the same period, under National Bureau of Statistics reporting, output of machine-made paper and paperboard increased 2.9% year over year, while operating revenue of paper and paper products enterprises above designated size declined 2.6% and total profit fell 13.6%. Against this backdrop of “higher volume but lower profit,” listed company Sun Paper recorded operating revenue of RMB 39.192 billion, down 3.77% year over year, while net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent increased 4.82% to RMB 3.251 billion; 8 paper machines and 3 pulp lines also commenced production during the year.This contrast indicates that Sun Paper has strong cost and operational resilience, but it should not be simplistically interpreted as evidence that “all aspects of operations are improving.” Its 2025 net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent excluding non-recurring gains and losses was RMB 3.192 billion, down 1.33% year over year; lower paper selling prices, concurrent declines in raw material costs, lean cost reduction, lower finance expenses, and changes in non-recurring gains and losses collectively affected final profit. The focus of professional analysis is not merely that profit reached a record high, but which capabilities generated that profit and whether they are sustainable.Three statistical scopes must also be aligned first: the China Paper Association’s key-enterprise ranking uses the “Sun Holdings” group scope; the 8.14 million metric tons of output and 7.99 million metric tons of sales disclosed in Sun Paper’s annual report are based on the listed company’s paper products scope; and the more than 14 million metric tons at year-end refers to combined annual pulp and paper production capacity. The group versus the listed company, output versus sales, and paper capacity versus total pulp-and-paper capacity answer different questions and cannot be added together or substituted for one another.Looking beyond these figures, Sun Paper’s most research-worthy capability becomes increasingly clear: rather than simply extending its industrial chain upstream, it organizes multiple fiber sources, pulp grades, paper grades, and markets across its three major production bases in Shandong, Guangxi, and Laos, directing resource value as much as possible toward the products and applications where it is best suited.FOUR NUMBERS · Four Key Figures14 Million Metric Tons+Annual Pulp and Paper Production Capacity As of Year-End 20258.14 Million Metric TonsPaper Products Output 2025, Listed Company Scope7.99 Million Metric TonsPaper Products Sales Volume Up 6.39% Year over YearRMB 3.251 BillionNet Profit Attributable to Shareholders of the Parent Up 4.82% Year over YearNote: Annual pulp and paper production capacity, paper products output, and sales volume are different metrics; more than 14 million metric tons of capacity does not mean that an equivalent volume of paper products was actually produced during the year.ONE SENTENCE · Sun Paper in One SentenceForest-pulp-paper integration is Sun Paper’s industrial model; its deeper operating capability lies in allocating different fibers across different pulp grades, paper grades, production bases, and markets, while continuously optimizing total cost and product value through industry cycles.CORE JUDGMENTBottom Line First: Sun Paper’s Strength Lies in “Fiber Value Allocation”Sun Paper’s competitiveness is not a single linear advantage, but the interlocking effect of six capabilities:Fiber economics: securing optionality in cost and quality through multiple raw materials and pulp gradesNetworked production bases: positioning resources, manufacturing, logistics, and markets where each fits bestProduct portfolio: diversifying single-cycle risk across multiple paper grades and applicationsReplicable engineering execution: completing large-scale projects on schedule and rapidly converting them into effective capacityInnovation commercialization: connecting fiber utilization, functional materials, and digital operationsCapital discipline: ultimately subjecting new assets to cash flow and return-on-capital tests01 · FIBER ECONOMICSLayer One: Controlling Raw Materials Is Not the End Goal; Securing Fiber Optionality IsWhen paper companies discuss forest-pulp-paper integration, they can easily fall into the misconception that “owning upstream resources necessarily means lower costs.” A genuine cost advantage must be validated collectively through delivered wood-chip cost, fiber yield, cooking and bleaching efficiency, chemical and energy consumption, depreciation, logistics, operating rates, and the substitution capability of pulp quality.In Sun Paper’s 2025 operating costs for pulp and paper products, raw materials accounted for 78.36% and energy and utilities for 10.43%, together approaching 90%. This means that systematic improvements in raw materials, pulping, energy, and furnish formulation can affect cost per metric ton of paper more profoundly than isolated savings; it also means that even with captive pulp production, the advantage can still be weakened if wood-chip costs, pulp yield, or equipment utilization are unfavorable.Sun Paper’s value lies in configuring more than one type of fiber or pulp. Chemical pulp, chemi-mechanical pulp, dissolving pulp, unbleached pulp, and recycled fiber each provide different combinations of strength, bulk, cleanliness, brightness, processability, and cost. The coexistence of multiple pulp grades and multiple types of paper machines enables the company to redirect fibers according to paper-grade performance requirements, raw material price spreads, and market changes.Professional AssessmentSun Paper’s raw-material moat should not be described solely in terms of “self-sufficiency.” A more accurate metric is fiber optionality: while maintaining product performance, can the company substitute and combine captive pulp, market pulp, recycled fiber, and different pulp grades at a lower total cost of qualified fiber?02 · THREE-BASE NETWORKLayer Two: The Three Major Production Bases Are Not a Geographic Layout, but a Division of Labor Across the Value ChainThe significance of the three major production bases in Shandong, Guangxi, and Laos is not to replicate the same factory three times, but to position different stages closer to the most suitable resources, infrastructure, customers, and markets.Shandong Base The Shandong base has accumulated capabilities in headquarters management, R&D, established products, customer service, and high-end paper grades, covering products including printing and writing paper, coated packaging paperboard, industrial packaging paper, tissue, dissolving pulp, and specialty paper; the Yanzhou, Yandian, and Zoucheng Honghe industrial parks also provide differentiated industrial capacity.Guangxi Base Driven by the dual industrial parks in Beihai and Nanning, the Guangxi base is closer to seaborne wood chips, the South China consumer market, and routes to Southeast Asia. Growth in paper products output and sales in 2025 came mainly from new capacity in Nanning; the Nanning quality-and-efficiency enhancement project approved for advancement in 2026 further aligns captive unbleached pulp and specialty paper within the same industrial park.Laos Base Sun Paper began developing its integrated forest-pulp-paper operations in Laos in 2008, with the base serving long-term raw material resources and cross-border supply-chain functions. Its strategic value lies not only in supplying wood chips or wood pulp, but also in adding depth to the company’s resource sourcing; at the same time, it must contend with variables including forest cultivation cycles, cross-border logistics, exchange rates, and local policies.Sun Paper’s overseas sales revenue increased 82.99% in 2025, but still accounted for only 3.61% of total revenue. This indicates that “rapid overseas expansion” has begun to show a growth signal, but the company remains at an early stage of transitioning from a domestic leader toward a more balanced global sales structure. Whether the three major production bases can be further converted into overseas customers, stable channels, and localized services will be an important test in the next stage.The true synergy among the three major production bases is not about maximizing internal transaction volume, but about placing each link where overall cost and market responsiveness are superior: resources close to their origins, pulp lines matched with paper machines, paper machines close to customers, and R&D and service close to high-value applications.03 · PRODUCT PORTFOLIOLayer Three: Multiple Products Are Not About “More Categories,” but Multiple Value CurvesSun Paper has established three major business segments—industrial paper, biomass-based new materials, and fast-moving consumer goods—and a long-term “4-3-3” strategy. It is important to clarify that “4-3-3” refers to a target future profit mix, not a revenue, capacity, or profit mix that has already been achieved.In 2025, kraft linerboard generated revenue of RMB 11.374 billion, accounting for 29.02% of total revenue, up 4.05% year over year, with a gross margin of 17.71%; uncoated woodfree paper generated RMB 8.197 billion, down 8.53% year over year, with a gross margin of 10.59%; coated paper generated RMB 3.805 billion, down 7.92% year over year; tissue generated RMB 2.699 billion, up 33.47% year over year; and dissolving pulp generated RMB 2.908 billion, down 29.06% year over year.These figures reveal the real value of a product portfolio: it cannot eliminate cycles, but it can shift the company from exposure to a single cycle toward a dynamic balance across multiple curves spanning printing and writing paper, packaging paper, tissue, specialty paper, and biomass-based materials. When pricing for one paper grade comes under pressure, other categories may provide support through sales volume, gross margin, or cash flow.Diversification also has limits. Different paper machines, pulp lines, and customer qualifications cannot be switched without constraint, and greater product complexity raises the requirements for R&D, quality consistency, sales organization, inventory management, and technical service. Sun Paper’s true product capability therefore lies not merely in “being able to make many kinds of paper,” but in creating stable alignment among fibers, equipment, and customer requirements.What Really MattersProduct-mix upgrading should be evaluated against four outcomes simultaneously: the revenue share of high-value products, unit gross profit, customer qualification and repeat purchasing, and effective capacity utilization across different machines. A new category is more than a product name in financial disclosures only when it can be “sold consistently and generate reasonable returns.”04 · PROJECT EXECUTIONLayer Four: Completing Construction Is Only the First Step; Rapidly Converting It into Effective Capacity Is the Real BarrierIn 2025, projects including Sun Paper’s Nanning Phase II, Yandian specialty paper, and Yanzhou dissolving pulp relocation and upgrade collectively brought 8 paper machines and 3 pulp lines into operation. At Nanning, the two high-grade packaging paper lines PM11 and PM12 commenced production in August and October, respectively, while four tissue parent-roll lines, PM16 through PM19, were successively commissioned in November. In January 2026, PM43 under Phase II of the 140,000-metric-ton Yandian specialty paper project also commenced production.The concentrated commissioning schedule demonstrates Sun Paper’s foundation in large-scale project organization, equipment commissioning, and cross-base replication, but “commissioning” does not equal “reaching design capacity,” much less “meeting profitability targets.” After a paper machine starts up, it must still progress through furnish optimization, speed ramp-up, yield improvement, quality stabilization, customer onboarding, and order ramp-up; this entire process determines whether nameplate capacity can become effective capacity.As of the information verification date, the Yandian 600,000-metric-ton bleached chemical pulp and supporting chemical recovery project and the 700,000-metric-ton high-grade packaging paper project remain subject to the publicly stated schedule of “planned trial production in the third quarter of 2026,” with no formal confirmation of trial production identified to date; the Nanning 500,000-metric-ton unbleached chemical wood pulp and 600,000-metric-ton specialty paper project has a planned construction period of approximately 18 months and targets trial production in the fourth quarter of 2027. Planning, environmental impact assessment, construction commencement, trial production, and achievement of design capacity must be described separately.Project Execution AssessmentProject execution should not be judged solely by start-up dates, but also by ramp-up periods, unit consumption, Grade A product yield, order coverage, inventory changes, and project returns on capital. Sun Paper’s paper products inventory increased to 430,000 metric tons in 2025, up 53.57% year over year; the annual report attributed the increase mainly to the commissioning of the Nanning capacity. This is both a natural consequence of new-capacity ramp-up and a variable that production-sales coordination must continue to absorb in 2026.05 · INNOVATION SYSTEMLayer Five: Innovation Is Not a Laboratory Outcome, but a Means of Increasing the Value of the Entire FiberSun Paper’s innovation logic can be divided into three tracks: improving raw material utilization efficiency, extending fibers into higher-value materials, and using digitalization to improve cross-base operating efficiency.On the raw-material side, at the end of June 2026, the company’s invention patent, “A Method for Large-Scale Production of Semi-Chemical Pulp Using Forestry Waste,” entered the public notice of projects proposed to receive the Excellence Award of the 26th China Patent Awards. The technology uses forestry waste, miscellaneous wood, panel-processing offcuts, and other materials to produce unbleached high-yield pulp. Its value lies not merely in “waste utilization,” but in providing a new source of strength fiber for packaging paper and reducing dependence on a single source of high-strength recycled fiber. Because the result was still under public notice at the time, the accurate wording is “selected as a proposed award recipient,” rather than expanding the statement to imply that the final award had already been granted.On the materials side, R&D projects disclosed in the annual report include green preparation of micro- and nanocellulose, high-barrier biodegradable environmentally friendly coated paper, high-strength packaging paper and wet-strength technology, and acetylation-grade eucalyptus natural cellulose. In July 2026, the environmental impact assessment documents for Sun Honghe’s 450,000-metric-ton natural cellulose technical upgrade project entered the acceptance-publication stage, with planned products including high-purity natural cellulose and medium-Kappa unbleached pulp. The core signal is that the same fiber platform is simultaneously seeking higher-value outlets in biomass-based materials and high-grade packaging pulp.On the operations side, the company’s “Development of an Intelligent Production Scheduling and Product Dispatching System for the Papermaking Industry” was selected as a 2025 digital transformation exemplary case by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. In June 2026, a patent application jointly filed by Sun Paper and three affiliated companies for an “Automated Quality Inspection Method and System for Papermaking Wood-Chip Samples Based on Image Recognition” was published, with a technical approach covering identification of wood-chip types, bark, foreign matter, and grades. The former optimizes cross-process coordination from orders to logistics, while the latter moves digitalization upstream to incoming fiber quality control; however, publication of a patent application does not mean that a patent has been granted, nor does it establish that the relevant system has been deployed at scale.For an enterprise operating multiple production bases, machines, and specifications, the value of artificial intelligence and industrial data is not as a technology label, but in reducing raw material quality variability, grade-change losses, inventory tied up, and logistics redundancy, thereby further converting “fiber optionality” into a quantifiable and schedulable operating capability.Sun Paper’s innovation barrier must ultimately be measured by commercialization outcomes: how much saleable value is generated per metric ton of wood, how many stable orders emerge from R&D projects, and how much grade-change, inventory, and logistics loss digital systems eliminate. Patents, research projects, and case studies are signals of capability; they are not equivalent to realized commercial revenue.06 · CAPITAL DISCIPLINELayer Six: The Endgame of Capital-Intensive Expansion Must Be Cash Flow and Returns on CapitalAt year-end 2025, Sun Paper’s fixed assets reached RMB 39.754 billion, accounting for 67.85% of total assets; net cash outflow from investing activities was RMB 7.888 billion, widening 42.12% year over year; short-term borrowings were RMB 7.978 billion and long-term borrowings RMB 8.934 billion, totaling approximately RMB 16.912 billion. The debt-to-asset ratio was 47.75%, still within a generally manageable range, but the addition of new capacity has clearly increased the importance of asset utilization efficiency.Net cash flow from operating activities was RMB 4.956 billion in 2025, still above net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent, but down 41.69% year over year. In the first quarter of 2026, operating cash flow recovered to RMB 819 million, increasing sharply from a low base; however, net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent excluding non-recurring gains and losses increased only 0.35% year over year, while notes receivable and accounts receivable increased 26.54% from year-end 2025. The cash-flow recovery is a positive signal, but it must still be assessed together with core earnings, collections, inventory, and investment in new projects; a single quarter cannot substitute for full-year free cash flow and a complete project cycle.Under the 2026 restricted stock incentive plan, an initial grant of 59.65 million shares was made to 1,468 incentive recipients. Using 2025 net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent excluding non-recurring gains and losses as the base, the performance conditions require growth rates of no less than 10%, 20%, and 30% in 2026, 2027, and 2028, respectively. The 20% and 30% figures are both cumulative increases relative to the 2025 base, not separate year-over-year growth rates of 20% and 30% in each respective year. The use of adjusted net profit as the performance metric also means that organizational incentives are more directly tied to delivery by the core business.Over the next two years, the quality of Sun Paper’s expansion should be assessed primarily against five metrics:First, the time required for new paper machines and pulp lines to reach design capacity and their effective capacity utilization rates;Second, the interaction among paper inventory, accounts receivable, and operating cash flow;Third, the revenue and gross-profit contributions of specialty paper, functional paper, and biomass-based new materials;Fourth, the total cost of captive pulp, quality substitution rate, and pulp-paper balance;Fifth, whether free cash flow and return on invested capital can improve after capital expenditure intensity declines.2026 CHANGE SIGNALSSix Latest Signals Point to the Same Capability UpgradeJanuary 2026 | Specialty Paper Continues to Come OnstreamPM43 under Phase II of the 140,000-metric-ton Yandian specialty paper project commenced production, further strengthening the Shandong base’s platform for high-end and differentiated products.March 2026 | Green Manufacturing ValidationGuangxi Sun Paper was included on the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s 2025 National Green Factory list, reflecting national-level recognition of the Beihai base in energy, resources, cleaner production, and green product systems.April to June 2026 | Digitalization Moves Upstream to Raw MaterialsThe intelligent production scheduling and product dispatching system was selected as an exemplary case under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s “Digital Three Products” initiative; the patent application for machine-vision inspection of wood chips was subsequently published. Together, these two signals indicate that digitalization is extending from information connectivity into raw-material quality and cross-process resource optimization.June to July 2026 | Organizational Incentives Tied to Profit TargetsThe initial grant under the restricted stock incentive plan was completed, covering 1,468 management personnel and core technical and business employees, with vesting conditions directly linked to three-year adjusted profit targets.Late June 2026 | Higher-Value Utilization of Low-Value FiberThe patent for large-scale production of semi-chemical pulp from forestry waste entered the public notice of projects proposed to receive the China Patent Excellence Award, pointing to a resource-substitution pathway for strength fiber used in packaging paper.July 2026 | Further Adjustment of the Nanning Product MixThe company’s board approved investment of no more than RMB 5 billion to construct projects for 500,000 metric tons of unbleached chemical wood pulp and 600,000 metric tons of specialty paper. The originally planned 300,000 metric tons of unbleached pulp and 600,000 metric tons of plastic-substitution paper were adjusted, reflecting greater alignment with captive pulp and an upgrade toward specialty paper; the project targets trial production in the fourth quarter of 2027 and cannot currently be counted as commissioned capacity.CONCLUSIONForest-Pulp-Paper Is the Form, Value Allocation Is the AnswerSun Paper’s true strength lies not merely in connecting forest, pulp, and paper, but in continuing to convert that integration into six outcomes: greater raw-material optionality, a lower total cost of qualified fiber, more rational specialization across production bases, a richer set of product value curves, faster project replication, and stronger resilience through industry cycles.Its next step is equally clear: moving from “owning a complete industrial chain” to “increasing the value density of the entire industrial chain”; and from a scale-based combination of printing and writing paper, packaging paper, and pulp products toward a higher-value mix of specialty paper, functional paper, biomass-based new materials, and global markets.But this path must ultimately pass four tests:Can new capacity be rapidly converted into stable orders and reasonable inventory levels?Can fiber optionality continue to translate into cost-per-metric-ton and quality advantages?Can functional materials and biomass-based projects generate real commercial revenue and customer qualifications?Can profit growth translate concurrently into free cash flow and returns on capital?If all four continue to be delivered, Sun Paper’s forest-pulp-paper integration will evolve from a cost moat into a fiber materials platform; if delivery falls short, intensive capacity additions will simultaneously amplify depreciation, inventory, debt, and organizational complexity.Sun Paper’s deepest capability is not owning a cheaper fiber, but enabling every fiber to create higher-quality value at the right production base, in the right product, and in the right market.NEXT ISSUE · Series PreviewNext: Why Is Lee & Man Paper Strong? It Has Turned Cost Advantage into a System“China Paper Leaders Case Study Series” goes beyond basic company profiles to continuously analyze the resource, cost, product, management, and industrial-chain capabilities of leading paper companies.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NotesReference: China Paper Association, “2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper Industry”: Industry Operations and Key Enterprise Information2025 Operating Data for Paper and Paper Products Enterprises Above Designated Size: National Bureau of StatisticsSun Paper “2025 Annual Report”: Full Company AnnouncementSun Paper’s Three Major Production Bases and Technological Innovation: Technological Innovation Across the Three Major Production BasesData and Project Progress from Sun Paper’s “First Quarter 2026 Report”: China Securities Journal · CS.com.cn; China Paper Magazine2025 Digital Transformation Exemplary Cases: Ministry of Industry and Information Technology; Sun Paper Case DescriptionPatent Application for Machine-Vision Quality Inspection of Wood Chips: Published Text of CN122252394AGuangxi Sun Paper Selected as a 2025 National Green Factory: List and Company Information2026 Restricted Stock Incentive Plan: Shanghai Securities News Information DisclosureGuangxi Nanning Forest-Pulp-Paper Integration Quality-and-Efficiency Enhancement Technical Upgrade Project: Summary of Company Announcement; Environmental Impact Assessment Approval InformationForestry-Waste Semi-Chemical Pulp Patent: Sun Paper Public Information; Patent TextSun Honghe 450,000-Metric-Ton Natural Cellulose Technical Upgrade Project: Corporate Information Disclosure; Summary of Environmental Impact Assessment Acceptance MaterialsThis article is provided for industry research and general informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, business, or legal advice. The analysis of corporate strategy, competitiveness, and industry opportunities contains professional judgments based on publicly available information, does not represent official statements by the company, and does not imply any cooperation or product adoption relationship. Design capacity, planned capacity, environmental impact assessment progress, and proposed projects do not equal actual output, effective capacity, or commercialization results; completion of R&D projects, publication of patent applications, and public notice of proposed awards likewise do not mean that mass production, market qualification, patent grant, final award, or regulatory compliance has been achieved. Information verified through August 9, 2026.",
            "date_published": "2026-08-11T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-11T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-11-sunpaper/cms-image-f1e9bb1b762cb237.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-09-industry-in-china-20.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-09-industry-in-china-20.html",
            "title": "China’s Top 20 Paper Companies: What Makes Them Strong?",
            "summary": "Beyond output rankings, this analysis examines the resources, costs, products, and value-chain capabilities of leading paper companies—and why size alone does not equal strength.",
            "content_text": "Looking Beyond Production Rankings to Reassess Leading Paper Companies’ Capabilities in Resources, Costs, Products, and Industrial ChainsLooking only at production volume makes it easy to mistake “large” for “strong.” A paper company’s true competitiveness is not merely how many paper machines it operates or how many metric tons of capacity it has, but whether it can combine fiber resources, energy efficiency, equipment operation, product mix, customer channels, and cash flow management into an operating system capable of sustainably generating profits.Scale becomes a genuine industrial advantage only when it translates into lower total cost per metric ton of paper, more consistent quality, faster delivery, and stronger resilience through industry cycles.The “Top 20 Chinese Paper Companies” in this article are ranked according to 2025 production data for key paper companies published by the China Paper Association in May 2026. The original ranking notes that it is “arranged according to the data collected,” meaning it is a production-volume ranking rather than a comprehensive ranking of corporate revenue, profit, brand strength, and technological capabilities. BIOTEN Packaging Industry Insights provides an accessible interpretation of the industry’s latest challenges and opportunities.The top 20 companies produced approximately 90.5355 million metric tons in aggregate, accounting for approximately 64.1% of China’s total paper and paperboard output under the Association’s statistical scope. This means that scale, resources, and investment capacity in China’s paper industry are becoming increasingly concentrated among leading companies.01 · NINE DRAGONS PAPERNine Dragons Paper: Strong in Scale, Raw Materials, and Nationwide Production-Base Coordination2025 Production Volume: 22.66 Million Metric TonsNine Dragons Paper’s core advantage is not merely that its production volume has long ranked first in the industry, but that its large-scale capacity, nationwide production bases, fiber raw-material allocation, and customer coverage form a mutually reinforcing system.Scale reduces procurement and manufacturing costs, a multi-base footprint shortens delivery distances, and pulp-paper integration strengthens the company’s resilience to fluctuations in recovered paper, wood pulp, and energy prices. Nine Dragons Paper’s real barrier has evolved from simply “producing large volumes of packaging paper” into capabilities in raw-material security, category expansion, regional allocation, and replication of large-scale projects.2026 Latest Development | In OperationCapacity-expansion projects for high-end papermaking and raw-material configuration in Beihai, Guangxi, and Jingzhou, Hubei, have commenced production. As of year-end 2025, the group had approximately 8.2 million metric tons of annual designed fiber raw-material capacity and was progressively expanding into high-end kraft linerboard, printing and writing paper, and coated ivory board. Nine Dragons Paper is evolving from a leader in recycled packaging paper into an integrated pulp-and-paper platform covering multiple fiber raw materials and multiple paper grades.Source: Nine Dragons Paper 2026 Interim Results Disclosure02 · SUN PAPERSun Paper: Strong in Forest-Pulp-Paper Integration and High-Efficiency Operations2025 Production Volume: 10.9540 Million Metric TonsSun Paper’s strength lies in optimizing forest resources, pulping, papermaking, energy utilization, and product portfolio within a single operating system. The company has scale in both printing and writing paper and packaging paper, while continuing to expand into specialty paper, tissue, and multiple pulp grades, enabling different products to share raw materials, energy, and utilities.What is truly difficult to replicate is its capability in large-scale project construction, capacity ramp-up, cost-per-metric-ton management, and cross-base replication. Sun Paper does not rely on a single paper grade for its advantage; instead, through sustained investment and disciplined operations, it converts resource endowments into a long-term cost advantage.2026 Latest Development | Approved, Planned for ConstructionThe company plans to invest no more than RMB 5 billion to build production lines in Nanning, Guangxi, with annual capacities of 500,000 metric tons of unbleached chemical wood pulp and 600,000 metric tons of specialty paper. The project has received environmental impact assessment approval and has a planned construction period of approximately 18 months. The project is not simply about capacity expansion; its focus is to further increase captive pulp capacity, optimize the mix of high-value-added paper grades, and strengthen the pulp-paper balance at the Guangxi base.Source: Sun Paper Nanning Project Announcement03 · LEE & MAN PAPERLee & Man Paper: Strong in Cost Discipline and Vertical Industrial-Chain Extension2025 Production Volume: 7.5954 Million Metric TonsLee & Man Paper has long focused on industrial packaging materials such as linerboard and corrugating medium, with advantages concentrated in large-scale base operations, raw-material organization, energy utilization, and cost-per-metric-ton control. Compared with companies focused on a single paper grade, Lee & Man also diversifies cyclical risk through tissue, pulping, and overseas operations.Its operating approach is not to pursue every market trend, but to concentrate investment in regions with favorable raw-material, energy, logistics, and customer conditions, creating a scalable and replicable production system. Lee & Man’s true strength is its ability to maintain strong cost discipline and project-selection capabilities through industry fluctuations.2026 Latest Development | Under ConstructionLee & Man’s integrated forest-pulp-paper full-industrial-chain project in Guigang has a total investment of approximately RMB 27.5 billion. Phase I plans annual production of 1 million metric tons of bleached chemical pulp and 800,000 metric tons of high-grade tissue and tissue products; Phase II extends into green fibers and biodegradable new materials. In May 2026, Phase I entered the equipment-installation stage, with a publicly stated target of commencing production in mid-2027.Source: Guigang Lee & Man Project Progress04 · SHANYING INTERNATIONALShanying International: Strong in Integrated “Containerboard–Packaging–Customer” Services2025 Production Volume: 7.5453 Million Metric TonsShanying International’s competitiveness cannot be measured solely by containerboard production. Its more important capability is connecting recycled fiber, industrial packaging base paper, corrugated board and boxes, and major end customers into a coordinated system spanning materials through packaging solutions.Its nationwide containerboard production bases reduce transportation distances, its packaging network strengthens customer stickiness, and its overseas recycled-fiber and packaging footprint provides a foundation for serving multinational customers. Shanying’s core assets are not merely its paper machines, but its ability to connect paper, packaging, and customers across the industrial chain.2026 Latest Development | Strategic TransformationShanying has launched a new five-year strategy and introduced a “7030” target: moving the gross-margin performance of its papermaking business into the industry’s 70th percentile and increasing high-return orders in its packaging business by 30% annually. This means the operating focus is shifting from asset and scale expansion toward profitability per metric ton of paper, order quality, cash flow, and returns on capital.Source: Shanying International’s New Five-Year Strategy05 · BOHUI PAPERShandong Bohui Paper: Strong in Large-Scale Manufacturing and Grade Switching for High-End Paperboard2025 Production Volume: 4.7018 Million Metric TonsBohui Paper’s core advantages are its large-scale equipment base for products such as high-end coated ivory board and packaging paperboard, together with quality consistency when serving packaging markets for food, household and personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and consumer electronics. After joining the APP system, Bohui gained further synergies in fiber raw materials, product R&D, global certifications, market channels, and customer resources.Bohui’s most noteworthy capability is not merely the high capacity of individual machines, but its ability to improve utilization efficiency and profitability of existing assets through technical retrofits, equipment upgrades, and paper-grade switching.2026 Latest Development | Technical Upgrade Approved, Green Manufacturing AchievementShandong Bohui plans to invest approximately RMB 219 million to increase the combined capacity of two chemi-mechanical pulp lines from 400,000 metric tons to 600,000 metric tons, while adding twin-roll pulp presses, screw presses, and waste-heat recovery systems. In 2026, Shandong Bohui was also selected as a National Green Factory, with green manufacturing increasingly translating into energy efficiency, raw-material efficiency, and access to international customers.Source: Chemi-Mechanical Pulp Technical Upgrade Project; National Green Factory Information06 · ASIA SYMBOLAsia Symbol: Strong in Fiber Raw Materials, Quality Control, and Industrial-Chain Extension2025 Production Volume: 3.7781 Million Metric TonsAsia Symbol’s fundamental competitiveness comes from its large-scale integrated pulp-and-paper base, stable wood-fiber supply system, and rigorous quality-control capabilities. Market pulp, high-grade printing and writing paper, and tissue require high levels of fiber cleanliness, batch-to-batch consistency, and stable equipment operation. These production-control capabilities, accumulated over the long term, constitute an important manufacturing barrier.The company is extending further downstream from upstream pulp and paper production into tissue and converting, increasing the conversion value of fiber resources within its internal industrial chain.2026 Latest Development | Under ConstructionPhase II of the tissue project is under construction, with plans to add 6 tissue production lines as well as slitting, converting, and automated warehousing systems, adding approximately 150,000 metric tons of capacity. Some production lines are planned to commence operation by the end of 2026, with the overall project scheduled for completion in the first half of 2027. These dates remain construction targets and should be subject to final start-up information.Source: Asia Symbol Tissue Phase II Progress07 · HUATAI PAPERHuatai Group: Strong in Redirecting Traditional Manufacturing Capabilities Toward High-Value Pulp and Paper Materials2025 Production Volume: 3.1027 Million Metric TonsHuatai has deep experience in newsprint, printing and writing paper, and supporting chemical operations, with advantages including large paper-machine operation, energy-chemical integration, and process-management capabilities developed over many years. More noteworthy today is Huatai’s effort to redirect its traditional industrial manufacturing capabilities toward new areas such as high-porosity extensible paper, food packaging paper, high-yield fiber, and bio-based materials.This is not simply a change of paper grade, but a recombination of pulping, papermaking, chemicals, and by-product utilization to increase the total value generated from each metric ton of wood and each metric ton of pulp.2026 Latest Development | Commissioning and Trial OperationRizhao Huatai’s project with annual capacity of 150,000 metric tons of high-yield unbleached wood fiber and a supporting 45,000-metric-ton lignin facility successfully completed integrated trial operation in May 2026 and entered the commissioning and operating stage. The project can supply fiber for biodegradable paper bags, food packaging paper, and high-grade kraft paper, while also converting lignin from pulping black liquor into raw materials for adhesives, modified asphalt, environmentally friendly building materials, and bio-based materials.Source: Huatai Co., Ltd. Project Announcement08 · CHINA PAPERChina Paper: Strong in Its Central SOE Platform and Cross-Enterprise Resource Integration2025 Production Volume: 3.0979 Million Metric TonsChina Paper is represented in the ranking on a group-platform basis, and its advantages differ from those of a single paper mill. It can allocate capital, fiber resources, technology R&D, brand channels, and major projects across enterprises, while its subsidiaries cover printing and writing paper, specialty paper, packaging paperboard, pulp, and other fields.The value of a platform-based enterprise lies in reducing duplicate investment among member companies and promoting the sharing of R&D results, raw-material security, customer resources, and market channels across different production bases.2026 Latest Development | Subproject in Operation, Overall Project ApprovedThe 400,000-metric-ton chemi-mechanical pulp subproject at China Paper’s southern base has commenced production and begun supplying a portion of captive pulp to coated ivory board production lines, with the substitution rate for comparable pulp grades at one point approaching 80%. The adjusted high-end packaging new-materials project at the southern base also includes 400,000 metric tons of chemical pulp and 190,000 metric tons of specialty paper, with total investment of approximately RMB 6.971 billion. The overall project must strictly distinguish between subprojects already in operation and subsequent planned construction.Source: Chemi-Mechanical Pulp Operations; Overall Project Approval Information09 · LONG CHEN PAPERJiangsu Long Chen: Strong in a Recycled-Fiber Closed Loop and Operating Discipline2025 Production Volume: 3.07 Million Metric TonsLong Chen’s advantage comes from vertical coordination among recycled fiber, industrial packaging paper, and corrugated-box operations. For recycled packaging paper producers, the real capability is not pursuing full-load production indefinitely, but dynamically adjusting operating rates in response to changes in recovered-paper prices, finished-paper prices, inventory levels, and regional orders.Long Chen coordinates supply and demand among multiple production bases and packaging sites in mainland China, demonstrating strong awareness of cost control, inventory management, and cycle management.2026 Latest Development | Group-Level Operating ChangesLong Chen scheduled rotating maintenance for 10 paper machines across its three major bases in Wuxi, Pinghu, and Hubei, with an estimated temporary reduction in supply of approximately 156,500 metric tons. Previously, the group’s pretax profit turned from a year-over-year loss to a profit in the fourth quarter of 2025. These changes indicate that its operating focus is shifting toward spreads, inventory, and cash flow. The operating results cited here are on the Long Chen Paper Group basis and should not be directly equated with the Jiangsu legal entity alone.Source: Paper-Machine Maintenance Plan; Group Operating Results10 · LIANSHENG PAPERLiansheng Paper (Longhai): Strong in Regional Scale, Port Logistics, and the Circular Economy2025 Production Volume: 2.8240 Million Metric TonsLeveraging its coastal Fujian location, recycled-resource organization, and large automated paper machines, Liansheng Paper (Longhai) has established regional scale advantages in packaging paper grades including kraft linerboard, corrugating medium, and coated white-top testliner.Its competitive logic is to concentrate recovered-paper recycling, pulping, papermaking, energy utilization, and logistics at large production bases, serving packaging markets in South China and coastal regions within relatively short transportation distances. Liansheng’s real advantage lies in optimizing resource-circulation efficiency, manufacturing efficiency, and regional delivery efficiency within a single system.2026 Latest Development | Demonstration AchievementThe company has been promoted as a model case for the industrial circular economy in Zhangzhou and has established a full-chain “recycling–pulping–papermaking” circular system. In 2025, it recycled and utilized approximately 2.2 million metric tons of recovered paper and operated 6 automated papermaking production lines. This demonstrates that its circular economy is not merely an environmental concept, but an important component of its raw-material security and cost-control system.Source: Liansheng Paper Circular-Economy Case11 · GUANGXI JINGUIGuangxi Jingui Pulp & Paper: Strong in Pulp-Paperboard Integration and Its ASEAN-Facing Location2025 Production Volume: 2.8169 Million Metric TonsJingui Pulp & Paper’s core competitiveness lies in the coordinated production of chemi-mechanical pulp and high-grade coated ivory board at the same large-scale base. Internal pulp supply can reduce pulp transportation costs and exposure to external pulp-price volatility, while its port-adjacent location facilitates imports of wood chips and other raw materials, paper exports, and service to the South China market.Products such as food-grade paperboard and commercial ivory board require not only large-scale paper machines, but also capabilities in surface properties, printability, food-contact compliance, and international customer certification.2026 Latest Development | Environmental Impact Assessment Publicized, Planned for ImplementationThe company plans to invest RMB 495 million to increase the combined capacity of two coated ivory board production lines from 1.9 million metric tons to 3 million metric tons through upgrades to key equipment and environmental systems, without adding paper machines. The project also plans wastewater treatment and reclaimed-water reuse facilities. It remains at the environmental impact assessment and implementation-advancement stage and cannot be described as having already created 3 million metric tons of effective capacity.Source: Jingui High-End Paperboard Green Upgrade Project12 · GOLDEN PHOENIX PAPERWuhan Golden Phoenix Paper: Strong in Central China Market Responsiveness and Recycled-Fiber Conversion2025 Production Volume: 2.4810 Million Metric TonsGolden Phoenix’s advantage lies in establishing large-scale supply and rapid-delivery capabilities for high-strength corrugating medium around the Central China packaging market. Its Wuhan and Xiaogan bases can cover core markets including Hubei, Hunan, Henan, and Jiangxi with relatively short regional transportation distances.The company primarily uses domestically recovered paper and reduces total manufacturing costs through high-speed paper machines, wastewater treatment, energy recovery, and regional logistics, making it representative of regional industrial-paper companies that deepen market density.2026 Latest Development | Green Technical Upgrades, Operating ResultsThe company invested RMB 270 million to build a three-stage wastewater treatment system, with a reclaimed-water recycling rate exceeding 95%, and has set a 2026 technical-upgrade target of further reducing water consumption by 1 cubic meter per metric ton of paper. Eight production lines at the Xiaogan base remain at full-load operation, producing approximately 4,000 rolls of corrugating medium per day; output during the Spring Festival period was approximately 40,000 metric tons, up 12% year over year.Source: Green Manufacturing Progress; Production Operations13 · GOLD EAST PAPERGold East Paper: Strong in Product Restructuring Built on High-End Printing Materials2025 Production Volume: 2.2711 Million Metric TonsGold East Paper’s long-established advantages lie in operating large high-speed paper machines, quality control for high-end coated paper, and international customer service capabilities. In response to changing demand for traditional coated printing and writing paper, the company is leveraging its existing R&D, coating, surface-treatment, and customer-certification systems to expand into specialty papers such as thermal base paper, machine-glazed paper, and environmentally friendly substrates.This demonstrates the ability of large paper companies to restructure their product mix by leveraging installed equipment and existing technical capabilities.2026 Latest Development | Started Up, Commissioning ProductionGold East’s PM6 production line successfully started up in April 2026 and is China’s first low-basis-weight, high-speed MG-cylinder specialty paper production line. The line has a design speed of 1,200 meters/minute and annual capacity of 120,000 metric tons of machine-glazed paper and thermal base paper. Phase II of the project also plans 160,000 metric tons of multifunctional environmentally friendly substrate paper capacity.Source: Gold East Paper PM6 Project Progress14 · NINGBO ASIA PULP & PAPERNingbo Asia Pulp & Paper: Strong in High-End Paperboard, Food Packaging, and Digital Quality Control2025 Production Volume: 2.2707 Million Metric TonsNingbo Asia Pulp & Paper has long focused on high-end paperboard such as coated ivory board, food-grade paperboard, and cigarette board. Its advantages lie not only in capacity, but also in product consistency, global certification systems, and coverage of export customers.Food and consumer-goods packaging requires companies to control fiber, coatings, odor, migration risk, printability, and converting performance simultaneously. This cross-process, cross-stage quality-management capability is an important threshold for entering international high-end packaging supply chains.2026 Latest Development | Product Innovation, Digital and Intelligent TransformationThe company disclosed progress in water-based barrier food-grade paperboard technology, with related products suitable for “paper-for-plastic” applications such as paper cups and food containers. It has also integrated systems including ERP, MES, OA, and ATMS to create a closed data loop spanning sales, production, quality inspection, supply chain, and logistics, advancing its digital and intelligent transformation from 1.0 toward 2.0.Source: Ningbo Asia Pulp & Paper Green and Intelligent Manufacturing Practices15 · WUZHOU SPECIAL PAPERWuzhou Special Paper: Strong in a “Specialty-Paper Core + Industrial-Packaging Growth + Captive-Pulp Support” Model2025 Production Volume: 2.2034 Million Metric TonsWuzhou Special Paper’s competitiveness cannot be summarized simply as specialty paper. First, it has a foundation in niche products such as glassine paper and food packaging paper; second, it gains scale from the ramp-up of industrial packaging paper capacity at its Hubei base; third, it is extending into captive pulp to reduce exposure to fluctuations in wood-pulp and recovered-paper prices.Wuzhou Special Paper’s growth in recent years has resulted from the combined effects of specialty paper, industrial packaging paper, multi-base development, and pulp-paper integration, rather than being driven by any single paper grade.2026 Latest Development | Capacity Ramp-Up, Environmental Impact Assessment PublicizedCapacity utilization of the 250,000-metric-ton glassine paper production line at the Hubei base has exceeded 70%. The company has also publicized an 800,000-metric-ton integrated pulp-and-paper project, proposing capacity of 500,000 metric tons of unbleached chemical pulp, 200,000 metric tons of tissue, and 100,000 metric tons of specialty paper. The unbleached chemical pulp is planned to replace part of the recovered-paper furnish currently used in packaging paper, supporting product upgrading.Source: Glassine Paper Progress; Hubei Integrated Pulp-and-Paper Project16 · CENTURY SUNSHINE PAPERCentury Sunshine Paper: Strong in Wide-Width Packaging Paper and Resource-Circulation Systems2025 Production Volume: 2.1641 Million Metric TonsCentury Sunshine has established large-scale manufacturing capabilities in industrial packaging materials such as high-strength corrugating medium and white-top kraft linerboard. Wide-width paper machines help improve production efficiency and serve large packaging customers. Its advantages also include coordination among recovered-paper utilization, combined heat and power supply, utilities, and large production bases.The key to its future competitiveness is to maintain its packaging-paper cost advantage while increasing the share of captive pulp, reducing raw-material volatility, and expanding the proportion of high-value-added products.2026 Latest Development | Affiliate Project Environmental Assessment, Production ResultsShandong Shenghua, a subsidiary of Century Sunshine, publicized a 500,000-metric-ton-per-year bleached chemical pulp project with total investment of approximately RMB 3.19 billion and a supporting waste-heat and residual-pressure power-generation system. Meanwhile, two wide-width corrugating-medium production lines at Century Sunshine’s wholly owned subsidiary remain at full-load operation, with daily output of approximately 2,000 metric tons. The Shandong Shenghua project remains at the environmental impact assessment and construction-preparation stage and cannot be counted as commissioned captive-pulp capacity.Source: Shandong Shenghua Chemical Pulp Project; Production-Line Operations17 · XIANHE CO.Xianhe Co.: Strong in a Specialty-Paper Platform and Joint Development with Customers2025 Production Volume: 1.9890 Million Metric TonsXianhe’s core barrier is not any single specialty-paper product, but a specialty-paper platform spanning food and consumer packaging, labels and release materials, electrical insulation, business communications, medical applications, and industrial supporting applications.Specialty paper typically involves relatively fragmented production runs and complex technical specifications, requiring continuous R&D, flexible production scheduling, and joint customer validation. Through its multi-base footprint and captive-pulp development, Xianhe is simultaneously strengthening product barriers, raw-material security, and customer-service capabilities.2026 Latest Development | Under Construction, Planned for Start-UpPhase II of the Guangxi base plans to add 600,000 metric tons of pulping capacity and 700,000 metric tons of specialty-paper capacity, with the PM6 specialty-paper production line targeted to be the first to commence operation in September 2026. The company disclosed that captive pulp produced at its Guangxi and Hubei bases has essentially reached a level at which it can substitute for comparable imported wood pulp. The PM6 start-up date remains a construction target and should be subject to the actual start-up announcement.Source: Xianhe Co. Guangxi Base Progress18 · JINGXING PAPERJingxing Paper: Strong in Extending from Recycled Packaging Paper into Consumer Paper2025 Production Volume: 1.6926 Million Metric TonsJingxing Paper has long-standing capabilities in linerboard, corrugating medium, and recycled-fiber utilization, and has extended downstream through corrugated-box packaging and tissue operations.The value of this transformation lies in leveraging its existing recovered-paper procurement, pulping, energy, and environmental infrastructure to expand recycled-fiber applications from traditional industrial packaging into higher-value-added consumer paper products, effectively developing new products and profit sources within the same resource system.2026 Latest Development | Started Up, Trial ProductionTM7, a technical-upgrade project with annual capacity of 50,000 metric tons of recycled environmentally friendly tissue, successfully started up in May 2026 and entered trial production. The line uses a Fourdrinier multi-cylinder wet-creping process, targets environmentally friendly hand towels, and is equipped with a DCS system to provide automated control from stock preparation through finished products.Source: Jingxing Paper TM7 Project19 · HENAN LONGYUAN PAPERHenan Longyuan Paper: Strong in the Central China Market, Circular Resources, and Scale Upgrading2025 Production Volume: 1.6865 Million Metric TonsLeveraging the large manufacturing, logistics, and agricultural-product packaging markets in Henan and surrounding areas, Longyuan Paper benefits from strong regional demand density and advantages in organizing recycled resources. Its competitive logic is to combine recovered-paper recycling, base-paper production, regional delivery, and industrial-chain support to reduce long-distance transportation costs.The company is currently using large intelligent paper machines to further convert its regional resource and market advantages into equipment efficiency, higher product grades, and scale advantages.2026 Latest Development | First Line in Operation, Second Line Under CommissioningThe first production line of the 2-million-metric-ton-per-year green packaging new-materials project has commenced production and reached target performance, while the second 400,000-metric-ton packaging-paper line is undergoing installation and commissioning. The company also plans to build 3 intelligent, automated, and green production lines. Its stated 3-million-metric-ton integrated capacity is a long-term planning target and cannot be counted as current effective capacity.Source: Henan Longyuan Project Progress20 · TAISHENG GROUPTaisheng Group: Strong in Vertical Integration from Fiber Resources to Tissue2025 Production Volume: 1.6310 Million Metric TonsTaisheng’s differentiated advantage lies in building a vertically integrated industrial chain around wood pulp, bamboo pulp, tissue, and hygiene products. Competition in tissue depends not only on paper machines, but also on fiber cost, softness control, converting efficiency, channel development, and consumer brands.Extending upstream into pulp can strengthen raw-material security; extending downstream into tissue and hygiene products can increase the end-market value of fiber resources.2026 Latest Development | Project Publicized, Proposed for ConstructionRelevant project information for Taisheng’s Guangxi green-fiber full-industrial-chain base has been publicized, with total investment of approximately RMB 15.674 billion. The project proposes production lines with annual capacities of 1 million metric tons of bleached kraft wood (bamboo) pulp, 450,000 metric tons of specialty paper, and 500,000 metric tons of tissue, with a planned construction period from 2026 to 2028. It is currently a proposed project in the preliminary advancement stage and cannot be described as having commenced construction, entered production, or formed effective capacity.Source: Guangxi Taisheng Project Public NoticeINDUSTRY SIGNALSFive Industry Signals Shared by the Top 2001 Fiber Resources Are Once Again Becoming a Core Competitive FactorCompanies including Nine Dragons Paper, Sun Paper, Lee & Man Paper, Asia Symbol, Huatai, Xianhe, Century Sunshine, and Taisheng are increasing their captive-pulp ratios or building diversified fiber systems. The operating model facing the greatest future risk is one with very large paper-machine capacity but prolonged full exposure to fluctuations in purchased wood-pulp and recovered-paper prices.02 Investment Focus Is Shifting from Scale Expansion to Structural UpgradingProjects by companies such as Bohui and Jingui show that industry investment is shifting from simply adding paper machines toward equipment retrofits, process optimization, waste-heat recovery, digital control, and grade switching. What will truly matter going forward is not design capacity, but effective capacity that can produce consistently, be absorbed by the market, and generate reasonable gross margins.03 Specialty Paper Is Moving from Single-Product Competition to Platform CompetitionCompanies including Gold East, Ningbo Asia Pulp & Paper, Wuzhou Special Paper, and Xianhe are expanding into food packaging paper, water-based barrier paper, thermal base paper, glassine paper, and environmentally friendly substrates. Moving upmarket is not simply about raising selling prices, but about increasing customer-certification thresholds, process complexity, and the cost of switching suppliers.04 Green Manufacturing Is Beginning to Shift from a Cost Item to a Productive CapabilityFrom reclaimed-water reuse and waste-heat recovery to comprehensive lignin utilization and increasing production without increasing pollution, green manufacturing is directly affecting energy costs, raw-material efficiency, by-product value, and customer access. For food packaging, export packaging, and international-brand supply chains, green capabilities are becoming a new threshold for winning orders.05 Industry Competition Will Shift from Company-to-Company Competition to Industrial-System CompetitionFuture competition in the paper industry will not simply be between paper mills, but between industrial systems comprising fiber resources, energy systems, paper-machine efficiency, product technology, packaging converting, logistics networks, and customer channels.CONCLUSIONThe Real Dividing Line Is Not Nameplate Capacity, but Effective CapacityThe true strengths of China’s top 20 paper companies are not all the same. Some are strong in scale and cost, others in fiber resources; some excel in large-scale equipment and manufacturing efficiency, others in niche products and customer certification; still others are strong in regional markets, industrial-chain coordination, or platform-based resource integration.But every advantage must ultimately answer three questions:Can total cost per metric ton of paper be reduced further?Can products be sold into markets with higher barriers to entry and more stable margins?Can the company maintain cash flow during industry downturns and continue investing in technology, products, and industrial-chain development?Over the next several years, the real dividing line in the paper industry will not be nameplate capacity, but effective capacity; it will not be how many assets a company owns, but how much stable and sustainable return those assets can generate. This is what industry participants can learn most from studying China’s top 20 paper companies.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights — Research NotesThe production ranking in this article uses 2025 production data for key paper companies published by the China Paper Association. Information on companies’ 2026 projects and operations was primarily verified against listed-company announcements, government environmental impact assessment and approval notices, information from local governments and industrial parks, and publicly available materials from professional industry media. Information retrieval was completed through August 8, 2026. Projects described as proposed, under environmental impact assessment, approved, under construction, or planned for commissioning are not equivalent to projects already in production or to effective capacity already formed.",
            "date_published": "2026-08-10T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-10T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-09-industry-in-china-20/cms-image-74bdf52e520ef0d6.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-10-nine-dragons-paper-2266.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-10-nine-dragons-paper-2266.html",
            "title": "Nine Dragons Paper’s Real Strength Goes Beyond 22.66 Million Tonnes",
            "summary": "Beyond its No. 1 output ranking, this analysis examines how Nine Dragons Paper converts exceptional scale into raw-material optionality, broad product coverage, and operating resilience.",
            "content_text": "CHINA PAPER LEADERS · NO.01Why Is Nine Dragons Paper Strong? 22.66 Million Metric Tons Is Only the ResultLooking Beyond “No. 1 in Production” to Decode How Nine Dragons Paper Converts Massive Scale into Raw-Material Optionality, Product Coverage, and Operating Resilience22.66 million metric tons answers how “large” Nine Dragons Paper is, but it does not answer three more difficult questions: Why can it continue to expand? How will the market absorb new capacity? What will drive improvements in profitability per metric ton of paper and returns on capital in the future?In 2025, China’s paper and paperboard production increased 3.74% year over year, while consumption grew only 1.80%; industry-wide operating revenue declined 2.59% year over year, and total profit fell 13.55%. Rising production alongside pressure on industry profits means that “making more” can no longer automatically be equated with “earning more.” In the China Paper Association’s production ranking of key enterprises, Nine Dragons Paper ranked first with approximately 22.66 million metric tons.Three different reporting scopes must first be distinguished: 22.66 million metric tons is the company’s production volume for calendar year 2025; 12.4 million metric tons is the group’s sales volume from July to December 2025; and 25.4 million metric tons is annual designed papermaking capacity as of year-end 2025. These figures respectively address production scale, market absorption, and asset capacity and cannot be directly converted or substituted for one another.More noteworthy is that from July to December 2025, Nine Dragons Paper’s sales volume increased 8.3% year over year, average selling price rose 2.7%, revenue increased 11.2%, gross margin improved from approximately 9.5% to 14.4%, and net profit increased 225.1%. Simultaneous improvement in volume, pricing, and costs indicates that pulp-paper integration and product-mix adjustments have entered the operating-validation stage; however, a six-month recovery does not yet constitute a long-term moat, and the ultimate test remains cash flow and returns on capital.FOUR NUMBERS · Four Key Figures22.66 Million Metric Tons2025 Company Production Volume China Paper Association Statistical Scope25.4 Million Metric TonsAnnual Designed Papermaking Capacity As of the End of December 202512.4 Million Metric TonsSix-Month Sales Volume July to December 20258.2 Million Metric TonsAnnual Designed Fiber Raw-Material Capacity As of the End of December 2025Note: Production volume, designed capacity, and sales volume cover different reporting periods and statistical scopes and cannot be directly added together or substituted for one another.ONE SENTENCE · Nine Dragons Paper in One SentenceNine Dragons Paper is completing a shift in its competitive coordinates: from organizing global recycled fiber and scaling packaging paper to a model in which earnings resilience is jointly determined by multiple fiber raw materials, pulp-paper integration, product mix, and capital efficiency.CORE JUDGMENTBottom Line First: Nine Dragons Paper Is Strong at Converting Scale into Operating ResultsWhat is hardest to replicate at Nine Dragons Paper is not any single paper machine, production base, or paper grade, but six capabilities interlocking along the same value chain:Networked scale: converting multi-regional capacity into stable supply capabilityRaw-material optionality: evolving from a recycled-fiber advantage toward a multi-fiber portfolioStructured product mix: extending from linerboard and corrugating medium into coated ivory board, printing and writing paper, and other gradesIntegrated production bases: creating a closed loop across pulp, paper, energy, ports, and logisticsReplicable operations: unified metrics, benchmarking, and continuous improvement across production basesCapital efficiency: converting new capacity into cash flow and reasonable returns01 · SCALE AS A NETWORKLayer One: 22.66 Million Metric Tons Is Only the Result; Network Synergy Is the ReasonAccording to disclosures on the company’s website and in its 2025/2026 interim report, Nine Dragons Paper operates 10 papermaking bases and 8 packaging bases in China, while also deploying papermaking, pulping, and packaging assets in Vietnam, Malaysia, and the United States; major bases are also supported by combined heat and power, warehousing, and logistics systems.For this kind of scale to create real value, it must achieve three conversions: turn centralized procurement into a raw-material cost advantage, turn a multi-base footprint into shorter customer delivery distances, and turn large-scale equipment into consistent quality and sustained high-load operation.From July to December 2025, the group’s sales volume increased by approximately 600,000 metric tons in the China market and approximately 400,000 metric tons in overseas markets, with total six-month sales reaching a new high for the third consecutive comparable period. For a company with annual designed papermaking capacity exceeding 25 million metric tons, whether orders can continuously absorb new capacity matters more than nameplate capacity itself.Professional AssessmentThe upside of scale is purchasing leverage, equipment efficiency, and delivery density; the downside is high fixed costs and organizational complexity. Nine Dragons Paper’s barrier should not be expressed solely in terms of “total capacity,” but by whether cross-regional capacity, raw materials, orders, and logistics can be coordinated under a unified system and continuously converted into effective capacity, lower unit costs, and delivery reliability.02 · FIBER CONTROLLayer Two: Raw-Material Restructuring Is the Main Theme of This TransformationOne of Nine Dragons Paper’s most distinctive early capabilities was connecting overseas recovered-fiber resources with China’s industrial packaging demand, creating advantages in global sourcing and recycled-fiber organization. As policies governing imported recycled fiber, international logistics, and raw-material pricing systems changed, this capability did not disappear, but the boundary of its raw-material advantage shifted from “obtaining low-cost recovered paper” to “maintaining optionality among multiple fibers.”Nine Dragons Paper’s new answer is to configure domestically recovered paper, wood pulp, recycled pulp, and wood fiber simultaneously. As of the end of December 2025, its annual designed fiber raw-material capacity was approximately 8.2 million metric tons, including 5.4 million metric tons of wood pulp, 700,000 metric tons of recycled pulp, and 2.1 million metric tons of wood fiber; after all disclosed projects are fully operational, the company expects this designed capacity to reach approximately 10.7 million metric tons. The latter figure represents future designed capacity, not current output, and is not equivalent to the raw-material self-sufficiency rate.The value of this system extends beyond procurement cost reduction. Wood pulp and higher-quality fibers raise the quality ceiling for high-end kraft linerboard, coated ivory board, and printing and writing paper; recycled fiber preserves the circularity and cost foundation of industrial packaging paper; and a multi-fiber portfolio allows the company to adjust furnish formulations according to paper-grade performance, raw-material price spreads, and market cycles, creating greater flexibility in both cost and product selection.Captive pulp is not inherently low-cost. What must actually be compared is the total cost of qualified fiber: delivered wood-chip cost, pulp yield, chemical and energy consumption, depreciation, operating rates, and quality substitution rate. Only when these metrics improve together can designed capacity translate into a genuine cost-per-metric-ton advantage.03 · PRODUCT MIXLayer Three: Moving Upmarket Is Not About Adding a Few More Paper Grades, but Rewriting the Profit StructureUnder the company’s classification, packaging paperboard includes kraft linerboard, high-strength corrugating medium, coated white-top testliner, and coated ivory board, collectively contributing approximately 89% of revenue from July to December 2025. Therefore, “packaging paper remains dominant” does not mean that the internal mix is unchanged: during the same period, coated ivory board sales volume increased 133.3% year over year, significantly faster than kraft linerboard at 1.1% and high-strength corrugating medium at 2.4%.These changes show that Nine Dragons Paper is not moving away from packaging paper, but adding new product and profit curves to its existing scale curve. As of the end of December 2025, the company had approximately 3 million metric tons each of annual designed capacity for coated ivory board and printing and writing paper and continued to extend into high-end kraft linerboard, high-value specialty paper, and other categories.Compared with conventional industrial packaging paper, coated ivory board and base paper for food and consumer-goods packaging depend more heavily on fiber cleanliness, surface strength, printability, odor control, folding and forming performance, and customer certification. Manufacturing is more difficult and qualification cycles are longer; once consistent quality, converting compatibility, and application certifications are established, these products also have greater potential to improve the selling-price structure and customer stickiness.What Really MattersA “high-end” label does not automatically create pricing power. Production-to-sales ratios, finished-product yield, certification cycles, quality complaints, selling-price premiums, and repeat purchases must continue to be monitored. The endpoint of product-mix upgrading is not “being able to produce,” but “being able to sell consistently at stable quality while covering the capital cost of new assets.”04 · NEW INDUSTRIAL HUBSLayer Four: Beihai and Hubei Are Not Two New Factories, but Two Integrated HubsAccording to current disclosures on the company’s website, the Beihai base has approximately 3.25 million metric tons of annual papermaking capacity and 1.9 million metric tons of annual wood-pulp capacity; the Hubei base has approximately 3 million metric tons of annual papermaking capacity, 1.95 million metric tons of annual wood-pulp capacity, and 210,000 metric tons of annual wood-fiber capacity, together with a captive wharf. The two bases jointly support the expansion of raw-material supply capabilities and high-end paper grades.Beihai’s strategic value is particularly noteworthy. Its proximity to the port enables it to receive wood chips and other raw and auxiliary materials from ASEAN and connect through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor to western China, ASEAN, and Middle Eastern markets. In January 2026, Beihai Port’s dedicated wood-chip berth passed acceptance for opening to foreign trade, further completing the logistics chain linking wood-chip imports, port handling, and pulp-and-paper production.From an industrial-system perspective, the value of the two bases is not simply the addition of several paper machines, but the organization of fiber raw materials, pulping, papermaking, utilities, logistics, and regional markets into new cost and growth centers. Whether a large-scale project succeeds ultimately depends on coordinated ramp-up of the entire system, not merely the start-up of an individual production line.Engineering AssessmentIntegration does not mean merely placing equipment in the same industrial park; it means dynamically matching wood-chip arrivals, pulp-paper balance, steam and energy, chemical recovery, environmental treatment, warehousing, and dispatch. A bottleneck in any one link will reduce overall system efficiency; the larger the scale, the more both synergy gains and mismatch costs are amplified.05 · OPERATING SYSTEMLayer Five: The Invisible Barrier Is the Ability to Replicate Large-Scale SystemsWhen a company has only one production base, an excellent mill manager and process team can solve problems through experience; when a company operates more than ten large production nodes, competitiveness must come from standardization, data-driven management, and cross-base replication.The company discloses that it continues to promote granular benchmarking across the full value chain, cross-base coordination, best-practice sharing, and technology enablement. For a company of Nine Dragons Paper’s scale, digital tools themselves are not the barrier; the real barrier is establishing unified data definitions and closed-loop exception management, turning pulp yield, paper-machine efficiency, specific steam consumption, chemical consumption, quality complaints, and inventory turnover into comparable, accountable, and replicable operating actions.In July 2026, Nine Dragons Paper’s Beihai company and Guangxi University jointly established an “Academician Innovation Studio,” with plans to deploy research teams, experimental platforms, and mechanisms for commercialization of research results around the company’s practical needs. Public information has not yet disclosed specific technical research topics or outcomes, so the more accurate assessment is that this is a new organizational signal of Nine Dragons Paper strengthening industry-academia-research commercialization capabilities, rather than evidence that a specific product breakthrough has already been achieved.06 · CAPITAL EFFICIENCYLayer Six: Scale Has a Cost and Must Ultimately Be Validated by Returns on CapitalPulp-paper integration and construction of large production bases require long-term, capital-intensive investment. Nine Dragons Paper’s capital expenditure in FY2024/2025 was approximately RMB 14.832 billion; as of the end of June 2025, total liabilities represented approximately 66.0% of total assets. As of the end of December 2025, group borrowings were approximately RMB 73.467 billion, while bank and cash balances, short-term bank deposits, and restricted cash totaled approximately RMB 6.613 billion; the disclosed undrawn and uncommitted borrowing facilities were approximately RMB 53.262 billion. The latter should not be equated with committed credit facilities already secured.On the positive side, gross margin increased from approximately 9.5% in the same period a year earlier to 14.4% from July to December 2025, an improvement of approximately 4.8 percentage points; operating profit increased 113.4% year over year, and new pulp-and-paper projects began contributing to results. This is evidence that the strategy is beginning to deliver, but it is not yet confirmation across a full cycle. The next question is whether the ramp-up of new capacity can be converted consistently into operating cash flow and whether raw materials, inventory, and receivables and payables can remain efficient at a larger scale.In July 2026, Nine Dragons Paper completed a cash tender offer for its US$400 million principal amount of preferred perpetual capital securities carrying a 14.00% distribution rate, ultimately accepting approximately US$399.5 million, or approximately 99.9% of the outstanding principal amount. The company stated that the purpose was to enhance profitability and optimize its capital structure. This can be understood as an active adjustment of high-cost capital, but the repurchase of a single instrument does not by itself demonstrate that total leverage has declined significantly.Going forward, four metrics are critical to assessing the quality of Nine Dragons Paper’s strategic execution:First, the actual ramp-up rates of new pulp lines and paper machines;Second, sales volume, selling prices, and customer repeat purchases for high-end paper grades;Third, profitability per metric ton of paper, working-capital turnover, and operating cash flow;Fourth, whether capital-expenditure intensity, financing costs, and the debt structure can continue to improve.2026 CHANGE SIGNALSSix Latest Signals Point to the Same Strategic ThemeJanuary 2026 | Closing the Logistics GapBeihai Port’s dedicated wood-chip berth passed acceptance for opening to foreign trade, strengthening the logistics conditions for overseas wood chips entering the Beihai pulp-and-paper base.February 2026 | Strategy Delivering ResultsSix-month sales volume, revenue, and profit all increased, marking the transition of pulp-paper integration from the project-construction stage into capacity release and operating validation.March 2026 | Adding Pulp Capacity at a Mature BaseThe Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment accepted the environmental impact assessment application for Nine Dragons Paper’s green pulping expansion project, indicating that the company continues to strengthen raw-material capabilities at mature production bases. Acceptance of an environmental impact assessment application is only a step in the approval process and does not mean that the project has been approved, completed, or commissioned.February 2026 | Greater Product SpecializationThe Leshan base advanced a 60,000-metric-ton specialty-paper technical upgrade project, planning 30,000 metric tons each of electrical-grade paper and fruit-bag paper. The project was originally scheduled to enter trial production by the end of June 2026, but as of this verification no formal confirmation of commissioning had been identified; it is therefore still treated as construction-progress information.July 2026 | R&D Organization UpgradeThe company jointly established an Academician Innovation Studio with Guangxi University, strengthening the connection among enterprise needs, research platforms, and industrial commercialization.July 2026 | Capital-Cost OptimizationThe company completed the tender offer for high-distribution-rate perpetual capital securities, signaling a further shift in operating focus toward financing costs and capital-use efficiency.BIOTEN PACKAGING VIEWBIOTEN Packaging View: The Next Stage of Moving Upmarket Is Paper Functionality EngineeringAs Nine Dragons Paper moves further into coated ivory board, premium paper, and high-end base paper for consumer-goods packaging, its products will face more directly the integrated requirements of food, foodservice, beauty, pharmaceutical, consumer electronics, and other applications: not only strength, basis weight, and cost, but also surface properties, barrier performance, odor control and migration risk, printing and forming efficiency, food-contact safety, and circularity compliance.Notably, the product section of Nine Dragons Paper’s 2025/2026 interim report already lists single-side PE-coated paper and sandwich PE-coated paper in the range of 50–450 g/m², with applications covering food packaging, industrial protection, medical supplies, and printing substrates. This indicates that the group’s product boundary has extended from base paper into functional fiber-based materials; however, public information remains insufficient to determine the specific barrier-material route, business scale, certification scope, or recyclability performance.This means that incremental value will not arise only at the paper-machine stage, but will continue to propagate through coatings, surface treatment, printing, lamination, heat sealing, and finished-product converting. Base-paper producers, packaging companies, equipment suppliers, and functional-material companies need to move from point-solution supply toward joint development centered on end-use performance, processing windows, and compliance data.The higher-value opportunity of the future will not be merely a coating formulation, but a complete engineering combination:Base-Paper Compatibility × Water-Based Barrier × Surface Functionality × Printing and Heat Sealing × Finished-Product Forming × Recycling and Compliance Data.The above is an industrial-chain inference based on publicly disclosed changes in Nine Dragons Paper’s product mix. It does not mean that Nine Dragons Paper has selected any specific material route, nor does it indicate any product adoption, testing, or cooperation relationship between Nine Dragons Paper and BIOTEN Packaging.CONCLUSION22.66 Million Metric Tons Is the Result, Efficiency in Converting Scale Is the AnswerNine Dragons Paper’s true strength lies not only in its 22.66 million metric tons of production, nor only in its 25.4 million metric tons of designed capacity, but in the system foundation it has established for organizing massive assets into raw-material optionality, unit-cost advantages, product coverage, regional delivery, and supply stability.It is completing a second restructuring of its capabilities: the first established leadership through global recycled-fiber organization and packaging-paper scale; the second is based on wood pulp, recycled pulp, and a multi-fiber system, extending into high-end kraft linerboard, coated ivory board, printing and writing paper, and more high-value fiber-based materials, while using cash flow to test the quality of expansion.But capital-intensive expansion must ultimately pass three tests:Can new capacity be converted into effective capacity?Can high-end paper grades be converted into sustainable pricing premiums?Can profit recovery be converted into sustained cash flow?If these three continue to be delivered, Nine Dragons Paper’s leadership will evolve from tonnage leadership into system leadership; if delivery falls short, massive scale will also amplify fixed costs, inventory, and capital pressure. The dividing line between these two outcomes is not how many more metric tons are added, but whether every additional metric ton of capability can generate higher-quality returns.Tonnage determines size; conversion efficiency determines quality. 22.66 million metric tons is Nine Dragons Paper’s result, not the entirety of its answer.NEXT ISSUE · Series PreviewNext: Why Is Sun Paper Strong? The Answer Lies in a Single Fiber“China Paper Leaders Case Study Series” goes beyond basic company profiles to continuously analyze the resource, cost, product, management, and industrial-chain capabilities of leading paper companies.BIOTEN Packaging · Industry Insights · Research NotesReference: China Paper Association, “2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper Industry”: Industry Operations and Production Information for Key EnterprisesNine Dragons Paper “2025/2026 Interim Report”: Official Company ReportNine Dragons Paper “2024/2025 Annual Report”: Official Company ReportNine Dragons Paper Business and Production-Base Information: Business Overview; Beihai Base; Hubei BaseProgress of Beihai Dedicated Wood-Chip Berth: China News ServiceEnvironmental Impact Assessment Acceptance for Chongqing Green Pulping Expansion Project: Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Ecology and EnvironmentAcademician Innovation Studio: Guangxi UniversityLeshan 60,000-Metric-Ton Specialty-Paper Technical Upgrade Project: Leshan Municipal People’s GovernmentPerpetual Capital Securities Tender Offer Results: Singapore Exchange AnnouncementThis article is provided for industry research and general informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, business, or legal advice. The analysis of corporate strategy, competitiveness, and industry opportunities contains professional judgments based on publicly available information, does not represent official statements by the company, and does not imply any cooperation or product adoption relationship. Designed capacity, planned capacity, and proposed projects do not equal actual output or effective capacity. Information verified through August 9, 2026.",
            "date_published": "2026-08-10T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-10T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-10-nine-dragons-paper-2266/cms-image-8cde070dd5e27fa2.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-09-import-zhzfsy.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-09-import-zhzfsy.html",
            "title": "Papermaking Is Named, Packaging Responsibility Moves Upstream: Four Business Accounts to Recalculate Under China’s Ecological and Environmental Code",
            "summary": "When China’s Ecological and Environmental Code takes effect on August 15, the real change for the paper and packaging industries will not be one more test, but a new accounting of pollution, resources, packaging, recycling, and carbon data.",
            "content_text": "The Ecological and Environmental Code takes effect on August 15. What will truly change the papermaking and packaging industry is not the addition of another test, but the fact that pollution, resources, packaging, recycling, and carbon data are beginning to enter the same operating ledger. Which obligations are already real, and which still await implementing rules? How will costs, orders, and technology pathways change? From water and fiber efficiency, packaging reduction, and VOC costs to circularity and carbon data, this article examines the real impact of the Ecological and Environmental Code on the papermaking and packaging value chain. The Ecological and Environmental Code takes effect on August 15. What will truly change the papermaking and packaging industry is not the addition of another test, but the fact that pollution, resources, packaging, recycling, and carbon data are beginning to enter the same operating ledger. Which obligations are already real, and which still await implementing rules? How will costs, orders, and technology pathways change? FOUR OPERATING ACCOUNTS | Four Operating Accounts 01 Paper Mill Resource-Efficiency Account 02 Packaging Design and Order Account 03 VOC Raw-Material and Tax Account 04 Circularity, Carbon, and Customer-Access Account EFFECTIVE · 2026 / 08 / 15 6 Days Until the Ecological and Environmental Code Takes Effect Many papermaking and packaging companies may first think of three questions: Will another test be required? Will further investment in environmental equipment be necessary? Will new limits be imposed on packaging materials? These are all valid questions, but they do not yet reach the core issue. The Code’s deepest impact on the papermaking and packaging value chain is not to add an isolated “green certificate,” but to connect requirements previously dispersed across pollution prevention and control, cleaner production, the circular economy, green packaging, extended producer responsibility, and carbon management into a more complete governance framework. Pollution data are beginning to become cost data, material data are beginning to become order data, and recycling data are beginning to become product data. And the industry happens to be at a stage of extreme cost sensitivity. According to the China Paper Association, China’s paper and paperboard production reached 141.35 million metric tons in 2025, up 3.74% year over year, while consumption reached 138.79 million metric tons, up 1.80%. Meanwhile, under national statistical reporting, operating revenue of paper and paper products enterprises above designated size declined 2.6% year over year, and total profit fell 13.6%. Dividing the publicly reported RMB 44.3 billion in total profit by RMB 1,418.67 billion in operating revenue gives a simple ratio of only approximately 3.1%—this is neither gross margin nor net margin, but it is sufficient to illustrate how tight profit headroom has become. The two sets of data use different statistical scopes and cannot be directly combined; however, they point to the same reality: The industry is still growing, but profits are not growing in step. Companies must upgrade resource efficiency, product mix, and environmental-data capabilities while margins remain under pressure. Therefore, after August 15, what the papermaking and packaging industry truly needs to recalculate are four operating accounts. But before doing the calculations, it is essential to clarify exactly what changes on August 15. I. First Separate Four Timing Layers: Not Every Requirement Suddenly Appears on August 15 This step is critical. If every green and low-carbon policy is interpreted as a “new mandatory obligation created on the day the Code takes effect,” companies may make panic-driven investments and articles may mislead readers; if the Code is understood as merely binding old laws together, its impact in connecting responsibilities across the entire value chain will be underestimated. An accurate understanding should distinguish four layers. LAYER 01 August 15 Marks a Transition in the Legal System Article 1242 of the Code expressly provides that it takes effect on August 15, 2026; at the same time, ten laws, including the Environmental Protection Law, the Atmospheric Pollution Prevention and Control Law, the Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law, the Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste, and the Cleaner Production Promotion Law, are repealed. This means ecological and environmental governance is entering a new codified framework. However, “repealed at the same time” does not mean that existing obligations disappear, nor does it mean that every provision was newly created on that date. Many requirements—including complete collection and treatment of industrial wastewater, VOCs controls, and restrictions on excessive commodity packaging—already had legal and standards-based foundations; the Code systematically integrates, coordinates, and strengthens them. LAYER 02 August 15 Brings One Administrative Transition Companies Can Directly See—the New Version of the Pollutant Discharge Permit The Ministry of Ecology and Environment has made clear that, beginning August 15, updates to the new version of pollutant discharge permits will be launched by industry and in batches, with full application by the end of 2026. The new permit covers environmental elements including air, water, industrial solid waste, industrial noise, and soil, and adopts a “one outlet, one table, one code” structure. Companies already subject to pollutant discharge permit management do not need to resubmit information or reapply; they may directly log in to the National Pollutant Discharge Permit Management Information Platform to download the new permit. What companies actually need to do is not resubmit the same materials, but verify: Whether the production lines, capacity, raw and auxiliary materials, and discharge outlets listed in the permit are consistent with actual production; Whether production, monitoring, pollution-control, solid-waste, and environmental-tax data can corroborate one another; Whether the required procedures have been completed for expansions, modifications, process changes, or material changes. The value of the new permit is not merely a change in format. It is more like the master index for a company’s environmental data. LAYER 03 Obligations That Are Already Clear Must Continue to Be Implemented Rather Than Waiting Until August 15 These include complete collection and treatment of industrial wastewater, applicable VOCs content and use requirements, consistency between pollutant discharge permits and actual production, and compliance with mandatory standards restricting excessive commodity packaging. These matters cannot be packaged as “future trends,” nor can management of them be deferred simply because the Code has not yet taken effect. LAYER 04 The Direction Is Set, but Catalogs, Standards, or Detailed Rules Are Still Needed These include whether and when ordinary packaging will enter mandatory recycling catalogs, how EPR obligations will be fulfilled for different products, the specific scope of mandatory carbon-footprint disclosure for packaging, implementation details for low-VOC product labeling, and the timing and allowance methodology for formally including the papermaking industry in the national carbon market. In addition, the VOCs environmental protection tax pilot taking effect on January 1, 2027 is a parallel policy coordinated with the Code and should not be described as a tax directly imposed by Articles 213–215 of the Code themselves. Only by separating these four layers can companies know what requires immediate correction, what requires a data foundation, and what should await formal rules. II. The First Account: Paper Mill Resource Efficiency—Water, Fiber, and Energy Can No Longer Be Calculated Separately Article 944 of the Code expressly lists papermaking alongside steel, nonferrous metals, petrochemicals, chemicals, building materials, printing and dyeing, and other industries, calling for green and low-carbon transformation, promotion of cleaner-production technologies and equipment, process renewal and upgrading, and improved mandatory standards for energy efficiency, carbon emissions, and other indicators. It is true that “papermaking is specifically named.” But Article 944 is first and foremost an industrial-transformation and institutional-development provision; it does not mean that a paper mill can be penalized directly under this article simply because it has not completed some vaguely defined “green transformation.” Its real signal is that future evaluation of paper mills will not stop at whether end-of-pipe emissions meet standards, but will increasingly focus on how much water, fiber, steam, electricity, and carbon emissions are consumed per unit of product. ACCOUNT 01 Behind the Water Account Is Actually a Fiber Account Articles 297–300 of the Code require enterprises causing water pollution to carry out technical modifications, increase water reuse rates, and reduce wastewater and pollutant discharges; industrial wastewater must be fully collected and treated, toxic and hazardous wastewater must be collected separately and may not be diluted for discharge; and pretreatment requirements must be met before wastewater enters centralized treatment facilities. For a paper mill, the value of discharging one metric ton less wastewater goes far beyond saving the treatment cost for one metric ton of wastewater. White water and wastewater often carry fines, fillers, sizing agents, retention and drainage aids, wet-strength agents, and heat. Fiber lost with water increases both raw-material costs and wastewater-treatment loads and sludge volumes. Truly valuable water management must first define the company or production-line boundary and then establish two balances simultaneously. The following are the simplest illustrative equations for an annual plant boundary: Water Balance Fresh water and other externally introduced water = water leaving with products + evaporation losses + water leaving with sludge and solid waste + discharged water + inventory changes + other explainable losses Fiber Balance Oven-dry fiber entering the papermaking system = oven-dry fiber in finished products + fiber in externally discharged by-products + fiber in sludge, screen rejects, and wastewater + inventory changes + other explainable losses White-water recovery and broke reuse are internal system recirculation and should be reported separately as process indicators; they must not be added repeatedly to external inputs or final outputs. Different mills must also expand the equations according to actual conditions such as integrated pulp-and-paper boundaries, moisture in purchased pulp, and water introduced by fillers and chemicals. If these two balances cannot be closed, a company will struggle to determine whether a “water-saving project” actually reduces total cost or merely shifts the problem into web breaks, paper defects, chemical consumption, and sludge disposal. One misconception must be avoided in particular: Increasing the water reuse rate does not mean blindly pursuing a completely closed-loop water system. If the water system is excessively closed, salts, anionic trash, stickies, and microorganisms may accumulate, causing poorer drainage, sizing failure, deposits, corrosion, odor, and increased web-break rates. The industry should not pursue a “zero-discharge slogan,” but the overall optimum among fresh-water use, fiber loss, chemical loss, and treatment cost while maintaining paper-machine stability and paper quality. ACCOUNT 02 The Energy Account Is Becoming a Carbon Account, but the Future Must Not Be Written as Though It Has Already Happened GB 31825-2024, The Norm of Energy Consumption per Unit Product of Pulp and Paper, took effect on May 1, 2025. It is a currently effective mandatory national standard, not a new requirement created only after the Code takes effect. Meanwhile, carbon-data requirements are not merely a long-term signal. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment’s Notice on Relevant Work for the National Carbon Emissions Trading Market in 2026 has already made clear that entities in papermaking and other industries with annual greenhouse gas emissions of 26,000 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent, approximately equivalent to comprehensive energy consumption of 10,000 metric tons of standard coal, are included in annual greenhouse gas emissions reporting management; the notice requires relevant companies to submit their 2025 emissions reports and supplementary data by March 31, 2026, and provincial ecology and environment authorities to complete verification by the end of 2026. For paper mills meeting the threshold, the task now is not to wait for market expansion, but to review whether the submitted data, supporting documentation, and calculation boundaries can withstand verification. But two matters must be distinguished: emissions-reporting management has already begun, while allowance management has not. Under the current 2026 notice, the industries subject to allowance allocation and surrender remain power generation, steel, cement, and aluminum smelting. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment has begun preparations to expand coverage to papermaking and other industries, but the formal inclusion date and allowance methodology still await an official plan; conclusions should not be drawn in advance of the competent authority. The most valuable preparation for paper mills now is to establish four robust metrics for every paper grade and production line: Fresh-water consumption, unit: m³/metric ton of paper; Fiber loss, unit: kg/metric ton of paper; Electricity, steam, and fuel consumption, allocated by paper grade and process; Pollutant load, considering both concentration and generation and discharge per unit of product. This is because most effective decarbonization projects first appear as reductions in steam, electricity, web breaks, rejects, and downtime costs. For paper mills under margin pressure, decarbonization that first improves operating cash flow has the greatest implementation value. III. The Second Account: Packaging Design and Orders—“Paper” Does Not Automatically Mean “Green” Article 972 of the Code encourages green design; Article 973 encourages green packaging and packaging reduction, while expressly requiring business operators to use reasonable packaging, comply with mandatory standards restricting excessive commodity packaging, refrain from excessive packaging, and ensure that packaging materials, structures, and costs are appropriate for the contained product; Article 974 further requires e-commerce, express delivery, food delivery, and other industries to reduce packaging use, prioritize reusable and readily recyclable packaging, and actively recover and utilize packaging. What packaging companies should focus on most is not the phrase “paper replacing plastic,” but the fact that the object of evaluation has shifted upstream from a single material to the complete packaging system. A paper-packaging solution may simultaneously include: Base paper, primer, barrier layer, ink, overprint varnish, adhesive, heat-seal layer, wet-strength system, window material, and final forming structure. If replacing one plastic layer significantly increases base-paper basis weight, coating usage, and drying energy; if packaging-line speed falls and reject rates rise; if food-contaminated packaging has no practical collection pathway; or if the final package generates large amounts of screen rejects and stickies in the repulping system, then “higher paper content” does not automatically demonstrate better system-level environmental performance. Professional green-packaging design must pass at least four gates: GATE 01 Function Gate Packaging must first satisfy basic functions including water resistance, grease resistance, oxygen barrier, heat sealing, abrasion resistance, printing, migration safety, shelf life, and transport protection. Environmental concepts cannot substitute for product safety and use performance. GATE 02 Material-Efficiency Gate The comparison is not the single question of “paper or plastic,” but whether total material weight declines for the same packaging function, whether unnecessary layers and void space are reduced, and whether excessive packaging exists. GATE 03 Manufacturing-Efficiency Gate Line speed, drying energy consumption, changeover time, cleaning-agent usage, reject rate, and quality variability must be included in the calculation. A material can generate orders only if it can be produced reliably on the customer’s actual equipment. GATE 04 Real-World Circularity Gate The packaging must specify in which region, through what collection system, and under what sorting and repulping conditions it will be handled. Being “separable” in a laboratory does not mean it will necessarily be collected, sorted, and utilized in the real world. Therefore, evidence for “recyclability” should not consist only of a substrate test report, but should at minimum be tied to: The complete BOM of the final package; Materials in each layer and their usage per unit area; Worst-case coating weight, printed area, and laminated structure; Applicable recycling scenarios and test methods; Fiber recovery or yield, screen rejects, and interfering substances; Quality of recovered pulp or paper made from it. The Code will not automatically deem packaging green simply because it is made of paper; what is actually evaluated is the complete packaging system. For packaging companies, this will directly change the logic of orders: in the past, customers bought a box, a cup, or a bag; in the future, leading customers are more likely to buy a solution that is “functionally compliant, material-efficient, stable in manufacturing, clear in its recycling pathway, and supported by verifiable data.” IV. The Third Account: VOCs Raw Materials and Tax Burden—The Fastest Route to Orders May Be Material Balance, Not Carbon Articles 213–215 of the Code provide for content limits on raw and auxiliary materials and products containing VOCs, the use of low-VOCs materials, emission-reduction measures during production and use, and a low-VOCs product labeling system. For packaging printing, coating, and laminating companies, these requirements translate into very specific materials: Inks; Overprint varnishes; Adhesives; Cleaning agents and thinners; Fountain solutions; Coating agents and finishing agents. But two common misconceptions must first be corrected. Water-based does not mean zero VOC, and low odor does not mean low VOC. VOC determinations for a product must be tied to the product category, ready-for-use state, dilution method, test method, and applicable standard. Compliance conclusions cannot be drawn solely from the words “water-based.” A more direct operating signal comes from the VOCs environmental protection tax pilot taking effect on January 1, 2027. The first group of industries expressly includes printing and the manufacture of chemical raw materials and chemical products. The tax rate ranges from RMB 8–12 per pollution equivalent, and the VOCs pollution-equivalent value is 0.95 kg; emission-source items involving the use of raw and auxiliary materials containing VOCs are calculated using a material-balance method. Consider a simplified example solely to understand the order of magnitude: If 1 metric ton consists entirely of taxable VOCs emissions, without considering deductions for 18 individual substances, performance-level incentives, or differences in locally applicable tax rates: 1,000 kg ÷ 0.95 kg/pollution equivalent × RMB 8–12/pollution equivalent This corresponds to approximately RMB 8,421–12,632. The key term here is taxable emissions. It is not 1 metric ton of purchased material, not 1 metric ton of ink, and not simply the VOC content measured in a product multiplied by the tax rate. Whether a company is taxable and the amount of taxable emissions depend on industry classification, pollutant-discharge-permit identification, actual emission-source items, material balance, collection and treatment, deductions for 18 individual substances, and local tax rates. Under the pilot measures, “VOCs mass fraction greater than or equal to 10%” is one of the identification criteria for emission-source items involving raw and auxiliary materials containing VOCs; it is not a qualification threshold for determining whether a product is “low VOC.” Therefore, the real value a material supplier can create for customers is not a broad claim that a product is “more environmentally friendly,” but helping customers calculate a comprehensive cost sheet: Material procurement cost Actual unit consumption Dilution and cleaning costs Drying energy consumption Waste-gas collection and treatment costs Reject and downtime losses Potential taxable-emissions cost. If a low-VOC material causes line speed to decline significantly while energy consumption and rejects increase, the overall benefit may not hold; conversely, if it can maintain adhesion, barrier performance, heat sealing, abrasion resistance, blocking resistance, and storage stability at a low dry coat weight, it may simultaneously reduce raw-material, treatment, tax, and production-line losses. VOCs are not a marketing term, but an operating-data chain running from procurement records and material balance to pollutant discharge permits and tax filings. This is likely to become one of the fastest routes to real orders for functional packaging materials over the next year. V. The Fourth Account: Circularity, Carbon, and Customer Access—Environmental Data Are Becoming Part of the Product Article 959 of the Code establishes an extended producer responsibility system; Article 977 further provides that enterprises producing, importing, or selling products and packaging legally included in mandatory recycling catalogs must fulfill responsibilities for recovery, utilization, or harmless disposal as required. But this cannot be interpreted to mean: “Beginning August 15, all paper cups, paper boxes, and paper bags must pay a uniform EPR fee.” The trigger under Article 977 is being “legally included in a mandatory recycling catalog,” and the specific catalogs and administrative measures are still to be formulated by the national development and reform authority together with relevant departments. However, industry preparations have already begun. The National Development and Reform Commission’s official interpretation of the “15th Five-Year Plan” for Circular Economy Development expressly proposes supporting industry-led voluntary recycling initiatives for beverage cartons and disposable takeaway beverage cups. The shared challenges of these two packaging categories are highly representative: low value, dispersed distribution, susceptibility to food-residue contamination, and the typical presence of non-fiber functional layers. The real industry question is not simply whether something is “recyclable,” but: Who establishes collection points, and who bears collection and transportation costs; Whether contaminated packaging still has economic value; Where the fiber and non-fiber components respectively go; How brands, platforms, packaging converters, material suppliers, and paper mills share responsibility; How recycling outcomes are recorded and verified, and how recovery without actual utilization is prevented. At the same time, Article 1000 of the Code calls for companies to implement green procurement and establish green supply chains in accordance with national requirements; Article 1036 establishes systems for product carbon-footprint accounting, tiered management, labeling and certification, and information disclosure. By the end of 2025, China had issued 15 national standards for product carbon-footprint accounting and more than 200 group standards for specific sectors; the second edition of the national greenhouse gas emission factor database increased the total number of factors to 576. This does not mean that every paper package must disclose its carbon footprint on August 15. But a more practical change may arrive sooner: brand customers, export customers, government procurement, and leading supply chains may first turn traceable environmental data into supplier-access requirements. In the future, delivery documentation for a paper, coating, or package should not consist only of a quotation and TDS, but should progressively include an internal “product environmental attributes dossier”: Product identity and formulation or structural version; Final packaging BOM and weight per package; VOC data, test methods, and applicable boundaries; Key energy, raw-material, and manufacturing-loss data; Recycling compatibility of the final package and applicable scenarios; Primary activity data required for carbon-footprint accounting and a description of data quality; Environmental claims that may be used, may be used with limitations, and must not be used. This is not a nationally prescribed uniform name for a “product passport,” but a data asset that companies should proactively establish. An important dividing line in the next round of packaging competition will not be who talks about green concepts more effectively, but who can convert green performance into verifiable costs, performance, and data. VI. Which Orders Will Come First? Not Every Green Opportunity Arrives at the Same Time From the perspective of the papermaking and packaging value chain, opportunities can be divided into “near-term orders that can already be transacted” and “medium-term capabilities that require joint development.” NOW 01 Paper Mill Water Saving, Fiber Recovery, and Energy-Efficiency Upgrades The payment logic is clearest here: how much fresh water, steam, electricity, fiber, and wastewater-treatment cost is saved per metric ton of paper; and whether web breaks, rejects, and downtime are reduced. As long as the measurement boundary is clear, the value can enter the financial model. NOW 02 Low-VOCs Inks, Overprint Varnishes, Adhesives, Cleaning Agents, and Functional Coatings Customers will not compare only price per kilogram; they will increasingly compare actual consumption per finished product, line speed, drying, treatment, cleaning, rejects, and potential taxable emissions. Suppliers able to provide material-balance data and real production-line data are more likely to enter procurement decisions. NOW 03 Material Reduction and Structural Optimization Reducing unnecessary layers, lowering packaging weight per unit, minimizing void space, optimizing box design and die-cut layouts, and improving transportation loading efficiency simultaneously address excessive packaging, cost, and logistics efficiency and generally make it easier to establish a commercial closed loop than simply replacing one material with another. NEXT 01 Recyclable Barriers and Complete-Packaging Validation The opportunity is not simply to “replace PE,” but to reduce non-fiber layers and lower the risks of screen rejects and stickies while meeting food-contact, barrier, heat-sealing, and shelf-life requirements and completing validation on the final package. NEXT 02 Recycling Systems for Beverage Cartons and Takeaway Cups This is a systems-engineering challenge requiring coordination among brands, platforms, stores, collection and transportation operators, recycled-paper mills, and material suppliers. Laboratory results for an individual material cannot substitute for real-world collection rates and final utilization rates. NEXT 03 Product Carbon Footprints and Green Supply-Chain Data In the short term, these appear in customer questionnaires and audit materials; in the long term, they will enter product design, procurement, pricing, and supplier segmentation. The earlier original activity data are established, the lower the future accounting cost and interpretation risk. This shows that the industrial opportunities created by the Code are not a generalized “environmental market,” but three types of value that can be purchased: Quantifiable cost reductions, verifiable product upgrades, and data capabilities that can enter customer systems. VII. What Companies Should Do Now: A 30/90/180-Day Roadmap NEXT 30 DAYS First Distinguish Obligations, Then Complete the Baseline Records Establish a policy matrix and divide matters into: Existing obligations already in force; Legal or administrative transitions occurring on August 15; Policies already issued that will take effect in the future; Systems whose direction is clear but that still await catalogs, standards, and detailed rules. At the same time, reconcile environmental impact assessments, pollutant discharge permits, actual production lines, and discharge outlets; inventory the BOMs of key products; establish baseline records for water, fiber, energy, VOCs, and waste streams; and remove promotional claims such as “zero VOC,” “fully recyclable,” “100% biodegradable,” “zero carbon,” and “compliant with the Code” when they lack defined boundaries. NEXT 90 DAYS Select Only One SKU and Compare Three Options Do not begin by transforming the entire product line. Select one high-volume package with strong customer attention and room for structural improvement, and compare three options using the same functional unit: Existing baseline structure; Minimum-change option; Structural-upgrade option. Compare on a consistent basis: total packaging weight, number of material layers, functional performance, unit consumption, line speed, drying energy consumption, reject rate, VOC input, treatment load, recycling performance, and total cost. Only a like-for-like comparison can avoid a situation in which “one individual indicator is greener while total system cost and environmental burden are actually higher.” NEXT 180 DAYS Build an Evidence Package That Can Be Submitted for Customer Audit Select at least one product and create complete documentation covering the boundaries from raw materials and manufacturing through use and recycling: Technical specifications and version; Performance and test methods; Food-contact or product-safety documentation; VOC and actual-use data; Recycling compatibility of the complete package; Carbon-footprint activity data; Environmental claims and their levels of evidence. The value of this documentation is to unify the basis used by R&D, production, environmental management, procurement, sales, and customer audits. VIII. BIOTEN View: The Value Standard for Functional Materials Is Changing The Ecological and Environmental Code does not specifically name PHA, nor does it provide that paper, water-based, or bio-based materials automatically qualify as green materials. Therefore, the opportunity for water-based PHA functional materials cannot be built on the material name itself, but must be built on a verifiable customer value chain: Can the required water resistance, grease resistance, heat sealing, or abrasion resistance be delivered at a lower unit consumption; Can line speed, adhesion, and stability be maintained on the customer’s actual equipment; Can VOCs input and treatment load be reduced; Can the real-world recycling pathway of the final paper package be preserved as much as possible; Can the data required for chemical compliance, material sourcing, and carbon-footprint accounting be provided. “Bio-based” can translate into a low-carbon advantage only when carbon footprints are compared using the same functional unit and clearly defined system boundaries; “biodegradable” can translate into real value only when environmental conditions, time, and end-of-life pathways are specified; and “repulpable” can become a credible claim only when validated on the final printed, coated, laminated, and converted package. For functional-material suppliers, what truly needs to be delivered in the future is not merely one metric ton of material, but: Material Performance + Manufacturing Window + Total Cost + Recycling Compatibility + Environmental Data. This is also the professional position BIOTEN Packaging should build: not declaring “compliance” on behalf of customers in advance, but helping customers turn a green direction into a packaging solution that is manufacturable, verifiable, and commercially viable. Conclusion The impact of the Ecological and Environmental Code on the papermaking and packaging industry can be condensed into three statements. For paper mills: Upstream operations must not only demonstrate compliant emissions, but also demonstrate how to produce the same paper consistently using less water, fiber, and energy. For packaging companies: Downstream operations must not only demonstrate the use of paper, but also demonstrate how the complete package reduces material use, can be manufactured consistently, and preserves a realistic circularity pathway. For material suppliers: They must not only demonstrate material performance, but also show how the material reduces customers’ total costs and environmental burden. August 15 is not the endpoint at which all green rules simultaneously become fully implemented, but the starting point for the papermaking and packaging industry to rewrite environmental responsibility into its operating model. The companies that will truly be competitive in the future are not those with the most green terminology, but those able to demonstrate through processes and data that: For the same packaging function, they consume fewer resources, generate less pollution, preserve better circularity pathways, and create quantifiable operating value for customers. This is the most fundamental impact of the Ecological and Environmental Code on the papermaking and packaging value chain. Sources and Scope Notes Full Text of the Ecological and Environmental Code of the People’s Republic of China | Ministry of Ecology and Environment Notice on Optimizing the Format of Pollutant Discharge Permits (Duplicate Copy) | Ministry of Ecology and Environment Pilot Implementation Measures for Levying Environmental Protection Tax on Volatile Organic Compounds | Ministry of Finance, State Taxation Administration, Ministry of Ecology and Environment Expert Interpretation II of the “15th Five-Year Plan” for Circular Economy Development | National Development and Reform Commission Progress in Building the Product Carbon-Footprint Management System | Ministry of Ecology and Environment, June 2026 Press Conference Notice on Relevant Work for the National Carbon Emissions Trading Market in 2026 | Ministry of Ecology and Environment Q&A on Preparations to Expand the National Carbon Market to Papermaking and Other Industries | Ministry of Ecology and Environment GB 31825-2024, The Norm of Energy Consumption per Unit Product of Pulp and Paper | National Standards Full-Text Disclosure System 2025 Revenue and Profit of Paper and Paper Products Enterprises Above Designated Size Nationwide | National Forestry and Grassland Administration “2025 Annual Report on China’s Paper Industry” | China Paper Association Note: This article is industry research and operating analysis and does not constitute legal, tax, certification, or compliance advice for any specific company. Companies should make determinations based on product category, production process, pollutant discharge permit, local policies, and formally issued supporting rules. The simplified examples in this article are solely intended to explain orders of magnitude and do not replace actual company filing calculations. Research: August 9, 2026 | BIOTEN Packaging Industry Insights",
            "date_published": "2026-08-09T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-10T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-09-import-zhzfsy/cms-image-e12e34c9fc557416.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-08-ppwr812.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-08-ppwr812.html",
            "title": "PPWR Countdown: Can Legacy Packaging in Warehouses Still Be Sold After August 12?",
            "summary": "The European Commission’s second FAQ update of August 2026 distinguishes three very different inventory statuses: packaging already placed on the market, packaging manufactured but not yet placed on the market, and packaging newly manufactured after August 12.",
            "content_text": "The European Commission’s August 2026 second-edition FAQ makes clear that packaging already placed on the market, packaging produced but not yet placed on the market, and packaging newly produced after August 12 are three entirely different inventory statuses. Using six real-world scenarios, this article clarifies the boundaries among shipment, arrival, release for free circulation, delivery, and accompanying documents. BIOTEN Packaging | PPWR Supply Chain Watch Do Not Start with “When Was It Produced?” Start with “When Was It First Placed on the EU Market?” The European Commission’s August 2026 second-edition FAQ makes clear that packaging already placed on the market, packaging produced but not yet placed on the market, and packaging newly produced after August 12 are three entirely different inventory statuses. Using six real-world scenarios, this article clarifies the boundaries among shipment, arrival, release for free circulation, delivery, and accompanying documents. Three Inventory Categories | Determine Status First, Then Decide Already Placed on the Market | Preserve Evidence and Check Special Requirements Produced but Not Yet Placed on the Market | Complete the Compliance Requirements Applicable at Placement Newly Produced After August 12 | Enter the Standard Compliance Process PPWR · 2026 / 08 / 12 Only 4 Days Until the PPWR’s General Date of Application One batch of paper cups is in a warehouse in China, one batch of paper boxes is in ocean transit, one batch of food containers has already entered an EU distributor’s warehouse, and another batch, filled with food, is already in retail channels. A company may call all of them “old inventory,” but under the PPWR, the answers are not the same. Bottom line first: the PPWR does not require all old inventory to be destroyed, nor does it allow all old inventory to continue to be sold without distinction. The correct decision sequence has only three steps: Has this batch of packaging already been placed on the EU market for the first time; Which PPWR requirements were already applicable at the actual time of placement; Can the company prove the first two points through records tied to the same SKU, batch, and transaction chain. “Old” is a matter of physical time; “placed on the market” is a legal status. The production date cannot substitute for market facts. This is precisely the most important reminder the European Commission’s August 2026 second-edition FAQ gives the value chain. I. First Clarify Two Terms: Making Available Is Not the Same as First Placement on the Market The PPWR defines “making available on the market” as supplying packaging, whether empty or containing a product, for distribution, consumption, or use on the EU market in the course of a commercial activity, whether in return for payment or free of charge. “Placing on the market” means the first making available of packaging on the EU market. These two definitions appear simple, but once applied to the supply chain they involve multiple time points: completion of production, contract execution or ordering, invoicing, shipment, arrival, customs release for free circulation, delivery, filling, and retail sale. Any of these dates may serve as evidence, but no single date can automatically become the “first placement date” for every business model independently of the packaging type and actual transaction arrangements. Four Clocks Must Be Recorded Separately Production clock: When the packaging is completed and becomes a specific tradable product. Commercial clock: When an offer or agreement arises concerning the transfer of ownership, possession, or other property rights. Import clock: When goods from a third country complete the import procedure for “release for free circulation.” Finished-product clock: For sales packaging or grouped packaging, when filling, sealing, or other operations that may affect final compliance are completed. The European Commission’s formal guidance further explains that sales packaging and grouped food packaging are generally placed on the market after final operations such as filling and sealing are completed, because these operations may affect packaging compliance; transport packaging and service packaging in its final form, by contrast, can generally be placed on the market while empty. This means neither “empty packaging has already been sold” nor “placement occurs only after the product is filled” is a universal answer applicable to all packaging. Another easily confused concept must also be distinguished: “first placement on the EU market” for PPWR product compliance is not the same clock as “first making available within a particular Member State” in the EPR context. The former determines when packaging first enters EU commercial circulation, while the latter primarily determines who bears producer-responsibility obligations in a specific Member State. II. Three Inventory Categories Require Three Different Handling Approaches INVENTORY 01 First Placed on the EU Market Before August 12 Core action: preserve evidence rather than mechanically reworking the packaging. The European Commission’s August 2026 second-edition FAQ expressly states that packaging placed on the market before August 12 may remain on the market even if it does not comply with PPWR requirements that become applicable afterward. However, a company cannot prove this merely by saying “the goods are already in Europe.” Ordinary distributor inventory, consignment warehouses, platform fulfillment warehouses, bonded warehouses, and warehouses used solely for logistics custody may involve entirely different arrangements regarding rights, possession, and supply. What is truly useful is a mutually corroborating set of records: offer or contract, order, invoice, delivery or receipt, customs release for free circulation, warehouse possession, SKU, batch, and quantity. There are two further boundaries: This conclusion cannot be extended into a blanket exemption from food-contact, chemical, customer-contract, or other Member State requirements; If a PPWR requirement has an earlier specific start date, it must still be assessed separately under that provision. Reusable packaging is a typical exception, with the Article 11 assessment involving the earlier cutoff date of February 11, 2025. Therefore, the safe conclusion for this inventory category is not “all old goods can be sold,” but: Packaging that has already been placed on the market and can be proven as such may, in principle, remain on the market; however, special requirements with earlier start dates and other parallel legislation must still be excluded from that conclusion. INVENTORY 02 Produced Before August 12 but Not Yet First Placed on the Market Core action: complete applicable compliance requirements rather than panic-scrapping inventory or rushing to clear stock. The new FAQ makes clear that this packaging does not need to be uniformly destroyed, remanufactured, or relabeled merely because August 12 arrives. For packaging identification under Articles 15(5) and 15(6), as well as the manufacturer’s name and address, the information may be provided in accompanying documents. But this arrangement addresses only specific identification and contact-information issues. It does not replace: Substantive requirements already applicable at the time of placement; Applicable conformity assessment, technical documentation, and EU declaration of conformity; The respective responsibilities of manufacturers, suppliers, and EU importers; The linkage between documents and the actual packaging structure, SKU, and batch. The PFAS restriction for food-contact packaging is the most direct example. The European Commission’s formal guidance makes clear that the PPWR provides no sell-through period for PFAS inventory. Even if food-contact packaging was produced before August 12, if it is first placed on the market after August 12, it must comply with the PFAS limits in force at that time. Therefore, the safe conclusion for this inventory category is: Early production does not equal an automatic exemption; mechanical scrapping is unnecessary, but continued sales cannot rely on the production date alone. INVENTORY 03 Produced and First Placed on the Market After August 12 Core action: embed compliance into normal production, release, and delivery processes. The packaging type, model, batch or equivalent identification, manufacturer information, applicable technical documentation, and transaction evidence should be linked before shipment. For packaging produced after August 12, accompanying documents are not the default substitute. Only where the size or nature of the packaging genuinely does not allow the relevant identification and manufacturer information to be provided directly may accompanying documents be used in the manner permitted by the Regulation, with the packaging’s size, shape, and function considered case by case. Another common misconception also needs to be corrected: “Unique identification” does not mean that every paper cup or every paper box must have its own individual serial number. The European Commission FAQ explains that identification may consist of the type, model, production batch, serial number, or another equivalent element; the key is that regulators can use it to link the packaging to the corresponding technical documentation and EU declaration of conformity. III. Six Real-World Scenarios: What Is the Answer in Each Case? SCENARIO 01 Finished Paper Boxes in a Chinese Factory Warehouse Preliminary assessment: generally insufficient to prove that they have already been placed on the EU market. Completion of production, packing for shipment, or even issuance of an internal warehouse-release document cannot alone prove that the packaging first entered EU commercial circulation. It remains necessary to determine whether there is already a supply offer or agreement covering specific products ready for shipment, who the transaction counterparty is, and whether rights or possession have already transferred. Companies cannot treat an “early production date” as a pass for the period after August 12. SCENARIO 02 Departed Port on August 10, Released for Free Circulation in the EU on August 20 Preliminary assessment: the departure date does not automatically equal the first placement date. The European Commission FAQ states that, for imported packaging or packaged products, placement is generally considered to occur when they are declared for release for free circulation; however, in scenarios such as distance sales, placement may already have occurred before release for free circulation. Therefore, it is incorrect simply to say “it shipped in time, so it is old inventory,” and equally incorrect to mechanically state that “all imported goods are always determined solely by the customs-clearance date.” The importer, sales arrangements, Incoterms, order counterparty, customs status, and actual transfer of rights should all be reviewed together. SCENARIO 03 Goods Have Arrived in the EU but Remain Under Customs Supervision or in Bonded Status Preliminary assessment: geographic location alone is insufficient. If the goods have not yet been released for free circulation and no supply has occurred on the EU market, they generally cannot be deemed placed on the market merely because they are “already within EU territory.” The new FAQ also explains that goods merely transiting through the EU, not declared for release for free circulation, and not placed on the EU market are, in principle, not required to comply with the PPWR. Therefore, an EU warehouse, port, or bonded zone is only a physical location, not an automatically established legal conclusion. SCENARIO 04 Delivered to an EU Distributor Before August 12 and Still in the Distributor’s Warehouse Preliminary assessment: they may already have been placed on the market; the key is whether the evidence forms a closed loop. If there is a genuine supply arrangement, ownership, possession, or other relevant rights have transferred, and delivery, receipt, invoice, batch, and quantity can be matched to one another, the packaging is more likely to qualify as downstream inventory that has already been placed on the market. However, no conclusion should be drawn solely from the warehouse name for consignment inventory, platform fulfillment inventory, third-party warehousing, or inventory not yet released for free circulation. SCENARIO 05 Already Filled with Food and Entered EU Retail Channels Preliminary assessment: generally closer to having already been placed on the market, but the specific batch and date must still be established. Sales packaging and grouped food packaging are generally placed on the market after final operations such as filling and sealing are completed. If the packaged product was supplied to the EU market before August 12 and the evidence points to the same batch, the FAQ’s general inventory explanation may apply. If only the packaging material was produced early, while the food product was not filled and first supplied until after August 12, the packaging material’s production date alone cannot be relied upon. SCENARIO 06 Empty Paper Cups, Paper Food Containers, or Folding Cartons Sold to an EU Filler Preliminary assessment: first determine the packaging function and who completes the final operations. For sales packaging and grouped packaging, the entity that completes final cutting, filling, and sealing and places the packaging on the market with its own product may generally be the manufacturer within the meaning of the PPWR; the converting company then provides it with the necessary technical information. However, transport packaging, service packaging in its final form, and some empty packaging can be first placed on the market while empty. Companies cannot uniformly treat every paper-cup or paper-box manufacturer as the final manufacturer, nor assume that empty packaging can never have been placed on the market. The six scenarios demonstrate the same point: warehouse location, production date, and a single invoice provide only clues; the actual conclusion comes from the combination of packaging type, transaction facts, responsibility roles, and the evidence chain. IV. Five Dates Cannot Substitute for One Another 01 Production Date Proves when manufacturing was completed; it does not independently prove when the packaging entered the EU market. 02 Order or Contract Date May prove a supply arrangement, but it is necessary to determine whether it covers products that have already been manufactured and can be specifically identified, and exactly which rights the agreement transfers. 03 Invoice or Shipment Date Can support transaction and logistics facts, but does not automatically determine first placement in every transaction. 04 Date of Release for Free Circulation An important placement point for packaging imported from third countries; specific scenarios such as distance sales may occur earlier. 05 Date of First Supply or Delivery Must be assessed together with packaging function, ownership or possession arrangements, import status, SKU, and batch. The same applies to Incoterms. FOB, CIF, DAP, or DDP can help explain cost, risk, and delivery arrangements, but cannot, independently of the actual contract, import role, and flow of goods, automatically determine the PPWR conclusion for a company. V. What Can Accompanying Documents Solve, and What Can They Not Solve? For inventory produced before August 12 but not yet placed on the market, the new FAQ allows accompanying documents to satisfy the specific information requirements of Articles 15(5) and 15(6). This is an important loss-mitigation arrangement, but it does not mean that “placing one declaration with the shipment makes it compliant.” They Can Address The packaging type, model, batch, serial number, or other equivalent identification; The manufacturer’s name, registered trade name or trademark, postal address, and, where available, electronic means of contact; Where the size or nature of the packaging does not permit information to be provided directly, establishing a traceable link to the packaging. They Cannot Replace Applicable material, substance, sustainability, or other substantive requirements; Applicable conformity assessment, technical documentation, and EU declaration of conformity; The EU importer’s verification responsibilities before placement on the market; Food-contact, chemical, and other parallel requirements of the destination Member State; Genuine evidence for the specific SKU, structure, intended use, and batch. At minimum, internal accompanying documentation should be able to link: document number and version, packaging name and structure, model or batch, quantity, manufacturer information, applicable declaration or technical documentation, corresponding order or transport record, and responsible contact person. The above is an evidence-management recommendation, not a uniform document template prescribed by the EU. VI. Within 24 Hours, Upgrade Inventory from a “Quantity Ledger” to a “Legal-Status Ledger” 0—4 HOURS Freeze the Classification Basis Extract all EU-related inventory by SKU and batch; do not aggregate only by product name or total tonnage. Distinguish sales packaging, grouped packaging, transport packaging, and service packaging, as well as empty packaging and filled packaged products. 4—10 HOURS Reconstruct the Event Chain For each line item, record the dates of production, order, invoicing, shipment, arrival, release for free circulation, delivery, filling, and first supply. Every conclusion must identify its basis; “the business team believes it has already been sold” is not sufficient. 10—16 HOURS Map the Responsibility Chain Clearly Confirm who is the PPWR manufacturer, supplier, EU importer, and distributor; do not conflate the EPR producer with the product-compliance manufacturer, and do not assume that the paper-box manufacturer bears all responsibility for the final package. 16—20 HOURS Verify Applicable Requirements Mark, provision by provision, the requirements already in force at the actual time of placement, together with the required technical documentation and declarations. For food-contact packaging, prioritize review of PFAS, food-contact requirements, and supply-chain material evidence; do not mistakenly conclude that August 12 carries no practical obligations simply because “recyclability grades mainly apply after 2030.” 20—24 HOURS Retain Only Three Conclusions Green | Already placed on the market with consistent evidence: preserve the event chain and batch evidence for subsequent management of inventory remaining in circulation; also screen for special earlier requirements and other parallel legislation. Yellow | Possibly already placed on the market, but the evidence does not form a closed loop: suspend definitive external commitments, complete transaction, import, receipt, or batch-linkage evidence, and obtain confirmation from the responsible EU entity. Red | Not yet placed on the market or applicable requirements remain unresolved: HOLD until the requirements applicable at that time, technical documentation, and responsibility verification have been completed. What truly needs to be cleared is not the inventory itself, but the inventory’s legal status and evidentiary status. VII. What Must Each Part of the Papermaking and Packaging Value Chain Deliver? Base Paper, Coating, Ink, and Adhesive Suppliers Provide evidentiary inputs tied to specific materials, batches, intended uses, and test conditions, including material identity, composition or controlled-substance information, applicable declarations, test methods and versions, and change records. Do not expand a single material report into a compliance conclusion for the final package or all old inventory. Printing, Coating, Cup-Making, Carton-Making, and Molded-Pulp Companies Establish links among structural BOMs, process versions, production batches, and delivery records; clarify whether the company is a manufacturer or supplier for the specific packaging function; and provide downstream parties with sufficient technical information to complete the final assessment. Food, Foodservice, and Consumer Brands Do not merely ask suppliers whether they “have a certificate.” Confirm the specific packaging structure, filling and sealing conditions, placement date, manufacturer identity, and whether the EU declaration of conformity and technical documentation cover that SKU. EU Importers, Distributors, and Cross-Border Sellers Importers bear verification responsibilities before placement on the market. Transaction arrangements, release for free circulation, distance sales, batch documentation, and the importer’s own contact information should be incorporated into the same evidence chain rather than relying only on a one-page declaration from a Chinese supplier. VIII. Regulatory Emphasis on “Correction First” Does Not Mean Companies Can “Sell First and Fix Later” The new FAQ states that enforcement of the new rules after August 12 should not disrupt trade flows, supply chains, or consumer access to goods; for non-compliance listed in Article 62, Member States should first require the relevant economic operator to bring the non-compliance to an end and provide an opportunity for correction, with further measures such as prohibition, withdrawal, or recall if the problem persists. But this statement cannot be translated as “companies may ship first and supplement documents later.” The PPWR has separate assessment and corrective mechanisms for packaging that may pose risks to the environment or health; manufacturers or importers that themselves discover non-compliance in packaging already placed on the market may also be required to take immediate corrective action, withdraw or recall the packaging, and notify the competent authorities. Therefore, companies cannot promise customers that “the EU will definitely issue a warning first and will not detain goods or impose penalties,” nor can they treat regulatory proportionality as their own grace period. Correction first is an enforcement pathway; compliance before placement on the market is the company’s own responsibility. Conclusion: The Countdown Is Not About Rushing to Clear Inventory What August 12 truly changes is not merely a regulatory date, but how companies manage inventory. In the past, inventory records tracked quantity, age, and value; now they must also record packaging function, first-placement status, applicable provisions, responsible entity, and completeness of evidence. On the same day, in the same warehouse, the same paper box may receive entirely different answers because its transaction status and evidence differ. Therefore, remember three statements: Old does not mean already placed on the market. In inventory does not mean not yet placed on the market. One document does not equal a closed loop of facts. What companies should do now is not use production dates to create a false sense of security, but classify every batch of EU-related packaging into three buckets—“placed on the market,” “not placed on the market,” and “status unclear”—and ensure that each conclusion can withstand cross-verification against contracts, logistics, customs, technical documentation, and batch records. Sources and Scope Notes Official text of Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR), with particular reference to Recital (14), Articles 3, 5, 11, 15, 16, 18, 19, 58, 61, 62, and 71, and Annexes VII and VIII; European Commission formal PPWR implementation guidance C/2026/3084, with particular reference to the sections on manufacturers, importers, PFAS inventory and first placement on the market, reusable packaging, and related matters; European Commission PPWR FAQ publication page, August 3, 2026, with particular reference in the second-edition FAQ to the three sections “Manufacturer Obligations,” “Packaging Conformity Assessment,” and “Enforcement of the New Rules”; European Commission Packaging Waste topic page, used to verify the general date of application and official implementation resources; The EU “Blue Guide” on product rules, 2022 edition, used to understand the general background of “placing on the market,” imports, and distance sales under EU product rules. The European Commission FAQ and implementation guidance are intended to assist understanding and implementation; they do not replace the PPWR regulatory text and do not constitute binding legal advice for a specific transaction. Actual orders should still be assessed case by case based on packaging function, contract, Incoterms, import method, destination Member State requirements, and responsible entities. Join the Discussion: Is your inventory currently held in a warehouse in China, in ocean transit, in an EU bonded warehouse, or in distributor channels? What is hardest to prove—the first-placement date, batch matching, importer role, or technical documentation? Leave a comment; we will continue to break it down.",
            "date_published": "2026-08-08T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-10T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-08-ppwr812/cms-image-db8cbc7068dc809f.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-07-5pfas.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-07-5pfas.html",
            "title": "Five Days to Go: EU PFAS Limits Take Effect—Which Three Thresholds Must Food Paper Packaging Meet?",
            "summary": "The latest European Commission FAQ confirms that PFAS limits apply to the whole packaging unit, including inks, varnishes and adhesives, without distinguishing between intentional addition and unintentional presence.",
            "content_text": "The latest European Commission FAQ confirms that PFAS limits apply to the whole packaging unit, including inks, varnishes and adhesives, without distinguishing between intentional addition and unintentional presence. The real challenge is not finding a single “fluorine-free” report, but establishing traceable testing, technical documentation and a complete evidence chain for alternatives. BIOTEN Packaging | PPWR compliance observations From 25 ppb and 250 ppb to 50 ppm: testing, evidence and alternatives for paper cups, food boxes, grease-resistant paper and molded fiber The latest European Commission FAQ confirms that PFAS limits apply to the whole packaging unit, including inks, varnishes and adhesives, without distinguishing between intentional addition and unintentional presence. The real challenge is not finding a single “fluorine-free” report, but establishing traceable testing, technical documentation and a complete evidence chain for alternatives. Three sets of limits: identify the substance being measured before comparing numbers. 25 ppb Any individual PFAS measured by targeted analysis; polymeric PFAS are excluded from this quantification. 250 ppb The sum of PFAS measured by targeted analysis; consider precursor degradation where applicable. 50 ppm Includes polymeric PFAS; the substances covered differ from those covered by the first two limits. The three limits cannot be compared simply by their numerical size. Exceeding any one cannot be offset by meeting the other two. 2026-08-12 5 days until the EU PFAS limits for food-contact packaging take effect. From this date, food-contact packaging that reaches or exceeds any PFAS threshold specified by the EU PPWR must not be placed on the EU market. Many companies first think: “Our products are paper-based.” “Our coatings are waterborne.” “The supplier says no PFAS were intentionally added.” “The base paper has already been tested.” However, none of these statements alone is sufficient to demonstrate compliance of the final packaging. The European Commission’s official PPWR FAQ, published on 2026-08-03, clarifies four points that industry can easily overlook (source 2): 01 This is not a general “total PFAS ban”, but three sets of maximum concentration limits. 02 The limits apply to the entire packaging unit, including inks, varnishes, glues and adhesives. 03 Intentionally added PFAS and unintentionally present PFAS are not treated differently. 04 The EU does not yet have a harmonized PFAS testing protocol. What changes on August 12 is not just whether a particular grease-resistant agent can still be used, but the compliance approach for food paper packaging: From “What materials did I use?” to “Can I prove that the entire package is within the limits?” 1. Clarify the scope: PPWR regulates the final food-contact packaging, not simply the paper. Under PPWR Article 5(5), from 2026-08-12, food-contact packaging with PFAS concentrations reaching or exceeding any specified limit must not be placed on the market (source 1). There are three key points. 1. Food-contact packaging The three PFAS limits concern packaging intended to come into contact with food. They cannot simply be applied to all non-food paper boxes, transport boxes or industrial packaging. From the same date, other packaging may still be subject to general PPWR requirements concerning substances of concern and heavy metals. Those obligations must be distinguished from the PFAS concentration limits for food-contact packaging. 2. Reaching or exceeding the limit The regulation uses “reaching or exceeding” the limits. The values of 25 ppb, 250 ppb and 50 ppm are market-access boundaries, not targets to approach without a safety margin. Laboratory detection limits, measurement uncertainty, sample homogeneity and batch variation should inform internal risk margins before test results approach a regulatory limit. 3. The whole packaging unit The latest European Commission FAQ further clarifies that the limits apply to the entire packaging unit, including (source 2): Base paper or paperboard; Functional coatings for grease resistance, water resistance or heat sealing; Inks and varnishes on internal and external surfaces; Glues and adhesives; Other components integrated into the packaging. Compliant base paper does not automatically make a food box compliant. A waterborne barrier coating with no intentionally added PFAS does not establish compliance of the final printed, varnished and glued packaging. The regulation addresses the final packaging, while companies often hold evidence for only a single material. This mismatch is a major evidence gap. 2. What do the three thresholds assess? The three PPWR thresholds differ in the substances covered, not just their numerical values. Limit 01 25 ppb First threshold: any individual PFAS measured by targeted analysis If targeted analysis measures any individual PFAS at or above 25 ppb, the packaging must not be placed on the market. Polymeric PFAS are excluded from quantification under this threshold. The question is whether any individual targeted PFAS exceeds the limit. A report’s value therefore depends on its target substances, pretreatment and detection limits, not simply a “not detected” statement on its cover. Limit 02 250 ppb Second threshold: the sum of PFAS measured by targeted analysis If the sum of PFAS measured by targeted analysis reaches or exceeds 250 ppb, the packaging must likewise not be placed on the market. Where applicable, results following precursor degradation must also be considered. Polymeric PFAS are excluded from quantification under this threshold. This threshold addresses cases where individual substances are below 25 ppb but their cumulative total remains high. Limit 03 50 ppm Third threshold: PFAS including polymeric PFAS The third threshold is 50 ppm and explicitly includes polymeric PFAS. Numerically, 50 ppm equals 50,000 ppb. Although much higher than the first two values, it is not a more permissive threshold: it covers a different range of PFAS, including polymeric PFAS. These are three different risk perspectives: 25 ppb: individual targeted substances; 250 ppb: the cumulative total of targeted substances; 50 ppm: a broader scope that includes polymeric PFAS. Reaching any threshold cannot be offset by remaining below the other two. 3. The frequently misunderstood “fourth number”: total fluorine of 50 mg/kg The regulation also refers to another value that can be confused with the third threshold: total fluorine exceeding 50 mg/kg. For solid samples, 50 mg/kg numerically equals 50 ppm. However, the two values of “50” measure different things: The 50 ppm limit concerns PFAS mass, including polymeric PFAS; 50 mg/kg concerns the total fluorine in the sample. Fluorine may originate from PFAS or non-PFAS fluorinated substances. Total fluorine results cannot be directly converted into “total PFAS”. Under PPWR, where total fluorine exceeds 50 mg/kg, the relevant manufacturer, importer or downstream user must, upon request, provide evidence of whether the fluorine comes from PFAS or non-PFAS substances to support technical documentation. The correct interpretation is therefore: Total fluorine above 50 mg/kg triggers further explanation and evidence; it does not automatically establish product non-compliance. Conversely, total fluorine below 50 mg/kg does not alone prove that all three PFAS limits are met. A sample with a low total fluorine screening signal may still reach the 25 ppb individual threshold or the 250 ppb sum threshold. Instead of asking “Can we choose either total fluorine testing or targeted PFAS testing?”, companies should ask: Which risks does each method cover, and how can the methods form an explainable evidence chain? 4. What should companies do without a CAS list or harmonized testing protocol? The latest European Commission FAQ provides two important practical answers (source 2). First, no finite PFAS CAS list will be published. PPWR uses a structural definition. Substances meeting that definition that may be present in packaging can fall within scope. Testing a fixed list demonstrates coverage of that list, not automatically of all PFAS. Target selection must reflect formulations, impurities, historical uses, supply-chain information and production risks. Second, there is currently no harmonized EU testing protocol. The European Commission says it is working with stakeholders, competent authorities and the EU reference laboratory for food-contact materials on harmonization. Until a harmonized protocol is available, testing remains possible, but results must be understood within the limits of each method: Is the sample base paper, a coating, an individual component or final packaging? Which PFAS are included in the target list? Are relevant precursors covered or appropriately treated? How are polymeric PFAS assessed? What pretreatment and reporting methods are used for total fluorine or total organic fluorine? What are the detection limits, quantification limits and measurement uncertainties? Which SKU, formulation version, batch and production date does the sample represent? Without these answers, a “PFAS not detected” report is unlikely to support continued release of the final packaging. 5. Paper packaging risks differ: prioritize checks using four variables. The law does not publish an official risk ranking for paper cups, food boxes, grease-resistant paper and molded fiber, or establish PFAS content solely from a product-category name. Companies can nevertheless prioritize checks using four variables: Variable one: functional demands Must the packaging withstand grease, moisture, hot food, prolonged contact or high-temperature processing? Greater functional demands warrant closer scrutiny of historical formulations and alternative routes. Variable two: historical chemicals Has the supplier used fluorinated grease-resistant agents, fluorinated processing aids or an unexplained high-level grease-resistant system? Has the old formulation been explicitly discontinued, or is there only a verbal commitment? Variable three: structural complexity Unprinted grease-resistant paper differs substantially from a coated, printed, varnished, die-cut and glued food box. More components create more potential unknown sources and cross-contamination pathways. Variable four: evidence completeness Can evidence be traced to the exact SKU, batch, formulation version and supplier changes? Is there final-packaging testing? Does the declaration cover unintentional presence as well as intentional addition? Historical uses and functional demands suggest prioritizing the following products in internal risk inventories: Fast-food wrapping paper, burger wraps and highly grease-resistant paper; High-barrier paper bags such as microwave popcorn and pet-food bags; Takeaway paperboard food boxes, paper bowls and containers for hot, oily food; Baking paper, liners and other grease- and heat-resistant papers; Molded pulp plates, food boxes and food trays; Paper cups and food containers with printing, varnishes, adhesives or composite structures. US FDA historical information confirms that PFAS-containing grease-resistant substances were used in fast-food wrapping paper, microwave popcorn bags, takeaway paperboard containers and pet-food bags (source 4). This helps prioritize risk checks but does not prove that a particular product today contains PFAS. The appropriate approach is to establish a risk record for each final structure rather than label an entire product category. 6. A practical five-layer evidence framework Because a harmonized EU testing protocol is not yet available, the following is a company risk-control framework, not an “official EU five-step method”. Layer one: BOM and supply-chain declarations Break down the final packaging into base paper, coatings, inks, varnishes, adhesives, additives, composite layers and integrated components, without omitting any component. Supplier documents should identify at least: The exact product name, SKU and formulation version; Whether PFAS meeting the PPWR structural definition are intentionally used; Known risks from impurities, cross-contamination and processing aids; The plants, batches and validity periods covered; How formulation, raw-material or process changes are notified. “No intentionally added PFAS” can support risk identification but cannot independently establish final compliance. Layer two: total fluorine or total organic fluorine screening Screening can quickly identify potential discrepancies between supply-chain declarations and actual samples and help prioritize further testing. Screening cannot automatically identify specific PFAS or independently replace targeted assessment against the 25 ppb and 250 ppb limits. Layer 3: targeted PFAS analysis and necessary precursor assessment Targeted analysis should cover substances relevant to formulations, uses and historical risks. Reports should list targets, methods, detection limits and quantification limits. Where precursor conversion is a risk, confirm appropriate treatment and reporting with laboratories, EU customers or importers. Layer 4: cross-checking final packaging and critical components Final-packaging testing asks whether the market object meets the limits overall; component testing identifies the source of risk and the layer requiring change. These serve different diagnostic and release purposes. For printed food boxes, composite paper bags and molded fiber tableware, identify at least: Unprocessed base materials; Functional coatings or liners; Final packaging after printing, varnishing and gluing; Worst-case colors, coverage, coat weights or adhesive quantities; Normal production batches and representative batches after formulation changes. Layer 5: technical documentation, declarations of conformity and change control PPWR Annex VII technical documentation should form a reviewable evidence chain rather than a collection of unrelated reports, including (source 1): A general description of the packaging and its intended use; Design, component and material information; Analysis and assessment of non-compliance risks; Standards, technical specifications or alternative solutions used; Qualitative assessments and test reports; Controls ensuring consistency in series production; The EU declaration of conformity and subsequent updates. Relevant technical documentation and declarations of conformity are normally retained for 5 years for single-use packaging and 10 years for reusable packaging. A defensible evidence chain connects declarations, testing, structures, batches and changes. 7. Suppliers, manufacturers and importers: who carries the evidence chain? First establish the legal role in the specific transaction. Brand ownership, the name or trademark used to place packaging on the market, design and ordering responsibilities can affect that role. Under the PPWR responsibility framework: Suppliers Provide manufacturers with the information and documents needed to demonstrate compliance of packaging and packaging materials. Requests for exact SKUs, formulation declarations, test methods and change records are more than additional paperwork. Manufacturers Complete conformity assessment, establish technical documentation and issue an EU declaration of conformity before placing packaging on the market; ensure that series production remains consistent with that documentation. Importers Place only compliant packaging on the EU market, verify that assessments, documents and declarations are complete, and stop placement where there is reason to suspect non-compliance. For Chinese papermaking, coating, printing and packaging companies, this means: EU customers’ evidence requests will continue upstream. Structured data can support entry into qualified supply chains; a bare “PFAS-free” claim may leave a gap in the evidence chain. 8. Replacing PFAS requires more than a new marketing phrase. Companies evaluating waterborne barriers, bio-based coatings or PHA as non-fluorinated candidate routes should address four areas of validation together. 1. Chemistry and compliance Assess PFAS risks, impurities and cross-contamination across formulations and components; verify the three concentration boundaries on final packaging and establish food-contact migration and safety evidence. 2. Functional performance Grease resistance is only a starting point. Evaluate real foods and use conditions, including: Hot oils, room-temperature fats and prolonged contact; Water absorption, leakage and water-vapor barriers; Barrier continuity after folding, creasing, die cutting and pinholes; Heat-seal initiation temperature, seal strength and sealing windows; Target uses such as microwave heating, baking, refrigeration or freezing. 3. Processing stability Successful laboratory coating does not establish stable operation on paper machines, coaters, printing presses or forming lines. Validate solids, viscosity, drying load, foaming, roll sticking, print registration, friction coefficient, die-cut dusting and line speed on representative equipment. 4. Recycling and system outcomes Paper-based does not automatically mean recyclable. Consider coat weight, fiber separation, screening rejects, adhesive residues and compatibility with local recycling systems alongside barrier performance. A mature alternative route must therefore answer all of these questions: Does it meet the regulatory limits? Withstand real foods? Run on industrial lines? Fit the target recycling system? Without all four answers, it remains a material concept rather than a scalable packaging solution. 9. With only 5 days remaining, what can companies do now? Five days may not be enough to complete every laboratory test and formulation change, but can be enough to move risks from unknown to manageable. 0–8 HOURS Build an inventory based on final structures, not category names. List all food-contact packaging SKUs intended for the EU market; Record final structures, uses, food types, temperatures and contact times; Identify supplier, manufacturer, brand-owner and importer roles; Review produced goods, goods in transit, stock and placement plans after August 12. 8–24 HOURS Collect documents and lock formulation versions. Request exact-SKU declarations from base-paper, coating, ink, varnish and adhesive suppliers; Check the definition and scope of “not intentionally added” declarations; Collect sample details, methods, targets and detection limits from existing reports; Pause unrecorded formulation, raw-material and process changes. 24–48 HOURS Classify risks and define samples and methods. Divide SKUs into three categories: Red Unknown historical chemicals, missing supplier documents, insufficient testing scope or an unverified final structure; Yellow Some declarations and tests exist, but component, batch or method gaps remain; Green A complete BOM, traceable evidence, and connected final-structure and batch controls. Agree sample objects, target lists, screening methods, precursor assessments, detection limits and reporting with laboratories, customers or importers so that results can be understood consistently. 48–72 HOURS Make release decisions and stop unknown risks from continuing downstream. Place red SKUs on HOLD; do not substitute “nothing found so far” for evidence; List gaps, owners and closure dates for yellow SKUs; Create technical-document indexes and customer delivery packages for green SKUs; Begin small-scale trials, production-line validation and final-packaging retesting for structures requiring replacement; Include supplier change notifications and reassessment triggers in the quality system. The priority is not creating a complete-looking file within five days, but ensuring that every SKU released after August 12 has sufficient supporting evidence. 10. A readiness checklist: is your product prepared? Before releasing food paper packaging for the EU market, answer these 10 questions: 01 Have we established the legal role and who places the packaging on the market? 02 Does the final-packaging BOM cover base paper, coatings, inks, varnishes, adhesives and all components? 03 Does each declaration identify the exact SKU, plant, formulation version and batch? 04 Beyond intentional addition, have impurities, processing aids and cross-contamination been assessed? 05 Are the test samples single materials or final packaging units? 06 Does the targeted PFAS report identify targets, methods, detection limits and quantification limits? 07 Has total fluorine screening been interpreted correctly rather than presented as “PFAS-free” proof? 08 Have polymeric PFAS and relevant precursor risks been considered? 09 Do technical documents connect risk assessment, test reports, series production and the EU declaration of conformity? 10 Do formulation, raw-material, process or supplier changes trigger reassessment? An unanswered critical question creates uncertainty about continued market access, not simply an imperfect document. Conclusion: August 12 ends reliance on material descriptions as substitutes for compliance evidence. Paper-based, waterborne, bio-based, fluorine-free and environmentally friendly describe technical directions; they do not complete conformity assessment for final packaging. PPWR returns companies to a more rigorous and practical starting point: The material used is only the first question. Its performance in final packaging, testing coverage and traceable evidence determine market access. For papermakers, this means chemical and batch management; For coating, ink and adhesive companies, exact-SKU and formulation evidence; For printers and packaging converters, a complete BOM and final-structure validation; For food brands and importers, supply-chain release and continued compliance. August 12 is not the end of every fluorinated-chemical issue. It is a dividing line after which food paper packaging cannot enter the EU market on the basis of “it should be fine”. What matters is not simply a “PFAS-free” phrase, but a defensible evidence chain that can be kept up to date. Sources and scope This article reflects information available as of 2026-08-07 and prioritizes EU legislation and the latest European Commission implementation FAQ. The five-layer evidence framework, four-variable prioritization and 72-hour action plan are BIOTEN Packaging’s company risk-management frameworks, not a harmonized Commission testing protocol or a substitute for product-specific legal, laboratory or compliance advice. Regulation (EU) 2025/40 — EUR-Lex official text: Article 5(5–6), Articles 15–16 and 38–39, and Annex VII. European Commission — PPWR Frequently Asked Questions, published 2026-08-03: see PFAS and supply-chain documentation questions. European Commission — Packaging and Packaging Waste: general application dates and implementation information. U.S. FDA — PFAS Used in Grease-Proofing Agents for Food Packaging: historical uses and withdrawal background for PFAS grease-proofing agents in paper and paperboard food packaging. Join the discussion. Where does your product currently face a bottleneck: supplier declarations, testing methods, final-packaging validation or production-line performance of alternative materials? Share your questions as we continue examining technical issues in the PFAS evidence chain.",
            "date_published": "2026-08-07T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-07T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-07-5pfas/cms-image-c416dcb7f2fe341d.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-06-bioten-pha.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-06-bioten-pha.html",
            "title": "BIOTEN PHA Waterborne Varnish Launch: A Refined, Understated Surface for Paper Packaging",
            "summary": "Face the last layer, keep the light and leave a mark. Make it more restrained and cleaner.",
            "content_text": "BIOTENPackaging platingPHAAquatic photo-oil application release Face the last level. Hold on to the light, leave a mark. Let the light be more restrained and the touch cleaner. Bio-based PHA, a naturally matte finish and a skin-friendly feel Water-resistant, grinding, scratch-resistant and sticky. Supports certification under BPI, DIN CERTCO and ABA composting schemes BIOTENThe cynics are colder and more resistant to condensation. Packaging is remembered, not necessarily because of the stronger reflectors. Let paper texture and ink levels continue to be seen This layer of surface engineering, which affects how light falls on ink and fingertips sense paper, is also subject to the manufacturing and use test of friction, stacking, folding boxes and stickers. It is not just a choice for \"light\" or \"blut\" but a key interface between visual, touch and manufacturing. BIOTENPackaging starts from this interface by exploring a quiet and advanced level: looking for a more balanced balance between light, touch, paper texture, ink and post-print processing. A quiet and measured surface: a mute of restraint, a delicate and stable sense of slide, and the continued presence of paper texture and ink. PHAAquatic light oil, how do you get into paper light and touch? Design the dumbness and touch from the material itself. We don't put it.\"PHA\"is directly equivalent to dumb or soft touch, but insteadPHAAs a controlled, comparable material variable. Research on more natural, restraint-free dumbness, more subtle slides and paper stripes and ink reservations, combined with specific patterns, dispersion and membrane conditions. Not covering paper, but keeping the texture and ink levels visible. From surface perception to engineering indicators. The test criteria need to be defined before the perception target can be converted into evidence. No typical or specification values are provided at this time, and only test items are listed below. BIOTEN PHA waterborne varnish: translucent appearance | solids 35±1% | pH 7.3–7.9 | viscosity 20–300 | density 1.057 at 25° Tactile and sliding design targets: static friction coefficient μs: 0.35 | dynamic friction coefficient μk: 0.30 | static–dynamic difference Δμ: 0.05 | sliding stability CV ≤8% | overall blind tactile assessment score ≥5.5/7 and tactile preference rate ≥70% (n≥30). Process suitable for appropriate materials: paper, cardboard. Print as applicable; tycoon, soft print, dent print, digital printing. It can be painted with a background or face, solves printing problems and improves the clarity of patterns and quiet surfaces. Additional information: the BIOTEN PHA waterborne varnish product is described as capable of meeting BPI home-compostability certification requirements. Final performance depends on paper, inks, coat weight, drying conditions and test methods, and must be confirmed by actual testing under specified conditions. Contact the BIOTEN Packaging technical team for the full TDS. The surfaces are visible, touched and behind them are the original technology. The quiet, advanced touch wrapping surfaces, not just from visual design.PHAInnovative discoveries of decentralized processes. The dumbness and the touch are not combined with the aid or coordinated printing processes.PHAAquatic light oil. Around.PHAWater surface materials,BIOTENThe package continues to promote the development of original technologies for oil and ink.PHAWater-touching barrier to light oil and microbiological fermentationPHAThe biologically based low VOC water ink combinations and their methods of preparation are authorized bulletin No. 12149685 B and C21319702B respectively. The following is a video of the ink that was used to keep the light oil from being isolated from the bio-water touch.BIOTENPackaging is expanding.PHAApplications in paper packaging surface engineering provide a more balanced balance between light, touch, surface protection and printing. Let's get the next paper wrapper, starting with the last floor. Print packaging companies, brand parties and channel partners are welcome to apply for samples, and to undertake paper matching, post-printing tests and joint sampling so that light, touch and surface protection actually fall on products. Cooperation in marketing of the TDS-based product for sample samples",
            "date_published": "2026-08-06T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-07T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-06-bioten-pha/cms-image-8e847b56ebabfc7b.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-06-ppwr.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-06-ppwr.html",
            "title": "What Exactly Does the EU PPWR Require of Packaging?",
            "summary": "All packaging or packing components, showing that the combined concentrations of lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium are not greater than four100 mg/kg(a) The following:",
            "content_text": "BIOTEN PACKAGING POLICY BRIF 100 mg/kg is the combined limit for four heavy metals; 25 ppb, 250 ppb and 50 ppm are the PFAS thresholds for food-contact packaging. Identifying the test object, evidence method and responsible party matters more than memorizing numbers. First answer: PPWR does not have a “harmonized list” applicable to all packagings. • All packaging or packing components, showing that the combined concentrations of lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium do not exceed four100 mg/kg(a) The following: • The following: food contactPacking. Check three more.PFAS(a) Limit values; • Technical papers, EU conformity declarations (DoC) and EPR are not testing projects. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), Regulation (EU) 2025/40, entered into force on 2025-02-11 and becomes generally applicable from 2026-08-12. As implementation approaches, claims about “PPWR testing packages” and “one certificate covering all compliance” are appearing. Companies must instead establish what is tested, what evidence demonstrates compliance and who ultimately bears responsibility. One food paper cup. Why can't we just look at four raw material reports? For example, a food paper cup may consist of original paper, blockage coatings, ink, light oil, glue and sealing materials. It also undergoes fabrication, printing, clinking, formatting, and seals. Even if each supplier provides a report, it cannot be directly introduced as “the whole cup matches the PPP.” The reasons are simple: the material report proves results under a particular sample and method; component evidence is used to locate risks; final packaging evidence also covers real structures, processing state and intended uses. Taking all materials together takes an average may mask low-quality ratios, high-concentration ink, labels or glue risk. The PPWR-related work is therefore to be divided into at least three layers: 1. Substance limits: heavy metals and PFAS in food-contact packaging, identifying the required outcome for the specified object; 2. (a) Evidence of products: testing, technical documentation, qualification and DoC to answer how the evidence is chained; 3. Producer responsibility: EPR registration, declaration and fees, answer who bears the liability for packaging waste. The three are relevant but cannot be substituted for each other. 02 Heavy Metal100 mg/kg: Four totals, not 100 each PPWR Article 5(4) specifies that the sum of lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium concentrations resulting from substances in packaging or packaging components must not exceed 100 mg/kg: Pb+Cd+Hg+Cr(VI) 100 mg/kg Here are three boundaries to be captured. First, this is the content requirement in packaging and not the transport limit value to food.food contactRelocation evaluation; migration eligibility reports do not provide a reverse proof that the requirement for PPWR heavy metals has been met. Second, total chromium is not equivalent to hexavalent chrome. The results of the test for chromium 6 cannot be directly recast into \" Cr\" or \"total chrome\" in the laboratory report. If Pb+Cd+Hg+ total chromers are considered to have no more than uncertainty after measuring them,100 mg/kg, as conservative screening evidence; if conservative totals exceed100 mg/kgThe need for further Cr (VI) morphological analysis appropriate to the material matrix can only be explained and cannot be directly determined as ineligible. The report must state whether the whole package, separated components, local areas or single material layers are analysed. Strictly defined exceptions to the 100 mg/kg requirement remain. Under PPWR Article 70(3), qualifying recycled-glass packaging under Decision 2001/171/EC and plastic crates and pallets in closed, controlled loops under Decision 2009/292/EC retain their exceptions until the relevant decisions are repealed. Recycled content alone does not create an automatic exemption. 03PFAS three barring lines: only forfood contactPackaging Under PPWR Article 5(5), from 2026-08-12, food-contact packaging must not be placed on the EU market where PFAS concentrations reach or exceed the following limits: 1. Any individualPFAS(Approves objective)PFASAnalysis measured:25 ppbPolymericsPFAS(b) Does not include this amount; 2. Sum of PFAS measured by targeted analysis: 250 ppb, with precursor degradation where applicable; polymeric PFAS are excluded from this quantification; 3. PFAS including polymeric PFAS: 50 ppm. Thus, the expression “accession requirement” should be read as follows:25 ppbLess than250 ppbLess than50 ppmThe law provides that “attaining or exceeding” is the line of prohibition. These three are content lines in packaging, not food migration limits. At mass fractions, ppb corresponds to μg/kg and ppm to mg/ kg; if the laboratory reports on μ g/dm2, dry base or unit area, it is necessary to describe the gram weight, sample quality, water-bearing state and conversion process, which cannot be directly compared. A laboratory package covering 20, 30 or 40 substances is not a fixed regulatory list. PPWR does not specify a fixed target list or a single laboratory method for every packaging matrix. “Not detected” describes results within a particular target list, method and detection capability. If the quantification limit exceeds 25 ppb, “not detected” does not establish a result below 25 ppb. At least the target list, precursor handling, sample and component boundary, LOD, LOQ, blanks, recovery rates, measurement uncertainty and conformity determination rules are confirmed when commissioning tests. The European Commission guidance also distinguishes market-placement dates: packaging already placed on the market before 2026-08-12 may continue to circulate. Packaging first placed on the market after 8 / 12 must meet the PFAS limits even if produced earlier. The PFAS provisions do not exempt packaging containing recycled materials. 04 Total fluorine is not PFAS: the Commission’s three-step screening approach The PPWR Act provides that if total fluorine exceeds50 mg/kg, the manufacturer, importer or downstream user in the meaning of REACH, at the request of the manufacturer or importer in the sense of PPPWR, provided the controlled fluorinated fromPFASor notPFASii. Evidence in support of Annex VII technical paper. The total fluorinated is the elemental fluorine.PFASThe limit value is bound byPFAS; they're not the same amount of analysis. But EC2026The current recommended law enforcement screening path has been given in the annual implementation guidelines: 1. Total SF<50 mg/kg: Samples may be considered to be compatible; EC also stated that, based on the available evidence, samples passed through the first step were tested in subsequent steps; 2. TF >50 mg/kg: Organofluorofonyl fluoride can be distinguished from inorganic fluorine by, for example, thermal fission GC/MS; organic fluorinated <50 mg/kg(b) The sample may be considered to have met; 3. Check the 25/250 ppb thresholds: the guidance recommends Direct TOP analysis to assess the 25 μg/kg and 250 μg/kg limits. Total fluorine is a screening indicator, not an advocacy slogan. This is a solution to the current law enforcement screening problem.50 mg/kg\"Created as a \"PFAS-Free.\" Conversely, TF.50 mg/kgIt doesn't mean it.PFASOverstepped, but entered the source of fluorinated emissions retroactively and further analysed. Direct TOP expands coverage of oxidizable precursors; it is not a measure of all PFAS. Assessment against the 50 ppm threshold, including polymeric PFAS, generally requires supplier composition and identity information, total fluorine/organic fluorine screening, necessary mass balances and targeted analysis. 055 \"No substitute\", deciding whether articles will be misused 1. Content cannot replace migration assessment. The PPWR 100 mg/kg and three PFAS thresholds concern content in packaging. Food-contact migration, NIAS and sensory safety must still be assessed under Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 and applicable EU or Member State rules. 2. A PPWR DoC cannot replace a food-contact DoC: their legal bases and required content differ. Where appropriate, a combined declaration or document package can list the relevant EU regulations, but “PPWR compliant” cannot replace food-contact evidence. For BPA and other hazardous bisphenols and derivatives with relevant hazard properties and harmonized classifications, check Regulation (EU) 2024/3190 and the correction rules in Regulation (EU) 2026/250. 3. Not aquatic.zero VOCNot really.food contactAqueousity is only a system or process route and not equal tozero VOCThe wet material content, the fugitive and discharge during coatings and drying, the volatile product residues, the odour of packaging and food affluence transport are five different objects; the PPPWR does not provide for a generic VOC limit value for all packagings. The trend observation pips move the control point forward to pre-painting. Why now? The State Council Action Plan for the Continuous Improvement of Air Quality has clearly proposed that there be greater substitution of low (none) VOCs content in packaging printing.waterborne barrier coatingEnter morefood packagingApplying, the control logic should also be changed from a “water label” to a three-tier evidence of a “liquid material—paint and dry—final packaging”. What does 2.0 g/L control? An approach for further industry validation is to explore VOC content ≤2.0 g/L, excluding water, for each independently formulated waterborne barrier coating ready for use. Where a base emulsion requires crosslinkers, additives or other components, test the complete system prepared under a controlled formulation, not the base emulsion alone or a temporarily diluted sample. GB/T 23986.2–2023 provides gas-chromatography testing and calculation methods; coatings within GB 30981.2–2025 must also meet its mandatory requirements. Neither standard is the source of the 2.0 g/L value, and 2.0 g/L is not a statutory PPWR or EU food-contact limit. It is a potential source-control value for company or group standards. How to do this: Bottom, surface and other stand-alone coatings should be determined separately and not weighted between layers; the report should state the sample status, group distribution ratio, moisture, density, reporting limits and determination rules. “Undetected” is not zero, reporting limit is higher2.0 gConformity judgement cannot be supported at the time of/L. Where is the boundary: creating heavy metals for wet milk etc. access has an equally source-based screening value; but PPWR100 mg/kgThe mandatory target is still packaging or packing components. 4. The raw material is not a substitute for the final packaging. 5. The substance limit value cannot be replacedrecyclableorcompostableConclusion. \"Paper-based\" \"Water-based\", \"Bio-based\".biodegradableandrecyclable“The boundaries of each with its own structure, test and process system cannot be inferred from one another. Besides, PPWR No.5There is also a general requirement for “minimizing substances of concern”.PFASThe two most explicit values limit, but complete the whole substance management without checking several numbers; REACH, POPs,food contactRules, supply chain information and risk assessment remain applicable. Technical paper 06, DoC and EPR respectively, what does it solve? Annex VII to the PPWR uses internal production control of Module A. That is, manufacturers establish technical documents, implement in-house production controls and are responsible for packaging compliance with applicable requirements. Laboratory or third party reports can support judgement, but PPWR does not convert all packaging into a generic mandatory third-party “PPPWR certificate”. Formal conformity and EU DOC are directed towards the entire packaging unit, which should cover all integrated and separated components; component reports are input evidence and not a multi-reporting mechanical sum. The correct order is: Use and structure Applicable provisions Vendor information Risk testing and calculation Technical judgement Technical paper + Module A Internal Production Control EU DOC The technical paper should at least be able to describe the packaging use and traceable marking, structure and material, applicable requirements, standards or technical specifications used, measurements and calculations, risk assessment, test reports and their correspondence with true packaging. Technical documentation and DoCs are retained from market placement for 5 years for single-use packaging and 10 years for reusable packaging. Following a reasoned request from a national competent authority, manufacturers must provide information and documentation demonstrating compliance with Articles 5–12 within 10 days. The EPR is another chain of responsibility: it involves the registration, declaration and cost of producers in the member country concerned, not product-based testing, nor can it be replaced by a DoC. 07fiber-based packagingThe company can just follow the six-step checklist. Step 1: Lock a real SKU and intended use Specify type of packaging, if anyfood contactPackaging, whether there is direct, indirect or foreseeable movement, and the type of food, time, temperature, conditions for use and target member State. Step 2: Dismantling complete structures and final processes List original paper, ink and oils, photo-oil, glue, labels, sealing and process aids, and record the amount of coating, print cover, glue volume, batch size, formation and encapsulation. Step 3: Establishment of a regulatory and role matrix PPWR,food contactREEACH/POPS, BPA,recyclableorcompostable(b) Target countries and customers ' requirements, while recognizing the roles of manufacturers, importers, suppliers and EPR producers. Step 4: Document review first, then testing Request accurate models, formulation version, supplier statement, available reports,food contactInformation and change notifications; risk-based establishment of pending VOC, heavy metals etc. for water barrier paints. “not intentionally added” is considered source management evidence rather than a concentration certificate. Step 5: Let testing match real risk High-risk components are used to locate sources and complete the final structure of printing, glued, clinker, formatting and sealing for authentic state; reports write samples, batches, quality benchmarks, methods, target ranges, LOD/LOQ, uncertainty and determination rules. Step 6: Forming a sustainable evidence chain Re-judges whether the evidence is still applicable after changes in materials, formulations, coatings, colour groups, glues or processes. No more questions, no more tests. PPWR really requires that enterprises be established, not by an additional isolated certificate but by allowing each data to return to the real packaging, true components, intended use and responsible subject. The only action The collection is a checklist. When preparing the EU order, take a true package and check it in six steps according to \"Use - Structure - Applicable Regulations - Information Gaps - Risk Tests\" Technical Paper/DoC \" ; any step that is unclear will be followed by proof before the decision is made. Main basis 1. Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR): focus on Articles 5, 15, 16, 38 and 39, and Annexes VII and VIII; 2. European Commission PPWR implementation guidance C/2026/3084: check the three-step PFAS screening approach for food-contact packaging; 3. PPWR FAQ and Packaging intte, European Commission; 4. Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 and Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006: food-contact materials and GMP; 5. The current consolidated text of Regulation (EU) 2024/3190 and Regulation (EU) 2026/250: BPA and specified hazardous bisphenol requirements; 6. Decision 2001/171/EC and Decision 2009/292/EC: strictly defined exceptions to the 100 mg/kg heavy-metal requirement; 7. (b) The State Council ' s Action Plan for the Continuous Improvement of Air Quality, which replaces the source direction of the original VOCs auxiliary material in the packaging industry; 8. GB 30981.2–2025, Limits of Harmful Substances in Coatings, Part 2: Industrial Coatings, the mandatory baseline for applicable industrial coatings; 9. GB/T 23986.2–2023, Determination of VOC and/or SVOC Content in Paints and Varnishes, Part 2: Gas-Chromatographic Method. BIOTENPackaging, containment system - Empowermentfiber-based packagingSustainable quality development of industrial chains.",
            "date_published": "2026-08-06T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-06T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights",
                "PPWR",
                "包装合规",
                "检测"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-06-ppwr/cms-image-6f19ffd645f4c624.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-04-preparing-for-ppwr-compliance.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-04-preparing-for-ppwr-compliance.html",
            "title": "PPWR Approaches: BIOTEN Packaging Adds the Critical Layer for Paper-for-Plastic Packaging",
            "summary": "It is easy to judge a project, but what endures is usually the work of those who keep refining products, solving problems, and serving users—BIOTEN Barrier Systems.",
            "content_text": "On August 12, 2026, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will generally apply. This does not mean that every obligation takes effect on the same day, but it marks the beginning of a new, phased cycle for packaging minimisation, design for circularity, material safety, and information transparency. 1. As the PPWR Approaches, Packaging Must Answer Five Questions Packaging must use less: weight, volume, empty space, and unnecessary functional layers will face closer scrutiny, and every material layer must demonstrate its functional necessity. Recyclability must begin with design: circular performance depends not only on the name of a material, but also on the substrate, coating, overall structure, and realistic recycling route. Food-contact safety must extend to every material layer: controls on PFAS and other substances are moving toward measurable, traceable, and explainable evidence. Substrates, functional layers, inks, and adhesives must be assessed together. Environmental concepts must retain their distinct meanings: bio-based, biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable each represent different values and end-of-life routes; none can automatically substitute for another. Environmental commitments must be verifiable: the amount of material reduced, the proportion of paper fibre, and any effect on fibre circulation all require support from specific structures, data, and third-party evidence. PPWR requirements will be implemented in stages, and some technical methods and detailed rules remain subject to subsequent legislation. Around 2028, design-for-recycling methods, material labels, and certain minimisation requirements are expected to become more detailed or mandatory. Material screening, equipment adaptation, finished-product testing, and customer validation all take time, making the next two years an important window for technical transition. At the same time, the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) continues to affect single-use paper packaging that contains a plastic functional layer. A low plastic content does not create an automatic, uniform exemption. International brands are also converting their 2028 plastic-reduction, circularity, and carbon-management goals into supply-chain purchasing requirements. The year 2028 is not the starting point for action; it is when material choices made today begin to face market validation. Paper-for-plastic packaging does not simply need another so-called “green coating.” It needs a material system that uses less, can be manufactured safely, and balances packaging performance with fibre circulation. This is the critical layer that BIOTEN Packaging aims to provide. 2. Paper-for-Plastic Packaging Does Not Lack Paper; It Lacks the Critical Functional Layer Paper offers strength, printability, and a foundation for fibre circulation, but turning it into a cup, bowl, carton, or bag does not automatically provide complete packaging performance. As plastic-reduction and restriction policies tighten worldwide, conventional PE-coated paper will need a capable successor. That material must support source reduction, lower carbon impact, and circularity; provide barrier and processing functions; and enable a realistic repulping route under applicable conditions. The technical challenge is to spread a small amount of functional material evenly across paper, close the fibre pores, and form a continuous film that can withstand food-contact safety assessment, heat sealing, folding, and converting. Water resistance, oil resistance, film formation, heat sealing, flex resistance, equipment compatibility, and cost must all be addressed within the same project. BIOTEN Packaging has therefore adopted a shared principle: use the smallest practical amount of functional material to deliver the packaging performance actually required, while considering cost, manufacturing, validation, and fibre circulation. “Less” does not mean sacrificing performance. It means first defining the contents, use environment, and converting process, and then specifying only the functions the target package genuinely needs. 3. One Material System for Three Types of Industry Challenge Paper grades, equipment, packaged contents, and market requirements differ. Paper-for-plastic applications cannot be solved by one “universal emulsion.” Based on the common principle of “less, but sufficient,” BIOTEN Packaging has developed a three-tier product and engineering system: BIOTEN Plus, BIOTEN Pro, and BIOTEN Ultra. BIOTEN Plus supports long-term adoption. For mainstream paper packaging, it balances necessary barrier and converting performance with PHA bio-based material use, manufacturing complexity, economics, and total cost. It is designed to support practical mill recycling, easier repulping, and high fibre yield, while leaving room for composting under applicable conditions. A product must perform in use, run on production lines, remain commercially accessible, and return to an appropriate recovery route after use. These are the competitive foundations for replacing conventional PE-coated paper at scale, and they align with the PPWR’s long-term direction on minimisation, design for recycling, and verification of bio-based information. BIOTEN Plus is not a short-term response to a single regulatory milestone. It places functional necessity, material use, manufacturing efficiency, cost, and fibre circulation within one product logic. Its aim is to use scientifically foreseeable product design to respond to progressively stricter global policy and support medium- and long-term compliance capability. This also helps frame the PPWR timeline: general application in August 2026, emerging data baselines around 2028, phase-out conditions in 2030, and further market-access thresholds in 2035, subject to the regulation and subsequent implementing measures. BIOTEN Pro supports professional market entry. It is BIOTEN’s advanced water-based barrier material system for applications with compostability requirements. It combines commercial supply with material-level third-party evidence, including the applicable scope of BPI home-compostability certification and alignment work relating to DIN CERTCO and ABA home and commercial compostability programs. For markets with higher requirements for material composition, manufacturing consistency, certification, and documentation, BIOTEN Pro turns a material route into a professional product that can be purchased, processed, reviewed, and taken forward for finished-product validation. The source article describes a commercially available product designed to provide heat-sealing and barrier performance while supporting applicable BPI compostability certification and testing requirements. BIOTEN Ultra supports performance-boundary development. For food and beverage, beauty and personal care, pharmaceutical, electronics, and specialty packaging, it designs the necessary combination of high oxygen barrier, high moisture barrier, moisture protection, chemical resistance, or edge sealing according to the contents, shelf life, paper, and process conditions. BIOTEN Ultra supports joint development with value-chain companies, including performance-boundary work, bio-based-content targets, dedicated products, and exclusive supply collaboration. The BIOTEN matrix is therefore clear: BIOTEN Plus supports long-term adoption, BIOTEN Pro supports professional market entry, and BIOTEN Ultra extends performance boundaries. On this basis, the BIOTEN Packaging water-based barrier engineering system can provide dedicated product development and collaborative supply for specialised industries. 4. From “Less, but Sufficient” to Verifiable Engineering Low application weight is an important engineering direction. In certain typical paper-cup structures, an estimated dry coat weight of approximately 10 g/m² may place the functional layer at about 3% of the cup’s total mass, with paper accounting for about 97%. These figures illustrate structural reduction only. Actual ratios vary with cup format, paper, and structure. They are not exemption thresholds under the PPWR, SUPD, or compostability standards, and they do not by themselves prove that a complete paper cup is recyclable, compostable, or compliant for food contact. Each of these matters requires separate assessment and evidence. BIOTEN Packaging’s value is not to replace every decision with a single certificate. It is to advance PHA water-based barriers into professionally supplied products that can undergo value-chain review and support downstream finished-product validation. Paper-for-plastic applications can thereby move from the idea that “a material can substitute” toward an industrial capability that is verifiable, purchasable, and consistently deliverable. 5. Supporting Industry Collaboration with Original Technology As of August 2026, DBC and related R&D entities had disclosed 106 patents, of which 56 had been granted by the China National Intellectual Property Administration, according to the source article. More important than the count is the continuous original-technology chain being formed by granted work on bio-based waterborne barriers and PHA-based barriers, with the aim of supporting the global competitiveness of Chinese paper and packaging companies. Representative inventions and published or granted application numbers listed in the source article include: (1) bio-based polymer emulsion, preparation method and application, CN121758933B; (2) PHA water-based barrier-coating composition and application, CN120925356; (3) PHA dispersion emulsion, preparation method and application, CN120757803B; (4) bio-based low-VOC water-based ink composition based on fermentation-derived PHA, including preparation, application and printing method, CN121319702B; (5) fully bio-based PHA aqueous dispersion, preparation method and use, CN120865687B; (6) bio-based PHA oil-resistant, moisture-permeable coating for burger wrap, coated paper and preparation method, CN120759147B; (7) PHA, PBAT and PVOH blended aqueous emulsion and its use in paper barrier coatings, CN120026524B; (8) barrier-coating composition, barrier layer and paper substrate for paper-based materials, CN119434019B; (9) mineral-based, readily recyclable and compostable water-based barrier coating and preparation method, CN120925354B; and (10) reactive compatibilised ACR–PHA core-shell latex and its application, CN120944032B. Effective paper-for-plastic substitution is not a change that a material supplier can complete alone. Moving from an emulsion to market-ready packaging requires base-paper suppliers, coaters, converters, testing and certification organisations, and end brands to bring the substrate, process, contents, shelf life, and target market into the same project. BIOTEN Packaging aims to organise the connection between materials and applications: linking material selection, processing adaptation, third-party evidence, and end-use validation to reduce repeated trial and error and help the right material reach the right application sooner. A capable material is not the whole of paper-for-plastic packaging, but it can be the starting point for industry collaboration. Only when low-use functional materials, stable manufacturing, third-party evidence, and complete product validation are connected can the industry move from “a replacement material exists” to “a solution can be delivered consistently.” The critical layer BIOTEN Packaging seeks to provide is more than a water-, oil-, or heat-seal barrier. It connects the advantages of paper with packaging function, original technology with industrial manufacturing, circularity with composting routes, and technical development with market validation. This is the “Paper-for-Plastic 2.0” era described in the source article. It calls on industry participants to update their understanding and establish a new foundation for global development. China has a large and mature paper and packaging value-chain cluster. The source article identifies a global paper-for-plastic substitution opportunity of more than 30 million tonnes alongside the continuing tightening of plastic-reduction and restriction policies. Whether the material is an acrylic barrier emulsion, PHA water-based barrier emulsion, PLA lamination, or another bio-based barrier coating, different routes will continue to coexist as the market grows. Competition will depend on professional capability and long-term commitment, while collaborative innovation offers a practical route toward high-quality scale. Europe is reshaping global packaging rules through policy. China has an opportunity to contribute new answers through materials innovation and manufacturing capability. The convergence of policy, technology, and market demand is opening an important window for higher-quality development in paper-for-plastic packaging. BIOTEN Packaging Barrier Systems welcomes industry partners who share this direction: working together in global markets and converting the opportunity into lasting industrial value through products that work in practice, withstand verification, and support long-term adoption. Source: BIOTEN Packaging. Please credit the source when republishing. Original source unavailable",
            "date_published": "2026-08-04T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-04T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-04-preparing-for-ppwr-compliance/cms-image03.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-04-ppwr.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-08-04-ppwr.html",
            "title": "How to Register Under the PPWR: Do All Chinese Exporters Need to Register?",
            "summary": "Clarifying four points makes it possible to determine who must register, where registration is required, whether a PRO or authorised representative is needed, and what product-compliance evidence must be prepared.",
            "content_text": "First determine whether you are a “producer,” and then identify the Member State in which you bear extended producer responsibility (EPR). The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR, Regulation (EU) 2025/40) will generally apply from August 12, 2026. As that date approaches, many Chinese exporters are asking: where should PPWR registration be completed? Must every Chinese company register? If there is an EU importer, does that remove the exporter’s responsibility? In brief: Not every Chinese exporter must register in its own name, but registration cannot automatically be assumed to fall to the EU importer. The decisive questions are not whether the packaging was made in China, but who first makes the packaging or packaged product available in a particular EU Member State, whether the customer is an end user, and whether that party is a “producer” within the meaning of the PPWR. 1. Separate Three Different Concepts: “Registration” Is Not a Single Requirement At least three distinct matters must be separated when discussing the PPWR. 1.1 Product compliance These are the requirements the packaging itself must meet before entering the EU market, including materials and design, recyclability, labelling, the declaration of conformity, and technical documentation. Manufacturers, importers, and distributors may each have responsibilities in this area. 1.2 Producer and EPR registration This is the “registration” discussed in this article. It concerns extended producer responsibility for packaging waste, including registration, reporting, fee payment, and the organisation of collection and treatment. Article 44 of the PPWR requires every Member State to establish a register of producers. In principle, a producer must register in each Member State in which it first makes packaging or packaged products available. The PPWR is therefore not a single EU-wide certificate, nor does one registration number provide access to every Member State. 1.3 Third-party certification Third-party certifications for compostability, recycled content, recyclability, and similar attributes may support specific environmental claims, but they are not PPWR producer registration and do not replace product-compliance documentation. These three areas may support one another, but none substitutes for another. 2. Why “Manufacturer” and “Producer” Are Not the Same Under the PPWR In everyday Chinese usage, “producer” is easily understood as the factory that physically makes the packaging. Under the PPWR, however, producer is a legal role connected to EPR obligations. The European Commission’s 2026 implementation guidance further distinguishes the roles: Manufacturer primarily relates to product-compliance responsibilities for packaging. Producer primarily determines the Member State in which EPR must be fulfilled. Within the same supply chain, the two roles may be held by the same company or by entirely different companies. Accordingly, a Chinese factory that physically makes packaging is not automatically the EPR producer in every Member State. Conversely, an importer, distributor, or cross-border seller that does not manufacture packaging may become the producer because it is the first party to make the packaging or packaged product available locally. 3. Four Common Scenarios for Chinese Exporters Scenario 1: selling to an EU importer or distributor that resells locally If the EU customer purchases the goods and is then the first party to make the packaging or packaged product available on the local market, that customer is generally more likely to be the producer in that Member State. The Chinese exporter should nevertheless state clearly in the contract who is responsible for destination-country registration, reporting, fees, and data retention, and should provide accurate information about packaging materials, weight, category, and technical documentation. The analysis should not end simply because an EU importer is involved. Scenario 2: a Chinese brand sells through an EU subsidiary or local importing entity The respective product-compliance and EPR roles of the brand owner, EU subsidiary, and importing entity must be assessed separately. The EU entity may be a manufacturer or importer, and it may also be the producer that first makes the packaged product available locally. Companies should avoid treating “brand owner,” “importer,” and “EPR producer” as automatically identical. Scenario 3: a Chinese company sells directly to EU end users through its own website, a platform, or direct shipping This is a frequently overlooked, higher-risk scenario. If a Chinese company sells packaging or packaged products directly to consumers or professional end users in a Member State, the Chinese seller may be the producer in that country and may need to register and fulfil EPR obligations there. For producers established in a third country, the PPWR allows Member States to require the appointment of a local EPR authorised representative. The requirement must therefore be checked country by country and should not be treated as a completely uniform EU rule. Germany, for example, has stated that from August 12, 2026, a foreign company with no branch in Germany that sells empty packaging or packaged products directly to German end users must appoint an authorised representative and complete the applicable registration in the LUCID Packaging Register. Scenario 4: supplying only empty packaging or packaging materials to EU businesses Suppliers of paper, barrier materials, empty cups, empty cartons, and similar products are not necessarily the parties that ultimately bear EPR. The key questions remain whether the customer is an end user, who first makes the packaging available in the Member State, and whether the packaging is empty packaging, transport packaging, or part of a packaged product at the time of the transaction. Even when they do not bear the EPR registration obligation, suppliers of materials and empty packaging may still be responsible for product information, document transfer, and supply-chain cooperation. 4. Complete These Seven Steps Before Looking for a Registration Portal For any export transaction involving the EU, the assessment can follow this sequence: Step 1: identify the packaging object. Is it empty packaging, packaging material, transport packaging, or sales packaging already containing a product? Step 2: list the destination Member States. Do not write only “EU export”; identify the actual countries of sale, such as Germany, France, and Italy. Step 3: identify the customer. Will the customer resell the goods, or is it an end user such as a consumer, factory, or food-service business? Step 4: confirm who first makes the packaging available locally. Use the contract, order, logistics arrangements, transfer of title, and actual sales route to determine who first makes the packaging or packaged product available in the Member State. Step 5: determine the product-compliance roles and the EPR producer separately. Do not use a single “responsible party” label to cover every obligation. Step 6: check the national system. Confirm the competent authority, registration platform, producer responsibility organisation (PRO), authorised-representative rules, reporting periods, and fee arrangements. Step 7: continue fulfilling obligations after registration. Registration is not the end. Companies must report packaging quantities, materials, and categories as required locally, pay the relevant fees, and retain traceable records. 5. What Information Can Be Prepared Now? Companies can begin by establishing a “country–transaction–packaging” register containing at least: Company name, address, contact details, tax number, and commercial-registration information;Brands and selling entities;Destination Member States, customer types, and transaction routes;Contracts, orders, and logistics arrangements;Packaging structure, material categories, unit weight, and annual quantities placed on the market;Declarations of conformity, technical documents, and supplier evidence;Appointment details for a local PRO or EPR authorised representative, where applicable; andMember State registration numbers, reporting records, and proof of fee payment. The PPWR provides a common framework for registration information, but Member States may require additional information under their national systems. Actual implementation should be checked item by item with the competent authority and registration platform in each target country. 6. Five Common Misunderstandings Misunderstanding 1: obtaining a “PPWR certificate” completes compliance. The PPWR is not a single certificate; product compliance, EPR registration, and third-party certification must be handled separately. Misunderstanding 2: registration in one EU country covers the entire EU. Producer registration is generally determined by each Member State in which packaging is first made available. Misunderstanding 3: having an EU importer means the Chinese company has nothing further to consider. The analysis depends on whether the importer actually performs the first making-available role and whether the contract matches the real transaction. Misunderstanding 4: every Chinese exporter must appoint an EU authorised representative. For third-country EPR producers, the PPWR permits Member States to impose this requirement; the position must be checked country by country. Misunderstanding 5: registration proves that the packaging product complies with the PPWR. EPR registration does not replace requirements relating to materials, design, labelling, declarations of conformity, or technical documentation. Conclusion: determine the role before discussing registration The PPWR introduces more than an additional registration step. It requires companies to connect packaging materials, the transaction chain, and Member State responsibilities. For Chinese exporters, the most reliable starting point is not purchasing a generic “PPWR registration service,” but answering four questions: which country is the product sold into, who buys it, what type of packaging is involved, and who first makes it available locally? Only after those four points are clear can a company determine who must register, where registration is required, whether a PRO or authorised representative is needed, and what further product-compliance evidence must be prepared. For a specific business model, first document the target country, customer, packaging type, and party making it available for the first time, and then confirm the position country by country with the competent authority or a qualified adviser. BIOTEN Packaging Barrier Systems Principal references Regulation (EU) 2025/40, Articles 3, 44 and 45, and Annex IX;European Commission implementation guidance for Regulation (EU) 2025/40, C(2026) 3702;The European Commission’s official Packaging Waste and PPWR implementation pages; andOfficial guidance from Germany’s Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR) on foreign companies and authorised representatives. Read the original Chinese article",
            "date_published": "2026-08-04T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-04T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-08-04-ppwr/cms-image01.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-07-28-bioten-pro-pha-barrier-emulsion-bpi-compost.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-07-28-bioten-pro-pha-barrier-emulsion-bpi-compost.html",
            "title": "BIOTEN Packaging Pro Launch: PHA Barrier Emulsion Now Available for BPI Compostability Applications",
            "summary": "BIOTEN Packaging has begun supplying its Pro PHA water-based barrier emulsion, supporting coated paper and paper packaging projects through material supply, processing collaboration, certification testing, and application validation.",
            "content_text": "BIOTEN PRO · NOW AVAILABLEBIOTEN Packaging Pro PHA Water-Based Barrier Emulsion Is Now AvailableAdvancing laboratory results into real commercial applications through a complete evidence chain.What We Can ProvidePHA water-based barrier emulsion: the source article describes the material as meeting requirements related to BPI home and commercial compostability certification.Water-based coated papers: through coating partners, projects can cover food-grade paperboard, tissue, kraft paper, bamboo-pulp paper, and other paper systems.Paper packaging products: through converting partners, projects can cover paper cups, bowls, cartons, bags, burger wrap, and molded-fiber products.Certification and testing support: assistance may be provided for BPI, DIN CERTCO, ABA, Seedling, and related certification or testing work.Take the long road, avoid zero-sum competition, and sustain progress through innovation.Moving from laboratory validation to real commerce requires more than determining whether a laboratory sample meets BPI-related requirements. BIOTEN also focuses on whether coated paper can be supplied consistently and whether batch-produced articles can maintain performance and certification consistency.Our goal is to work with industry partners to bring to market an early group of paper packaging products that use BIOTEN Pro PHA materials and obtain applicable BPI home and commercial compostability certifications.Commercial Product PortfolioBIOTEN PLUS / 4108A PHA bio-based waterborne emulsion intended to support source reduction of plastics and carbon emissions. The source article presents natural paper appearance, water and oil resistance, heat sealability, recyclability, and compostability as application directions. It announces planned supply of 20,000 tonnes in 2027, with capacity and price reservation subject to current commercial terms.BIOTEN PLUS / 4110A waterborne acrylic barrier emulsion for barrier performance, heat sealing, and recyclable applications. The source states that the technology originated from BASF and has undergone more than ten years of market validation. It reports current annual capacity in China above 30,000 tonnes and a goal of supporting scaled replacement of PE lamination in 2028; price reservation remains project-specific.BIOTEN PRO / 1030The source describes this product as being within a BPI home and commercial compostability component-certification scope. Coated papers and finished articles made with the material must still be assessed and certified separately for BPI, DIN CERTCO, ABA, Seedling, or other programs according to paper type, coat weight, product structure, and applicable rules. Planned supply for 2026 is stated as a limited 400 tonnes, allocated by quota.BIOTEN ULTRACustomized high-barrier solutions for food and beverage, beauty and personal care, medical and pharmaceutical, specialty packaging, and other applications. Development may cover moisture, oxygen, aroma, and light barriers, together with formulation, coating, and end-use validation.Co-Creating Paper-for-Plastic 2.0Across food and beverage, beauty and personal care, medical and pharmaceutical, specialty packaging, and moisture protection for electronics and batteries, BIOTEN Packaging develops integrated solutions for moisture, oxygen, aroma and light barriers, heat sealing, and surface feel—from material selection through end-use validation.DBC advances projects from laboratory validation to real commerce by connecting materials, coating, converting, testing, and certification through a complete evidence chain. BIOTEN Packaging uses materials innovation to reshape a more sustainable future.Original source: DBC Group WeChat account, July 28, 2026",
            "date_published": "2026-07-28T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-28T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-07-28-bioten-pro-pha-barrier-emulsion-bpi-compost/image01-en-lossless.webp"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-06-12-casu-basf-water-based-battery-binder.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-06-12-casu-basf-water-based-battery-binder.html",
            "title": "CASU and BASF Advance Collaboration on Water-Based Battery Binders",
            "summary": "CASU and BASF are advancing collaboration on material supply, application adaptation, and technical services for water-based battery binders. This page presents the arti…",
            "content_text": "Leveraging BASF's 300,000-ton water-based binder production capacity in China, both parties continue to deepen collaboration in the new energy battery materials market.Collaboration Promotion Meeting and BackgroundThe \"BASF and CASU High-Performance Water-Based Battery Binder Technology and Scale-Up Application Collaboration Promotion Meeting\" was held in Shanghai. Andreas Fechtenkötter, Senior Vice President of BASF's Dispersions Business in Asia Pacific; Huang Yi, General Manager of BASF's Dispersions Business in Greater China; Zhou Shengzhong, Director of BASF's Adhesives and Fiber Bonding Business in Asia Pacific; Yan Xiaowei, Global Business Manager of BASF's Battery Binders; and other relevant executives visited CASU. They held in-depth discussions with CASU President Lin Fanqiu and his team regarding customer onboarding, application validation, supply assurance, and scale-up promotion of water-based anode binders in China's new energy battery market.This exchange represents not only a milestone in the long-term collaboration between CASU and BASF, but also a significant development in DBC Group's continuous deepening of industrial synergy within its new energy materials business segment. As a key synergy platform for DBC Group's new energy materials business, CASU has long focused on the application value of high-performance materials in power batteries, energy storage batteries, and advanced battery technologies, continuously driving the efficient alignment of internationally leading material systems with the demands of China's new energy battery industry.The core of this promotion meeting is to leverage BASF's 300,000-ton water-based binder production capacity in China, alongside CASU's long-standing expertise in new energy battery customer development, application promotion, technical feedback, and localized services, to further advance water-based battery binders from product supply to scale-up application solutions with greater comprehensive competitiveness.Application Requirements for New Energy Battery MaterialsCurrently, China's new energy battery industry is transitioning from a phase of rapid expansion to a more mature stage of scale-up competition. Battery manufacturers' selection of key materials no longer focuses solely on single performance metrics; instead, greater emphasis is placed on material performance stability, certainty of bulk supply, application adaptation efficiency, technical response speed, and comprehensive cost of use.This shift is particularly evident in anode material systems. As power batteries continue to upgrade toward higher energy density, fast-charging capabilities, and longer cycle life, and energy storage batteries develop toward higher safety, longer lifespan, and optimized system costs, technological trends such as high-silicon anodes, silicon-carbon anodes, and semi-solid/solid-state batteries are continuously driving the iteration of electrode material systems. These new technological trends impose higher demands on anode binder systems, electrode processing stability, interface adaptation capabilities, and consistency in scale-up manufacturing.Although water-based anode binders account for a small proportion of cell material costs, they directly impact electrode processing stability, bonding strength, cycle performance, low-temperature performance, and battery consistency. For battery manufacturers, a binder product with true market competitiveness must not only be reliable in performance but also capable of stable supply, rapid onboarding, continuous optimization, and demonstrating comprehensive value in scale-up applications.Synergy in Localized Supply and Customer OnboardingRegarding battery binder business, CASU and BASF have collaborated for over five years. Both parties have established a solid foundation for cooperation in market development, customer applications, technical feedback, and supply chain synergy. During this promotion meeting, both parties focused primarily on the scale-up application opportunities for BASF's high-performance water-based battery binder products, such as Basonal Power® and Licity®, in the Chinese market. They further explored how to serve China's new energy battery customers with more stable localized supply capabilities, more efficient customer onboarding mechanisms, and application solutions with greater comprehensive competitiveness.Huang Yi, General Manager of BASF's Dispersions Business in Greater China, introduced that BASF has established a 300,000-ton water-based binder production capacity in China. The successful commissioning of BASF's Zhanjiang integrated base in April this year has also provided a more stable and reliable source of upstream raw materials for water-based battery binder products, further enhancing BASF's integrated supply capabilities and comprehensive cost competitiveness in the Chinese market. Relying on this scale-up, localized, and integrated industrial foundation, BASF can provide more deterministic service support for China's new energy battery material customers in terms of product quality stability, bulk delivery capability, supply assurance efficiency, and customer application support.On this basis, CASU will further leverage its understanding of the needs of China's new energy battery customers, as well as its synergy capabilities in customer development, application promotion, technical feedback, localized services, and project implementation. The complementary advantages of both parties will help advance high-performance water-based anode binders from single product supply to systematic, scale-up, and localized application solutions.Fu Anzhi, Senior Vice President of BASF, stated that China's new energy battery industry is continuously driving upgrades in material technology, placing higher demands on the stable supply, application adaptability, and comprehensive value of high-performance water-based binders. BASF will continue to leverage its strengths in dispersion technology, product innovation, local supply, and application support to provide customers with more competitive material solutions, supporting the high-quality development of China's battery industry.Lin Fanqiu, President of CASU, stated that over five years of collaboration has deepened both parties' understanding of the Chinese battery material market and customer application needs. In the future, CASU will continue to leverage its capabilities in local customer collaboration, project advancement, and industrial chain services, working with BASF to jointly promote the scaled application of high-performance water-based anode binders for batteries under technological trends such as power batteries, energy storage batteries, high-silicon anodes, and semi-solid/solid-state batteries.Looking ahead, DBC Group will continue to focus on development opportunities in new energy materials, green manufacturing, and high-performance application materials. It will support CASU in deepening collaboration with leading international material companies, continuously building a more industrially valuable material application platform centered on battery materials, green materials, and functional materials, providing more stable, efficient, and competitively comprehensive key material solutions for China's new energy battery industry.About CASU: CASU Co., Ltd. (CASU) is an innovative enterprise focused on the industrial application of new materials and organic eco-friendly battery materials. It was established as a joint venture in Shanghai in 2017 by DBC Group and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The company continuously invests in high-end chemicals and raw material industries, application R&D, and technological innovation, possessing strong technical R&D and industrialization capabilities in fields such as lithium-ion organic materials, adhesives, and bio-based coatings. Business Cooperation: Tel 400 096 2017, Email casu@cas.ccRead the original article",
            "date_published": "2026-06-12T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-06-12-casu-basf-water-based-battery-binder/image01.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-05-29-bioten-pha-bpi-home-compostable-certification.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-05-29-bioten-pha-bpi-home-compostable-certification.html",
            "title": "BIOTEN updates information on BPI home compostability certification",
            "summary": "Bioten™ PHA water-based barrier coating is certified as BPI Home Compostable and is included in BPI’s database of publicly certified products.",
            "content_text": "BIOTEN has released certification information regarding PHA water-based barrier materials. Whether certification applies to a specific material, SKU, thickness, structure, or end product should be determined by the BPI public directory, valid documents, and the conditions listed therein.Official public verification: BPI Home Compostability · Components — Coatings. Certification holder: DBC New Materials Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. BPI Company ID #10530215. Home Compostability Certificate No. 10530215-1HC. Issued / Valid until: 2026-05-12 / 2029-01-31. Certified subject: Bioten™ PHA Barrier Coating components; subject to SKUs listed in the BPI directory. Home compostability scope: Maximum usage 100%, maximum thickness 1.97 mm. Verification date: 2026-07-20. This certification covers the coating components listed in the directory and does not equate to certification for coated paper, paper cups, food containers, or other end products. Open BPI official product directory ↗This development provides a searchable entry point for certification information for related projects, but it cannot be inferred that all BIOTEN products, coated paper, or end packaging products meet home compostability, food contact, or other market requirements. Projects must still verify specific subjects, structures, coating amounts, testing methods, and target markets.For paper-based packaging, competition is no longer just about \"replacing plastic,\" but about meeting the systemic requirements of functionality, compliance, recycling, and end-of-life disposal.Bioten™ BIOTEN PHA water-based barrier materials are designed for projects such as paper cups, paper bowls, food containers, paper bags, and food packaging paper, focusing on formulation design that does not intentionally add PFAS, food contact compliance assessment, water resistance, oil resistance, moisture resistance, oxygen resistance, hot and cold liquids, heat seal processing, repulping, and composting disposal. Each conclusion must be separately linked to the product version, end product, testing method, target market, and valid documents.The BPI public directory lists SKUs 1033, 1030, 1040, 6130, 6140, 6150, 7130, 7140, 4110, 4109, and 4108 for Bioten™ PHA Barrier Coating on the verification date. Projects should re-verify directory status, certificate attachments, specific SKUs, thickness, usage, and labeling rights before use; component certification must not be extended to certification conclusions for the entire Plus / Pro series, coated paper, or end packaging products.The project path for the BIOTEN PHA bio-based water-based barrier system involves simultaneously evaluating source material design, product performance, repulping, and composting disposal under applicable conditions; no single certificate replaces the verification and compliance assessment of the complete end product.In the future, the key for paper-based packaging is not just \"using paper to replace plastic,\" but enabling paper to truly fulfill food packaging functions and enter a clear and credible end-of-life path after use.DBC welcomes paper-based packaging industry chain enterprises to participate with a developer perspective and engineering actions, contributing to global green packaging technology and standard collaboration through material innovation, product verification, data governance, and industry synergy.Do not underestimate a paper cup, do not give up on a change.BPI Official Directory · Original Company Release",
            "date_published": "2026-05-29T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-05-29-bioten-pha-bpi-home-compostable-certification/image01.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-05-22-aviation-paper-cup-evidence-chain.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-05-22-aviation-paper-cup-evidence-chain.html",
            "title": "Civil Aviation Tableware Innovation Forum: Understanding the \"Evidence Chain Competition\" of Paper-Based Packaging Barrier Engineering Through a Single Aviation Paper Cup",
            "summary": "Civil Aviation Green Tableware Industry Chain Innovation Forum—Full Process Observation! Meeting records!",
            "content_text": "Sharing of full-process observations and conference records from the Civil Aviation Green Tableware Industry Chain Innovation Forum at the 4th Civil Aviation Green Development Conference.Why a Single Aviation Paper Cup Requires a Complete Evidence ChainCivil aviation service scenarios possess systematic advantages of high standards, strong organization, traceability, and closed-loop management. Once an aviation paper cup enters the cabin or airport environment, it is no longer just a cup, but a systematic product jointly validated by material sourcing, barrier performance, food-contact compliance assessment, civil aviation operational standards, supply chain collaboration, recycling, and composting pathway assessment under applicable conditions.This is also why paper-based packaging barrier engineering is entering an \"evidence chain competition\": future green tableware must answer not only \"whether it is plastic-free, recyclable, or degradable,\" but also \"on what basis it is compliant, on what basis it is procured, on what basis it is recycled, and on what basis it degrades.\"Industry Collaboration from Materials to Civil Aviation ScenariosCentered on BIOTEN's PHA bio-based aqueous barrier engineering system, DBC, Bluepha, and BASF, together with six industry chain partners—BPI, Air China Shantou Industry, Yibin Paper, Jindong Paper, UPM, and Sun Paper—have launched industry chain collaborative validation for paper-based tableware and food packaging across six specific civil aviation application scenarios: aviation paper food containers, Air China's full-category paper tableware, aviation bamboo-pulp paper cups, aviation cleaning paper bags, aviation snack packaging paper bags, and aviation food-specific paper bags.The significance of this group of signings and collaborative launches lies in connecting raw materials, barrier engineering, paper, coating, products, and aviation applications into a continuous chain, bringing technical evaluation into application scenarios, and upgrading single-product substitution into multi-dimensional supply capabilities oriented toward civil aviation services.Huang Peng, Deputy Director of the Hainan Provincial Development and Reform Commission, attended the forum and delivered a speech. The forum unfolded at the intersection of Hainan's green and low-carbon development and the green transformation of civil aviation, providing a more practically significant regional development perspective for innovation in the civil aviation green tableware industry chain.For the green materials and paper-based packaging industries, Hainan is not only the conference host location but also a crucial window for observing the implementation of green consumption, low-carbon services, and sustainable industry scenarios. The connection between civil aviation, airports, urban consumption, and free trade port application scenarios provides a more organized and demonstrative practical foundation for green tableware to move from product display to systematic validation.PHA Technical Foundation and Global StandardsDriven by long-term research and promotion from scientific forces represented by Professor Chen Guoqiang, Director of the Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University, PHA, a bio-based polymer material synthesized by microorganisms, is becoming one of the important technical routes for green packaging material innovation due to its degradation potential and post-use pathway advantages in various applicable environments. BIOTEN's PHA bio-based aqueous barrier coating system further translates these material advantages into the waterproofing, oil resistance, heat sealing, food-contact compliance assessment adaptation, and recycling repulping validation required for paper-based packaging, providing a candidate engineering pathway for systematic validation and industry collaboration of green tableware.The Environmental Protection Committee of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, as one of the forum organizers, provided important support for venue organization and service guarantees. Ms. Wang Man, Assistant to the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Administration of China and Director of the Aviation Food Branch, participated throughout the forum agenda, focusing on the application feasibility of paper-based tableware in aviation food services, civil aviation operational standards, supply chain guarantees, and post-use recycling. Director Wang Man's participation connects industry organizations with aviation application scenarios, also indicating that the implementation of green tableware cannot focus solely on single-product substitution, but must form verifiable and comparable scenario solutions within aviation food processes, standard construction, supply guarantees, and closed-loop management.Professor Chen Guoqiang, Director of the Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University, delivered a keynote presentation on \"Degradation Boundaries and Green Packaging Applications of PHA, a Natural Polymer Material,\" establishing a materials science foundation for the forum.Professor Chen elaborated on the scientific properties, degradation boundaries, safety, and green packaging applications of PHA. He emphasized that PHA is not merely a \"biodegradable\" label, but a natural polyester polymer synthesized by microorganisms. Its industrial value must be understood systematically within the context of bio-based sourcing, scalable production, application boundaries, usage safety, and end-of-life pathways.Building on this materials science foundation, Bluepha is advancing the industrial production of PHA, while DBC is focusing on the engineered application of PHA in paper-based packaging. DBC has developed BIOTEN PHA dispersion emulsions and paper-based barrier coating systems, shifting PHA applications from film/lamination approaches to water-based barrier engineering routes better suited for paper coating processing, recycling, and composting pathway assessments under applicable conditions. The company is further conducting project validation and industrial collaboration targeting paper-based tableware and food packaging scenarios.For paper-based packaging, the significance of PHA extends beyond providing a new bio-based material option. It lies in the ability to address functional shortcomings in water resistance, oil resistance, heat sealing, coating processing, and food packaging compatibility through water-based barrier engineering, while simultaneously accommodating paper recycling and repulping validation. This approach integrates material performance, user experience, recycling validation, and composting pathway assessments under applicable conditions into a single verifiable evidence chain.Lu Sha, Associate Researcher at the College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, delivered a keynote presentation titled \"Global Rules Reshaping the Paper-Based Packaging Industry Chain: Constraints or Directions? Examining Compliance Passports and Industrial Opportunities for Green Tableware from EUDR, PPWR, SUPD, EPR, PFAS to FDA/GB Standards.\" Her presentation advanced the forum's discussion from materials science to global regulations, compliance boundaries, and industrial evidence.Lu Sha's presentation went beyond a simple regulatory interpretation, establishing a forward-looking judgment framework for the paper-based packaging industry chain. Previously, companies often expressed green value through terms such as \"paper-based,\" \"bio-based,\" \"biodegradable,\" \"fluorine-free,\" and \"recyclable.\" However, under the new regulatory environment, what is truly scrutinized is not the concept itself, but whether a paper cup, food container, or paper bag can provide clear, complete, and verifiable evidence regarding its target market, intended use, and actual disposal conditions.Within this framework, global regulations converge on a common industrial proposition: whether raw material sources are traceable, how food contact compliance is assessed, whether coatings and additives involve substances of concern, whether product structures impact recycling and repulping, whether green claims are supported by testing and documentation, and how end-of-life reuse is practically implemented.She specifically cautioned that recyclable base paper does not necessarily mean the finished paper cup is recyclable, nor does biodegradable material guarantee that formed tableware will be accepted in all scenarios. Water-based coatings, bio-based materials, and low-carbon claims must all be scrutinized within the context of the final product structure, testing subjects, usage conditions, and customer audit documentation. Within this regulatory framework, the value of BIOTEN PHA should not be understood merely as a material or coating, but as part of a verifiable evidence system that includes bio-based attribute verification, water-based coating, formulation design without intentional addition of PFAS and related testing boundaries, food contact compliance assessment, recycling and repulping validation, and composting pathway assessments under applicable conditions.Lu Sha further pointed out that those who can organize materials, coatings, base paper, finished products, testing, customer access, and end-of-life reuse into a complete evidence package will be better positioned to take the initiative in the next round of green packaging competition.Carsten Höhne, Senior Vice President of Global Resins and Additives at BASF, delivered a keynote presentation on BASF's sustainability strategy, low-carbon product portfolio, and circular economy pathways, providing industrial insights from a global materials company for the forum.BASF's global practices indicate that the sustainable transformation of packaging has moved from single-material substitution to an engineering collaboration stage. Product carbon footprints, alternative raw materials, utilization of renewable and recycled resources, coating functionality, performance, and circular pathways must all align. This industrial perspective also explains the value of the collaboration between BASF and DBC on BIOTEN PHA dispersion emulsions and paper-based barrier coating systems: leveraging the technology and methodology of a global materials company to support engineered implementation in local application scenarios.Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC Group Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote presentation titled \"From Cabin to Airport: BIOTEN Barrier Engineering System and Synergy with Global Green Regulations.\" His remarks built upon the preceding discussions on materials R&D innovation and global regulations, further directing the conversation toward industry, manufacturing, and product applications.Addressing industry partners, Lin Fanqiu deconstructed an aviation paper cup from a product manager's perspective: it is not merely a material substitution issue, but a complete product engineering system comprising material systems, barrier mechanisms, heat sealing principles, coating processing, forming compatibility, user experience, food contact compliance assessment, recycling, and composting pathway assessments under applicable conditions.He emphasized that for BIOTEN PHA to achieve commercial recognition, it cannot remain at the conceptual level. It requires industry partners across paper manufacturing, coating, cup forming, equipment, testing, airline catering, and airports to engage in the development process. Issues must be understood, boundaries confirmed, and products improved through sample development, testing and evaluation, production line adaptation, finished product acceptance, and end-of-life reuse data.In Lin Fanqiu's view, DBC is advancing not just a coating product, but a green supply chain model. Using the high standards, strict regulations, and organized service scenarios of civil aviation as a window, DBC is exploring a pathway from cabin usage to airport recycling, and from product R&D to scenario replication.Peng Yikang, Head of Environmental Affairs at the Strategic Planning and Investment Department of China Southern Airlines Company Limited, presented and provided key interpretations of the T/CATAGS 78-2024 standard, 'Specifications for the Substitution of Single-Use Non-Degradable Plastic Products on Domestic Passenger Flights,' bringing the forum's discussion back to civil aviation green standards and operational practices.His presentation focused on the development of plastic restrictions in civil aviation, the content of group standards, and suggestions for addressing practical issues. He emphasized that substituting single-use non-degradable plastic products must comply with civil aviation food safety and operational safety standards, while also considering actual civil aviation operations, product functionality, and market supply capabilities.For paper-based tableware and food packaging, this means that substitute products must not only be 'greener in material' but also withstand multiple tests, including flight service, food contact, storage and distribution, passenger use, supply assurance, and post-use recycling.Xu Xuanming, Chairman of Bluepha Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote presentation on 'The Industrialization and Commercialization of Green Biomaterials.' He outlined the key pathways for green biomaterials to transition from scientific research to industrial and commercial applications, covering upstream PHA biomanufacturing, material family development, industrial base construction, and application ecosystem building.Xu Xuanming's presentation further illustrated that the value of PHA lies not only in its inherent characteristics as a bio-based and biodegradable material, but also in its ability to enable multi-scenario applications. For BIOTEN's PHA paper-based barrier system, upstream PHA industrialization capabilities serve as a crucial foundation for subsequent engineering applications, scenario implementation, and commercial advancement.From Bluepha's PHA industrial production capabilities to DBC's PHA aqueous dispersion and paper-based barrier engineering development technologies, and further to the collaborative advancement involving paper manufacturers, product fabricators, and civil aviation service scenarios, green biomaterials are moving toward an industrial ecosystem supported by 'raw material supply, engineering conversion, scenario application, and commercial implementation.'Coating, Product Fabrication, and Supply Chain ValidationWang Jizhou, Chairman of Jin Yinlian (Tianjin) New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote presentation on 'Safe, Stable, and Efficient PHA Aqueous Coated Paper Supply Chain Solutions,' advancing the forum's discussion to the aqueous coated paper supply chain and large-scale delivery stages.As one of the coating enterprises to pioneer the commercial application of BIOTEN's PHA bio-based aqueous barrier coatings, Jin Yinlian provided crucial industrial support for this technical route to transition from material solutions to mass coating and market delivery. Regarding BIOTEN's PHA bio-based aqueous barrier coating system, Jin Yinlian established a complete supply chain system capable of achieving stable coating, mass production, quality control, customer acceptance, and continuous delivery for BIOTEN's various product specifications.Wang Jizhou's presentation further indicated that over the past few months, with collaborative support from DBC and BASF, the Jin Yinlian team has gradually developed mass coating and delivery capabilities for BIOTEN PHA bio-based aqueous barrier coated paper, oriented toward commercial applications. As a key supply-side link connecting the barrier coating system with downstream tableware fabrication and forming enterprises, Jin Yinlian is equipped with a relatively complete coating equipment and self-inspection laboratory system, providing robust supply assurance to meet the growing market demand for PHA aqueous-coated paper.Li Xiang, Chairman of Guangzhou Linuo High-Tech Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote presentation on 'Tableware Process Adaptation, Performance Balance, and Export Market Demand,' further advancing the forum's discussion to product fabrication, quality control, brand delivery, and global market application stages.As a representative of a frontline enterprise with long-term expertise in paper-based tableware manufacturing, Li Xiang's presentation not only discussed 'what customers need' but also emphasized how China's paper-based packaging industry chain should proactively define sustainable product capabilities. China possesses a globally complete, mature, and rapidly responsive paper-based packaging manufacturing system; it should not merely focus on fulfilling orders and passively adapting to customer standards, but should leverage engineering thinking, quality systems, and brand awareness to provide the global market with more stable, credible, and sustainable paper-based tableware solutions.For BIOTEN's PHA bio-based aqueous barrier engineering, the product fabrication stage is not merely a processing step, but a critical validation ground for whether the technical route can translate into customer and brand value. Whether a paper cup, food container, or paper bowl can truly enter the market depends on its comprehensive performance across forming, heat sealing, stacking, transportation, filling, user experience, food contact compliance assessment, post-use pathways, and customer acceptance.Li Xiang's presentation further indicated that the next phase for paper-based tableware is not just about 'turning green materials into products,' but about organizing materials, processes, quality, brands, and sustainability evidence into a deliverable system solution. If China's manufacturing sector can systematize this capability, it will not only serve global customer needs but also participate in defining new global standards for green paper-based packaging.Zhu Chengfeng, Chairman of Zhongyin Environmental Protection Technology (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote presentation on \"Highlights of PHA Bio-Based Waterborne Coated Paper in Market Promotion,\" further advancing the forum's discussion to the stages of market promotion, customer awareness, and application conversion for waterborne coated paper.As one of the coating enterprises to pioneer the use of BIOTEN's PHA bio-based waterborne barrier coating, Zhongyin Environmental Protection has provided crucial industrial support for this technical route to transition from material solutions to market validation and customer promotion.From a frontline market perspective, Zhu's presentation highlighted that customers are primarily concerned not with the material name itself, but with whether the product can provide clear answers regarding the balance between performance, cost, processing, compliance, and sustainable value. Compared to some waterborne barrier routes represented by acrylics and EAA, the differentiated value of BIOTEN's PHA lies not only in its waterborne coating and barrier performance, but also in specific differentiated aspects that require item-by-item verification. These include bio-based attributes, the boundary of formula design regarding the intentional addition of PFAS, recycling and repulping, composting pathways under applicable conditions, and carbon impact assessment. These aspects are not mutually substitutable and each requires independent evidentiary support.For BIOTEN's PHA bio-based waterborne barrier engineering, market promotion is not merely about stacking labels such as \"bio-based,\" \"biodegradable,\" and \"waterborne coating.\" Instead, it involves translating material highlights into application value that customers can perceive, test, compare, and repurchase. Zhu's presentation further clarified that effective market promotion is essentially a process of organizing an evidence chain: whether BIOTEN's PHA can transition from technical highlights to market consensus depends on whether the product can meet food contact and performance requirements, align with customers' existing production and supply systems, and establish clear value across cost, performance, compliance, recycling, and end-of-life pathways.Zhang Taojie, Chairman of Hunan Lile Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote presentation on \"Sharing of Domestic and International Markets for Waterborne Coated Paper Tableware.\" As one of the product manufacturers to early collaborate with industry chain partners such as BASF, DBC, and APP Golden Agri-Resources to promote the application of waterborne coated paper, Hunan Lile has long specialized in waterborne coated paper-based tableware. The company has accumulated solid frontline experience in the forming, printing, stacking, cup separation, heat resistance, and customer delivery of products such as paper cups and bowls. Over the past five years, it has also received continuous validation and recognition from global markets and diverse brand customers for its high-quality water-coated paper cups.Drawing from real-world production practices, Zhang's presentation offered a critical industry assessment: the waterborne coating route is currently being discussed and evaluated across multiple markets. Projects cannot rely solely on material parameters; they must also verify cup forming, printing, stacking, shipping, and customer usage conditions on actual production lines. Hunan Lile takes pride not only in producing water-coated paper cups, but in successfully driving waterborne coated paper-based products toward branded, scaled, and market-ready delivery under the higher demands of global customers.At the event, Zhang showcased a BIOTEN PHA bio-based waterborne barrier paper cup that had just been sampled by Hunan Lile engineers prior to the forum. He specifically noted that he instructed the technical team to use full-coverage black printing to test common pain points of waterborne coated paper cups. Full-coverage dark printing imposes higher demands on ink adhesion, anti-set-off, anti-smudging, and stacking stability. This BIOTEN PHA paper cup withstood the test, demonstrating good printing adaptability and anti-smudging performance.In Zhang's view, the BIOTEN PHA bio-based waterborne barrier paper cup is not a simple repetition of existing water-coated products, but an upgrade addressing evolving customer needs. While retaining the processing and delivery advantages of waterborne coated paper cups, it further incorporates bio-based attributes, sustainable value, and a more comprehensive evidence chain space, offering global customers more options. This on-site detail indicates that the value of BIOTEN PHA needs to be further confirmed through product-line validation at the manufacturing end, customer audits, and actual usage conditions.Ouyang Pengfei, Director and Vice President of Bluepha Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote presentation on \"Industrialized Supply Capabilities for PHA Bio-Based Raw Materials via Biological Manufacturing,\" bringing the forum's discussion back to the upstream raw material foundation of BIOTEN's PHA paper-based barrier engineering.Ouyang's presentation covered halophilic bacteria biological manufacturing, carbon source conversion efficiency, non-grain carbon source utilization, fermentation space-time yield, and cost reduction through scale-up. He explained that for PHA to truly enter the paper-based tableware and food packaging markets, it cannot remain merely at the level of material science and application imagination; it must possess stable, sustainable, cost-reducing project supply and production line synergy capabilities. For BIOTEN's PHA bio-based waterborne barrier engineering, Bluepha's upstream industrialization capabilities serve as an important foundation for DBC's development of PHA dispersion emulsions and high-performance paper-based barrier coating systems. They also provide the underlying support for this technical route to transition from sample evaluation to project validation, production line integration, customer qualification, and commercial delivery.Wang Junming, Technical Director of Shandong Bohui Paper Co., Ltd., participated on-site in the collaborative launch of the \"Aviation Paper Food Container\" scenario. Bohui Paper provides high-quality aviation food container paper for this scenario and collaborates with industry chain partners to jointly advance the collaborative validation of BIOTEN PHA paper-based waterborne barrier coatings in aspects such as oil resistance, water resistance, stiffness, forming, food contact compliance assessment, and adaptation to airline catering distribution.Pan Tianyi, Marketing Director of Shandong Sun Paper Co., Ltd., participated on-site in the collaborative launch of the \"Aviation Food Dedicated Paper Bag\" scenario. Sun Paper provides high-quality paper-based material support for this scenario and collaborates with industry chain partners to jointly advance the collaborative validation of BIOTEN PHA paper-based waterborne barrier coatings in food packaging adaptation, moisture barrier, printing and processing, bag forming, food contact compliance assessment, and civil aviation food supply scenarios.Xia Xiaohui, Sales Manager for Packaging Paper Business Development at UPM (China) Co., Ltd., participated on-site in the collaborative launch of the \"aviation snack packaging paper bag\" scenario. As a key player in global paper-based materials and packaging paper, UPM provides high-quality packaging paper material support for this scenario and collaborates with industry chain partners to advance the moisture-proof, oxygen-barrier, printability, bag-forming adaptability, food-contact compliance assessment, and application scenario validation of BIOTEN's PHA paper-based waterborne barrier coating in aviation snack packaging.Zeng Xiangbin, Deputy Marketing Director of Yibin Paper Co., Ltd., participated on-site in the collaborative launch of the \"aviation bamboo pulp paper cup\" scenario. Yibin Paper provides high-quality bamboo pulp paper for this scenario and collaborates with industry chain partners to advance the waterproof, leak-proof, hot-beverage adaptability, printability, cup-forming, food-contact compliance assessment, and application scenario validation of BIOTEN's PHA paper-based waterborne barrier coating in aviation bamboo pulp paper cups, offering more diverse paper-based material options for aviation paper cups.Hou Xiaozheng, Assistant General Manager of Air China Shantou Industrial Development Co., Ltd., participated on-site in the collaborative launch of the \"Air China full-category paper tableware\" scenario. As a key scenario provider connecting aviation service environments, in-flight catering supply chains, and paper tableware application needs, Air China Shantou Industrial leverages the high requirements, standards, and regulations of civil aviation service scenarios to provide real operational needs and scenario validation support for BIOTEN's PHA paper-based waterborne barrier coating entering applications across full-category paper tableware such as aviation meal boxes, paper cups, paper bowls, and food packaging. It collaborates with industry chain partners to jointly validate material performance, user experience, food-contact compliance assessment, supply adaptability, and post-use pathways.Li Juan, Technical Director of Jindong Paper (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., participated on-site in the collaborative launch of the \"aviation cleaning paper bag\" scenario. As a key player in China's high-end cultural paper and specialty paper sectors, Jindong Paper provides high-quality paper-based material support for this scenario and collaborates with industry chain partners to advance the application scenario validation of BIOTEN's PHA paper-based waterborne barrier coating in aviation cleaning paper bags, focusing on strength performance, water resistance, oil resistance, printability, bag-forming adaptability, user experience, recycling friendliness, and compostable degradation.From aviation tableware to agricultural mulch paper, BIOTEN's PHA bio-based waterborne barrier engineering is expanding the boundaries of paper-based applications. Wan Ruoyu, Chairman of Wuxi Wanjia Technology Co., Ltd., participated on-site in the special signing ceremony for the \"Agricultural Mulch Paper · BIOTEN PHA Application Cooperation.\" The collaboration focuses on developing and validating the compostable and degradable system applications of BIOTEN's PHA bio-based waterborne barrier coating on agricultural mulch paper, and will pioneer application exploration in high-environmental-standard markets such as tobacco cultivation.As the final segment of the forum, the roundtable discussion served to consolidate the transition from thematic presentations to industry consensus. Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC Group Co., Ltd., moderated the session around the theme \"From Cabin to Airport, Viewing Packaging Materials through Global Standards: How to Define Scenarios, Rules, and Trends?\" guiding guests to exchange views across dimensions including civil aviation applications, airport commerce, global standards, and material trends.The value of this roundtable lies not in reiterating previous points, but in reorganizing the forum's earlier content on PHA material science, global compliance standards, paper-based barrier engineering, civil aviation standard promotion, raw material supply, coating processing, product delivery, and scenario collaboration into a more core industry question: What will define the next phase of green tableware?The answer is not a single material, nor a single standard, but is jointly defined by real-world scenarios, global standards, engineering capabilities, and post-use pathways.First, it is defined by real-world scenarios.Zhang Honglin, Chairman of Air China Shantou Industrial Development Co., Ltd., shared real-world needs, operational standards, and application focus points that paper tableware faces when entering in-flight catering supply and aviation service systems, starting from the perspective of aviation service scenarios. As a frontline industry player with long-term service in aviation tableware application scenarios, his focus is not on the material name itself, but on whether a paper cup, meal box, or food packaging bag can truly adapt to the complete operational process of meal preparation, storage and transportation, distribution, passenger use, food-contact compliance assessment, and supply assurance.His sharing brought the roundtable back to a very practical question: The aviation scenario is neither a laboratory nor a single-product showcase. A green tableware solution can only truly validate its professionalism, stability, and replicability by entering the civil aviation service system with its high standards, strict requirements, and rigorous regulations.Zhang Honglin also specifically noted that the value of BIOTEN's PHA bio-based waterborne barrier system lies not only in meeting the single direction of \"degradability,\" but also in simultaneously opening up validation for recycling and repulping and assessment of composting pathways under applicable conditions in real civil aviation scenarios. For airport and aviation service systems, passenger flow, catering consumption, and waste collection are highly organized and manageable. If post-use paper-based tableware can be sorted for recycling and high-value repulping, with compostable degradation serving as a fallback pathway for contaminated or non-recyclable portions, this approach is more operational and exemplary than simply emphasizing \"degradation.\"This also responds to a key judgment in the roundtable: The cabin defines usage standards, while the airport defines recycling pathways.Cabin operations focus on food safety, passenger experience, and operational safety; airports focus on sorted collection, recycling and repulping, data tracking, and closed-loop management. The value of the civil aviation scenario lies in the fact that, while it is not the largest consumption scenario for disposable tableware, it may be the most suitable model scenario for pioneering a high-quality closed loop for green tableware.Second, it is defined by airport commercial and public service scenarios.Ji Ping, Global Application Technology Expert at BASF (China) Co., Ltd., shared observations on airport commercial operations and green packaging trends, drawing on multiple rounds of exchanges with airport stakeholders such as Hongqiao Airport. Airports are not just high-footfall consumption scenarios; they are also public service scenarios characterized by high standards, high visibility, and strong organization. If paper-based packaging in coffee, fast food, retail, airline catering, and lounge services can achieve stable application, sorted collection, recycling and repulping, and data feedback pathways at airports, it has the potential to become an important model for city-level green consumption scenarios.From the perspective of global materials companies, the trend in green packaging is no longer just about \"switching to a different material,\" but about validating material functionality, processing adaptability, customer acceptance, recycling pathways, and low-carbon claims within a single integrated system. Ji Ping's sharing further illustrates that airport commercial operations are a critical entry point for green packaging to transition from product application to scenario-based closed loops. This environment can test the performance of paper-based packaging, as well as the viability of recycling pathways, customer acceptance, and replicable value.Third, it is defined by global regulations.Researcher Lu Sha addressed \"how to define regulations\" from a global regulatory perspective. Her insights advanced the roundtable discussion from \"whether the product can be used\" to \"whether the evidence can be recognized.\"Global regulations such as EUDR, PPWR, SUPD, EPR, PFAS restrictions, and FDA/GB standards, although originating from different markets and regulatory systems, collectively point to a trend: the focus of green packaging scrutiny is shifting from material labels to evidence regarding the final product.In the future, green tableware cannot simply claim to be \"paper-based, bio-based, biodegradable, fluorine-free, or recyclable.\" It must also answer whether raw material sources are traceable, how food-contact compliance is assessed, whether coatings and additives are explainable, whether the product structure affects recycling and repulping, whether green claims are supported by testing and documentation, and whether the post-use pathway actually enters a recycling system or an industrial composting system, or remains merely theoretical.In other words, the industry is moving from \"what is banned\" to \"on what basis.\"Customers will not only ask whether it is a green material, but will ask: on what basis is it compliant? On what basis is it accepted? Where does it go after use?Researcher Lu Sha's sharing further reinforced the roundtable consensus: the next phase for green tableware is not a competition of material labels, but a competition of evidence chains for the final product. Whoever can organize raw materials, materials, barrier structures, food-contact compliance assessments, recycling and repulping, customer acceptance, and post-use pathways into a verifiable, deliverable, and auditable evidence system will have a better opportunity to enter high-standard markets.Fourth, it is defined by material trends and technological iteration.Professor Chen Guoqiang addressed \"how to define trends\" from the perspective of PHA materials science and the long-term trends in biomanufacturing. In previous discussions, panelists had already discussed the value of BIOTEN's PHA bio-based aqueous barrier system in the final product evidence chain from the dimensions of global regulations, civil aviation scenarios, airport commercial operations, and paper-based barrier engineering. Lin Fanqiu further turned the question back to Professor Chen Guoqiang during the roundtable: now that PHA has an industrial production foundation and is beginning to enter paper-based packaging barrier engineering scenarios, how can this technological route continue to iterate in the future? Does it possess the underlying capabilities to continuously reduce costs, continuously upgrade, and continuously support global green packaging trends?Professor Chen Guoqiang's response provided deeper technological confidence for \"defining trends.\" The value of PHA lies not only in its bio-based and biodegradable attributes, nor only in its currently realized industrial production capacity, but more importantly in the continuous evolution of the biomanufacturing technology behind it. With the ongoing advancement of more efficient fermentation technologies, more diverse carbon source utilization pathways, and the optimization of strains and processes, PHA still has room in the future to further improve efficiency, reduce costs, and expand application boundaries; from a longer-term technological perspective, there is also the potential to further explore the possibility of using lower-carbon sources such as carbon dioxide as carbon feedstocks.This also makes the industrial trend of BIOTEN's PHA clearer: it is not a static material solution, but a paper-based packaging barrier engineering route that can continuously upgrade alongside advancements in biomanufacturing technology.For paper-based packaging, the trend is not simply switching from one material to another, but moving from \"material substitution\" to \"engineerably controllable, evidence-verifiable, and scenario-replicable.\"In each round of discussion, Lin Fanqiu brought the panelists' viewpoints back to the core proposition facing the entire industry chain: green tableware for civil aviation is not a matter of one material replacing another, but a matter of how an industry uses real-world scenarios to validate regulations, engineering, and evidence chains.The roundtable, originally time-limited, ultimately extended until 1:00 PM. The sustained high level of attention from on-site guests and industry chain viewers indicates that the topic of \"from cabin to airport\" has already resonated among materials companies, paper manufacturers, coating producers, product manufacturers, airline caterers, airport commercial operators, and end customers.What it truly touches is not just the replacement of green tableware, but how China's paper-based packaging industry chain can build its own engineering capabilities, evidence capabilities, and scenario definition capabilities amidst the global reshaping of green rules.The industry consensus formed at the roundtable is that the competition for green tableware is moving from 'product substitution' to 'evidence chain competition'. Whoever can organize material sourcing, barrier performance, food-contact compliance assessment, civil aviation operational standards, supply chain delivery, recycling and repulping, and compostable degradation pathways under applicable conditions into a verifiable, deliverable, and collaborative system capability will have a better chance of defining the next phase of green tableware for civil aviation.More importantly, the roundtable discussion did not stop at the conceptual level but further pointed to an action path: driven by real-world scenarios, quickly form samples, scenarios, metrics, and participants; generate data around barrier properties, heat sealing, food contact, and initial repulping assessments; and ultimately validate application and recycling pathways in cabin and airport commercial scenarios. This also echoes the action rhythm emphasized by the roundtable: form a plan in 30 days, generate data in 90 days, and create a pilot model in 180 days.It is in this sense that the BIOTEN PHA bio-based aqueous barrier system responds not just to a single material application, but to a new trend emerging in the global paper-based packaging market:Moving from conceptual green to evidence-based green, from material substitution to system validation, and from single-point products to full-chain collaboration.The final judgment left by this roundtable is very clear:Engineering is controllable, evidence is traceable, and scenarios are replicable.When an aviation paper cup can simultaneously answer 'can it be used, can it be collected, can it be verified, and can it be replicated', it is no longer just a product, but a validation entry point for whether a green supply chain is truly established.From Forum Discussion to Action PathAt the end of the forum, Lin Fanqiu summarized the discussion. He stated that although today's topics seem professional and even have some technical barriers, this makes it all the more necessary to view the industry chain partners present as co-developers rather than bystanders outside the industry.From material science, global rules, civil aviation scenarios, airport commerce, coating processing to product delivery, every guest's sharing today points to a common judgment: the next phase of green tableware can no longer remain at the level of slogans, labels, and route debates, but must return to scientific facts, engineering validation, and the final product evidence chain.In the past, the industry had many different voices, as well as misunderstandings and debates about material routes. But today, with rules becoming clearer, customer audits becoming stricter, and technical information becoming more transparent, what product manufacturing enterprises truly need to judge is not whose voice is louder, but who can clearly explain several key questions: on what basis is it compliant, on what basis does it pass acceptance, and where will the product go after use.This is also the problem that the Bioten bio-based aqueous barrier system hopes to solve. It does not simply replace one material with another, but aims to combine the bio-based attributes of PHA, its degradation potential under various applicable environments, with the water resistance, oil resistance, heat sealing, food-contact compliance assessment adaptation, recycling and repulping validation, and compostable pathway assessment under applicable conditions required by paper-based packaging, to form a barrier engineering solution truly oriented towards final products.What China's paper-based packaging industry chain truly needs to see is not just the current market of tens of thousands of tons of aqueous-coated paper, but the expanding global market opportunity for paper-based substitution of plastics in tableware, food packaging, and various other packaging. Whoever can be the first to organize materials, barrier engineering, product processing, scenario validation, recycling and repulping, and post-use pathways into a complete evidence chain will have a better chance to participate in defining the next generation of the global paper-based packaging market.Today, what is truly important is not just proving what a single aviation paper cup can change, but through such a specific product, through a low-carbon, eco-friendly small paper cup that everyone can touch, re-understanding how a green supply chain can truly be established.To do aqueous-coated paper well and achieve scale requires a top-leader project, an engineer's mindset, and a product manager's perspective. Only in this way can enterprises truly get moving and keep up with the industrial development window brought by this round of certain global policy trends.Forum moderator: Zhang Xi, BASFFinally, two more photos to acknowledge and thank the attendees for their focus and dedication: The conference officially started at 8:30 AM and concluded at 1:00 PM, and everyone stayed throughout! Thank you!!↑ 8:30↑ 13:00The successful hosting of this forum was made possible by the support and collaboration of all parties. The Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University, DBC, BASF, and Bluepha extend their joint gratitude:Special thanks to the China Air Transport Association, the Aviation Environmental Protection Working Committee of the China Air Transport Association, the Aviation Food Branch of the China Air Transport Association, as well as Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and their affiliated entities for their strong support. We also thank the sincere support from practitioners in the paper-based packaging industry chain. We will continue to innovate and host thematic activities conducive to the high-quality sustainable development of the industry.At the same time, we thank the following supporting organizations for their important contributions to this forum:APP (China) Investment Co., Ltd. UPM (China) Co., Ltd. Shandong Sun Paper Co., Ltd. Yibin Paper Co., Ltd. Jin Yin Lian (Tianjin) New Material Technology Co., Ltd. Zhongyin Environmental Protection Technology (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd. Hunan Lile Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. Guangzhou Lino High-Tech Co., Ltd. Reed Exhibitions (China) Investment Co., Ltd.From the cabin to the airport, from material innovation to scenario validation, and from single-product substitution to system collaboration, the next phase of green catering tableware in civil aviation relies on the joint participation, validation, and promotion of all parties in the industry chain.Read the original article",
            "date_published": "2026-05-26T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-05-22-aviation-paper-cup-evidence-chain/image01.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-05-20-green-journey-paper-cup-preview.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-05-20-green-journey-paper-cup-preview.html",
            "title": "Civil Aviation Green Tableware Forum: Booth and Program Preview",
            "summary": "A visual preview of discussions at the Haikou booth around paper cups, paper bowls, food containers, bio-based materials, waterborne barrier coatings and recycling and r…",
            "content_text": "Haikou is already buzzing with activity today.Collaboration within the green tableware industry in Haikou is heating up ahead of schedule.Guests from airlines, airport groups, airline catering suppliers, relevant Hainan provincial departments, and sectors including paper-based packaging, materials, products, and green supply chains are engaging in high-frequency exchanges at the booth. Topics include paper cups, paper bowls, food containers, bio-based materials, water-based barrier coatings, recycling and repulping, and post-use treatment.A clear industry signal is emerging: green tableware for civil aviation is not merely about swapping cups, containers, or cutlery. It is a systematic project driven by real service scenarios, validated through supply chain collaboration, and supported by rules and evidence chains.Cabin service, airport retail, airline catering, and VIP lounges may appear to be distinct application scenarios. However, when it comes to disposable tableware, they all converge on the same core issue: green alternatives must be evaluated not just by whether they are paper-based, but by their ability to safely contact food, resist water and oil, adapt to hot and cold beverages and meals, ensure stable supply, and enter post-use treatment pathways such as centralized recycling, repulping, and compostable degradation.Compared with urban open scenarios where waste flows are dispersed and recycling is difficult to manage, airports and aircraft cabins feature relatively closed, standardized, traceable, and easily organized recycling systems. If the civil aviation sector pioneers a successful model, it has the potential to become a key reference for replicating and scaling green tableware systems across urban commercial, public service, and broader sectors.China possesses one of the world's most complete and largest paper-based packaging industry chains. From base paper, coating, processing, forming, and equipment to application validation and recycling systems, China has the industrial foundation to advance green tableware from concept to scaled implementation.BIOTEN's PHA bio-based aqueous barrier coating aims to address this systemic challenge: leveraging a bio-based origin, supported by barrier properties such as water resistance, oil resistance, heat resistance, and heat sealing, and guided by an evidence chain encompassing food-contact safety, high repulpability for recycling, and compostable degradation, to drive paper-based tableware from exhibition samples to real-world applications including aircraft cabin service, airport coffee, casual dining retail, VIP lounges, and airline catering supply.Scenarios define needs, materials determine boundaries, barrier performance dictates application, and the evidence chain shapes the future.Check-in begins at 8:00 a.m. on May 21! The Civil Aviation Green Tableware Industry Chain Innovation Forum will be held at the Meilan Hall of the Green Development Hilton Hotel in Haikou. Tomorrow, we will bring the scenario-based challenges observed at our booth today to the forum for collaborative discussion and industry consensus.Never underestimate a single paper cup; never give up an opportunity for change.",
            "date_published": "2026-05-20T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-05-20-green-journey-paper-cup-preview/image01.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-05-13-civil-aviation-green-tableware-agenda.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-05-13-civil-aviation-green-tableware-agenda.html",
            "title": "Civil Aviation Green Tableware Innovation Forum | Conference Agenda 1.0",
            "summary": "Preview of the parallel forum agenda for the 4th Civil Aviation Green Development Conference, focusing on the high-level development of the civil aviation green tablewar…",
            "content_text": "CONFERENCE NOTICE · May 21 · HaikouFrom the cabin to the airport, who will define the next phase of civil aviation green tableware?4th Civil Aviation Green Development Conference · Civil Aviation Green Tableware Industry Chain Innovation ForumAn interactive forum for thinkers and doers focused on the high-level development of the industry chain- Forum Scale AT A GLANCE -Host and Supporting OrganizationsLeading Industry GuestsKey TopicsIndustry Chain Collaboration Launch-- ✦ --To thoroughly implement the concept of green and low-carbon development, align with the new phase requirements of civil aviation green development in the \"15th Five-Year Plan,\" and promote the green substitution, plastic and carbon reduction, recycling, and industry collaboration of disposable tableware in civil aviation service scenarios, the \"Civil Aviation Green Tableware Industry Chain Innovation Forum\" will be held in Haikou on May 21, 2026, leveraging the platform of the 4th Civil Aviation Green Development Conference.The forum will focus on real-world scenarios such as aviation food, cabin service, airport and airline catering supply chains, and key topics including paper-based tableware barrier engineering systems, new materials for bio-manufacturing, PHA water-based barrier technology, food contact safety, international compliance, and recycling closed loops, aiming to promote verifiable, collaborative, and implementable industry chain cooperation pathways.01 Conference Information📌 Theme: From the cabin to the airport, jointly exploring innovation in the civil aviation green tableware industry chain🕒 Time: May 21, 2026, 08:30-12:30📍 Location: Haikou Green Development Hilton Hotel · Meilan Hall02 Organizers and Supporting Organizations▎Organizers· China Air Transport Association Aviation Environmental Protection Working Committee· Tsinghua University Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology· DBC New Materials Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.· BASF (China) Co., Ltd.· Bluepha Co., Ltd.▎Supporting Organizations· APP (China) Investment Co., Ltd.· UPM (China) Co., Ltd.· Shandong Sun Paper Co., Ltd.· Jin Yinlian (Tianjin) New Materials Technology Co., Ltd.· Zhongyin Environmental Protection Technology (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd.· Hunan Lile Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd.· Guangzhou Lino High-Tech Co., Ltd.· Yibin Paper Co., Ltd.· Reed Exhibitions (China) Investment Co., Ltd.03 Four Highlights of the Forum▎Integrating the Full \"Cabin-to-Airport\" ChainBreaking the boundaries of single-point discussions, the forum centers on real-world business scenarios such as airline catering, cabin services, airport ground handling, and the catering supply chain, connecting the complete chain from materials to applications.▎Focusing on Six Key TopicsPaper-based tableware · New materials for bio-manufacturing · PHA water-based barrier technology · Food-contact safety · International compliance (PPWR / EUDR / SUPD / EPR / PFAS / FDA / GB) · Source plastic and carbon reduction, end-of-life recycling, and optional compostable degradation.▎Launch of BIOTEN PHA Industry Chain Collaborative CooperationThe collaborative cooperation for BIOTEN PHA paper-based water-based barrier coating industry chain in specific application scenarios was officially launched on-site. Initiated by DBC, BASF, Bluepha, and industry chain partners, this initiative aims to drive bio-based water-based materials from technical validation to scaled scenario implementation.▎Discussing the Implementation of Substitution Standards with China Southern AirlinesChina Southern Airlines Company Limited will present and provide key interpretations of the \"Substitution Standards for Single-Use Non-Degradable Plastic Products on Domestic Departing Passenger Flights.\"04 Conference Agenda08:30[Opening Ceremony] From Cabin to Airport: Exploring Innovation in the Civil Aviation Green Tableware Industry Chain[Leadership Remarks] Leadership Remarks[Presentation] Born from Cells, Returning to Nature: Degradation Boundaries and Green Packaging Applications of PHA Natural Polymer MaterialsChen Guoqiang | Professor and Director, School of Life Sciences / Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University[Presentation] Global Rules Reshaping the Paper-Based Packaging Industry Chain: Restriction or Direction?-- From EUDR, PPWR, SUPD, EPR, PFAS to FDA/GB: Examining the Compliance Pass and True Industry Opportunities for Green TablewareLu Sha | Associate Researcher, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University[Report] Global Trends in Waterborne Barrier and Recyclable Paper-Based PackagingCarsten Höhne | Senior Vice President, Global Resins and Additives Business, BASF[Report] Procurement Standards, Operational Efficiency, and Cost Optimization in In-Flight Catering TablewareAirline Representative[Report] Application Requirements and Substitution Boundaries for Green Tableware in Airport Ground Service ScenariosAirport Group Representative[Report] From Cabin to Airport: BIOTEN Barrier Engineering Systems and Alignment with Global Green RegulationsLin Fanqiu | Chairman, DBC Group Co., Ltd.[Standard Promotion] Promotion and Key Interpretation of the \"Specifications for Substituting Single-Use Non-Degradable Plastic Products on Domestic Departing Passenger Flights\"Planning Department | China Southern Airlines Company Limited· · ·Experience Sharing by Multiple Industry Practitioners[Invited Report Speakers]Wang Jizhou | Chairman, Jin Yinlian (Tianjin) New Material Technology Co., Ltd.; Zhu Chengfeng | Chairman, Zhongyin Environmental Protection Technology (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd.; Zhang Taojie | Chairman, Hunan Lile Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd.; Li Xiang | Chairman, Guangzhou Linuo High-Tech Co., Ltd.; Ouyang Pengfei | Director and Vice President, Bluepha Co., Ltd.; and representatives from China Eastern Airlines, Air China, Xiamen Airlines, and other airlines.Roundtable | From Cabin to Airport, Viewing Packaging Materials through Global Regulations: How to Define Scenarios, Regulations, and Trends?Stay tuned for the eventJoin Us in HaikouFrom a single in-flight paper cup to a green industry chain spanning the \"cabin-airport\" ecosystem, the evolution of green civil aviation tableware is being redefined by materials, regulations, and scenarios.May 21, 2026, Meilan Hall, Green Development Hilton Hotel Haikou. We look forward to witnessing this milestone with you.",
            "date_published": "2026-05-13T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-05-13-civil-aviation-green-tableware-agenda/image01-en-lossless.webp"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-05-06-wechat-3.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-05-06-wechat-3.html",
            "title": "Registration: Civil Aviation Green Tableware Industry Chain Forum in Haikou",
            "summary": "Registration notice for a May 21, 2026 parallel forum of the 4th Civil Aviation Green Development Conference, focused on paper-based substitution, supply-chain coordinat…",
            "content_text": "On May 21, 2026, the \"Civil Aviation Green Tableware Industry Chain Innovation Forum,\" a parallel forum of the 4th Civil Aviation Green Development Conference, will be held in Haikou, Hainan. The forum will address high-traffic service scenarios including cabins, airports, airline catering, coffee shops, and chain restaurants. Discussions will cover high-level paper-for-plastic substitution, food-contact safety, international green and low-carbon compliance, material and process innovation, supply chain collaboration, recycling, compostable degradation as a fallback, and value chain closure. Airlines, airport groups, airline catering suppliers, paper manufacturers, coating companies, packaging firms, tableware processors, coffee and chain restaurant brands, research institutes, and testing and certification agencies across the industry chain are invited to participate.From Cabin to Airport: Registration Opens for the Civil Aviation Green Tableware Industry Chain Innovation ForumOn May 21, 2026, as a parallel forum of the 4th Civil Aviation Green Development Conference, the \"Civil Aviation Green Tableware Industry Chain Innovation Forum\" will be held at the Meilan Hall of the Green Development Hilton Hotel in Haikou.This forum is co-organized by the Aviation Environmental Protection Working Committee of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University, DBC New Material Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., BASF (China) Co., Ltd., and Bluepha Co., Ltd.Themed \"From Cabin to Airport: High-Quality Development of Paper-for-Plastic Disposable Tableware and Value Chain Closure,\" the forum focuses on food-contact safety, international green and low-carbon compliance, material and process innovation, paper and packaging supply chains, recycling, and industry collaboration for green tableware in civil aviation service scenarios. Partners across the industry chain, including aviation, airports, airline catering, paper, coating, packaging, tableware processing, coffee and chain restaurant brands, research institutes, and testing and certification agencies, are invited to participate.Why Discuss Green and Low-Carbon Tableware?The upgrade of green tableware is no longer just about \"paper-for-plastic\" substitution or simply \"switching materials.\"In civil aviation service scenarios, a paper cup, a meal box, or a paper bag must meet passenger experience and airline catering service requirements, while also withstanding systematic verification for food-contact safety, water and oil resistance, heat and permeation resistance, processing adaptability, stable supply, recycling, and compliance evidence.From an international regulatory perspective, the EU PPWR is driving packaging toward recyclable design, lifecycle management, and waste reduction. FDA food-contact substance management and the EU food-contact material regulatory framework emphasize material composition, migration testing, safety assessment, and compliance proof. Rules such as CBAM and EUDR also signal the importance of low-carbon supply chain data, raw material traceability, and verifiable environmental impact.From a domestic standards perspective, national food safety standards are entering an update and implementation phase. GB 4806.10-2025 \"National Food Safety Standard - Coatings and Coated Materials for Food Contact Materials and Articles\" will take effect on September 2, 2026. For coating materials, paper-based tableware, and packaging processing enterprises, formula compliance, migration testing, test reports, and batch stability are becoming essential foundations for product development and supply chain access.The future of green and low-carbon tableware should form a systematic solution:Source reduction of plastic and carbon, process adaptation to scenarios, high-value recycling at the end-of-life, and standard-compliant compostable degradation as a fallback path when necessary.Why From Cabin to Airport?Cabins, airports, airline catering, VIP lounges, airport coffee shops, and chain restaurants are typical high-standard, high-traffic, and high-visibility service scenarios.Among these, airports hold special value. Airports are relatively enclosed public spaces with high organizational structure and clear operational processes. They possess the scenario foundation for classified disposal, centralized recycling, sorting and transfer, regenerative utilization, and data tracking, making them suitable as urban models for the recycling and utilization of green tableware.The airport scenario clarifies the entire chain of \"post-use destination, classification, recycling, reuse, and data evidence generation,\" making it easier to validate the scientific rigor and replicability of the recycling process.Therefore, green tableware for civil aviation should move beyond isolated product discussions and enter a stage of collaborative industry chain development.Key Discussion Topics at the ForumThis forum will focus on real-world scenarios, actual industry chains, and genuine application needs, with key discussions on:Scenario RequirementsHow to advance the green substitution of disposable tableware in scenarios such as aircraft cabins, terminals, VIP lounges, airline catering supply, airport cafes, and chain restaurants.Safety and ComplianceHow green tableware can align with requirements such as China's GB standards for food-contact materials, FDA food-contact substance management, and the EU food-contact materials regulatory framework, establishing a system for food-contact safety, migration testing, and compliance certification.Materials and ProcessesHow to achieve industrial adaptation for new materials from biological manufacturing, bio-based aqueous barrier technologies, and paper-based tableware processing techniques.Closed-Loop PathwaysHow to form a practical value-chain closed loop among source plastic and carbon reduction, mid-process scenario adaptation, end-of-life high-value recycling, and compostable degradation as a fallback.Industry CollaborationHow aviation, airports, airline catering, papermaking, coating, packaging, tableware processing, brand terminals, research institutes, and testing and certification agencies can establish more efficient mechanisms for case sharing, collaborative showcases, and matchmaking.Invitation to Industry Chain PartnersThis forum invites airlines, airport groups, airline catering suppliers, airport commercial operators, papermaking, coating, packaging, tableware processing, coffee and chain restaurant brands, research institutes, testing and certification agencies, and other relevant industry chain entities to participate and exchange ideas.If you are focused on green packaging upgrades, food-contact safety, high-quality applications of paper cups and food containers, processing adaptation for paper-based tableware, recycling and reuse, low-carbon compliance evidence, and supply chain collaboration, we welcome you to register for the event.From the cabin to the airport, from a single paper cup to a green supply chain.We look forward to meeting with industry chain partners in Haikou to jointly promote the high-quality development of green tableware in civil aviation service scenarios and the closing of the value chain loop.Forum DetailsForum Name4th Civil Aviation Green Development Conference – Civil Aviation Green Tableware Industry Chain Innovation ForumForum ThemeFrom Cabin to Airport: High-Quality Development and Value Chain Integration of Paper-Based Disposable Tableware Replacing PlasticsForum DateMay 21, 2026, 9:00–12:00Forum VenueMeilan Hall, Haikou Green Development Hilton HotelRegistration LinkForum ContactHu Xin 13601607529 (WeChat ID same as phone number)Email AddressStella.hu@dbc.cnThis forum adopts a participation mechanism combining targeted invitations and registration review. After submitting a registration application, the organizing committee will review it based on forum seating arrangements and participant matching. Successful applicants will be notified separately. Due to limited seating, the forum attendance will be capped at 100 participants.Guests from government agencies and public institutions, as well as professional attendees requiring an official invitation letter, please contact the organizing committee for relevant filing and coordination procedures. For inquiries regarding the conference agenda, interactive participation, and attendance arrangements, please consult relevant personnel from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, DBC, Bluepha, and BASF. For detailed information, please refer to the attachment: \"Notice on Hosting the '4th Civil Aviation Green Development Conference – Civil Aviation Green Tableware Industry Chain Innovation Forum'\".",
            "date_published": "2026-05-06T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-05-06-wechat-3/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-04-20-582.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-04-20-582.html",
            "title": "582 Leads from the Shenzhen Packaging Exhibition: Paper-Based Food Packaging Upgrades Move from Trend to Orders",
            "summary": "This is a sharing bureau. The industry has huge information, for information only!",
            "content_text": "At the recently concluded 2026 Shenzhen Packaging Container Exhibition, DBC recorded 582 qualified leads and more than a thousand inquiries about the Bioten™ PHA bio-based waterborne barrier system. The most important thing about this number is not how hot the booths are, but it shows one thing: the paper base.food packagingUpgrading is moving from trend to project judgement and from material discussion to order discussion. The real thing about the chain is not a storytelling material, but an application interface that makes less friction and closer to orders. BIOTEN PHAA paper-based water barrier technology that helps product firms to stay standing and be able to catch up with new rules in the future in a global market for one-time food sets. 582 behind the thread: this is not about exhibition heat, but about project problems starting to focus [ Chuckles ] DBC WePACK 7A515 exhibition site,3 Days Cumulative 582 A valid client trail] Here. 582 The money is effectively retained. Bioten™ BIOTEN PHA Bio-based water barrier systems -- because it takes a three-fold alternative value path to the source decomposition, recycling and composting degradation -- are the same direction of concern for brands and regulators around the world. Client feedback from those who have entered testing and testing shows that they are also responsible for their own experiences with the global market.BIOTEN PHA Performance is stable in such settings as paper cups, bowls, bags and pulp. But look at the direction + recognition performance, and then place an order. Clients focus repeatedly not on \"Is there anything greener?\" but on four more realistic questions: 1 Economic and scale Bioten™ Plus, the balanced system, currently has a market price of RMB 42,000 per tonne (4.2 × 10,000 RMB per tonne). This remains near the decision threshold for some converters, so capacity ramp-up and process optimization are core tasks for the next 2–5 months. The aim is to bring BIOTEN PHA into more converters’ immediate-switch range by the end of 2026. 2 Scene Fitness BIOTEN PHA Client test verified in the context of paper cups, bowls, bags and pulp molds: water retardation Cobb * 5 g/m²The value of the oil jamming kit 12 Level, heat cover strength is stable. The next focus is on how to stabilize these indicators from \"laboratory\" to \"volume production stability\" under the linear conditions of different product firms. 3 Compliance packing capacity The article describes progress along certification routes for BIOTEN PHA through US BPI (ASTM D6400), EU TÜV / DIN CERTCO (EN 13432) and Australian ABA (AS 4736), alongside bio-based content declarations, food-contact compliance documents, and repulping and composting pathways. Customers want DBC support and permission to apply for Bioten PHA sublicense certification, with the hope of obtaining BPI or DIN CERTCO certification for coated paper or articles within 60 days. 4 Order Conversion Path The stated typical BIOTEN PHA development cycle is sampling in 3–7 days, pilot trials in 1–3 weeks and production ramp-up in 3–6 weeks, supported by DBC and BASF technical teams. Customers want to know whether the route can lead to a first shippable order within 3–4 weeks. That means, \"Pardon Foundation.\"food packagingThe promotion today is not \"value not worth it\", but \"worth not worth setting it up early.\" HF on site has changed: the client asked first, not \"PHA What is it?\" The most intensive client issues in the continuing exchange between the booth and the Forum are not \"PHA What is it? It's: Can we run the existing linear cord? 2 Could you take new requests from export and brand clients? 3. Can you pre-empt authentication, documentation and certification? These three issues are critical. They suggest that the client is not looking for a new term today, but rather for an import path that will allow faster entry into the project and less mistesting costs. This is a structural change: the main problem at the past two sessions of the exhibition was \"What's this material?\" And this year's question has turned to \"How does this material come in?\" The end of cognitive phase, usually, is the beginning of the order stage. For product processing enterprises - the key is not the concept of materials, but the ability to order the next round The real pains of processing companies like paper cups, bowls, bags and pulp molds are not just price-bending but brand and export customers start to ask ahead about documents, rules, authentication paths and steady delivery. They really care, no.BIOTENIs it a new concept, but can: ✓ Less trial and error, faster sampling * Faster into stability • More easily absorbing new requirements of brands and export customers So, the paper base.food packagingThe barriers to upgrading are not just a technical problem for product processing firms, but rather a matter of evolving competitiveness in the next round of orders. For paper-making enterprises - not to look at trends again, but to prepare the bottom paper and coatings with authentication Now the most important thing that paper companies need to realize is that paper plastics are not done by \"paper\" alone. Without proper blockage, paper can easily be left in the \"like-paper\" phase. Only when bottom paper, coating, scenery, processing and file paths are organized together will it have a chance to actually enter a cup, bowl, bag, pulp and plastic.food packagingThese high-value applications. So, for paper-making companies, the best thing to do now is not to continue to look at it, but to make peace.DBCThree things together: 1 Raw paper fit-in and target scene validation 2 Synergy of sample, test and processing chains 3 Co-readiness of certification pathways for key export markets Main export marketscompostableOverview of the certification system • The following: BPI(North America / on the basis ASTM D6400D6868) • TÜV AUSTRIA DIN CERTCO(EU/ Basis) EN 13432The government is not in a position to do so. • The following: ABA(Australia / on AS basis) 4736AS 5810The government is not in a position to do so. The point is not to get a license first, but to put the certification and access logic ahead of product development -- rather than wait for customers to give orders before taking passive remedial classes. Bioten™ Pro Specialized custom-made - forthcoming! Customised development - exclusive supply! DBCLook. How do we see this shift? The three days of the dialogue in the booth gave us a better chance to judge: Paper-based plastics are not a material performance competition, but a \"project landing capability\" contest. That's why.DBCSelecting the processes of coating development, sample validation, processing collaboration, document preparation, authentication pathways -- not because we're doing best at every one, but because the customer really needs a path that doesn't have a good material, it's an entire \"capable\" route. Three types of scenery. Bioten™ BIOTEN PHA Research results - complete industrial chain covering raw materials to products The answer to these questions is not about concepts, but about putting the results on the table.DBCThree categories of applications were shown during the same period Bioten™ BIOTEN PHA Research results. They represent \"paper foundations.\"food packaging\"The full industrial path from raw materials to the terminal.\"BIOTENWhy not a single-point material, but a system solution that can be imported into the whole. Outcome I - Oh, my God. Bioten™ BIOTEN PHA Bio-based water barrier lactose Industrial location: upstream feedstocks. Can be used directly in the paint process. Core values: biological bases PHA System, aquatic environment,PFAS-free Risks, compatible with mainstream paint processes Fit for docking: Papermaking / Paintshop / Material R& D Outcome II - Oh, my God. Bioten™ BIOTEN PHA Paper Industry position: Medium-Trip Half-finished - i.e. Food Class Block Paper Core values: water-retarding oil, hot seals can be processed, multigram recusal supported and direct access to cup/boil/bag/modelline Fit for docking: Product processing enterprise (paper cups/ paper bowls/ Paper bags/ pulp-model manufacturers) Outcome III - Oh, my God. Bioten™ BIOTEN PHA Terminal products Industry position: downstream product - for brand and export customers Product pattern: complete paper cups / paper bowls & paper bags / pulp-modeled dishes, etc.food packagingForm Fit for docking: Export brander / Trade customer / Brand test and selection assessment The three types of outcomes cover key interfaces to the paper-based whole chain and correspond to \"start samples\" that are most desired by the three clients during the validation phase. Next steps: who should prioritize action WEPACK 2026 The question is asked clearly. Today, the client asks not only \"there's no material,\" but rather to judge ahead: there are clear verification paths, authentication preparations and future rules fit. So what this article really wants to say is: The most appropriate option for the processing enterprise is to verify import capacity as soon as possible and to connect samples, linears and order interfaces. The most appropriate option for paper-making enterprises is to proactively prepare the ground paper, coatings, tests and target market certification pathways to upgrade paper from trend perceptions to value. The most appropriate option for exporting branders and trading customers is to move the selection of packaging blockage options from \"passive\" to \"active layout compliance path\". For example, customers in new markets like Turkey, Chile and South Africa are asking us to recommend them for reliability.BIOTENThe PHA water-coated paper cup processing industry, with customers from the mature markets of Europe, Austros and Japan and Korea, wants us to turn it into a new market.Bioten™ Pro Specialized and customized presentation companies supply them with catering products. Next, whoever can get the bottom paper, coatings, samples, processes, documents and authentications ready earlier will have a better chance of catching this wheel.food packaging(b) The general trend towards upgrading. Bioten™ Pro Specialized custom-made - forthcoming! Customised development - exclusive supply! Three dockings, your phase. Step one: first step: first, first, second. Get the Paper-Based Food Packaging Upgrade Project Implementation Guide The public backstage key. PHA You can get it. Second step . Sample of the request Category III Bioten™ BIOTEN PHA Sample open access. Bioten™ PHA bio-based waterborne barrier emulsion (provided by DBC and BASF) • Applies to experimental validation in paper and paint mills - Oh, my God. Bioten™ BIOTEN PHA Paper coating (partners ' contribution) Standard specifications are optional, supporting g-weight and purpose customization . Applicable to sample testing in processing plants - Oh, my God. Bioten™ BIOTEN PHA Paper cups / Paper bowls & paper bags / Pulp and plastic products (from partners) • For brand-selection assessment and export testing 👉 Scan the bottom 2-D code... Remarks. 2 Response within working day • Step 3 - Directly to the item Specific items/ order requirements are identified Contact the DBC and BASF project managers directly. Enter fast track (showing / testing / co-development)",
            "date_published": "2026-04-20T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-04T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-04-20-582/cms-image-5f5e49f404dcd1e7.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-04-01-paper-food-packaging-upgrade.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-04-01-paper-food-packaging-upgrade.html",
            "title": "Paper-Based Food Packaging Upgrade: The Demand Is Real, and So Is the Policy Push",
            "summary": "Plastic substitution has become a global policy and industry consensus. What matters is that the material system is moving closer to technical and commercial viability.",
            "content_text": "Replacing plastic with paper in food packaging has been discussed for years. Yet genuine substitution has still not taken place. The issue is not whether enough environmentally preferable materials exist; it is that a complete substitution system has never truly been established.Why has paper-for-plastic substitution remained under discussion and repeated trial for so many years without producing a stable pathway at scale? The problem is not a shortage of alternative materials. A viable substitution route is never determined by a single performance metric. Several critical conditions must be satisfied at the same time: the material should be bio-based, compatible with paper recycling and repulping, and supported by composting as an end-of-life safeguard.Against this background, DBC joined BASF, Bluepha and the Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University in co-hosting the ZGC Forum conference on innovative applications of biomanufacturing materials. At the conference, DBC presented a clearer assessment based on its work with bio-based polymer emulsions and their engineering pathway: bio-based waterborne barrier technology is becoming a defined direction for the global development of paper packaging and may provide an industrial solution led by Chinese innovation and advanced through international policy coordination.Many earlier solutions were not without value, but most addressed only part of the problem. PE-coated paper, for example, became widely used because it combined processing performance with cost efficiency while supporting the environmental narrative of paper replacing plastic. Polyethylene itself can be recycled, but once laminated to paper, effective separation of the paper fibres becomes difficult and the circular pathway is obstructed. Although its supply chain and processing system are mature, the structure does not align with plastic-reduction goals and has not closed the loop for recovery and reuse.Likewise, some bio-based extrusion-coating routes still present difficulties for recycling and repulping. Materials described as degradable often depend on industrial-composting conditions and may not form a broadly applicable solution within real-world collection and end-of-life systems. Other approaches improve circular use but lack the essential contribution of reducing fossil-plastic use and carbon impacts at the source. This shows that industrial viability does not depend simply on whether a more environmentally preferable material exists. It depends on whether one material system can address source reduction, processing and performance, circulation, and end-of-life management together.This is also why DBC continues to advance the waterborne engineering pathway for PHA, or polyhydroxyalkanoates. The value of PHA extends beyond the word “biodegradable.” It creates an opportunity to bring several capabilities required for upgrading paper-based food packaging into one system. Its inherently bio-based character responds to plastic- and carbon-reduction objectives at the source. In a waterborne system, it aligns more closely with paper-barrier and circularity principles, creating new possibilities for high barrier performance and compatibility with recycling and repulping. It may also offer natural degradation under demanding end-of-life conditions, providing a practical composting safeguard.If PHA can serve multiple application areas in the future, paper-based food packaging is one of the scenarios most likely to achieve an early breakthrough. Demand is concentrated, the application base is broad, policy momentum is sustained, pressure to upgrade is clear, and the conditions for industrial collaboration are strong. When bio-based content, recycling and repulping, and an end-of-life safeguard can be addressed through one engineering pathway, the upgrade of paper-based food packaging moves beyond a trend forecast and becomes a more certain field of competition. For DBC, the conference was not simply a public appearance. It expressed a clearer position: the demand for upgrading paper-based food packaging is real, and so is the policy momentum.Plastic substitution has become a shared priority across global policy and industry. What deserves attention is not the addition of another environmental narrative, but the fact that the material system is moving closer to becoming technically and commercially viable. DBC will continue to advance bio-based polymer emulsions, waterborne barrier systems and their engineering application pathways; support implementation in real scenarios; promote wider industrial collaboration; and help paper-based food packaging move from something that can be discussed to something that can be delivered at scale. DBC will also continue developing the Bioten™ PHA waterborne coating as an industrial solution that combines Chinese innovation leadership with international collaborative value.Original source: DBC Group WeChat Official Account, April 1, 2026",
            "date_published": "2026-04-01T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-01T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Industry Insights"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-04-01-paper-food-packaging-upgrade/cover.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-03-06-zhongguancun-forum-bio-manufacturing-registration.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-03-06-zhongguancun-forum-bio-manufacturing-registration.html",
            "title": "Registration Open | Zhongguancun Forum: Bio-manufacturing New Materials Industry Application Innovation Conference",
            "summary": "Registration is open for well-known enterprises, scientific research institutions, industry organizations and partners related to the bio-based coatings and paper-based packaging industry chain",
            "content_text": "The Zhongguancun Forum special event, the \"Bio-based New Materials: Linking the Future\" Bio-manufacturing New Materials Industry Application Innovation Conference, will be held in Beijing on March 27, 2026 (Friday) from 13:00 to 17:30. Registration is now officially open to enterprises and institutions across the relevant industry chain.Approved by the State Council, the 2026 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference will be held in Beijing from March 25 to 29. This year's forum is themed \"Deep Integration of Technological Innovation and Industrial Innovation\" and is co-hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the China Association for Science and Technology, and the Beijing Municipal People's Government.As one of the special events of the Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference, the Bio-manufacturing New Materials Industry Application Innovation Conference is co-hosted by the Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University, Bluepha Co., Ltd., DBC New Materials Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., and BASF (China) Co., Ltd.Marking the opening year of the \"15th Five-Year Plan,\" the conference will focus on key directions such as cultivating new quality productive forces, developing bio-manufacturing, and promoting the innovative development and scaled application of the bio-based new materials industry. It will highlight the industrial trend of deep integration between synthetic biology and materials science, driving bio-manufacturing new materials from technological breakthroughs toward scaled application and industrial implementation.As one of the co-hosts, DBC invites industry chain partners to gather in Beijing to discuss application innovation and industrial synergy in bio-manufacturing new materials, explore industrialization pathways, and promote scenario matching and ecosystem collaboration.Conference PositioningThe conference will conduct in-depth discussions on key application areas such as advanced bio-based coating technologies and green, low-carbon packaging. It will focus on topics including source plastic reduction and carbon reduction, end-of-life recycling, biodegradable substitution pathways, and the engineered application of bio-based materials. Additionally, it will concentrate on key technical directions such as bio-based PHA emulsion coatings, systematically exploring technical routes, standard systems, and challenges for scaled industrial application.Conference HighlightsAuthoritative Platform Aggregating Multi-party ResourcesLeveraging the Zhongguancun Forum as a national-level science and technology exchange platform, the conference will gather government authorities, research institutions, leading industry enterprises, and key application scenario partners to jointly interpret development trends, industrial opportunities, and implementation pathways for bio-manufacturing new materials.Focus on Key Application Scenarios and Critical TechnologiesAmong the events, a roundtable forum will discuss \"Seeing the Big Picture in Small Things: How Can Small Paper Cups Drive Efficient Circulation in the Paper-based Packaging Industry Chain?\" focusing on practical issues such as industry chain synergy, material upgrades, and the construction of circular systems in paper-based packaging.Developer Conference and Industrial Synergy in TandemDuring the conference, a Bio-based Polymer Developer Conference will be held to showcase technological breakthroughs and engineered application practices in the bio-based materials sector. An industrial synergy signing ceremony will also take place, alongside the launch ceremony for the \"Bio-based Polymer Developer Alliance,\" promoting collaborative innovation and ecosystem building across upstream and downstream industry chains.AI Empowering R&D and Industrial UpgradingThe conference will also feature a dedicated session on AI-driven bio-manufacturing, showcasing the application value of artificial intelligence in material R&D, process optimization, and industrial upgrading, while exploring new pathways for the integrated development of bio-manufacturing and digital intelligence.Core Conference Agenda (Tentative)13:00-13:30Registration and tour of the Bio-manufacturing Innovation Achievements Exhibition13:30-14:20Leadership addresses and keynote reports14:20-16:10Bio-based Polymer Developers ConferenceReports on key application scenarios and roundtable forum16:10-16:50Industry collaboration signing and alliance launch ceremony16:50-17:30Dedicated session on AI-driven bio-manufacturingConference summary and group photoDate and VenueDate: Friday, March 27, 2026, 13:00-17:30Venue: Hall G09, Zhongguancun International Innovation Center, No. 1 Xinjian Guanmen Road, Haidian District, BeijingTarget AttendeesRegistration for this conference is open to enterprises, research institutions, industry organizations, and partners in the fields of bio-based new materials, paper-based packaging supply chains, coating applications, and related key application scenarios. Organizations with clear needs for industrialization collaboration, scenario-based cooperation, or technical exchange are welcome to register and attend.Registration MethodThis post simultaneously opens the registration channel for the forum. Registration is available through the Zhongguancun Forum Smart Management System. Scan the QR code below or visit https://reg.zgcforum.com.cn/fa to register.Conference Invitation Code: [5PYTY6SXZZ]After submission, the organizing committee will review applications based on the applicant's organization, job level, attendance needs, and alignment with the conference theme. Final admission will be confirmed via official notification.If you wish to apply for a keynote speech, roundtable participation, or industry-technology matchmaking, please contact the conference services team in advance.Registration RemindersIn accordance with Zhongguancun Forum registration requirements, please complete your registration by March 13 to facilitate the review process and logistical arrangements. There is no fee for attending guests.Special Note: For invitation codes related to keynote speakers, roundtable participants, and staff, please contact the organizing committee separately to obtain the relevant registration information.Contact InformationContact Person: Hu XinPhone: 136 0160 7529Email: Stella.hu@dbc.cnOrganizing Committee of the Bio-manufacturing New Materials Industry Application Innovation ConferenceMarch 6, 2026",
            "date_published": "2026-03-06T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-03-06-zhongguancun-forum-bio-manufacturing-registration/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-02-24-bioten-pha-aba-bpi-din-certco-certifications.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-02-24-bioten-pha-aba-bpi-din-certco-certifications.html",
            "title": "Good news | DBC Bioten™ PHA water-based barrier coating | ABA, BPI and DIN CERTCO compost certifications",
            "summary": "■ BIOTEN gathers endorsements from international institutions to open up a global compliance path",
            "content_text": "February 2026, the beginning of the new year. DBC ushered in a major milestone: its innovative product, Bioten™ PHA bio-based water-based barrier coating, successfully passed various rigorous audits and officially obtained the three most authoritative international compost certifications of ABA, BPI and DIN CERTCO and obtained certificates. This key progress marks that DBC Bioten™ PHA water-based barrier coating has overcome technical barriers and completed the rigorous verification of the \"industrial composting + household composting\" dual system while maintaining the industry-leading \"easy recycling and high repulping rate\" technical route. We have successfully achieved a key breakthrough in the paper-based barrier system for tableware and food packaging, and officially delivered a system-level solution of \"high performance + recyclable repulping + compostable disposal\" to the global market. ■ BIOTEN gathers endorsements from international institutions to open up a global compliance path The simultaneous acquisition of the three major compost certifications and the sapling logo means that the \"compliance language\" of Bioten™ PHA bio-based water-based barrier coating in the high-quality and cost-effective regional market has been highly unified. This will significantly reduce the cost of cross-border compliance communication for overseas product processing companies, break down technical barriers in Europe and the United States, improve product introduction efficiency, and pave a clear, high-quality and cost-effective connection path for catering brands and product processing companies. ■ Adhere to the safety red line and obtain the new national standard for food contact coatings, \"First Inspection Excellent\" While pursuing the ultimate in environmental protection and degradability, the absolute safety of food contact materials has always been the red line that we attach most importance to and must never touch. Together with our strategic partner BASF, we have gone through more than three years of continuous optimization and iteration. On the basis of fully complying with the FDA and China's most stringent food contact material safety standards, BIOTEN PHA bio-based water-based barrier coating achieves the ultimate purity, safety and environmental protection experience of \"tasting as clean as water\". On the domestic compliance side, Bioten™ PHA bio-based water-based barrier coating has another good news - it has successfully obtained the first full compliance test report in 2026 for the latest version of the mandatory standard \"GB 4806.10-2025 National Food Safety Standard - Coatings and Coatings for Food Contact Materials and Products\" jointly issued by the National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation. On January 4, 2026, the National Key Laboratory of Food Contact Material Testing (Changzhou) officially issued 4 product test reports, all of which were qualified. Dual-track parallel hard-core safety verification at home and abroad is using absolute strength and national-level test data to build the strongest fortress of trust for the papermaking and coating industry chain, and also adds core new options for the high-end products of tableware and tableware companies. ■ Adhere to first principles: Only by restoring the problem to its real constraints can we go through the cycle Over the years, DBC has always insisted that innovation starts from \"first principles\". Product innovation in paper-based food packaging must simultaneously meet the scientific and engineering practicality of sustainable development: put key constraints such as material performance, production line technology, food contact safety, recycling and repulping and terminal disposal in the same \"real-world constraint list\" to solve systematically, avoid falling into the path of \"the global market is vast, but Chinese companies can only rely on low prices to gather overseas orders\", and gradually get rid of the competitive quagmire of inefficient internal consumption and inferior quality cycles. In recent years, the bio-based PHA water-based barrier coating system initiated by DBC and promoted by industry chain partners is committed to establishing a verifiable technical path of \"carbon reduction at the source, recycling at the end, and optional degradation\". Plastic reduction and carbon reduction will remain the global theme of disposable tableware. We should leverage the advantages of China's manufacturing supply chain to promote paper-based tableware towards high-end, branded and large-scale delivery, and form a reasonable premium based on quality and compliance in the international market. To this end, DBC will maintain strategic \"restraint\" in the commercial expansion of BIOTEN PHA water-based coatings and carefully select partners: empower the industry chain with an auditable compliance evidence chain and a replicable engineering system, and jointly build a multi-dimensional, high-quality evaluation system and product specifications that benchmark international access and customer review requirements, so that China's intelligent manufacturing can win long-term trust and high-quality premiums in international competition. Bioten™ bio-based PHA water-based system solutions solve real-world systemic challenges. We are using verifiable and sustainable technical strength to inject strong new productivity into the high-quality development of the industry. ■ BIOTEN matrix launches: BIOTEN core product line and market guidance price disclosed In order to more accurately solve the core pain points of different packaging scenarios and reduce information friction in the industry chain during the selection, introduction and verification process, BIOTEN has launched three major scenario-based product lines and disclosed market guidance prices: 01 / Bioten™ Plus (BIOTEN Balance Type): Meets the general needs of paper-based disposable tableware, focusing on environmental protection, odorless, anti-leakage, high water/oil resistance and production line adaptability; the entire series is fluorine-free and safe, emphasizing easy recycling, repulping-friendly and taking into account the composting disposal path, suitable for large-scale introduction and cost-effective applications. Market guide price: 36,000-45,000 yuan/ton. 02 / Bioten™ Pro (customized type): For high-demand food packaging, focusing on programmatic customization of high barrier properties such as moisture-proof, oxygen-blocking, and odor-blocking; it can be combined with the target market's disposal path and verification system to optimize key performance and disintegration/degradation performance on the application side. Under specific testing methods and disposal conditions, a faster disintegration/degradation compliance window can be achieved (such as the target interval of 21-52 days for industrial compost); compared with the 180-day evaluation window commonly used in systems such as BPI/ASTM, the verification cycle can be significantly shortened to meet the introduction needs of high-demand areas or customer audit scenarios. Market guide price: 48,000-69,000 yuan/ton. 03 / Bioten™ Ultra (BIOTEN high-resistance type): Specially developed for paper-based barrier requirements such as difficult liquid packaging and paper bottles, focusing on key indicators such as oxygen barrier and leakage prevention; it can be verified and imported based on the paper-based structure, coating amount and application conditions. The current stage can support program verification of 7–30 days shelf life target under specific application conditions (longer shelf life versions are being continuously verified and iterated). Market guide price: 92 yuan/kg. The new journey in 2026 has begun. We are willing to work hand in hand with upstream and downstream partners to jointly promote the large-scale and high-quality application of bio-based PHA water-based barrier coatings: with an auditable evidence chain and a replicable engineering system, we will improve import efficiency and product certainty, and form a stronger overall technological competitiveness of China on the international stage. The most important thing is that we will use leading technology and firm long-termism to continue to improve the product competitiveness and profitability of our partners. Business cooperation contact: Bioten@dbc.cn ■ About DBC (DBC) DBC Group is a technology enterprise focusing on the application innovation of new materials. It is deeply engaged in the research and development, manufacturing and sales of environmentally friendly high-performance materials and low-carbon technologies. The company was founded in Shanghai in 2010, and its subsidiary DBC New Materials has been rated as an innovative enterprise in Shanghai, a specialized enterprise, and a national high-tech enterprise, becoming an innovation benchmark in the industry. The group's core business covers the R&D and production of environmentally friendly high-performance coatings, bio-based coatings, adhesives and special additives. Its technologies and products are widely used in diverse scenarios such as urban renewal functional coatings, low-carbon buildings, new energy facilities and equipment, papermaking and packaging. ——In the field of green packaging barrier coatings, Bioten™, DBC's core brand of bio-based coatings, has completed the global layout of nearly 100 invention patents. Its independently developed cutting-edge technology of bio-based PHA water-based barrier coatings has achieved large-scale industrial implementation and firmly ranks as an industry leader.",
            "date_published": "2026-02-24T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-02-24-11018584/image1-en-lossless.webp"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-01-29-pha2026.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-01-29-pha2026.html",
            "title": "BIOTEN PHA Bio-Based High-Performance Barrier Coating: Toward Scaled Delivery in 2026",
            "summary": "Priority is given to securing paper based, with the focus on “Enhancing productive capacity and supply efficiency”food packagingThe project is a long-term development that will help the world to improve its quality and efficiency.",
            "content_text": "DBC and BASF recently held systematic discussions on BIOTEN bio-based high-performance polymer emulsions. BASF Global Senior Vice President Carsten Hoehne and the management team visited DBC to discuss capacity efficiency and supply response for BIOTEN PHA bio-based barrier emulsions. They aligned on key requirements for food-contact applications in paper-based foodserviceware: safety compliance and water/oil resistance as the foundation, with moisture/oxygen barriers for specialty paper applications, alongside line throughput, operating stability and documented delivery requirements for material introduction. Over the past three years, both sides have built a certified closed ring from research and development to volume around paper-based catering devices: performance (water/oil/tightening/diffusion/resistance, heat resistance, odour and experience), process end (paint matching - dry - form - thermal co-frequency), compliance and end end (moderate)food-contact compliant, source carbon reduction accounting, recycling of remoulder/compost degradation path certified. This is the result of sedimentation of a landable and reusable full-chain solution. There is agreement that global competition for bio-based milk is shifting from “concepts and labels” to “scaled delivery capacity” - replicable, process magnifying, compliance auditable, data transferable, supply responsive. Clients ultimately procure not just “one barrel of milk”, but a set of engineering delivery packages that can be imported across regions, audited and reused. Why?2026Is it considered a key window? External rules are pushing “deflection and sustainable design” from initiatives to hard constraints, and driving supply chains to “reform”recyclableDesign + Auditable Evidence Chains are solidified into a common language. These rules share the same direction: material substitution is no longer viewed solely as \"biobase/biodegradable, with a greater emphasis on system delivery that is “verifiable compliance, recognizable recovery, verifiable carbon reduction”. EU: The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2025/40, entered into force on 2025-02-11 and becomes generally applicable on 2026-08-12. It establishes requirements for sustainable packaging design, compliance responsibilities and information disclosure, encouraging brands and supply chains to use recyclable design and auditable delivery as a common procurement and acceptance baseline (source: European Commission/EUR-Lex). Global: Under the UN framework, negotiations on an international legal instrument on plastic pollution (INC) continue. UNEP announced INC-5.3 in Geneva on 2026-02-7, a procedural session for organizational and administrative matters without substantive negotiations. The Basel Convention’s rules on transboundary movements of plastic waste and guidance on environmentally sound management also continue to develop, strengthening expectations for source reduction, recyclable design and traceable evidence chains (source: UNEP/Basel Convention). China: Policy is moving single-use foodserviceware and packaging management from plastic restrictions toward reduction and resource recovery across the full chain. On 2026-01-5, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment website published the State Council notice issuing the Action Plan for Comprehensive Solid Waste Management, sourced from the Chinese government website (State Council document [2025] No. 14, issued on 2025-12-27). It covers source reduction, process control, end-of-chain use and full-chain management, including appropriate use and reduction of plastics, greener express-delivery packaging and excessive-packaging control. Together with the 14th Five-Year Plan work program for zero-waste cities, it supports recyclable, readily repulpable paper-based material systems in catering and commercial distribution (source: Ministry of Ecology and Environment/State Council Information Office). Meanwhile, industry is entering the 15-year biomanufacturing acceleration period. Public reports indicate that the Ministry of Industry and Informationization will prepare a 15-day biomanage development plan to be published and promote piloting platform cultivation, critical equipment clearances, etc.bio-based materials(Source: public reports from Xinhua Agency/Economic Reference Journal, etc.) Food-contact compliance: Mandatory national standard GB 4806.10-2025, Coatings and Coating Layers for Food-Contact Materials and Articles, takes effect on 2026-09-2. It brings paper coatings and indirectly contacting coatings whose components may transfer to food into the regulatory framework and strengthens process-control and documentation requirements for production and use (source: National Health Commission/State Administration for Market Regulation announcements and industry interpretation). The supply chain “evidence chain” is becoming a decisive threshold in the context of the PCB (product carbon footprint) and information disclosure requirements for accelerated transmission. Industrialization: “Scaling delivery” as a verifiable engineering indicator DBCDismantling of “scaling delivery” into three hard indicators:1(b) Unanimous batches, stable scene: key indicators such as water/oil resistance/heat/sweet experience can be repeated;2Process window yield: fabric-dry-forming-hot seal co-frequency optimization, which can be steadily expanded at the customer line;3End path is verifiable: priorityrecyclable, re-plastic and select composting/degradation pathways by region to certify carbon reduction with closed ring data. To enhance import certainty, the delivery of content synchronized with document/dataization to form auditable engineering packages: batch inspection report (COA) and retrospective information, production process window recommendations,GB 4806.10-2025 The compliance document template for key points cross-references, as well as the PCF/disclose available data structure and boundary description to allow clients to “seen, speak up, disseminate”. Scaled delivery is not just a formula issue, but also a supply chain system engineering exercise.DBCUnitedBASFstrategic partners and synergies PHA Raw material supplier micro-workshop (tonne level capacity), for Bioten The emulsification platform provides a stable, traceable base of biologically based raw materials and advances “material innovation” to the certainty of “capacity and delivery”. BASFAccording to the Senior Vice-President of the world, Carsten Hoehne, for import on a transregional scale, it is necessary to combine application of certification systems with compliance/PCF calibres and to establish replicable, auditable engineering import systems.BASFWill continue withDBCDeepening collaboration to upgrade low-carbon chains of the common services packaging industry. DBCChairman Lin Fanqiu noted that the principle of “source-down carbon - end cycle - degradation is optional” would be used as a setting, relying on research and development validation matrices to target key indicators, anchor material capacity in direct use engineering parameters and delivery packages for clients, provide partners with more competitive high value products and support Chinafiber-based packagingThe industry chain supports sustainable industrial development by pre-empting international regulations on compliance, carbon reduction and performance upgrading. Innovative development Next step, the two sides will Bioten™ Pro duct stability and high standards are at the bottom, with priority given to securing paper foundations based on “Enhancing productive capacity and supply efficiency”food packagingStabilization of supply with strategic partners and key clients in the catering industry, facilitatedBIOTEN PHA Bio-high-performance barrier coating systems form replicable engineering import and document delivery capabilities to build auditable, transferable and reassuring \"value packagings\" for paper-based customers.DBCDelivery is not just material, but also a chain delivery system that can be verified by third parties, audited by brands and reused by the supply chain.",
            "date_published": "2026-01-29T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-04T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-01-29-pha2026/cms-image-31562ce8e75ff10c.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-01-16-civil-aviation-green-tableware-seminar.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-01-16-civil-aviation-green-tableware-seminar.html",
            "title": "Building a Green Journey: Seminar on Technical Specifications for Low-Carbon Waterborne Barrier and Recycling of Paper-Based Tableware in Civil Aviation Service Scenarios Held in Shanghai",
            "summary": "Confirm the scope of application, term definitions and scenario boundaries (airport/cabin/supply/recycling chain) of the draft to provide a unified basis for reducing procurement import costs and acceptance;",
            "content_text": "On January 16, 2026, aligning with the national 'Dual Carbon' strategy and solid waste comprehensive governance requirements, and looking toward the '15th Five-Year Plan' green, low-carbon, and circular development direction, the seminar on the 'Draft Technical Specifications for Low-Carbon Waterborne Barrier and Recycling of Paper-Based Tableware in Civil Aviation Service Scenarios' was held in Shanghai. The meeting aims to use standardization as a lever to promote the closed-loop application of paper-based tableware in civil aviation service scenarios, achieving 'source carbon reduction - end-of-life recycling - verifiable implementation', and to form a replicable and scalable industry practice path for the transformation of industry solid waste governance towards refinement and high-value utilization.This meeting was jointly initiated by the Air Transport Association of China, DBC, APP Group, BASF, and Bluepha. Representatives from China Eastern Airlines, Air China, Xiamen Airlines, Shanghai Airport Group, and Hongqiao Airport, as well as industry chain experts from aviation catering supply, materials and products, and recycling chains, attended. The meeting focused on the green and low-carbon transformation of paper-based tableware in civil aviation service scenarios, aiming to promote high-value recycling and utilization of solid waste through standardized pathways.The meeting noted that civil aviation service scenarios are characterized by high-frequency use, strong operational constraints, clear process nodes and controllable closed-loop management, making them an important starting point for green transformation and replicable industry practice. As requirements for resource recovery from solid waste and closed-loop governance continue to rise, frequently used items such as paper cups, coasters, meal boxes and cleaning bags need an end-to-end pathway covering materials, products, use, recovery, resource utilization and data verification, without compromising safety and user experience or adding operational burden. Advancing the application of bio-based, low-carbon materials and establishing recyclable closed-loop mechanisms may help airlines and airports strengthen supply-chain carbon management and improve the quantifiability and verifiability of Scope 3 and ESG disclosures.The seminar focused on 'source carbon reduction - end-of-life recycling - verifiable implementation', with key discussions on replacing traditional plastic laminates and other composite structures that affect repulping recycling with waterborne barrier technologies. While meeting key requirements such as food contact safety, sensory odor control, hot drink tolerance, heat sealing, and barrier performance, it achieves better compatibility with mainstream paper fiber repulping recycling systems; and adapts to the classification collection, pollution control, transfer coordination, and destination management at airport and aircraft supply nodes, ensuring the recycling process is operable, traceable, and verifiable.This meeting is positioned as a working seminar, with the goal of 'unifying understanding - aligning boundaries - forming an implementable framework'. Attendees engaged in in-depth discussions on the scope of application and terminology boundaries of the technical specification draft, suggestions for key performance indicators and testing methods, recycling links and data traceability standards, and reached preliminary consensus:1. Clearly identify paper cups and accessories as the priority entry point, which can be extended to high-frequency categories such as cleaning bags and meal boxes;2. Promote the formation of a 'key indicator checklist + testing method suggestions', confirming the draft's scope of application, terminology definitions, and scenario boundaries (airport/cabin/supply/recycling chain) to provide a unified basis for procurement introduction and acceptance;3. Form an 'airline differentiated requirement benchmarking table' and common acceptance points to reduce introduction costs and communication friction;4. Clarify recycling and resource utilization path suggestions and data standards, achieving 'recyclable, traceable, and verifiable' without increasing the burden on flight crew and ground support;5. Develop a pilot verification plan (scenarios, batches, data standards, KPIs, and responsibility division) to verify carbon reduction and circularity effectiveness with operational data; meanwhile, pay attention to international convergence trends, benchmark against international rules and technical routes in advance, reduce compliance and operational risks, and enhance international competitiveness in green flight.Next, all parties will promote the revision of the technical specification (draft) and organize solicitation of opinions based on the seminar results, and start pilot verification as soon as possible. Without increasing operational support burden or reducing safety and service experience, driven by standardization and leveraging closed-loop data, promote the upgrade of paper-based tableware in civil aviation service scenarios from 'material substitution' to a 'calculable and verifiable low-carbon circular system', creating a replicable, scalable, and verifiable high-value recycling and reuse industry model for green airports and low-carbon flight.",
            "date_published": "2026-01-16T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-01-16-civil-aviation-green-tableware-seminar/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-01-15-pha-industrialization-factory-visit.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-01-15-pha-industrialization-factory-visit.html",
            "title": "DBC walks into the PHA 10,000-ton factory: BIOTEN water-based barrier coating enters the industrialization acceleration zone",
            "summary": "Three conditions for water-based barriers to enter the industrialization acceleration zone",
            "content_text": "As \"carbon reduction at the source and recycling at the end\" moves from concept to engineering implementation, the industry has entered a deep-water area where results must be verified with process windows that can be mass-produced and traceable data closed loops; this logic is also becoming a scientific consensus for the industrial chain to promote circular economy. In the context of the “15th Five-Year Plan” for biomanufacturing of new materials, solid waste recycling and the high-quality advancement of the “double-carbon” goal, the focus of competition in the industry chain is shifting from “material labeling” to “system implementation.” In the efficient utilization system of municipal solid waste, the key value of \"Paper for Plastic 2.0\" is that the high-quality paper fiber used in paper-based disposable tableware and food packaging has high-value recycling potential that is recyclable and repulpable; and water-based barrier technology can only be converted into real carbon reduction benefits that can be accounted for and audited without sacrificing cycle friendliness, taking into account both water and oil-blocking performance and production line manufacturing adaptation. Therefore, paper-based solutions for urban applications must meet three points at the same time: lower carbon at the source, verifiable high-value recycling at the end, and optional degradation paths for specific scenarios. With this industry proposition in mind, the DBC team went to Yichang, Hubei, to participate in an industrial chain exchange event held at the Hubei Weiqi Biological PHA 10,000-ton production base jointly built by Bluepha and Angel Yeast. They also visited the Bluepha PHA 10,000-ton industrial chemical plant for on-site visits and discussions, promoting the industrial application of BIOTEN™ BIOTEN water-based PHA barrier coating in the fields of paper-based food packaging and paper tableware into the \"acceleration zone\". At the same time, the importance of original technology in the PHA industry was also mentioned in the exchange. Professor Chen Guoqiang, an important promoter in the PHA field and known as the \"PHA inventor\" in the industry, has long promoted the development of PHA biosynthesis and industrialization, laying a solid foundation for innovative PHA application products to go global. Picture | A group photo of leaders from the five parties (from left to right: Xu Xuanming, chairman of Bluepha, Lin Fanqiu, chairman of DBC Group, Wang Lexiang, CEO of APP Sinar Mas Global Large Paper Business Group, Yan Deping, chairman of Hengxin Life, Xiong Tao, secretary of the party committee and chairman of Angel Group) Three conditions for water-based barriers to enter the industrialization acceleration zone Regarding the large-scale application of water-based barrier coatings in paper-based food packaging and paper tableware, the industry chain needs to align with three key consensuses: 1. Stable and reproducible performance: high water/oil barrier, moisture barrier, oxygen barrier, heat resistance, stiffness maintenance, odor and food contact experience and other indicators. It must achieve batch consistency and scene stability, and be upgraded from \"laboratory compliance\" to \"engineering stability\". 2. The process window can be mass-produced: the coating papermaking end and the product forming end need to be optimized at the same frequency, locking the scalable coating, drying, forming and heat sealing windows to ensure stable production line efficiency and yield, and truly form deliverability. 3. The terminal path is recyclable and verifiable: Based on the reality of the urban solid waste system, priority is given to high-value recycling routes that are \"recyclable and easy to repulp\", and closed-loop data is used to verify real carbon reduction - turning green from \"expression\" to \"evidence\". DBC: BIOTEN bio-based water-based system, covering paper-based and dispersion scenarios In addition to the paper-based food packaging/paper tableware water-based PHA barrier coating that is the focus of this discussion, DBC has formed a multi-scenario product and system solution matrix around the overall route of \"carbon reduction at the source, recycling at the end, and optional degradation\": Bio-based water-based coating system product solutions (coatings, coatings, emulsions, and binder system solutions for multi-field scenarios); paper-based water-based barrier emulsions (taking into account barrier performance, heat sealing process adaptation, and reslurry cycle friendliness); seed coating is fully biodegradable Coating (a controllable degradation solution for underground fate scenarios); fertilizer slow-release pills (bio-based coating system, supporting release curve regulation and efficiency improvement); agricultural mulch film full biodegradation system solution (material system-processing technology-application verification integration). Up to now, DBC BIOTEN series products have obtained more than 20 invention patents authorized by the State Intellectual Property Office. The innovative application technology system supports the continuous iteration of key formulas, process windows and application scenarios, providing a long-term technical base for the industrialization promotion of PHA. The direction is right and determination is very important: turn the roadmap into a \"production line standard\" The value of this exchange in Yichang is not only the alignment of opinions, but also the acceleration of the implementation of China's industrial chain with a common indicator system and joint verification mechanism, and the further upgrade of \"unanimous direction\" to \"unanimous standards\" - with process windows that can be mass-produced and traceable data evidence as the core, it will be precipitated into a new industrialization paradigm that benchmarks internationally and can be replicated and promoted, and contribute Chinese solutions to the formation of an internationally comparable and acceptable evaluation system. Focusing on the series of water-based barrier products for paper-based food packaging, DBC has continued to deepen collaboration with strategic partners BASF and APP Sinar Mas since 2022, anchoring the common goal of \"plastic replacement, carbon reduction, easy recycling, and high repulping\", and systematically promoting paper-based and The water-based barrier system is industrially verified in the process window of the coating end and product molding end of the two production lines, accelerating the high-value recycling of solid waste resources - making \"circulation\" not only a concept, but also an industrial capability that is measurable, auditable, and deliverable on a large scale. The fundamental reason why the \"small paper cups, leveraging large environmental protection\" we firmly promote can overcome controversy and form a consensus is that paper cups are a \"real-life touchstone\" for high frequency, high volume, and strong experience. When a small paper cup can simultaneously achieve lower carbon origin, reproducible use experience, and verifiable terminal recycling, it opens up not only a material substitution, but a replicable low-carbon cycle path - allowing \"circular value\" to change from a slogan to a standard, from an experiment to a production line, and from a model to a scale. We will use this as a starting point to continue to make the circular model of paper-based tableware and food packaging a model for collaborative carbon reduction in the industrial chain, and export verifiable and replicable solutions to the global market. In the next step, we will continue to work with our partners to further strengthen the low-carbon attributes and accountability of the PHA bio-based system at the source, and continue to improve the certainty of \"source carbon reduction\"; at the manufacturing end, unify the evaluation caliber, lock key process windows, and carry out application introduction and terminal verification, so that BIOTEN bio-based PHA water-based barrier coating can run stably and consistently in real production lines, real orders, and real applications, and promote the low-carbon and circular upgrade of paper-based packaging into a stage that can be replicated, scaled, and promoted to the global market. Use a small paper cup to turn circular economy from concept into standard; turn low carbon from narrative into production line; turn China's plan into globally acceptable certainty. DBC x BASF | Bioten™ PHA water-based paper-based barrier three series solutions | Bioten™ Plus (Bioten balance type), Pro Bioten customized type, Ultra Bioten high-resistance type | carbon reduction at the source, recycling at the end, optional degradation, reshaping packaging, scientific leadership.",
            "date_published": "2026-01-15T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-01-15-10950724/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-01-05-paper-cup-value-reconstruction.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2026-01-05-paper-cup-value-reconstruction.html",
            "title": "Small paper cup: value reconstruction, return to the road!",
            "summary": "2026 - Carbon Balance: Let small paper cups reveal the truth and define the sustainable development trend of global paper-based packaging!",
            "content_text": "2026 - Carbon Balance: Let small paper cups reveal the truth and define the sustainable development trend of global paper-based packaging! \"Let small paper cups run through the value chain\" - this is not just a slogan, but also our deep reflection and response to the current situation of the industry. True green packaging should not be at the expense of safety and industrial efficiency, nor should it be a \"green sentiment\" that blindly follows the trend of enterprises. In fact, industry chain practitioners should have a clear understanding: whether it is Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Hainan, or New York, Tokyo, Paris, or Berlin, under the existing urban infrastructure, disposable paper cups often lack realistic degradation and disposal scenarios. Faced with this truth, practitioners need to return to the true technical nature of the industry, meet the high-quality needs of users, and help customers achieve a green closed loop of sustainable development. We will give the material a biodegradable performance background, but more attention should be paid to its circular economy and practicality in business logic - we are committed to helping product companies: to be able to achieve scale, stability, and consistency, and ultimately become an international brand in a segmented track. We advocate \"carbon reduction at the source\" - injecting green genes into materials from the moment they are born. In the next ten years, plastic reduction and carbon reduction will be the main theme for the sustainable development of the paper-based packaging industry. We are committed to creating a perfect carrier with high standards, environmental protection, odorless, high water resistance, easy recycling, and high repulpability. At the same time, we are also organizing resources to join forces with restaurant chain brands to create \"From a cup of coffee to a new seedling: coffee grounds utilization and paper cup regeneration seedling plan\". Through this unique structural model of sustainable development, it not only solves the coffee grounds waste utilization problem of coffee chain brands in one stop, but also gives small paper cups a real second life value. In this transformation, the small paper cup is no longer just a container; it is a touchstone of technological innovation and a vanguard in reshaping commercial value. Value reconstruction, you decide the rules. Welcome to join us in leading the sustainable development of global paper-based packaging!",
            "date_published": "2026-01-05T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2026-01-05-paper-cup-value-reconstruction/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-12-31-bioten-balanced-universal-system.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-12-31-bioten-balanced-universal-system.html",
            "title": "2026 | Returning drinks to their original taste: Evolution of the carbon-balanced system",
            "summary": "\"Blind test\" of paper cups. Turn high standards into scalable product value, turn consistency into brand assets, and form a world-leading Made in China high standards and delivery paradigm",
            "content_text": "Boiled water is the most stringent \"blind test\" for paper cups. It does not have the aroma of coffee, tea, or milk to cover you up; any subtle smell of paper, glue, or miscellaneous smells will be amplified. Hot water will further accelerate the \"development\": the higher the temperature, the stronger the infiltration, the faster the volatilization and migration, and the higher the sensitivity of the entrance to the smell and taste. This is why the \"original taste\" of a hot drink should not be interrupted by the smell of paper, coating, softness and discomfort in holding it. The upgrade of paper cups cannot stop at the \"easy to recycle/compostable\" label - food contact safety and compliance should be the bottom line, experience indicators and engineering indicators should be achieved simultaneously, and consistency of large-scale delivery should be achieved. In January 2026, DBC teamed up with BASF to carry out evaluation and application verification for leading customers in the paper-based food packaging segment, and provided Bioten™ Plus (BIOTEN Balance Type) \"Bioten™ Plus | Bioten Bio-based PHA Water-based Barrier System\". This system is based on the Bioten™ biological high-performance emulsification innovation system, collaboratively introduces PHA bio-based materials in microstructure factories, and combines it with BASF's aqueous dispersion purification and filtration process platform. Through refined process control during the emulsion preparation and scale-up process, \"low odor, batch consistency, stable machine operation and stable molding\" are solidified into engineering capabilities - under the conditions of the agreed base material, coating amount and process window, the \"original taste\" no longer relies on chance and batch fluctuations, but is guaranteed by systematic manufacturing and quality control. BIOTEN Black Technology: We use 4 results that can be directly verified by users to define 1. Stable water resistance: no leakage under high-temperature liquid conditions; no leakage or collapse for 72 hours under typical working conditions; 2. Stable structure: adaptable to molding and heat sealing processes; in paper cup molding with a tempo of 150 cups/minute and a hot air system setting Under constant 360°C conditions, the sealing strength and consistency remain stable; 3. Pure entrance: boiling water has no odor and restores the original flavor of the drink; 4. Microwave heating: no leakage, no deformation, no yellowing, no odor, and the grip remains firm. For China's paper-based packaging industry chain, the value of upgrading lies in \"running well, running steadily, and running consistently\" - turning high standards into scalable product value, turning consistency into brand assets, and forming a Chinese manufacturing standard and delivery paradigm that leads the world. We establish verifiable process windows around coating, drying/curing, heat sealing and molding, and use digital delivery packages to support customers in achieving consistent output under established substrate and production line conditions: process window locking, curve and dosage management, heat sealing window verification, pilot scale-up, third-party testing and verification, ECN change control and traceability. High water resistance and strong stiffness are the performance; purer entrance and more stable quality are the experience; carbon reduction at the source, terminal recycling and degradation are optional, which is the professional path for sustainable development. Boiled water can pass the test, so drinks are more reliable. If you want to evaluate the water-based barrier upgrade route of Bioten™ Plus (carbon balance type) in paper-based packaging such as paper cups, soup bowls, lunch boxes, tissue paper, kraft paper, etc., please leave a message/private message and provide application scenario information: substrate type/gram weight | coating method | target barrier | molding speed. After passing the review, we will provide samples and verification path suggestions to turn the \"original taste\" into a deliverable, reproducible, and scalable consistent product experience, and help you serve more high-end catering chain brands in 2026. #Keywords: DBC, BASF, BIOTEN, BIOTEN, PHA bio-based coating, barrier coating, water-based coating, papermaking and packaging, paper-based packaging, paper cups, PE lamination, PLA lamination, material technology, paper plastic molding, tableware, food packaging bags, tissue paper, kraft paper, bamboo pulp paper, lightweight, easy to recycle, repulping rate, easy to compost, degradable, food safety, DBC, BASF, innovative applications. The test results are affected by the substrate, coating amount, structural design, equipment and process window, and are subject to sample verification and report under the conditions agreed by both parties. 2026·See",
            "date_published": "2025-12-31T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2025-12-31-bioten-plus-system-evolution-2026/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-11-27-pha-paper-food-packaging-value-chain.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-11-27-pha-paper-food-packaging-value-chain.html",
            "title": "DBC and BASF join hands with upstream and downstream partners to create a new track for PHA bio-based water-based barrier paper-based food packaging",
            "summary": "Forward-looking product carbon footprint management and carbon tariff response technology layout help customers win opportunities on the green and low-carbon development track.",
            "content_text": "As \"plastic reduction and carbon reduction\" gradually become a global consensus and is accelerated into practice, the paper-based food packaging industry is facing structural technical challenges. The PHA bio-based water-based barrier coating system solution conference with the theme of \"Reducing Carbon at Source and Reshaping Packaging\" was held on November 26, 2025 during the Shanghai International Coatings Exhibition and Packaging World Expo. It is regarded by the industry as an important step in exploring and leading new international trends in paper-based food packaging. DBC and BASF join hands with upstream and downstream partners, including the advanced biomanufacturing enterprise Bluepha and the global leader in food cardboard APP Sinar Light Group, to announce the creation of a new track of \"PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) bio-based water-based barrier paper-based food packaging\", providing the paper-based food packaging industry with a set of sustainable solutions with traceable source materials and selectable product series. Through forward-looking product carbon footprint management and carbon tariff response technology layout, it helps customers win on the green and low-carbon development track. Professor Chen Guoqiang, a well-known scientist in the field of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and director of the Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University, said: For a long time, paper-based food packaging such as paper cups, paper bowls, and take-out lunch boxes have generally used PE plastic-coated barrier structures. Although this type of structure can provide basic waterproof and oil-proof capabilities, it faces certain compliance pressures in the context of increasingly stringent global plastic restriction and ban regulations. At the same time, more and more problems are being exposed in terms of microplastic risks, difficulty in recycling and repulping, and pressure on end-of-life incineration and landfilling. Against this background, many alternative products claiming to be \"compostable and degradable\" have appeared on the market, but the sources of their materials are often vague and lack traceability. On the premise that most cities have not yet formed a complete classification and composting system, the actual flow of such products is still mainly incineration, and the \"end-of-pipe problem\" and corporate ESG pressure have not been truly alleviated. Green Empowerment \"Tu\" Creates the Future Technology Forum Focusing on the above-mentioned practical challenges, the technical teams of DBC and BASF systematically sorted out the sustainable path of paper-based packaging, and proposed a technology promotion sequence of \"plastic reduction and carbon reduction → easy recycling and high repulping → easy composting and degradability\": first, plastic reduction and carbon reduction will be the basic capabilities, and then it will be truly integrated into the paper recycling system through easy recycling and high repulping rate. On top of this, easy composting and degradable solutions will be gradually introduced. This not only responds to the current objective challenges of the industry, but also is an important practice for China's paper-based packaging industry chain to upgrade to \"new quality productivity\" and participate in leading global standards. The solution released this time is based on the Bioten™️ carbon product joint innovation platform of BASF and DBC. On the premise of meeting food contact safety regulations, and using different levels of bio-based carbon content as the driving force, three systems are formed: Bioten™ Plus (balanced type), Bioten™ Pro (customized type), and Bioten™ Ultra (high resistance type): Bioten™ Plus (carbon balance type): Targeted at mainstream paper cups, paper bowls and paper-based food packaging, it focuses on reducing plastic and carbon at the source, while significantly improving water-blocking performance, oil-blocking performance and heat sealing processing efficiency; Bioten™ Pro (customized version of Bioten™): For high-efficiency production and processing scenarios, on the basis of meeting high-performance water and oil barrier and wide heat sealing window, multi-functional barrier solutions including moisture barrier and oxygen barrier can be developed according to needs, and can be customized with higher bio-based content to further increase production capacity while ensuring performance; Bioten™ Ultra (BIOTEN high-resistance type): It has passed DIN CERTCO, BPI, ABA and other easily compostable and degradable certifications. It is combined with raw material traceability and product footprint transparency. It is specially developed for well-known brands and high-end markets, and provides easy composting and degradable options for brands with high ESG appeals. The \"Biotan\" series represented by Bioten™ Pro (customized version of Bioten) has been verified by multiple production lines. In applications such as paper cups, paper bowls, and take-out lunch boxes, it can not only meet the performance requirements of typical usage scenarios such as hot drinks, cold drinks, soups, and oily foods, but also achieve efficient operation under existing equipment conditions. It provides a realistic and feasible path support for paper-based food packaging to move from \"paper-based plastic\" to \"source carbon reduction + high-performance barrier\". Mr. Lin Fanqiu, founder of DBC, said: \"True sustainability is not about whether materials can be degraded in the laboratory, but whether cities can handle them in reality. We start from the professional perspective of high-quality development and international competition in China's food packaging supply chain, systematically think about material principles and product logic, and use a first-principles approach to re-examine the innovation direction of industry development and relevant international rules. To reduce plastics, you can use BIOTEN Balance to replace PE plastic coating; to reduce carbon, start with bio-based materials and their traceability systems.\" He emphasized that in the field of paper-based food packaging, \"materials that are safe for contact, do not contain microplastics, are easily recyclable, easily compostable, biodegradable, and bio-based source carbon reduction\" are expected to become a global industry consensus. The success of the paper-based plastic packaging industry depends on whether these principles can be supported by a truly implementable material system and process path; the consistency of sample testing and certification with industrial-grade products must be transparent and traceable, so that the industry can continue to develop and China's paper-based product manufacturing can also develop stronger international competitiveness. He Kaiteng, Global Senior Vice President of BASF - Green Empowerment Future Technology Forum The new PHA bio-based water-based barrier paper-based packaging track created by DBC and BASF together with upstream and downstream partners is essentially a set of \"material system + process window + \"Recycling Path\" integrated solution: On one end, it achieves source carbon and plastic reduction through bio-based and water-based systems, optimizing product carbon footprint; on the other end, it eases terminal processing pressure through easy recycling, high repulping rate and verifiable composting performance, providing restaurant chains, coffee brands and food companies with a clearer, implementable and traceable green low-carbon technology path in terms of ESG management and packaging green upgrades. Professor Chen Guoqiang, director of the Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University, and Ms. Xu Xuanming, chairman of the Bluepha, and their team visited DBC to conduct in-depth discussions and interviews on the multi-field application development of PHA bio-based materials and water-based barrier food packaging technology. They look forward to achieving more technological breakthroughs in the field of bio-based materials.",
            "date_published": "2025-11-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2025-11-27-pha-water-based-barrier-paper-packaging-new-track/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-11-21-bioten-pha-din-certco-compost-certification.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-11-21-bioten-pha-din-certco-compost-certification.html",
            "title": "Congratulations to DBC Bioten™ PHA bio-based water-based barrier coating for obtaining German DIN CERTCO industrial and household compost certification",
            "summary": "DBC BIOTEN will soon release a PHA bio-based water-based barrier coating system solution. Please stay tuned for the product matrix briefing session on DBC's systematic innovative solutions for paper-based barrier coatings!",
            "content_text": "DBC's DBC Bioten™ PHA water-based barrier coating successfully passed the TÜV Rheinland evaluation and officially obtained the German DIN CERTCO industrial & household composting certification. It meets the requirements of international mainstream standards in terms of compostability and degradability. Dr. RASHID KHAN, product development engineer at DBC Innovation Center, said that the recycling and repulping rate of paper products using Bioten™ PHA bio-based water-based barrier coating is as high as 97%. In terms of processing efficiency, the coating can achieve high-speed coating of up to about 800 meters/minute in the paper-based coating process; in the field of paper-based containers, the molding speed of the disposable paper cup production line can reach up to 280 cups/minute, providing paper-based food packaging companies with a new option that combines high efficiency, high barrier performance and green and low-carbon attributes. DBC is a technology company based on innovation in the application of new materials. The founder, Mr. Lin Fanqiu, has been deeply engaged in product development and material innovation practices for a long time, and has comprehensive and profound insights into \"paper instead of plastic\" food packaging barrier coatings. From the professional perspective of high-quality development and international competition of China's food packaging supply chain, he systematically thinks about material principles and product logic, and uses a first-principles approach to re-examine the future development of the industry and the innovative direction of relevant international rules. Mr. Lin Fanqiu believes that from an objective point of view of material principles, it is difficult for the world to rely on a single material to meet all performance standards of products in actual use. Material companies should not challenge basic scientific principles in order to claim that they can create industrial-grade \"perfect products\" with 100% single materials. Bluephal fermentation material PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) is a type of material with excellent degradation performance and fast degradation rate in the bio-based material industry. The water-phased PHA emulsion prepared based on it is more conducive to accelerating the compost degradation process under suitable conditions while ensuring a high recovery and repulping rate of paper products. He emphasized that the creators and leaders of China's biomaterials, especially innovative companies in PHA biomanufacturing, should proactively lead application-side needs from a professional perspective, instead of habitually \"verbally satisfying\" all the requirements of application product companies. They must adhere to scientific and technical logic, and avoid falling into \"\" The endless loop of \"self-certifier trap\" - repeated self-verification only in limited scenarios, thus inadvertently limiting the potential of bio-based materials to move towards large-scale and multi-field application innovation, thus putting the PHA industry into an existential crisis, and inevitably weakening the trust of international users in Chinese paper-based food packaging products companies. From left, Frank Tian, general manager of the Greater China region of DIN CERTCO; Lin Fanqiu, founder/president of DBC Group; Dr. Frank Hezel, global vice president of BASF in Germany; Zhao Yongjuan, business director of BASF Asia Pacific dispersions and resins Food packaging and barrier coating material companies have China's responsibility to create \"real products\" under the increasingly stringent standards and regulatory frameworks of various countries around the world: In the food packaging track, China itself is a leader. Whether it is the maturity or efficiency of the industrial chain, it is not easily comparable to other countries. High-quality products require the entire industry chain to jointly review their scientific nature and compliance. What can be done must be done resolutely - the paper-based packaging market is huge enough, and even excellent products with relatively higher costs have their own clear user groups. However, effective rules for the industry need to be established to avoid shoddy products and vicious low-price competition, which disrupt the motivation of innovative enterprises; for those that have not yet been achieved at the stage, it should be frankly stated that this will not necessarily affect sales. Practitioners should clearly define the target customer groups they are capable of serving. Rather than blurring the boundaries of \"theoretically non-degradable, actually degradable\" on the final product, the industry needs to provide an open and clear explanation of the material combination and structure, so that regulators and policymakers in various countries can accept and support truly excellent products based on a full understanding of the true technical level. At the same time, it can also better meet the needs of users who pursue cost-effectiveness and truly care about actual degradable performance. In fact, there are now more and more methods and tools that can test and verify the material composition of end-use products. This is not the \"unique ability\" of a few companies, but a scientific method that the entire industry can and should master and use. Only by being professional-based and product practical-oriented can the industry move toward a high-quality, large-scale, and sustainable development path. In his view, the sustainable development of the industry requires scientists and engineers to carry out systematic and combined innovative research and development; on the basis of meeting the authoritative standards and certification requirements of various countries around the world, capable companies should continue to improve comprehensive performance on top of this, or by clarifying the performance boundaries and applicable scenarios of different series of products, so that companies in all links of the industry chain can clearly choose and use them. Lin Fanqiu pointed out that in the field of paper-based food packaging, \"materials are contact-safe, do not contain microplastics, are easy to recycle, are easily compostable, are degradable, and bio-based source carbon reduction\" is expected to become a global industry consensus. The success of the paper-based plastic food packaging industry depends on whether these principles can be supported by a truly implementable material system and process path; the consistency of sample testing and certification with industrial-grade products must be transparent and verifiable, and accept open and professional inspections. Only then can enterprises continue to develop, and China's paper-based product manufacturing can also develop strong international competitiveness. DBC empowers the sustainable development of the paper-based packaging industry with PHA bio-based product innovation. Starting from first principles, it develops a bio-based, low-carbon, high-performance, and high-standard innovative product matrix to meet the application performance needs of different segmented scenarios. In the future, DBC will successively release systematic product solutions for PHA bio-based water-based barrier coatings for food packaging, continue to maintain close cooperation with TÜV Rheinland, and continue to promote the certification of Bioten™ PHA series products in accordance with relevant standards of DIN CERTCO, ABA, BPI and other authoritative organizations. At the same time, Mr. Lin Fanqiu thanked the strategic partner BASF of Germany for its support in biomass material balance technology, as well as the PHA raw material partner Bluepha and the leading food cardboard company APP Sinar Mas for their strong support in technological innovation. DBC will focus on different base materials and application scenarios such as food cardboard, tissue paper, kraft paper, bamboo pulp paper, pulp molding, etc., strengthen innovative collaboration with manufacturing and processing equipment companies, continue to develop professional system product overall solutions, and help China's paper-based food packaging manufacturing companies build a professional, high-end, branded, and large-scale internationally competitive industrial cluster. DBC BIOTEN will soon release a PHA bio-based water-based barrier coating system solution. Please stay tuned for the product matrix briefing session on DBC's systematic innovative solutions for paper-based barrier coatings!",
            "date_published": "2025-11-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2025-11-21-10839539/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-10-09-basf-dbc-bio-based-barrier-global-application.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-10-09-basf-dbc-bio-based-barrier-global-application.html",
            "title": "Reducing carbon at source and reshaping packaging: BASF and DBC join hands to accelerate global application of bio-based barrier coatings",
            "summary": "Joncryl®️ x Bioten™️ Pro low carbon system solution, join forces to create a new generation of low carbon water-based barrier coating",
            "content_text": "On October 8, 2025, DBC and BASF held a \"Bio-based Barrier Coating System Solution\" (Bioten™️BIOTEN Products) low-carbon barrier coating technology exchange meeting. The conference focused on the application of disposable tableware and food packaging, and conducted in-depth discussions on the industrialization path of a new generation of low-carbon bio-based water-based barrier coatings, focusing on barrier performance, processing efficiency improvement and production line adaptation. The two parties jointly advocated \"reducing carbon at the source, reshaping packaging, and driving the industry forward with product strength\" and announced that they will accelerate the implementation of bio-based barrier technology solutions in multiple scenarios and globalization through \"standard alignment + process verification\". DBC's R&D team conducted in-depth discussions with Dr. Bernd Meyer-Roscher, Global Application Technology Director of BASF resins, and business and marketing leaders on the comprehensive implementation of \"bio-based barrier coating system solutions\". A new generation of bio-based barrier coatings for the global market is leading industry trends. Based on the principle of low-carbon formula design, the two parties combined DBC Bioten™ BIOTEN PHA emulsion with BASF's leading bio-based material polymerization technology to promote industrial application and accelerate the large-scale implementation of bio-based barrier coatings in multiple scenarios such as disposable tableware and food packaging. As a comprehensive strategic partner of BASF's Bioten™ carbon product water-based barrier coating material series, DBC has long-term jointly developed innovative products and market promotion of water-based barrier coatings with BASF. We will take bio-based water-based barrier coatings for disposable tableware and food packaging as the core; based on the improvement of high-speed coating and heat sealing forming processing efficiency, we will promote R&D and product implementation from the four dimensions of compliance and safety, application and scenarios, functions and data, recycling and degradation, and form Bioten™️Pro low-carbon system solutions, which take into account barrier performance and efficient processing of production line adaptation. The Pro system solution is based on the food contact compliance path: project-based evaluation according to 21 CFR/FCN, GB 4806/GB 9685/GB 31604, EU FCM and other regulations, and insists that PFAS is not artificially added and is low VOC. Functions and data are disclosed according to standard methods (such as Cobb/Kit, WVTR [ASTM F1249], OTR [ASTM D3985]; see TDS/Project Report for conditions). At the same time, repulping and recyclability are evaluated according to the CEPI/PTS route, and industrial composting is promoted according to the ASTM D6400/D6868 route (you can apply for BPI or TÜV Austria OK compost certification). Based on this, we provide alternative PE coating technology routes, promote packaging from \"plastic reduction\" to \"carbon reduction\", and help the paper-based industry move towards an easily recyclable/compostable recycling system. Bioten™️BIOTEN Products Pro System Solution Waterborne Bio-Based Barrier Coatings | Typical Processing Parameters (TDS Summary Card) Dry coating weight: 9–15 g/m² Coating speed: 120–600 m/min (depending on machine model/paper type) Paper cup forming (cup making) speed: 150–300 cups/min (cup type related) Heat sealing window (starting screen window): 110–140 °C/0.4–0.8 s/0.3–0.6 MPa The DBC business team discussed the development trends and international implementation paths of bio-based barrier coatings with BASF Global Vice President Dr. Frank Hezel and the Asia Pacific business team. About BASF At BASF, we create new roles in chemistry – pursuing a sustainable future. Our ambitious goal is to become the chemical company of choice for our customers and support their green transformation. We combine economic success, social responsibility and environmental protection. BASF's approximately 112,000 employees worldwide contribute to the success of its customers in almost every country and across all industries. In our business, \"core business\" includes the chemicals, materials, industrial solutions, nutrition and care business areas, and \"autonomous business\" includes the surface treatment technology and agricultural solutions business areas. BASF's global sales in 2024 were €65.3 billion. BASF's shares are listed on the Frankfurt (BAS) stock exchange and are traded on U.S. securities markets in the form of American depositary receipts (BASFY). About DBC (DBC) DBC is an innovative enterprise focusing on the application of new materials. It is committed to technology investment, R&D and manufacturing of environmentally friendly high-performance materials and green low-carbon industries. Since its establishment in Shanghai in 2010, it has rapidly grown into a representative of \"Shanghai Innovative Enterprises\" and \"Specialized New Enterprises\" by virtue of its continuous exploration of functional and environmentally friendly materials. Business coverage: R&D and application innovation of environmentally friendly high-performance materials, application scenarios in multiple fields such as new energy materials, environmentally friendly coatings, adhesives, additives, urban renewal and low-carbon buildings. DBC's two major environmentally friendly high-performance coating technology solutions, Ecoten™ water-based barrier coating technology focuses on plastic reduction and easy recycling, and Bioten™ PHA barrier coating technology focuses on easy recycling and compostability. It uses leading technical solutions to use the new material polyhydroxyalkanoate to create more excellent products.",
            "date_published": "2025-10-09T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2025-10-09-basf-dbc-bio-based-barrier-global-application/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-10-08-bioten-1030-pha-waterborne-emulsion.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-10-08-bioten-1030-pha-waterborne-emulsion.html",
            "title": "Originating from nature and returning to nature | DBC BIOTEN™ 1030 PHA water-based emulsion released",
            "summary": "Originating from nature, returning to nature, and living up to nature, Dubaicheng Bioten™ promotes bio-based barrier coating system solutions",
            "content_text": "Reduce carbon at source · Promote the sustainable development of bio-based materials BIOTEN™1030 PHA Water-Based Emulsion BIOTEN 1030 polyhydroxyalkanoate water-based emulsion DBC Bioten™ BIOTEN 1030 bio-based emulsion is based on microbial polymer PHA, with a bio-based carbon content of up to 99%. It relies on Bioten's water-phase emulsification and dispersion technology, and expands the functional window through graft modification and compound design, and continues to carry out engineering and large-scale verification of PHA liquid applications. After industrial-level production verification, BIOTEN 1030 has excellent performance in colloidal stability and paper-based processing/production line adaptability. Bioten™1030 is suitable for: paper-based barrier coatings, bio-based adhesives and pressure-sensitive adhesives, latex paints, compostable seed coatings and controlled-release fertilizers/pellets, personal care creams/lotions, etc., providing new solutions for the green innovative development of low-carbon friendly products. Bioten™1030 PHA aqueous emulsion TDS typical parameter summary: Appearance: Milky white liquid Solid content: 40 ± 1 wt% (optional 30/35/45/50/63wt%) pH (25 °C): 7.5 ± 0.5 Viscosity: 200–500 mPa·s (50–3000 mPa·s can be customized) Bio-based carbon content: ≥ 98% (ASTM D6866 Method B) PFAS: No Artificially Added (NIA), Total Fluoride/EOF Testing Available VOC: < 5 g/L (ISO 11890-2); no organic solvents added (NIA) Formaldehyde: no Heavy metals: not artificially added (subject to project test report) GHS classification: Not hazardous chemicals (based on SDS) Packing: 1000 kg IBC ton drum (net weight depends on batch density) Storage/shelf life: 5–35 °C, protected from freezing and sunlight; unopened for 6 months Technical background: DBC Bioten's bio-based graft-modified emulsification technology benefits from the long-term accumulation of China's leading PHA microbial fermentation technology ecology. The microbial polymer PHA raw materials used by Bioten are internationally mature technologies and are based on the halophilic bacteria chassis microbial fermentation route of the team of Professor Chen Guoqiang of Tsinghua University. DBC (DBC) has reached an in-depth strategic cooperation with Tsinghua University incubator Bluepha (PhaBuilder) to jointly promote the world's leading water-based PHA and application development. Bioten has taken the lead in realizing the widespread application of PHA water-based barrier coatings on paper bases, which complies with food contact compliance and sustainable pathways. It meets the needs of disposable tableware and food packaging for high water, oil, gas and oxygen barrier products. It also achieves the performance characteristics of being easy to recycle and repulp, and degradable and compostable. Ms. Xu Xuanming, Chairman of Bluepha and Mr. Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC Reduce carbon at source and reshape packaging DBC and BASF Promote industry progress with product strength Disposable tableware and food packaging Bio-based barrier coating system solutions Bioten™1030 for multiple scenarios has been unveiled. Next, we will focus on paper-based barrier coatings for disposable tableware and food packaging, and promote R&D and product implementation from the four dimensions of compliance and safety, application and scenarios, functions and data, and recycling and degradation, forming a combination of three barrier coating systems: Bioten Plus (general), Bioten Pro (professional), and Bioten Ultra (flagship), which take into account barrier performance and efficient processing of production line adaptation (roller/squeegee/spray/curtain coating). All plans are based on the food contact compliance path (project-based evaluation according to regulations such as 21 CFR/FCN, GB 4806/GB 9685/GB 31604, EU FCM, etc.), and insist on PFAS not artificially added (NIA) and low VOC (ISO 11890-2). Functions and data are disclosed according to standard methods (such as Cobb/Kit, WVTR [ASTM F1249], OTR [ASTM D3985]; see TDS/Project Report for conditions). At the same time, repulping/recyclability is evaluated according to the CEPI/PTS route, and industrial composting is promoted according to the ASTM D6400/D6868 route (you can apply for BPI or TÜV Austria OK compost certification). Based on this, we provide alternative PE coating technology routes, promote packaging from \"plastic reduction\" to \"carbon reduction\", and help the paper-based industry move towards an easily recyclable/compostable recycling system. Bioten™ PHA water-based barrier coating teamed up with industry chain partners APP Jinguang, Bluepha, and Hengxin Life to successfully achieve industrial-grade pilot testing in 100 days!",
            "date_published": "2025-10-08T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2025-10-08-bioten-1030-pha-emulsion-release/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-08-08-shanghai-plastic-coated-tableware-ban.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-08-08-shanghai-plastic-coated-tableware-ban.html",
            "title": "September 1st: Shanghai completely banned \"pseudo-environmentally friendly\" tableware such as plastic PE coating!",
            "summary": "Shanghai’s “most stringent plastic ban in history” will officially take effect on September 1, 2025.",
            "content_text": "Shanghai’s “most stringent plastic ban in history” will officially take effect on September 1, 2025. The ban was based on the \"Decision of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress on Deeply Promoting the Construction of Ecological Civilization and Creating a Model of Beautiful Shanghai, China\" and was jointly issued by the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission, the Municipal Ecological Environment Bureau, the Market Supervision Administration, the Commerce Commission and other departments. This is no longer an environmental protection initiative, but a mandatory industrial revolution with only one core goal: to completely remove from the market all \"pseudo-environmentally friendly\" disposable tableware that is difficult to recycle and pollutes the environment. The first to bear the brunt are the disposable tableware we use daily such as paper coffee cups, beverages, and lunch boxes. The plastic films on the inner walls are mostly PE laminates or PLA coatings that are difficult to recycle. The pseudo-environmental coating is a nightmare for the recycling system. As a result, it cannot be recycled and repulped as waste paper, and can only be incinerated or landfilled. The new regulations make it clear that any product that hinders recycling will be eliminated. Violating enterprises not only face the risk of fines of up to 100,000 yuan or even closure of business, but will also be recorded with permanent credit stains, affecting long-term development. An efficient way out of compliance: Embrace truly “easy to recycle” technology. Basis for punishment: Article 106 of the \"Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste\" and Article 32 of the \"Shanghai Environmental Protection Regulations\": Units are fined 10,000-100,000 yuan, and individual operators are fined 200-1,000 yuan (up to 5,000 yuan in serious cases); repeat offenders may be ordered to suspend business for rectification and be recorded in the public credit platform. Now that the way forward has been decided, where is the way out? The answer is to choose proven technologies that can seamlessly integrate into existing waste paper recycling systems. Currently, the best solution recognized by the EU and US markets is \"paper-based material + water-based barrier coating\". Paper cups made with mature water-based coating technology can not only pass the US FDA and China GB food contact certification, but the key is that after use, they can be treated as ordinary waste paper and directly enter the recycling channel, where they can be easily pulped and recycled, achieving a true closed-loop cycle. In Shanghai, solutions are already within reach. At the 2024 Shanghai International Carbon Neutral Expo, the \"Green Low-Carbon Paper Cup Pioneer Alliance\" established under the guidance of official organizations such as the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, Bureau of Ecology and Environment, and Shanghai Foreign Investment Association has given a clear direction. The alliance was jointly initiated by industry leaders such as Shanghai technology company DBC (DBC), chemical giant BASF (BASF), and paper giant APP Sinar Mas (APP). The industry chain collaborated to innovate and create \"EPP water-based barrier coating technology.\" This product focuses on plastic reduction, carbon reduction, recyclability, and easy recycling. After more than a year of global market verification, EPP water-based barrier coating is a mature solution to replace PE coating. At the same time, Shanghai also strongly encourages responsible and powerful chain brands to take the lead in adopting bio-based PHA water-based coating technology that is both easy to recycle and degrade, and jointly promote the diversified development of green solutions. Compliance upgrading is not only a decisive factor in winning the future market, but also improving international standards. After September 1, Shanghai’s catering packaging market will undergo a complete reshuffle. This is not only a passive adjustment driven by regulations, but also an excellent opportunity for enterprises to proactively upgrade their strategies and embrace the circular economy. Let’s work together to review your supply chain, eliminate single-use plastic cutlery, ditch “pseudo-environmentally friendly” products, and choose compliant solutions that are truly easy to recycle. This is not only to avoid fines, but also a key step to prove to consumers and the market that your brand is responsible and forward-looking. In the future competition, sustainable development is no longer a bonus but an admission ticket. Transforming compliance pressure into brand momentum and contributing Shanghai's strength to the country's \"double carbon\" goal is a wise move to win the future. News sources: CPPCC News, China News Service Shanghai",
            "date_published": "2025-08-08T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2025-08-08-8667338/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-08-05-pha-waterborne-barrier-industrial-trial.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-08-05-pha-waterborne-barrier-industrial-trial.html",
            "title": "After 100 days, the industrial-grade trial production of PHA water-based barrier coating was successful!",
            "summary": "After 100 days of collaborative research across the industry chain, PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) water-based barrier coating technology has reached a decisive moment.",
            "content_text": "From a spring promise to a midsummer fruit, it took us 100 days! After 100 days of collaborative research across the industry chain, PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) water-based barrier coating technology has reached a decisive moment. Recently, PHA water-based barrier coating has successfully completed industrial-scale scale-up production at the Ningbo base of APP Sinar Mas (China), marking the success of the first industrial-level production line verification of PHA water-based barrier coating in the world. All performance indicators of the produced PHA food card barrier paper have reached predetermined standards. This achievement not only successfully opened up the entire industrial chain from PHA biosynthesis to terminal paper product applications, but also marked that this environmentally friendly packaging technology has completed key industrial verification, laying a solid foundation for subsequent large-scale commercial application. The success of this industrial-grade trial production is an important result of cross-border collaboration and full-chain innovation among four partners: Bluepha (PHA raw material supplier), DBC (PHA water-based barrier coating technology solution provider), APP Sinar Mas (leading papermaking company) and Hengxin Life (leading paper cup manufacturing company). It marks that a new, environmentally friendly packaging solution is ready to move from ideal to reality, providing a powerful \"Chinese solution\" to solve the problem of \"global white pollution\". Four parties cooperate across enterprises to open up the \"last mile\" of green packaging While traditional PE plastic-coated paper cups and bowls bring convenience, they also put huge pressure on the environment because they cannot be degraded and are extremely difficult to recycle. PLA coated paper cupping needs to be degraded under industrial conditions, and is difficult to achieve in the recycling and repulping process. Finding an environmentally friendly material that can not only meet the barrier properties of water and oil, but also be recyclable and completely biodegradable has become a common challenge faced by the industry. As a natural polymer material synthesized by microorganisms, PHA has excellent biodegradability and material properties, and is regarded as one of the ideal alternatives to traditional plastics. However, to transform the PHA raw materials in the laboratory into a modern papermaking industrial production line that can meet the barrier conditions of water-based coatings and adapt to high speed and high temperature, and finally make qualified consumer products, it is necessary to open up multiple links such as technology, production, and application. In this cooperation, the four companies each performed their own duties and created an effective closed loop of innovation: From PHA raw materials to water-based barrier coating, to PHA food cardboard, and finally to formed paper cups, the entire process was completed in just 100 days, demonstrating the amazing efficiency and \"China speed\" brought about by the collaboration of the industrial chain. Milestone breakthrough, leading the green transformation of the industry The successful trial production of PHA water-based barrier coated paper at the industrial level of APP Sinar Mas is not only a technological breakthrough, but also a successful verification of a new industrial collaboration model. Regarding this milestone success, the responsible persons from all parties expressed their respective views. Wang Lexiang, global CEO of the large paper business group of Sinar Mas Group, said: \"The application of PHA water-based coatings on high-speed paper machines is the innovative technology goal of Sinar Mas Group. Through bold and careful attempts, this not only adds more sustainable options to our product line, but also provides valuable experience for the green transformation of the entire paper industry. This result is a strong proof that Sinar Mas Group deeply integrates ESG concepts into its core business and drives corporate social responsibility through technological innovation.\" Lin Fanqiu, chairman of DBC, added: \"PHA is a world-class new material with great potential. Its natural properties are derived from nature and belong to nature. Our job is to discover and modify its capabilities. After this cooperation, DBC has developed two major water-based barrier coating technology solutions The project - focusing on plastic reduction and recyclable ecoten technology to achieve plastic-free, compostable and degradable bioten bio-based technology - has been successfully verified. The results of this work today can participate in global environmental governance, which makes our continued efforts extremely determined. \" Xu Xuanming, chairman of Bluepha, believes: \"The success of this industrial-grade trial production is not only a technological breakthrough, but also a successful verification of a new industrial collaboration model. It proves that as long as the upstream and downstream enterprises in the industry chain have consistent goals and open collaboration, they can greatly shorten the innovation cycle and accelerate the pace of PHA technology from the laboratory to the market.\" Yan Deping, Chairman of Hengxin Life, concluded: \"Technological innovation and industry leadership have always been the principles for Hengxin people to move forward. The speed of this PHA water-based coating cooperation innovation is in line with the needs of high-quality competitive development in the global industry. Our strategic goal is to become an outstanding global enterprise, and this cooperation is our fulfillment of our commitment \"The PHA coating produced in this industrial-grade trial production has reached the expected standards in key indicators such as waterproofing, oil-proofing, and heat-sealing properties. It can be biodegraded in natural environments such as recycling and home composting, and has no harmful substance residues. This allows us to be confident in providing services to more famous catering brands around the world.\" Looking forward to the future, the four parties will continue to deepen strategic cooperation and accelerate the large-scale production and commercialization process of PHA coated paper. Our goal is to bring a series of high-performance green packaging products, including paper cups and lunch boxes, to the market as soon as possible to provide global consumers with safe, reliable and truly environmentally friendly choices. This will not only contribute a key force to the realization of China's \"double carbon\" goal, but also provide a powerful Chinese solution for global food and catering companies to cope with increasingly stringent ESG regulations and achieve sustainable development goals. Introduction to the four-party cooperative enterprises (in order of upstream and downstream of the industrial chain) About micro-building factory (PHABuider) Bluepha is an innovative and influential technology company in the frontier field of biomanufacturing. With the core mission of \"From Microbes to a Green Future\", it develops and manufactures green polymer biomaterials PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) through the transformation and engineering application of halophilic microorganisms. Relying on the founding team's nearly 40 years of PHA research, Bluepha continues to explore more than 10 billion combinations of PHA families, develops modified applications that meet market demand, and works with industry chain partners to provide overall PHA industrialization solutions, and ultimately promotes the realization of the beautiful vision of \"making PHA Life a lifestyle for thousands of households\", landing PHAmily-PHAbrary-PHAdustry-PHA Life\" innovation strategic path. In the future, Bluepha will continue to provide sustainable solutions based on green bio-based materials to global customers with its core positioning as \"a global leader in synthetic biology and bio-manufacturing\". About DBC (DBC) DBC is an innovative enterprise focusing on the application of new materials. It is committed to technology investment, R&D and manufacturing of environmentally friendly high-performance materials and green low-carbon industries. Since its establishment in Shanghai in 2010, it has rapidly grown into a representative of \"Shanghai Innovative Enterprises\" and \"Specialized New Enterprises\" by virtue of its continuous exploration of functional and environmentally friendly materials. Business coverage: R&D and application innovation of environmentally friendly high-performance materials, application scenarios in multiple fields such as new energy materials, environmentally friendly coatings, adhesives, additives, urban renewal and low-carbon buildings. DBC's two major environmentally friendly high-performance coating technology solutions, Ecoten™ barrier coating technology focuses on plastic reduction and recyclability, and Bioten™ PHA barrier coating technology focuses on compostability and degradability. It uses leading technical solutions to create more excellent products using the new energy material polyhydroxyalkanoate. About Sinar Mas Group (APP) The full name of Sinar Mas Group APP (China) is Sinar Mas Paper (China) Investment Co., Ltd. and its companies invested in mainland China. Since entering China in 1992, it has always adhered to the sustainable development strategy and strived to practice green recycling with the concept of \"forest-pulp-paper integration\" of sustainable papermaking. At present, APP (China) has forestry division, pulp division, large paper division group, household paper division, etc. With sales in China of approximately 92.6 billion yuan in 2023, total assets of approximately 242.7 billion yuan, and 26,000 full-time employees, it is a world-famous paper company. About Hengxin Life (HXIN) Hengxin Life (stock code: 301501), founded in 1997, is a high-tech enterprise engaged in the research, development, production and sales of paper and plastic tableware. The company has a rich product line and excellent product quality. It has become a supplier of paper and plastic tableware to many well-known domestic and foreign companies. The company has a dominant position in the field of biodegradable tableware, and its sales area covers Asia, North America, Oceania, Europe and other countries and regions. The company is the vice-president unit of the Degradable Plastics Professional Committee of the China Plastics Processing Industry Association. It has been rated as one of the top ten enterprises in China's light industrial plastics industry (degradable plastics) for six consecutive years. It has been rated as the \"Specialized, Special and New\" champion enterprise in Anhui Province, and the \"Third Product\" demonstration enterprise in the consumer goods industry in Anhui Province. It was selected into the fourth batch of specialized, special and new \"Little Giant\" enterprise lists; it won the China Light Industry Advanced Unit Award for Integration of Informatization and Industrialization, and the Bio-based and Biodegradable Materials Market Promotion Contribution Award. The company has multiple production bases, and its products cover catering industries such as fast food, takeout, and beverages, as well as various consumption scenarios such as large enterprises or institutions, civil aviation, and household daily consumption. It has the production capacity for the entire product process; the company's biodegradable tableware can be biodegraded and can help achieve the \"double carbon\" goal, which is in line with the national strategic direction.",
            "date_published": "2025-08-05T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2025-08-05-8667337/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-06-06-pha-in-situ-chain-extension-patent.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-06-06-pha-in-situ-chain-extension-patent.html",
            "title": "In-situ chain expansion and one-step extrusion: Solving the four difficulties of PHA barrier, toughness, recycling, and degradation: DBC’s invention patent was officially approved!",
            "summary": "Dubaicheng's core technology of Bioten™ modified PHA composite materials has been officially authorized by the national invention patent (Patent No.: CN119912795B).",
            "content_text": "DBC's core technology of Bioten™ modified PHA composite materials has been officially authorized by the national invention patent (Patent No.: CN119912795B). This patent is not only an honor, but also marks that through the \"one-step in-situ chain expansion method\" process, we have successfully solved the \"four difficult paradoxes\" of high barrier, high toughness, easy recycling, and fast degradation that have long plagued the industry. From now on, environmental protection and performance are no longer multiple choice questions. 💡What problems does Bioten™ emulsification and dispersion technology solve? There have always been regrets in the world of degradable materials: PHA degrades quickly, but is too brittle and breaks when broken. PBAT is flexible enough, but does not block and degrades slowly. PLA is widely used, but its degradation conditions are harsh and recycling is difficult. These \"natural defects\" in performance make it difficult for truly environmentally friendly packaging to be popularized on a large scale. At the same time, we also considered traditional PE lamination: although it is low-cost, it is not degradable and is the source of microplastic pollution, making it extremely difficult to recycle paper cups and lunch boxes. 🏆 How do we do it? Our answer is concentrated in this patented technology - \"ternary blending + in-situ chain extension + one-step extrusion\". To put it simply, we are like a brilliant \"molecular magician\" who simultaneously completes four major things in one production process: 1. \"Strengthen the muscles and bones\" of the material: Completely improve the brittleness at the molecular level and make the material strong and tough. 2. Build a \"nano-scale barrier\": Build a dense barrier network inside the material to make it difficult for oxygen and water vapor to overcome. 3. Activate the \"rapid degradation\" gene: Use a gentler process to protect the biological activity of the material, ensure that it can quickly decompose in the environment, and eliminate microplastics. 4. Open up the \"recycling\" context: Allow new materials to be recycled together with paper, increasing efficiency by more than 3 times, and perfectly integrating into the circular economy. 📊 Bioten™ hard-core data demonstrates leading strength Bioten™ emulsification and dispersion technology: Microscopic compatibility, PHA dispersion particle size (D90) reaches 500 nanometers, and PBAT reaches 1.5 microns to achieve uniform blending at the nanometer level, laying the foundation for excellent barrier properties. 🚀Open up unlimited possibilities The breakthrough of this technology means that from high-end food packaging, catering containers, medical sterile packaging, to daily express bags, hotel daily necessities packaging, agricultural mulch films, coatings, and adhesives, they will all have the foundation for a truly high-performance, full-link environmentally friendly solution. This is a small step for DBC and a giant step for the field of bio-based materials. Thanks to every partner and customer who supports us, as an important material system basic invention patent in the industry, Bioten™ emulsification and dispersion technology has developed and perfected dozens of product system solutions, which will be launched one after another. We will continue to use technological innovation to promote the wave of sustainable development.",
            "date_published": "2025-06-06T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2025-06-06-8667336/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-04-24-pha-modification-dispersion-joint-rd.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-04-24-pha-modification-dispersion-joint-rd.html",
            "title": "DBC & Bluepha | PHA component modification and dispersion system joint research and development seminar was successfully held, opening a new round of in-depth collaboration",
            "summary": "Adhering to the concept of \"openness, collaboration, win-win, and responsibility\" and guided by solving industry pain points, we jointly promote the large-scale production and market application of microbial PHA component modification and nanodispersion technology.",
            "content_text": "On April 22, DBC Shanghai Innovation Center, DBC and Beijing Bluepha launched a new round of \"In-depth Collaborative Innovation Acceleration Model\". Based on complementary advantages and win-win collaboration, both parties focused on accelerating the industrialization of microbial PHA component modification and nanodispersion technology. The main leaders of the R&D and technical service teams of both parties had an in-depth exchange of opinions around the following five core links and reached a consensus: Precise carbon source preparation: select sustainable, high-conversion carbon sources to improve PHA yield and molecular weight controllability. Fermentation process optimization: Introduce online monitoring and intelligent control to achieve dynamic optimization of key parameters such as temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen, significantly improving cell productivity. Improved separation and purification efficiency: A combination of high-efficiency centrifugation and membrane separation and other composite technologies are used to ensure that the recovery rate and purity of PHA polymer meet the modification needs. Component copolymerization modification: Through the synergistic effect of graft copolymerization and functional additives, the compatibility of PHA and polar additives is improved, and the barrier properties and heat sealing properties of the coating are significantly enhanced. Nano-dispersion mechanism: Based on the high-shear emulsification and interface control technology of Bioten biopolymers, a nano-scale emulsion with a narrow particle size distribution is constructed; the Zeta potential is monitored online throughout the process to ensure that the system is dispersed and stable for a long time without settling or aggregation. Lin Fanqiu, chairman of DBC Group, said: \"This accelerated model will give full play to DBC's advantages in functional coating formulation and equipment integration, and work together with Bluepha and Jinguang Paper to continuously optimize the upstream and downstream application processes, and jointly promote the scale and marketization of bio-based materials in the field of paper-based packaging.\" Xu Xuanming, chairman of Beijing Bluepha, pointed out: \"Relying on our technological accumulation in PHA fermentation and multi-carbon source utilization, combined with DBC's in-depth research and development in nano-emulsion and coating applications, the two parties will achieve full-process collaboration of 'upstream and downstream integration' and accelerate the transformation of products from prototypes to mass production.\" Technical briefing discussion and collaborative consensus After the two company leaders reached a strategic consensus, the R&D teams of both parties immediately held a technical briefing seminar that lasted several hours, and conducted in-depth discussions on key aspects of the entire process such as green carbon source screening, fermentation process optimization, component copolymerization modification, and nanodispersion mechanism. This \"In-depth Collaborative Innovation Acceleration Model\" has clarified the key points of technological research, industrialization promotion path and collaborative division of labor mechanism, fully demonstrating DBC's advantages in functional coating formulation and equipment integration, the technology accumulation of the microstructure factory in the fields of PHA fermentation and multi-carbon source utilization, and the supporting role of APP Jinuang Group in paper manufacturing and downstream application demonstration. All parties will adhere to the concepts of \"openness, collaboration, win-win, and responsibility\" and be oriented to solving industry pain points, and jointly promote the large-scale production and market application of microbial PHA component modification and nano-dispersion technology.",
            "date_published": "2025-04-24T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2025-04-24-8278739/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-04-18-pha-industrialization-green-packaging-carbon-negative.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-04-18-pha-industrialization-green-packaging-carbon-negative.html",
            "title": "DBC’s collaborative innovation accelerates China’s PHA industrialization: green packaging and new carbon-negative path",
            "summary": "Green and low-carbon technical regulations such as carbon trading rules provide strong policy and market support for the large-scale application of PHA.",
            "content_text": "Against the background that the global green and low-carbon transformation continues to accelerate and my country is fully promoting the dual carbon goals of \"carbon peaking in 2030 and carbon neutrality in 2060\", a high-end technology seminar focusing on microbial PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) technology from laboratory to industrialization was successfully held at the Biology Hall of Tsinghua University. This event was guided by Professor Chen Guoqiang of Tsinghua University, who has more than 30 years of experience in PHA research, and was co-organized by Beijing Bluepha, Shanghai DBC, APP Sinar Mas and Hengxin Life. It aimed to accelerate the implementation of bio-based packaging and create a new path for green packaging through in-depth collaboration between industry, academia and research. At the seminar, participating experts and business representatives had in-depth discussions on key issues such as microbial PHA fermentation manufacturing, modified emulsion and large-scale application of paper-based packaging, and reached a number of technical and market cooperation consensuses. Professor Chen Guoqiang holds dozens of international patents, masters the independently original \"Halophilic Bacteria Chassis Technology\", and has made outstanding contributions in the research and development of new polymer biological materials in my country. He pointed out that through multi-party collaboration and technical research, PHA modified emulsification technology has broad prospects in the field of high-end paper-based packaging, and is expected to provide a feasible technical path for green packaging and biodegradation industries. Bluepha and DBC have joined forces to accelerate the large-scale mass production of microbial PHA, and realize efficient application of fermentation manufacturing and modified dispersion emulsification technology: Ms. Xu Xuanming, founder and chairman of Beijing Bluepha, reviewed the arduous research process of this technology from laboratory to industrialization. As a technology enterprise incubated by Tsinghua University, Bluepha has brought together cutting-edge research and development capabilities and formed the world's leading microbial fermentation process advantages through long-term accumulation. Xu Xuanming said that Bluepha will continue to uphold the concept of long-termism and is confident in the vast market of PHA in the future. Lin Fanqiu, chairman of DBC Group, pointed out that in the next three to five years, PHA is expected to become an important leader in the \"carbon negative products\" sector. Facing the global trend of increasing attention to carbon footprint accounting and GHG scope 3 management, China is fully implementing green and low-carbon technical regulations such as carbon trading rules, providing strong policy and market support for the large-scale application of PHA. At the same time, the world's leading \"halobacteria chassis technology\" invented by Professor Chen Guoqiang also brings new possibilities for the efficient conversion of carbon dioxide into PHA materials on a large scale. Through the independently developed key technology of \"PHA family multi-component modification and water dispersion system\", DBC has made breakthroughs in core aspects such as the miscibility modification of Bioten biopolymer and BASF's advanced materials and precise control of grafting. It has successfully prepared a water-based modified emulsion with excellent water-blocking, oil-blocking, gas-blocking and heat-sealing adhesion properties. It is expected to realize its large-scale application in paper-based packaging. This achievement not only provides a solid technical foundation for the global \"paper-based plastic\" and green and low-carbon development, but also further promotes the technological innovation of PHA in more application scenarios such as coatings and adhesives, and opens up new practical directions for the bio-based materials industry. APP Sinar Mas and Hengxin Life have joined hands to create a closed loop of industrial chain innovation, and leading papermaking and packaging companies have accelerated the commercialization process of PHA paper-based packaging: Mr. Wang Lexiang, CEO of Sinar Mas Group’s APP Global Large Paper Business Group, said that as the world’s leading paper company, Sinar Mas Group has always regarded sustainable development as its core strategy. In the future, the Group will work with industry partners to accelerate the commercialization of PHA materials with carbon-negative properties through technological innovation and market cultivation, and contribute more competitive Chinese solutions to the \"paper-to-plastic\" global environmental protection field. Yan Deping, chairman of Hengxin Life, a well-known packaging manufacturing company, emphasized that this cooperation is not only an agreement, but also a commitment to jointly fulfill social responsibilities. Hengxin Life will work with all parties to open up the entire chain of \"raw material research and development - process optimization - scale production - marketing\" with an open mind and pragmatic actions, so that PHA bio-based materials can truly become a \"green engine\" for plastic reduction and carbon reduction, and drive China's green packaging industry towards a more sustainable future. Wang Junming, technical director of APP Bohui Paper of APP Sinar Mas, further pointed out that PHA emulsion paper-based coating has huge demand in high-end application scenarios, which not only fits the group's sustainable development concept of \"creating green with green\", but also provides a more practical technical solution for \"paper-based plastic\" in the field of environmentally friendly packaging. To truly achieve large-scale application, in-depth collaboration between upstream and downstream enterprises is required to accelerate the commercialization process of PHA water-based emulsions and their modification solutions, thereby promoting the early achievement of the carbon reduction goal of the industrial chain. Sinar Mas Group APP has the strength and motivation to contribute a feasible Chinese example to global green development. Signing Ceremony and Future Outlook: After the seminar at the Biology Hall of Tsinghua University was successfully concluded, the Sifang enterprise team immediately moved to the Bluepha of Beijing Sino-German Industrial Park, signed a strategic cooperation agreement on the \"Collaborative Innovation Development of PHA Water-based Emulsion Green Packaging\", and agreed on a roadmap for large-scale implementation. This move marks a major breakthrough in China's PHA microbial synthesis technology in the field of green packaging and injects strong impetus into the upgrading of the bio-based packaging industry chain. According to statistics, the current total global plastic production is about 390 million tons, but the recycling rate is low, resulting in a large amount of petroleum-based plastics posing serious challenges to the ecological environment and human health. In contrast, PHA is synthesized through microbial fermentation and can be decomposed into water and carbon dioxide in soil and marine environments, achieving closed-loop utilization \"from source to end\". With the help of carbon trading, carbon tax and plastic restriction policies, if the process is further optimized, PHA's full life cycle emissions are expected to even reach a \"negative carbon\" level. If 5% of traditional plastics in food packaging are replaced with PHA composite paper, approximately 500,000 tons of plastic waste can be reduced every year, bringing a win-win situation to cost reduction, efficiency improvement and environmental protection. The achievement of this four-party strategic cooperation fully demonstrates the deep collaboration and innovation of the entire industry chain from raw material production, modified emulsification, paper product manufacturing to terminal packaging promotion. Looking to the future, all parties will continue to deepen technological breakthroughs, optimize cost structures, and strengthen brand promotion and market applications, so that PHA materials can be applied on a larger scale on green packaging and carbon-negative paths, injecting new vitality into my country's dual carbon goals and the global circular economy and sustainable development. Introduction to the four-party cooperative enterprises (in order of upstream and downstream of the industrial chain) About micro-factory Bluepha is an innovative and influential technology company in the frontier field of biomanufacturing. With the core mission of \"From Microbes to a Green Future\", it develops and manufactures green polymer biomaterials PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) through the transformation and engineering application of halophilic microorganisms. Relying on the founding team's nearly 40 years of PHA research, Bluepha continues to explore more than 10 billion combinations of PHA families, develops modified applications that meet market demand, and works with industry chain partners to provide overall PHA industrialization solutions, and ultimately promotes the realization of the beautiful vision of \"making PHA Life a lifestyle for thousands of households\", landing PHAmily-PHAbrary-PHAdustry-PHA Life\" innovation strategic path. In the future, Bluepha will continue to provide sustainable solutions based on green bio-based materials to global customers with its core positioning as \"a global leader in synthetic biology and bio-manufacturing\". About DBC DBC DBC is an innovative enterprise focusing on the application of new materials. It is committed to technology investment, R&D and manufacturing of environmentally friendly high-performance materials and green low-carbon industries. Since its establishment in Shanghai in 2010, we have rapidly grown into a representative of \"Shanghai Innovative Enterprises\" and \"Specialized and Special New Enterprises\" by virtue of our continuous exploration of functional and environmentally friendly materials. Business coverage: R&D and application innovation of environmentally friendly high-performance materials, new energy battery materials, new paper-based packaging materials, urban renewal low-carbon functional materials, coatings, adhesives, additives and other application scenarios. DBC Group's biopolymer Bioten™ technology brand provides technical support for collaborative innovation in the PHA industry chain. About Sinar Mas Group APP The full name of Sinar Mas Group APP (China) is Sinar Mas Paper (China) Investment Co., Ltd. and its companies invested in mainland China. Since entering China in 1992, it has always adhered to the sustainable development strategy and strived to practice green recycling with the concept of \"forest-pulp-paper integration\" of sustainable papermaking. At present, APP (China) has forestry division, pulp division, large paper division, household paper division, etc. With sales in China of approximately 92.6 billion yuan in 2023, total assets of approximately 242.7 billion yuan, and 26,000 full-time employees, it is a world-famous paper company. About Hengxin Life Hengxin Life (stock code: 301501), founded in 1997, is a high-tech enterprise engaged in the research, development, production and sales of paper and plastic tableware. The company has a rich product line and excellent product quality. It has become a supplier of paper and plastic tableware to many well-known domestic and foreign companies. The company has a dominant position in the field of biodegradable tableware, and its sales area covers Asia, North America, Oceania, Europe and other countries and regions. The company is the vice-president unit of the Degradable Plastics Professional Committee of the China Plastics Processing Industry Association. It has been rated as one of the top ten enterprises in China's light industrial plastics industry (degradable plastics) for six consecutive years. It has been rated as the \"Specialized, Special and New\" champion enterprise in Anhui Province, and the \"Third Product\" demonstration enterprise in the consumer goods industry in Anhui Province. It was selected into the fourth batch of specialized, special and new \"Little Giant\" enterprise lists; it won the China Light Industry Advanced Unit Award for Integration of Informatization and Industrialization, and the Bio-based and Biodegradable Materials Market Promotion Contribution Award. The company has multiple production bases, and its products cover catering industries such as fast food, takeout, and beverages, as well as various consumption scenarios such as large enterprises or institutions, civil aviation, and household daily consumption. It has the production capacity for the entire product process; the company's biodegradable tableware can be biodegraded and can help achieve the \"double carbon\" goal, which is in line with the national strategic direction. Article source: Beijing Daily, Life Times Picture source: Bluepha, DBC",
            "date_published": "2025-04-18T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2025-04-18-8257450/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-04-11-paper-cup-green-journey.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2025-04-11-paper-cup-green-journey.html",
            "title": "2025 Goal: From the Earth to the Moon, the green journey of the small paper cup!",
            "summary": "BASF & Dubaicheng barrier packaging product solutions - sales service platform released!",
            "content_text": "Have you ever thought that the small paper cup you hold when drinking milk tea or coffee might be the starting point of \"flying to the moon\"? That's right, according to the calculations made by scientists (or maybe just us): 📏 The average distance between the Earth and the Moon is about 384,400 kilometers 🥤 Each paper cup is about 10cm high 🧮 It would take 3.844 billion paper cups laid end to end to “line up from the earth to the moon” ⚖️ Each paper cup weighs about 7 grams, and the total weight of food cardboard is about 27,460 tons It sounds cool, but the reality is frowned upon: hundreds of billions of disposable paper cups are discarded or burned every year, posing environmental challenges no less than this \"Galaxy Paper Cup Chain\". When \"small paper cups\" meet \"big environmental protection\": the embarrassing situation of disposable paper cups ❶ Why are traditional paper cups not environmentally friendly? •Most paper cups in use today are inseparable from PE (polyethylene) coating. Although it is waterproof and oil-repellent, it is difficult to degrade and has become a \"plastic flower that will not wither for 500 years.\" • Brands with strong environmental awareness are switching to expensive PLA paper cups on a small scale, claiming to be \"recyclable and degradable\". However, in fact, PLA paper cups are extremely difficult to recycle and repulp, and it is also very challenging to degrade in an industrial composting environment. Most of them are recycled and incinerated, and the actual application effect is worrying. ❷ If the quantity is too large, the problem will be bigger •There are not hundreds of millions of paper cups, but hundreds of billions every year! A paper cup may seem as light as a feather, but when gathered together, it is enough to collapse the city's environmental protection system. •It is difficult to recycle and the cost of reuse is high. The scavengers pick out paper cups before throwing them away. Disposable paper cups have become the invisible main force of \"white pollution\". ❸ Drinking one cup after another makes you happy. What to do with the waste paper cups? •For example, Shanghai leads the country in garbage classification, but disposable paper cups are neither “recyclable” nor can they be sold for money, so no one is willing to pick them up. •Millions of paper cups go into incinerators every day in a city. Industrial landfill sites are tight and incineration emissions are under pressure. The \"last mile\" of green city construction is stuck here. 2. The \"Earth to the Moon\" idea is not only romantic, but also backed by professional data 📐 Distance between Earth and Moon: 384,400,000 meters 🥤 Paper cup height: 0.1 meters 🧮 Number of paper cups required: 3,844,000,000 (3.844 billion) In fact, these paper cups are all difficult to recycle and non-biodegradable, and have long become a green trouble for various countries; If it can be recycled, waste can be turned into treasure and the value chain can be reshaped. 3. DBC’s problem-solving ideas: From DPU™ environmentally friendly high-performance materials to Bioten™ biopolymer water-based coatings ✅ 2012-2020: DBC environmentally friendly high-performance materials accumulation period DBC joined hands with BASF to develop a series of environmentally friendly high-performance materials that “seem to be far away from paper cups, but are actually closely related”: •DPU™ environmentally friendly and durable plastic track •Antux™ bio-based emulsion paint •CASU™ battery additives and adhesives... This laid a solid foundation for the subsequent birth of Bioten™ biopolymer. “The things that small paper cups can do are often inseparable from the technological progress of the materials behind them.” ✅ 2021: Respond to plastic restrictions and enter green packaging •Facing the current situation of paper cups that are difficult to recycle and degrade, DBC is determined to \"undertake major surgery\" •Officially launched water-based barrier research and development plan ✅ 2022-2024: Technical research, small-scale trial production •DBC collaborates with industrial chain partners such as paper giant APP, chemical giant BASF, and cup maker Li Le Technology to innovate, Launched water-based paper cups with the triple characteristics of \"recyclable and repulpable, biodegradable, and microwaveable\" •Initially launched into high-end consumption scenarios such as coffee, milk tea, and fast food in international markets such as Europe, the United States, and Southeast Asia, and gained recognition from both the market and users. However, due to our high costs, it is difficult to universally replace the market. ✅February 28, 2025: World premiere of large-scale mass production, accelerating the journey to the moon •With the breakthrough of APP APP Sinar Mas and Bohui Paper’s online high-speed continuous coating technology, the world’s first large-scale production of Zero Plastic™ EPP food cardboard water-based barrier technology that combines environmental protection and performance has been realized 🔁 High efficiency + low cost + great environmental protection trinity •Food cardboard uses Bioten™ biopolymer water-based barrier adhesive jointly developed by BASF's advanced technology Bioten™ and DBC, enabling each paper cup to be recycled and repulped for more than 6 times, opening up a new trend in the carbon-negative development of technologically innovative products for green packaging companies. 4. What’s so great about Bioten’s biopolymer water-based barrier technology? ✨ 1. No need to use plastic film, it can also effectively block •Abandon PE/PLA film and switch to water-based barrier technology for one-time online high-speed coating. In terms of practicality: waterproof, oil-resistant, heat-sealing, and printability are all available. ♻️ 2. Recycling rate as high as 98.8% •Paper cups certified by PTS and using water-based barrier technology can be directly put into the repulping system for easy and efficient reuse •The paper fiber recovery rate is as high as 98.8%, with almost no loss. 🥛 3. Food grade safety certification, suitable for both hot and cold consumption •Authoritative standards that pass FDA, GB, BfR and other food contact regulations •Whether it’s iced American style, hot latte, milk tea, soup, or burger paper, you can hold it for the entire audience 5. Collaborative industrial chain: Make “small paper cup, big cycle” come true Our upstream and downstream: raw materials and paper making •Cooperate with top companies in the industry such as BASF, APP Sinar Mas Group, and Bohui Paper to ensure high-quality raw materials and high-speed coating stability for papermaking Midstream Us: Development of functional biopolymer emulsions •Expand environmental protection technology to multiple application scenarios such as food packaging, industrial packaging, express packaging, daily necessities packaging, electronic packaging, etc. Whole industry chain: jointly building advanced recycling standards •We collaborate with BASF and Sinar Mas Group to work with paper container manufacturers, equipment manufacturers, restaurant chain brands, takeout platforms and other partners to design leading group standards, local standards, industry standards, and national standards •Introducing recycling and recycled pulp companies to jointly build a closed-loop resource recycling ecosystem 6. The romance of “Earth to the Moon” and the reality of a unified national market 🌙 Romance VS Reality Using 3.844 billion paper cups to pave an \"earth-moon tunnel\" sounds romantic, but it is actually an environmental \"alarm\": the consumption of paper cups is huge, and the potential pollution risks are alarming. DBC's goal is not to \"really reach the moon\", but to allow every paper cup to enter the recycling system and truly achieve sustainable development with technological rigor. 🌱 Green consumption × dual carbon goals •The technological breakthrough of water-based barrier paper cups means a significant reduction in the consumption of PLA/PE paper cups •At the same time, we have also exported this product to Europe, Southeast Asia, South America, the United States and other regions Driven by green technology, we will form the competitive strength of global green and low-carbon innovation, reduce costs and increase efficiency, enhance international competitiveness, and help the internal circulation of China's economy. 📦 A new green outlet under China’s unified market •Standardization and large-scale water-based paper cups are the only way to achieve national green packaging coordinated carbon reduction •For brands, this is a “green business card” that delivers value, enhances image, and enhances market competitiveness. ✅ Let your imagination shine into reality and cheer for China with the power of \"cup\"! The imagination of going from the earth to the moon is a romantic idea. It is also a warning light for resource consumption. DBC hopes that every one of you and me holding a paper cup will All can contribute to green consumption. Changing the world does not have to be earth-shattering; starting with a small paper cup can also ignite the flame of environmental protection and help \"double carbon\" China. 🌍 DBC collaborates with the industrial chain value network to use \"small paper cups\" to leverage \"big environmental protection\" and empower China's unified large market. ——Make packaging more environmentally friendly and make the earth a better place! Click to enter BASF & DBC Bioten™️BIOTEN products paper-based packaging water-based barrier technology product solutions and service platform! Welcome to join as agents, apply for samples, download product technical descriptions, etc.",
            "date_published": "2025-04-11T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2025-04-11-8257284/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2024-09-10-dpu-olympic-champion-peking-university-run.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2024-09-10-dpu-olympic-champion-peking-university-run.html",
            "title": "DBC DPU Track and Olympic Champions: Supporting Peking University's First Run of the New Term!",
            "summary": "Peking University’s “First Run of the School” is not only a running event, but also a spiritual baptism and challenge.",
            "content_text": "At the start of the 2024 academic year, Peking University held its First Run of the New Term at the May Fourth Sports Field and at the all-weather sports field of its Shenzhen Graduate School. The event marked a new starting point for incoming students and reflected Cai Yuanpei's educational view that physical education is foundational to the development of the whole person.At Peking University's May Fourth Sports Field, Paris Olympic champions Ma Long, Chen Meng, Pan Zhanle and Feng Yu attended alongside Gao Zhidan of the General Administration of Sport of China, Peking University Party Secretary Hao Ping, President Gong Qihuang and other representatives. At the Shenzhen Graduate School's all-weather sports field, attendees included table-tennis Grand Slam champion Ding Ning; Peking University honorary trustee and Songhe Capital founding partner Li Wei; DBC Group founder Lin Fanqiu, a recipient of Peking University's Education Contribution Award; and Peking University Vice President and Shenzhen Graduate School Dean Zhang Jin. Students, faculty and guests at both venues witnessed the event and its message of sporting spirit, responsibility and hope.The Power of Olympic Champions: Drawing Spirit and Courage from SportsPeking University's 'First Run of the New Term' is not just a running event; it is also a spiritual cleansing and challenge. The presence of Olympic champions, who demonstrated resilience, focus, and perseverance in their competitions, provided profound inspiration and strength to the freshmen, encouraging them to bravely move forward on their new academic journey.Ma Long, the Paris Olympic champion in table tennis, expressed his warm welcome after a decade of absence. Reflecting on his time at Peking University, he encouraged freshmen to be grounded and bold in pursuing their dreams. Ma Long's achievements demonstrated that sports are not only physical exercise but also a test of willpower. It is this unwavering attitude that helps individuals advance on their dream paths.Pan Zhanle cited the idea that a long journey is built step by step: success is accumulated through sustained effort rather than achieved overnight. He encouraged incoming students to build strength through each workout and to treat every drop of sweat as part of the foundation for future progress. He added that, when facing future difficulties and challenges, remaining true to one's original aspiration and continuing to work hard can lead to moments of achievement.Chen Meng encouraged the freshmen to bravely pursue their dreams and work together. She expressed her hope for everyone's continued success at Peking University. Her experience demonstrated how one can grow from setbacks and showed that sports shine not only during victories but also teach resilience in facing failures, encouraging one to rise again and move forward.Feng Yu encouraged the freshmen to maintain an open mindset in their studies and reminded them not to fear failure or easily give up. She hoped that students would shine in their respective fields, bravely facing challenges. Feng Yu believes that the spirit of 'not fearing defeat and not giving up' will help students achieve greater success and growth in the future.Ding Ning, a multiple Olympic champion in table tennis, highlighted the importance of sports in fostering resilience and self-discipline. She shared how she maintained composure under pressure and found inner peace and strength in extreme situations. This mindset is crucial not only on the competitive field but also in academic and future life. Ding Ning believes that through sports training, freshmen can not only strengthen their physical fitness but also develop inner resilience to face various challenges in the future.Innovative Technology: Enhanced Sports Facilities at Peking UniversityTo improve students' sports experience, Peking University has continued to invest in campus sports facilities. Following the previous upgrading of the May Fourth Sports Field and the 400-meter DPU running track at the New Yanyuan campus, the all-weather sports field at the Shenzhen Graduate School was also upgraded during the summer, continuing the university's work on sports facilities.All three 400-meter standard circular tracks across Peking University's three campuses are equipped with DPU rubberized running track systems. These systems meet the dual standards of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA), and maintain over 35% impact absorption performance in extreme cold weather, effectively protecting athletes' knee joints. Compared to traditional tracks, which can suffer from elasticity degradation and reduced anti-slip performance due to low temperatures or prolonged use, DPU tracks, with their innovative materials, significantly enhance durability and safety. This ensures that athletes can enjoy safe, environmentally friendly, and professional sports experiences regardless of weather conditions. This technological upgrade not only improves safety but also significantly enhances students' overall sports experience.Building Strength through Sports: Cultivating Character and ResponsibilityThrough this meaningful run, the freshmen not only gained physical exercise but also spiritual strength. Sports carry more than just physical challenges; they also instill inner resilience and transcendence in the face of adversity. The courage and perseverance cultivated through sports training form the foundation for overcoming difficulties in future studies and life.During their runs, the freshmen gained insights into continuously refining themselves and strengthening their willpower. Sports endowed them with the strength to face the unknown and unwavering belief, enabling them to meet every challenge on their future journey, no matter how arduous. Through the trials of sports, they learned to maintain inner stability and direction amidst change and uncertainty, constantly exploring their potential and becoming more fulfilled and complete individuals.",
            "date_published": "2024-09-10T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2024-09-10-dpu-olympic-champion-peking-university-run/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2024-08-16-antux-bio-based-paint-patent.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2024-08-16-antux-bio-based-paint-patent.html",
            "title": "Praise for ANTUX™ Sparrow Paint Patent: A Textbook-Level Invention in Biobased Green Building Materials Paints Attracts Attention!",
            "summary": "The scale of the global coatings market has reached 1.42 trillion yuan, and the overall scale of China's coatings market has reached 500 billion yuan, of which the architectural coatings market accounts for about 170 billion yuan.",
            "content_text": "The global paint market has reached 1.42 trillion yuan, with China's overall paint market size at 500 billion yuan RMB, of which the building paint market accounts for approximately 170 billion yuan. Despite the massive demand,Title: Green and Low-Carbon Transformation: Groundbreaking Green Building Material Paint Invention Sparks Interest.Introduction: Exploring the significance of green and low-carbon transformation policies and sharing technical insights on specific low-carbon products.Recently, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the 'Opinions on Accelerating the Comprehensive Green Transformation of Economic and Social Development,' a landmark policy aimed at promoting nationwide green and low-carbon transformation and setting a grand goal to achieve a 15 trillion yuan green economy by 2030. This is the first systematic deployment at the central level for comprehensive green transformation. The Opinions outline overall requirements, main targets for carbon peak, and implementation paths, comprehensively driving the green development of the socio-economic system.ANTUX™ Sparrow® Latex Paint SeriesGood paint for home renovation speaks volumes through data.The policy particularly emphasizes increasing the share of non-fossil fuels in total energy consumption to 25%. In this context, green building materials are identified as a key area, with the promotion of urban micro-updates and widespread application in home wall retouching markets playing a crucial role in the low-carbon transformation of paint. However, despite the significance of this policy, many businesses and the public remain uncertain about its specific implications and practical impacts, necessitating deeper understanding through real-world examples and innovative products. This also provides an excellent opportunity to delve into related innovative technologies.Expert Analysis: Technological Innovations and Practical Application Prospects in Green Building MaterialsTo better understand the practical application of green and low-carbon transformation policies, we can delve into an innovative invention in a green building material paint product. The patent 'Biobased Antimicrobial Formaldehyde-Removal Latex Paint Composition and Its Preparation Method and Application' (Patent No.: ZL202211026210.9) developed by the ANTUX™ Sparrow Paint team is one of the leading technologies in the current green building materials field. This invention not only reduces reliance on traditional petroleum-based materials but also ensures the practicality and functionality of the product, marking a significant breakthrough in promoting the widespread application of green building materials.'Historical release materials trace the project back to its joint development in 2020, describing its use of biobased materials and low odor, low volatile organic compounds (VOC), washability, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties. The VOC, formaldehyde, efficacy, durability, and carbon footprint claims must be tied to specific product models, testing methods, valid reports, and applicable conditions. This page does not draw conclusions about the current product or market position based on these descriptions.By refining its patent portfolio, the ANTUX team has effectively protected this innovative technology, ensuring its global market leadership. By applying this biobased paint to urban micro-updates and home wall repaint markets, the company can not only meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations but also offer high-performance, low-pollution paint options to consumers. The successful development and promotion of this product not only respond to national policy calls but also set a new benchmark for green building materials in the global latex paint industry.Pioneers in Green Building Materials: Redefining the Trillion-Dollar Paint MarketAs of 2023, the global paint market has reached $198.34 billion (approximately RMB 1.42 trillion). Within this massive market, China's overall paint market size stands at RMB 500 billion, with architectural coatings accounting for approximately RMB 170 billion. Despite the vast demand, China's paint market is facing a critical moment of redefinition. Mr. Lin Fanqiu, Executive Director of the ANTUX™ Paint Company, notes that traditional business logic is being challenged by new market rules, and the rapid growth trend in the paint market over the past three decades may not be repeated. Reliance on agents, channels, and stores may become a burden for companies. We cannot wait for a rebound or return to so-called 'normalcy'; instead, we must adapt to the overall economic downturn that is likely to persist for a long time. Realistic understanding, pragmatic response strategies, and a long-term perspective with sustainability may help paint companies stand their ground in future challenges.With the increasing demand for urban micro-updates, home renovations, and repainting, as well as the refurbishment needs of public facilities such as hospitals and schools, the market potential for biobased functional green building materials is expanding. In the context of China's active promotion of green and low-carbon transformation, biobased materials and low-VOC products in the paint industry have quickly become focal points. The innovative patent of ANTUX™ Sparrow Paint not only sets new industry standards for green building materials but also holds potential in the trillion-dollar green paint market, positioning itself to stand out in future market competition and lead industry development.Through technology exports and international cooperation, biobased building materials are not only playing a crucial role in the domestic market but also contributing significantly to the global green building materials market. This helps advance the development of green building materials globally and further consolidates China's leading position in the international green building materials sector.",
            "date_published": "2024-08-16T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2024-08-16-antux-bio-based-paint-patent/image1.gif"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2024-06-07-dpu-sports-expo-2024-chengdu.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2024-06-07-dpu-sports-expo-2024-chengdu.html",
            "title": "DBC Sports™ DPU Running Tracks Continuously Participate in the 2024 Chengdu China International Sports Equipment Expo for Nine Years",
            "summary": "DPU track, protect your knee joints! Use new materials, new processes, new standards, and new technologies to continuously promote the global upgrading and development of the sports flooring industry",
            "content_text": "The 41st China International Sports Equipment Expo recently took place grandly at the Chengdu Exhibition City. DBC Sports™ has continuously participated in the China International Sports Equipment Expo for nine years, showcasing its DPU running tracks.DBC Sports uses green technology to empower sustainable development in the sports industry. Over the past decade and a half, it has consistently led innovation in the sports flooring industry. Since 2015, when it launched the eco-friendly and durable DPU rubberized track, DBC Sports has organized and initiated advanced technical worker training competitions for sports flooring. It was also one of the earliest to develop and implement advanced Shanghai group standards and participated in the formulation and implementation of national mandatory standards by the Ministry of Education. Over the past decade, it has promoted the development of over 10 advanced material or process standards in the sports flooring industry. Through continuous innovation and leadership, DBC Sports has established itself as a beacon for innovation and market leadership in the sports flooring industry.The DPU running tracks have garnered significant attention at this year's expo due to their exceptional physical and mechanical performance throughout the seasons and their safe and environmentally friendly material systems. Over nearly a decade of market accumulation, DPU running tracks have gained recognition from international schools, renowned universities, and private kindergartens, with over 3,000 successful case studies in school sports fields. At the 2024 expo, DPU running tracks showcased innovative high-performance recyclable materials and green low-carbon technology solutions, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the products while maintaining excellent performance even under extreme outdoor weather conditions, offering new ideas for green and low-carbon innovations in China's sports flooring industry.Technical Demonstrations and Performance Information at the ExhibitionProtect Your Knees with DPU Tracks!At the 2024 expo, DBC Sports showcased the latest technological innovations in its DPU running tracks. These tracks feature high-performance recyclable materials and green low-carbon technologies, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the products while enhancing their physical durability and safety and environmental performance.Exceptional Seasonal AdaptabilityThe DPU track maintains excellent elasticity under extreme weather conditions, performing consistently at around 40% impact absorption rate even in temperatures as low as -30°C and as high as 40°C. This far exceeds the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and China Athletics Association's requirement of no less than 35%. Even at -30°C, the DPU track retains a moderate level of elasticity, significantly outperforming conventional track materials that become hard and lose their elasticity in low temperatures. This innovative technology is widely recognized as a significant technological upgrade by global athletics organizations and relevant institutions, addressing long-standing industry challenges. The DPU track has become a model for high-performance, environmentally friendly sports flooring.Environmental and Durability TechnologiesThe environmental materials used in the DPU track not only exhibit superior physical properties but also ensure odor-free performance in high-temperature environments, addressing the common issue of toxic volatile substances. This ensures the health and safety of users. Additionally, BASF and DBC Group have jointly launched the premium sports flooring brand BASF&DBC™, integrating the excellent properties of ETPU materials into the DPU track system, which offers superior recyclability, further reducing the environmental impact of the product. Through UV-resistant and anti-aging technologies, the lifespan of the DPU track has been significantly extended, reducing maintenance costs and resource waste.Historical Applications and Market RecordsSince its launch, the DPU track has been successfully applied to over 6,000 venues in China, including DPU rubber tracks, DPU basketball courts, DPU fitness paths, DPU children's protective floors, and DPU community sunlit sports fields. More than 3,000 of these venues cover international schools, private kindergartens, and renowned universities' sports facilities. The successful implementation of these projects not only validates the superior performance of the DPU track system but also sets new benchmarks for the industry. The DPU track has demonstrated outstanding performance in enhancing athletic experience and reducing injuries, receiving widespread acclaim and becoming the preferred choice for athletics fields at international schools and renowned universities.Future Outlook: Zero-Carbon Solutions for the Entire Lifecycle of DPU TracksDBC Group Sports will continue to focus on innovation and the development of green zero-carbon material technologies. By continuously optimizing product performance and environmental technologies, it will contribute to the sustainable development of the industry. Over the next few years, DBC Group Sports plans to increase R&D investment, launching more high-performance, zero-carbon material solutions for the entire lifecycle of sports flooring, driving continuous upgrades in the global sports flooring industry.Stay Informed: Discover More About the Innovative Technologies and Application Cases of BASF&DBC™ DPU Tracks. Follow Us to Learn About Our Agency Policies and Let Green, Low-Carbon, and High-Performance Sports Flooring Facilities Accompany You!Event Extension and DBC OverviewSeventh School Sports Ground High-Quality Development Technology SeminarDBC Group IntroductionInnovating Future ApplicationsDBC Group, a leading innovative enterprise based on new material applications, focuses on the investment, research and development, as well as production and sales of high-performance recyclable materials. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Shanghai, China, DBC is recognized as an innovative company, a specialized, precise, unique, and novel enterprise, and a national high-tech enterprise. Over the past decade, DBC has successfully expanded the innovative applications of high-performance environmental materials into various fields, working with partners to build a sustainable future, providing high-quality system solutions for green and safe living environments.Business Scope: Functional coatings and high-performance environmental materials systems for functional updates in urban micro-updates, school green construction and facility upgrades, hospital building updates, and sports facility updates. Custom development and sales of specialized electronic chemical products for the new energy industry. Solutions for high-performance recyclable materials and biodegradable materials to support the innovative development of green low-carbon, zero-carbon, and negative-carbon new material applications in government and industries.Brands and Products: DBC Investment Technology, DBC New Materials, DBC Application Innovation, CASU High-End Chemicals Investment, ANTUX Environmental Coatings, DBC Sports, ANTUX Sports Flooring, ANTUX Architectural Coatings, Sparrow Latex Paints, Route Treasure Sponge City, Core Lithium Light™ Nanomaterials, BASF&DBC Sports Flooring, DPU Environmental Characteristics Materials, Dao Ying Sports Industry Service Technology, and more than a dozen specialized industry brand names. These provide comprehensive support for the application and promotion of high-performance environmental materials towards green and sustainable development.",
            "date_published": "2024-06-07T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2024-06-07-dpu-sports-expo-2024-chengdu/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2024-06-06-zero-carbon-circular-paper-cup-alliance.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2024-06-06-zero-carbon-circular-paper-cup-alliance.html",
            "title": "Shanghai Carbon Expo announced: Zero-carbon recycling paper cup pioneer alliance established",
            "summary": "Shanghai International Carbon Expo, BASF, Dubaicheng DBC, Jinguang Paper APP, Lido Zero Carbon Recycling Paper Cup Pioneer Alliance",
            "content_text": "On June 5, 2024, many well-known companies and institutions such as BASF, DBC DBC, Singuang Paper APP, Lido Technology, Nestlé, and E-Carbon Technology launched the \"Zero-Carbon Recycling Paper Cup Pioneer Alliance\" at the Shanghai International Carbon Expo. The establishment of this small paper cup green alliance marks an important step in the field of green and low-carbon environmental protection. Seeing the big from the small, low-carbon technology products within reach will enter people's lives and will surely lead the new trend of global green and low-carbon technology innovation and development. Launching ceremony of the Zero Carbon Recycling Paper Cup Pioneer Alliance Ms. Zhu Yi, Deputy Director of Shanghai Municipal Commerce Commission, delivered a speech Zhu Yi, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, said in his speech that the Municipal Commission of Commerce deeply implements the concept of green development, supports foreign-funded enterprises to give full play to the radiating and leading role of supply chain leading enterprises in the fields of ESG, green supply chain, carbon footprint, etc., and actively creates a symbiotic and win-win supply chain cooperation ecosystem; the \"double carbon\" track has given birth to huge investment opportunities and consumer demand. It is hoped that foreign enterprises can seize the new opportunities of the development of the times and work together to achieve greener, low-carbon and sustainable development. The founding ceremony of the \"Zero Carbon Recycling Paper Cup Pioneer Alliance\" was held at the \"2024 Shanghai International Carbon Neutral Technology, Products and Achievements Expo Foreign-Invested Green and Low-Carbon Technology Forum·Energy Transformation and Zero-Carbon Park\" hosted by the Shanghai Association of Foreign Investment at the Kerry Hotel in Pudong, Shanghai. The alliance will work under the guidance of the Shanghai Municipal Commerce Commission, the Shanghai Ecological Environment Bureau and the Shanghai Association of Foreign Investment, and under the leadership of the Green and Low Carbon Branch of the Shanghai Association of Foreign Investment. The Pioneer Alliance is committed to promoting the sustainable development of the green, low-carbon and environmentally friendly paper cup industry, bringing together top scholars and industry experts in the industry chain to compile technical standards and market promotions for the entire disposable paper cup industry chain and end-user recyclability, and promote the application of these standards on a global scale. The forum has also received support from many well-known units such as Shanghai Environmental Protection Industry Association, United Nations Industrial Development Organization Investment and Technology Promotion Shanghai Office, National Economic and Technological Development Zone Green Development Alliance, Shanghai Development Zone Association, BASF (China) Co., Ltd., National Environmental Protection Association, and Bofeng Investment Management Company. Dr. Lou Jianfeng, Chairman and President of BASF Greater China, delivered a speech Dr. Lou Jianfeng, Chairman of the Green and Low Carbon Branch of the Shanghai Association of Foreign Investment and Chairman and President of BASF Greater China, said in his speech: \"With the help of the Shanghai International Carbon Neutral Expo, we comprehensively display BASF's cutting-edge low-carbon technologies and solutions, and use the innovation 'chain' to drive upstream and downstream to help customers' green transformation and business success. The road to low carbon requires innovation, but also collaboration. Our exhibition theme summarizes It reflects how BASF works with its partners to advance its own 2050 net-zero emissions process, and also embodies our vision and determination to work together with our partners to achieve carbon neutrality. The zero-carbon paper cup is not only an important milestone for BASF and our partners in the field of low-carbon environmental protection, but also our commitment to a green future. We acknowledge the challenges, but we remain hopeful. We believe that through our joint efforts, a green and low-carbon future is just around the corner.” At this Carbon Expo, the plastic-free paper cups launched by paper giant APP Jinguang Paper became a highlight. Jinguang Paper's zero-plastic paper cups use BASF's water-based film-forming dispersion Bioten™️ HPB heat-sealable liquid barrier material, and advanced water-based barrier coating technology products jointly developed with DBC DBC. They are manufactured by Lido Technology, making the paper cups fully recyclable and reusable. Compared with traditional PE coated paper cups, APP plastic-free paper cups using a water-based barrier coating significantly reduce carbon emissions throughout their life cycle. According to statistics, China's production scale of disposable paper cups in 2023 will be approximately 150 billion, and local consumption will be as high as 100 billion. If all cups are replaced with APP plastic-free paper cups, millions of tons of high-quality paper fibers will be recycled every year, saving huge amounts of water resources and electricity. These plastic-free paper cups also have environmentally friendly properties such as degradable and microwaveable. They can not only meet the requirements of Shanghai's construction of a solid waste-free city, but also meet the green and low-carbon development requirements of many countries and regions, using the momentum of new productivity to accelerate the realization of China's dual-carbon green goal. The Zero-Carbon Recycling Paper Cup Pioneer Alliance is a successful example of cooperation and innovation among enterprises in the entire industry chain. In the past year, four upstream and downstream companies, BASF, DBC, Jinguang Paper, and Lile Technology, have promoted a series of cross-field cooperation innovation models, successfully jointly promoting new materials, new applications, new technologies, and new markets, quickly opening a door to the world for the market application of green technology for environmentally friendly paper cups. At the Shanghai International Carbon Expo, APP’s plastic-free paper cups also attracted the attention of many domestic and foreign professional visitors and media. As one of the highlights of the exhibition, the zero-plastic paper cup not only demonstrates Jinguang Paper's leading position in the papermaking field, but also provides a demonstration for the promotion and application of green packaging and low-carbon technology in the future. DBC Group DBC We innovate future applications DBC Group (DBC) is an innovative enterprise based on the application of new materials, dedicated to the investment, research and development, production and sales of high-performance recycling materials industry. DBC was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Shanghai, China. It is an innovative enterprise, a specialized enterprise and a national high-tech enterprise in Shanghai. For more than ten years, DBC has successfully expanded the innovative application of high-performance environmentally friendly materials to more fields, worked with partners to build a sustainable future, and provided high-quality system solutions for the safety and convenience of human life and the environment. The business is for the government and industry: functional coatings and high-performance environmentally friendly material system product solutions for urban micro-renewal, school green construction and facility renewal, hospital building renewal, and stadium facility renewal. Customized development and sales of special electronic chemical products for the new energy industry. High-performance recycling materials and biomaterial solutions support the innovative development of green low-carbon, zero-carbon, and negative-carbon new material application technologies by the government and industry. Brands and products: DBC™ Investment Technology, DBC™ New Materials, DBC™ Application Innovation, China Science and Technology Lianhua™ High-end Chemical Investment, CASU™ Battery Materials, ANTUX™ Environmentally Friendly Coatings, DBC Sports™ Plastic Track, ANTUXoshi™ Architectural Coatings, Sparrow™ Latex Paint, Reuters More than ten well-known brands in the sub-industry, including Bao™ Sponge City, Core Lithium Lighting™ nanomaterials, BASF&DBC™ sports flooring materials, DPU™ environmentally friendly performance materials, and Daoying™ sports industry service technology, provide comprehensive support for the application and promotion of high-performance environmentally friendly materials for green and sustainable development.",
            "date_published": "2024-06-06T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2024-06-06-7254375/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2024-05-20-dpu.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2024-05-20-dpu.html",
            "title": "Peking University’s Wusi Stadium Upgraded: DBC DPU Track Supports the Capital Universities Athletics Games",
            "summary": "The Star of the Athletics championship and the Games will break record, to motivate students to transcend themselves and pursue dreams at sports...",
            "content_text": "The upgraded track at Peking University’s Wusi Sports Center received Class I venue certification from the Chinese Athletics Association. On 2024-05-18, at the opening of the 62nd Capital Universities Student Athletics Games, the upgraded DPU synthetic running track passed the association’s Class I certification. The article reports that it meets national athletics-event requirements and the environmental and physical-mechanical performance tests specified by the Ministry of Education and the General Administration of Sport. Wusi Stadium can serve as a venue for domestic and international multi-sport events and national athletics competitions. The Beijing University has always attached great importance to the development of sports, making physical education one of its major educational concepts. The Five Sports Centers are tasked with training and promoting sport. To further enhance physical facilities at sports sites and teacher-pupil experiences, schools have been working on the following topics:2023The year summer began the full renovation and upgrading of the stadiums at the North Five Four Sports Centre. On the left: Liu Mohui, Deputy Director of the Department of Physical Education and Research, Beijing UniversityDBC GroupCEO Linfanqiu; Liu Jun, Vice-Minister of Capital Engineering, Beijing University; Chan Junwei, Director of Sports and Physical Education Department, Beijing university; Yang Tian Chi, China Association for Athletics and Sports Accreditation Service Centre; Rikisde Li Bin. In the use of Beijing University, Ministry of Sports and Education, management, Beijing University Capital Engineering, certified China Association for Athletics and Athropology Accreditation Service Centre, material brandingDBCThe building of the Riksdag full-chain unit, together with its cooperation, has led to a spectacular upgrading of the stadiums at the Five and Four Sports Centre into a first-class facility that meets the highest standards of national and international track and fielding and meets the needs of teachers and students for physical exercise. This upgrade covers the track and field.synthetic running trackThere are several sports sites, including football fields, basketball courts, volleyball and tennis stadiums.synthetic running trackInternationally advanced DPUs were introducedsynthetic running trackThe system, which has three major innovations: ETPU shock buffer technology (effectively reducing and providing excellent protection of the motorists ' knee damage),zero VOCNutrient technologies (environmentally unfavourite, healthy and comfortable sports environments for athletes) and anti-UV aging techniques (effective resistance to ultraviolet and rain erosion, longer useful life). The winner of the Stars of the Field. High Technology DPUsynthetic running trackThe system's going to make the 5-4 stadium.synthetic running trackThe combined capacity also meets the requirements of the World Association of Athletics and Athropology (IAAF) for use and is the country's most stringent.synthetic running trackEnvironmental standards limit the requirements for harmful volatiles such as VOC, formaldehyde and other products.DPUThe runway is still stable.40%The impact absorption performance, both at the right and left, is not lost in elasticity, providing excellent protection to the knees of sportsmen and effectively reducing motor damage. A new five-four sports centre has given new impetus to the development of the North's sport industry and has provided teachers and students with more environmentally friendly, safe, comfortable and professional sports experience. The Five-Four sports centres are not only a venue for their students and teachers, but also a vehicle for the spirit of the Great North. They have witnessed the struggle of generations of North masters to sweat, be strong and promote the spirit. DPUThe runway is a world-famous sports field brand.BASF&DBCThe environmental durability of the products producedsynthetic running trackSystem products.BASF&DBCFuck.DPUThe runway, with advanced technology and reliable quality, has successfully overtaken China.3000The collaboration with the North was undoubtedly a new landmark in building global university sports sites.BASF&DBCThe power and influence of the fucking brand. Beijing University, University of the Capital62The students' track and track games, the school and the contestants have broken history.81- The college.1721Aceeds, in116The fielding program is a major battle.DBCThe Games ' Winners and Games ' Record-breaking Awards, created and sponsored by Sports Cooperation, are designed to motivate students to transcend themselves at sports events and pursue their dreams and promote the full development of the track and track career of university students at Beijing University. Beijing University Five Four Sports Centre DPUsynthetic running trackThe show's on the track.",
            "date_published": "2024-05-20T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-08-04T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2024-05-20-dpu/cms-image-05460088ff0b4cbb.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2024-04-26-circular-materials-green-low-carbon.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2024-04-26-circular-materials-green-low-carbon.html",
            "title": "DBC and supply chain partners co-create: circular materials lead the development of green and low-carbon innovation",
            "summary": "Green and low-carbon products are the key elements for the sustainable development of enterprises and the improvement of international competitiveness.",
            "content_text": "Recently, the \"New Path of Circular Economy - Practical Seminar on Recycling, Recycling and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction of Water-based Coated Paper Cups\" jointly organized by the Shanghai Association of Foreign Investment, Sinarguang Paper (China) Investment Co., Ltd., BASF (China) Co., Ltd., DBC Group Co., Ltd., and Lile Technology was successfully held at the Shanghai Association of Foreign Investment. The new path of circular economy - a big future for small paper cups has also brought market innovation vitality to the innovative development of waste-free construction in Shanghai. The forum was supported by a number of professional institutions such as Tongji University's Institute of Circular Economy, Shanghai Energy Saving and Emission Reduction Center, Shanghai Urban Investment Environmental Resources Utilization Co., Ltd., Shanghai Quality Inspection Institute, Shanghai Construction Technology, and TUV Rheinland, and attracted the participation of well-known domestic and foreign companies such as Starbucks, McDonald's, KFC, Luckin Coffee, and FamilyMart. Many industry leaders discussed the future development of cross-industry collaborative carbon reduction and looked forward to the vision of building a green and low-carbon supply chain. Introduction to the Preparatory Planning of the Green and Low-Carbon Pioneer Alliance Disposable paper cups are a dining tool that almost everyone uses. The coffee and tea we usually drink are also inseparable from disposable paper cups. According to statistics, hundreds of billions of disposable paper cups are used every year, representing millions of tons of paper resources. The key problem is that these used paper cups can hardly be reused. Because the inner wall of the paper cup is coated with a layer of PE coating to prevent leakage and other functional problems, the recycling of the entire paper cup is greatly reduced. Paper cups coated with PE coating cannot be degraded. Most paper cups can only be incinerated after being discarded. This has a clear impact on the environment and waste of resources! Disposable paper cups have the highest quality fiber and can be recycled and reused up to 6 times. Jinguang Paper APP China has joined forces with BASF, DBC, and Lile Technology supply chain partners to use a series of cross-industry collaborative innovation and joint carbon reduction innovative measures to put water-based coatings into practice instead of PE coatings. This small paper cup brings new trends and hopes to the green and low-carbon upgrading and transformation development of the circular economy, and brings new impetus to the development of waste-free urban construction. Can paper cups be recycled and reused? Did you know? The small paper cups around us are not recyclable waste. The reason is that the inner wall of the disposable paper cup is coated with a layer of plastic PE coating. This coating can prevent scalding and leakage during the use stage of the paper cup. However, during the recycling stage, due to the difficulty of separating the coating material and paper fiber with existing technology and equipment, the disposable paper cup ultimately needs to be disposed of by incineration or landfill, and the resulting carbon dioxide emissions can reach millions of tons. It can be said that building a disposable paper cup recycling development system can improve the reuse rate of high-quality paper-based packaging materials and promote the green and low-carbon development of the entire industry chain. Focusing on topics such as further improving the environmental protection technology of disposable paper cups and paper-based packaging recycling, this seminar aims to promote the development of Shanghai's circular economy and greenhouse gas emission reduction into a new stage. This seminar calls on more catering companies, paper recycling companies and even consumers to actively participate in forming a circular economy green and low-carbon pioneer alliance to continuously provide suggestions for building a full-link closed-loop system from production and use to recycling and reuse of acrylic-coated paper cups, and at the same time evaluate the resulting carbon dioxide emission reduction and waste recycling effects. Empower each other and create sustainable development value Dr. Lou Jianfeng Chairman and President, BASF Greater China \"Acrylic polymers have excellent safety and effectiveness and are widely used in different industries. As an important global manufacturer of acrylic products, BASF is always committed to providing customers with relevant comprehensive solutions and creating sustainable economic value for the industry chain in the long term. BASF is very pleased to collaborate with upstream and downstream partners to form a synergy and contribute to global climate protection.\" Mr. Wang Lexiang CEO of the Large Paper Division of Jinguang Paper (China) Investment Co., Ltd. \"Paper may be one of the most effective materials for human recycling at present, and the food-contact grade paper used in paper cups and bowls is the resource with the best specifications and quality. It is a pity that it cannot be recycled because of plastic coating. As an important company in the paper industry, we have the responsibility to work with BASF and other partners to use our technology to change this status quo and make small paper cups a pioneer in reducing emissions and carbon emissions.\" Mr. Huang Feng President of Shanghai Foreign Investment Association \"The association attaches great importance to green, low-carbon and sustainable development work and has identified promoting green and low-carbon development of foreign-invested enterprises as one of the association's three key tasks. In the future, the green and low-carbon development branch will regularly carry out policy interpretation, business visits, professional ability training, publicity and other activities to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation among branch member units and promote the green and low-carbon development of foreign-invested enterprises.\" Mr. Lin Fanqiu Chairman of DBC Group Co., Ltd. \"Green and low-carbon products are the key elements for the sustainable development of enterprises to improve their international competitiveness in the next ten years. However, most enterprises now have relatively weak awareness and participation in green technology. How to break through technology applications and lead the industry's global technological revolution has become DBC's mission to integrate corporate sustainable development and value creation. In the future, green low-carbon, zero-carbon, and negative-carbon products will be the inevitable direction for the development of all enterprises. DBC Company has continued to focus on this for ten years. Focusing on the innovation of environmentally friendly applications of high-performance recycling materials, our 2025 vision is to promote the global technological revolution in two to three sub-sectors. Today, we work with supply chain partners to innovate across enterprises and quickly lead the global innovation of green technology in a sub-sector. The comprehensive application of innovative water-based coating technology for disposable paper cups will reduce the carbon footprint of the earth by more than one million tons, and also bring new momentum to the sustainable development of circular economy enterprises. \" The seminar was supported by Tongji University’s Institute of Circular Economy, Shanghai Energy Saving and Emission Reduction Center, Shanghai Urban Investment Environmental Resources Utilization Co., Ltd., Shanghai Quality Inspection Institute, Shanghai Construction Inspection, TUV Rheinland and many other professional organizations, and attracted the participation of well-known domestic and foreign companies such as Starbucks, McDonald’s, KFC, Luckin Coffee, FamilyMart and other convenience stores. Many industry leaders discussed the future development of cross-industry collaborative carbon reduction and looked forward to the vision of building a green and low-carbon supply chain.",
            "date_published": "2024-04-26T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2024-04-26-7244453/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2023-12-20-plastic-free-paper-cup-value-chain-application.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2023-12-20-plastic-free-paper-cup-value-chain-application.html",
            "title": "Continuing towards sustainability: Plastic-free paper cup industry chain partners drive the market to accelerate application",
            "summary": "Keep moving forward in 2024!",
            "content_text": "With the increasing awareness of global environmental protection and the gradual clarification of global goals of carbon neutrality and climate protection, the process of using plastic-free paper to replace plastic-coated paper is quietly accelerating in the food packaging industry. On December 19, 2023, the plastic-free paper industry chain partners composed of Sinar Mas Group APP, BASF, and DBC DBC Group successfully held a landmark \"Plastic-free Paper Cup Base Paper Mass Production and Delivery Ribbon-cutting Ceremony\" at Ningbo Asia Pulp and Paper Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of APP China. This is a technology implementation move since the parties signed a strategic partnership at BASF Shanghai Innovation Park more than a month ago. Sinar Mas Group APP successfully completed the commercial production of plastic-free paper at the Ningbo factory and delivered it to customers after passing inspection. This is not only a major achievement after the establishment of the industry chain cross-enterprise alliance, but also marks a more mature development trend in the technology application of plastic-free paper cups. Picture: From left to right: Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC Group, Dr. Liu Yaqian, Global Senior Vice President and Global Technical Officer of Dispersions and Resins of BASF, Wang Lexiang, CEO of Sinar Mas Group Large Paper, Dr. Lou Jianfeng, Chairman and President of BASF Greater China, Liu Wei, General Manager of Sinar Mas Group APP Asia Pulp and Paper. Plastic-free paper is a new sustainable product specially developed to address the current situation in which polyethylene plastic-lined paper that is widely used is difficult to effectively recycle. It uses a water-based acrylic coating to replace polyethylene. While achieving various indicators such as strength, waterproofing, and hygiene, plastic-free paper products can be recycled through the existing waste paper recycling and pulping process after being discarded, thereby helping papermaking enterprises and the whole society achieve the goals of reducing resource consumption, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, building a circular economy, and forming sustainable development. Mr. Wang Lexiang, CEO of Sinar Mas Group APP Large Paper, delivered a speech at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. He spoke highly of the active efforts and achievements made by the technical marketing teams of Sinar Mas Group APP, BASF, and DBC DBC in the development process of plastic-free paper cup products. He believes that plastic-free paper cups will bring revolutionary changes to the food packaging industry and bring more good news to human health and the beauty of the earth. Mr. Wang issued a green initiative to industry terminals and consumers at the event: \"Joinus, Making a positive change (Join us and make positive changes!)\" Dr. Lou Jianfeng, Chairman and President of BASF Greater China, focused on the importance of cross-industry cooperation and emphasized the synergy of all parties in the industry chain in promoting environmental protection. He pointed out that only by gathering the wisdom and strength of all parties can we take a further step on the road to sustainable development. Mr. Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC DBC Group, proposed that the speed of technology application will become the competitive efficiency of enterprises. Water-based barrier coatings not only open up the industry application of plastic-free paper cups, but will also bring huge value to more industry segments. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Dr. Liu Yaqian, Global Senior Vice President of BASF and Global Technical Officer of Dispersions and Resins, Mr. Liu Wei, General Manager of APP Ningbo Asia Pulp and Paper, and the management teams of the three parties had a fruitful exchange on driving market application and technological innovation of plastic-free paper cups. The meeting also discussed plastic-free paper cup recycling systems and social issues. It will discuss the environmental benefits, citing multiple industry cases and market analysts' opinions to support the effectiveness and market potential of water-based coating plastic-free paper technology, and making strategic plans and detailed work arrangements for how industry chain partners will strengthen the market promotion of plastic-free products in 2024, leading breakthroughs in coating technology, and cooperation between all parties in carbon neutrality and other aspects. The successful holding of this event not only proves the development potential of water-based coating plastic-free paper cup technology, but also reflects the positive attitude of industry terminals and consumers towards environmentally friendly innovation. It also provides strong support for promoting the transformation of the paper industry and food packaging industry to the production and consumption model of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The active participation and in-depth discussions of representatives from all parties demonstrated the industry’s emphasis on environmental protection innovation and its expectations for future cooperation. According to statistics, more than 3 million tons of paper are used for polyethylene (PE) lamination in the world every year. Because these papers cannot be recycled, they not only waste huge resources, but their waste disposal, whether landfilled or incinerated, will release a large amount of carbon dioxide. The large-scale application of plastic-free paper in paper cups, lunch boxes and other scenarios can not only recycle paper resources, but also reduce greenhouse gases emitted during waste disposal, which will make a huge contribution to carbon neutrality and climate protection in my country and even the world. This event marks a solid step in the global application and promotion of water-based coating plastic-free paper cup technology, and lays a solid foundation for further promotion of this technology in the future. Introduction to DBC Group (DBC): DBC Group is an innovative enterprise based on the application of new materials. It was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Shanghai, China. We innovate future applications, committed to using environmentally friendly materials to create a green life, and providing high-quality environmentally friendly solutions for the safety and convenience of human life and the environment. Through innovation and cooperation, we will continue to expand the innovative applications of high-performance environmentally friendly materials to more fields and jointly build a sustainable future. DBC Group's main business covers the R&D, production and sales of high-performance environmentally friendly materials, battery materials, architectural coatings, sports flooring materials, recycled materials, and special adhesives. It has obtained dozens of system product invention patents and been awarded the honorary titles of Shanghai Innovative Enterprise and Specialized New Enterprise. In order to better expand business, DBC Group has a number of subsidiaries, including DBC New Material Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., ANTUX Coating Co., Ltd., CASU Co., Ltd., Core Lithium Youguang (Shanghai) Material Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing Daoying Sports Industry Co., Ltd. and many other material application innovation enterprises. The collaborative innovation and development of these subsidiaries and the group have enabled DBC to occupy a leading position in multiple industry segments.",
            "date_published": "2023-12-20T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2023-12-20-7244440/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2023-11-03-plastic-free-paper-cup-global-launch.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2023-11-03-plastic-free-paper-cup-global-launch.html",
            "title": "DBC collaborates with value chain partners to innovate—Global launch of plastic-free paper cup application technology",
            "summary": "Dubaicheng integrates value chain partners for collaborative innovation and development",
            "content_text": "Recently, DBC, together with its value chain partners, the global paper giant APP Sinar Light Group, the world's largest chemical company BASF, and the well-known paper cup manufacturing company Lilo, jointly held a global launch of \"plastic-free paper cup\" technology at the BASF Shanghai Innovation Park. From collaborative innovation to collaborative development, we jointly promote the global development of plastic-free paper cup application technology. This cooperation is committed to promoting the global application of \"paper + REP\" plastic-free paper cup technology, with the goal of replacing PE coated paper and plastic cups and achieving environmental protection and circular economy standards for food packaging. Picture: Signatories in the front row from left to right: BASF Global Senior Vice President Pang Hanming, Sinar Mas Group APP Asia Pulp and Paper General Manager Liu Wei, DBC Chairman Lin Fanqiu, Hunan Lile General Manager Zhang Taojie, second row witnesses: BASF Greater China Chairman and President Dr. Lou Jianfeng, APP Sinar Mas Group Large Paper Division CEO Mr. Wang Lexiang. Sifang Enterprises demonstrated their expertise and achievements in the industrial chain and looked forward to the market prospects of \"paper + REP\". This technology is expected to replace the market of 3 million tons of PE coated paper and 4 million tons of plastic products, laying a solid foundation for industrial upgrading and development. Representatives from the four parties finally jointly signed a strategic cooperation memorandum, drawing a blueprint for cooperation for future global market development. Dr. Lou Jianfeng, Chairman and President of BASF Greater China, delivered a speech Mr. Wang Lexiang, CEO of the Large Paper Business Unit of APP Sinar Mas Group, delivered a speech Mr. Pang Hanming, Global Senior Vice President of BASF, delivered a speech Mr. Zhang Taojie, General Manager of Hunan Lile, delivered a speech The overall technical solution for plastic-free paper cups uses BASF's water-based acrylic emulsion as the main raw material. The REP barrier coating product developed and produced by DBC Application Technology is coated and manufactured into plastic-free paper by APP Jinguang Paper, and manufactured into paper cups and other food containers by Lile Company. Innovative REP recyclable energy product barrier coating technology solution, paper + REP is not only recyclable, repulpable, degradable, and compostable, but can also meet the performance requirements of various food containers. Paper + REP, plastic-free paper cup. This product is recyclable, repulpable, compostable, and high temperature resistant. It also complies with food contact material regulations such as the US FDA, German BFR, and Chinese GB, ensuring the food safety of consumers. At present, the plastic-free paper cups jointly produced by Sifang have obtained environmental certifications from the United States, the European Union, Australia and other countries. Introduction to DBC Group (DBC): DBC Group is an innovative enterprise based on the application of new materials. It was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Shanghai, China. We innovate future applications, committed to using environmentally friendly materials to create a green life, and providing high-quality environmentally friendly solutions for the safety and convenience of human life and the environment. Through innovation and cooperation, we will continue to expand the innovative applications of high-performance environmentally friendly materials to more fields and jointly build a sustainable future. DBC Group's main business covers the R&D, production and sales of high-performance environmentally friendly materials, battery materials, architectural coatings, sports flooring materials, recycled materials, and special adhesives. It has obtained dozens of system product invention patents and been awarded the honorary titles of Shanghai Innovative Enterprise and Specialized New Enterprise. In order to better expand business, DBC Group has a number of wholly-owned subsidiaries, including DBC New Material Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., ANTUX Coating Co., Ltd., CASU Co., Ltd., Core Lithium Youguang (Shanghai) Material Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing Daoying Sports Industry Co., Ltd. and many other material application innovation enterprises. The collaborative innovation and development of these subsidiaries and the group have enabled DBC to occupy a leading position in multiple industry segments.",
            "date_published": "2023-11-03T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2023-11-03-plastic-free-paper-cup/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2023-03-10-antux-37be43.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2023-03-10-antux-37be43.html",
            "title": "BASF and ANTUX Introduce 'Sparrow Children's Paint'",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports a joint product launch by BASF and ANTUX and presents the Sparrow line as a focused coating product. Performance, health and environment…",
            "content_text": "Sparrow Paints create higher-quality coating products through focused specialization.ANTUX and BASF have signed a strategic partnership agreement.01Through focused specialization, higher-quality coating products are created.ANTUX Executive Director Lin Fanqiu spoke.Sparrow is small but extraordinary. It is resilient, united, and possesses strong adaptability and responsiveness—qualities that are highly valuable in human terms. Sparrow Paints do not aim to disrupt the industry but to simplify it by eliminating the confusion and difficulty consumers face in distinguishing quality and choosing a paint category. We will continue to engage with consumers through objective facts and accessible technical language, breaking down their understanding barriers. Our approach is not about reaching the broadest audience with the lowest price but about achieving the best product combination to build trust with consumers.Historical material records indicate that in 2020, the joint development was described as a 'global first innovation in anti-viral paint products,' and its industry impact was evaluated. This statement reflects the company's narrative at the time and is not substantiated by independent third-party evidence. It is not used to conclude current product efficacy, market position, or global novelty.02Promoting Sustainable Development in the Coatings Industry through Collaborative Innovation and Win-Win CooperationThe historical release material also records positive evaluations from a BASF representative regarding the collaboration; the source, authorization status, and evidence related to the products should be verified against the original activities and valid documents.Mr. Henry Paeckert, Global Senior Vice President of BASF03Achieving Stronger Productivity through Optimal Combination to Build Comprehensive CompetitivenessDr. Shu Ju, Technical Department Head of ANTUX Coatings Technology Co., Ltd., spoke up04BASF's Emulsion Innovation Technology Platform Empowers Sparrows to SoarMr. Wang Fei, Technical Service Manager of the Dispersed Phase Division of BASF, spoke upLaunch Ceremony for Sparrow Children's Paint on E-commerce PlatformsRepresentatives from the Magpie Paint partner were present to receive the plaqueA group photo was taken with guests and representatives at the launch event",
            "date_published": "2023-03-10T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2023-03-10-antux-37be43/image1.jpeg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2023-03-03-antux-c39c60.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2023-03-03-antux-c39c60.html",
            "title": "The Product Strategy Behind ANTUX's 'Sparrow' Coatings",
            "summary": "The migrated publication describes ANTUX's product-positioning approach around formulation choices, consumer needs and affordability. Product performance and comparative…",
            "content_text": "Sparrow coatings are not about disrupting the industry, nor are they innovation in the conventional sense. We are not reaching the widest audience with the lowest price, but rather achieving stronger product performance through optimal formulation to build trust with consumers. The ultimate goal is to focus on consumer needs and affordability, allowing consumers to purchase quality coatings at a reasonable price and use them with confidence.01Original Aspiration and Vision02Brand Positioning03Business Model04Product Competitiveness05How Can the Swan Know the Sparrow's Ambition?Therefore, in short, our overall plan is:",
            "date_published": "2023-03-03T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2023-03-03-antux-c39c60/image1.png"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2022-02-28-dpu-073-1ae05b.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2022-02-28-dpu-073-1ae05b.html",
            "title": "BASF and DBC Deepen Strategic Cooperation in Sports Flooring",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports that BASF and DBC signed a second five-year exclusive cooperation agreement in Shanghai and introduced a second-generation DPU sports-fl…",
            "content_text": "On February 28, 2022, BASF and DBC Group renewed their partnership by hosting a 'Deepened Strategic Partnership Signing Ceremony and Launch of Second-Generation DPU Sports Flooring Products' at Shanghai BASF. The companies signed a second five-year exclusive strategic cooperation agreement, aiming to leverage their strengths in product innovation, platform resources, and market coverage to deepen their collaboration in the sports flooring sector. Together, they will support strong regional partners to provide comprehensive solutions for school and sports field projects.At the event, the second-generation DPU sports flooring polyurethane adhesive was also launched. This more environmentally friendly, durable, and safer product will enhance the overall quality and market competitiveness of DPU sports flooring systems, including DPU running tracks, basketball courts, kindergarten-specific floors, and fitness paths. Representatives from both companies, including DBC Chairman Lin Fanqiu, BASF Global Vice President for Greater China Region Desheng Long, Rohit Ghosh, Regional Director of Building Industry Business for BASF Asia Pacific, and Xu Xin, Business Management for Building Industry in Greater China, attended the meeting.Both companies have been deeply committed to the sports flooring industry, embodying a shared commitment to innovation and long-termism.Looking back at 2016, BASF and DBC jointly developed and launched the DPU sports flooring product line, which introduced innovative factors such as environmentally friendly and high-performance polyurethane adhesives and ETPU and EPDM elastic particles into the sports flooring industry. This innovation sparked a technological revolution in the sector, achieving a perfect blend of environmental performance and physical usage for running tracks. The DPU sports flooring system has been widely recognized for its safety, comfort, and durability, with over 3,000 successful cases in China by the end of 2021. In the sports flooring industry, the collaboration between BASF and DBC has set a benchmark for the integration of foreign and domestic enterprises, and their renewed partnership further underscores their shared commitment to innovation and long-termism.Desheng Long, Global Vice President of BASF Asia Pacific's Speciality Materials Division, stated, 'Over the past five years, BASF and DBC have leveraged their respective strengths in the sports flooring industry to achieve fruitful results and a mutually beneficial situation. The signing of this new five-year strategic cooperation agreement will allow both parties to fully capitalize on their industry backgrounds, resources, and technological advantages to enhance production and supply capabilities and market service efficiency. Additionally, we will focus on developing niche markets and driving growth, using core technologies and landmark projects to promote the high-quality development of the sports flooring industry.'DBC Group Chairman James Lin, drawing on the ancient Chinese educator Xunzi’s phrase 'a thousand miles begin with a single step,' described the past five years of industry innovation with BASF as a journey of shared progress. He said, 'Without accumulating small steps, one cannot reach a thousand miles; without accumulating small streams, one cannot form a great river. The initial motivation for DBC and BASF to collaborate on this business was to address the environmental and safety concerns of school sports fields at that time. This path has not been easy, but it holds significant meaning. The long-term partnership between BASF and DBC not only aligns with both parties' interests but also meets the common interests of the industry and its customer base. Together, we have developed a new standard for sports flooring that integrates environmental protection, durability, and safety, contributing value to the high-quality construction of sports fields for Chinese youth and children.' Over the past five years, we initiated the development of China's sports flooring technical standards and promoted the establishment of a global competitive landscape, driving overall technological progress in the Chinese sports flooring industry.Reflecting on our collaboration over the past five years, we feel a mix of joy, pride, and accomplishment, as well as deep reflection and continuous improvement. Every innovation and achievement is hard-won, the result of countless brainstorming sessions, rigorous experimental validation, and countless sleepless nights. From jointly developing children's sports flooring, university and competition-specific running tracks, and school rubberized running tracks, to basketball courts, urban fitness paths, and community sunlit sports fields, each step has been marked by innovation. Driven by innovation and committed to long-termism, trust has deeply rooted in our partnership, fostering a shared vision of mutual growth. Looking ahead to the next five years, DBC and BASF will continue to deepen our collaboration in the specialized sports facilities market, unleashing the power of innovation, and jointly achieving new goals.Rohit Ghosh, Regional Head of Construction Industry Business for BASF’s Performance Materials Asia Pacific (speaking via video link), said, 'Over the past few years, our close collaboration in the running track industry has yielded remarkable results, particularly in joint branding and market promotion. DBC’s strong marketing capabilities have also impressed me, infusing traditional running track businesses with new vitality. Despite numerous challenges, we have worked hard to overcome difficulties, achieving expected sales volumes and reaching this point today. I am pleased to see that the renewal of our exclusive agreement has been approved and will be signed today, extending our partnership. This marks the beginning of a new five-year journey for DBC and BASF, and I am confident that we can collaborate more closely to build the BASF running track product brand and create new sales records.'Steven Sui, Head of Construction Industry Business for BASF’s Performance Materials Greater China, stated, 'As the business support department for DBC and BASF’s sports flooring series products, we have collaborated with DBC based on technological innovation and practical applications. Looking ahead to the next five years, BASF and DBC will continue to walk a path of future innovation and development, gathering new strength from challenges. The newly launched second-generation DPU sports flooring adhesive, after precise technical optimization and market validation, marks the beginning of further collaboration. Products based on this second-generation adhesive will meet a wider range of sports applications, including kindergarten sports protection floors, school rubberized running tracks and basketball courts, university and professional sports venues, international school sports fields, fitness paths, and community sunlit sports fields.'Photo taken on February 28, 2022Looking back at our achievements over the past five years and envisioning a new five-year plan for the futureBASF and DBC have made relentless efforts to promote the healthy development of China’s sports flooring industry.In January 2016, DBC Group and BASF co-hosted the 'Initiative Meeting for Environmental Standards of Sports Flooring in China', bringing together experts from across the industry's upstream and downstream sectors to establish environmental standards for sports flooring, develop scientific methods and indicators for evaluating green athletic tracks, and optimize the industrial environment for sustainable development.In July 2016, BASF, DBC Group, the Shanghai Chemical Building Materials Industry Association, and Shanghai Jianke Inspection Co., Ltd. signed a four-party strategic cooperation agreement to promote standardized development in sports venue construction, ensuring the environmental and safety use of school sports fields.In February 2017, BASF and DBC Group jointly released the 'National Price White Paper for Sports Flooring', introducing new pricing concepts to replace outdated models, helping to address issues such as low-quality, low-priced tracks in the industry.In March 2017, the '321 Quality Development Self-discipline Declaration for Sports Flooring' was released, calling on all industry practitioners to jointly build and nurture an industry self-regulatory system, striving to provide high-quality, green, and environmentally friendly sports flooring products for schools and sports venues.In December 2017, DBC Group and the China Private Education Association jointly initiated a strategic cooperation to build green campus standards, accelerating the application of new environmental and durable sports flooring technologies in the market.From 2017 to 2019, DBC Group and BASF co-organized the 'Golden Spatula Award National Advanced Technician Competition for Sports Flooring' for three consecutive years, passing on and promoting the spirit of craftsmanship. At the same time, they aimed to lead the standardization of sports flooring material construction in the industry, ensuring that more technical workers meet professional construction standards and enhancing their overall competitiveness.Setting standards first, DBC Group and BASF deeply participated in the drafting and formulation of the strictest environmental standards for sports flooring—Shanghai's local standard 'Limitation of Harmful Substances in School Sports Grounds'—in 2016. After its official release in April 2016, the standard was effectively implemented with joint efforts from the Shanghai Education Commission and Quality Supervision Department. The benchmark role of Shanghai also spurred the formulation of local and group standards in other provinces and cities. In May 2018, the new national mandatory standard 'Synthetic Material Surface for School Sports Grounds' GB36246-2018 was initiated by the Ministry of Education, with DBC Group actively contributing to the drafting process and participating as an expert group member in nationwide standard interpretation work to promote the implementation of the new standard.With the implementation of the new national standard, the sports flooring industry has finally entered a new phase after two years of low period. During this period of industry pain, those who remained clear-sighted and thought about the future direction of the industry and their companies were wise and would become the winners in this round of industry adjustment. DBC Group, a Shanghai-based company, and BASF, a German company, through close cooperation over several years, not only fully participated in this special phase of industry development but also promoted overall technological progress through innovation in technology and standards, jointly creating a new model of win-win cooperation.In recent years, more than 30% of the application cases in sports flooring projects involved kindergartens, reflecting the high standards and quality of DPU products. Kindergartens have stricter requirements for floor materials, and DPU protective flooring has been recognized and chosen by kindergartens due to its compliance with the strictest environmental standards set by the EU. The DPU children's protective sports flooring is acclaimed by sports education professionals as an outstanding product that releases the global potential for the development of children's sports activities.On the path of innovation, we never stop. Looking ahead to the next five years, BASF and DBC Group will continue to deepen their cooperation in the sports flooring industry, driving brand value through outstanding product quality, and jointly composing a glorious new chapter of collaboration and development.Prepared and Ready for Greater Success. Upholding a long-term perspective, BASF and DBC Group will continue to contribute to the high-quality development of the sports flooring industry in the context of global collaboration, witnessing the rise of China's sports industry.",
            "date_published": "2022-02-28T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2022-02-28-dpu-073-1ae05b/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2021-06-23-dpu-071-1f1375.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2021-06-23-dpu-071-1f1375.html",
            "title": "DBC, Shanghai Water Construction and BASF Sign an Agreement on Trenchless Pipeline Rehabilitation",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports a June 2021 cooperation signing in Shanghai concerning trenchless pipeline rehabilitation. Party names, agreement scope and current proj…",
            "content_text": "Strategic Collaboration and Technical DirectionOn June 16, 2021, DBC Group Co., Ltd. held a strategic partnership agreement signing ceremony and cooperation exchange meeting for pipeline non-digging repair technology with Shanghai Water Conservancy Construction Engineering Co., Ltd. and BASF in Shanghai. Senior executives and representatives from the companies attended the signing ceremony, including Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC Group Co., Ltd.; Qian Zhibin, Party Secretary and Chairman of Shanghai Water Conservancy Construction Engineering Co., Ltd.; Cao Hengzhao, Deputy Party Secretary and General Manager of Shanghai Water Conservancy Construction Engineering Co., Ltd.; Liu Yaqian, Vice President of Global Advanced Solutions at BASF; Han Wei, Vice President of Shanghai Innovation Park at BASF; and Liu Shuai, Director of Dispersed Systems Business in Greater China at BASF.Qian Zhibin, Party Secretary and Chairman of Shanghai Water Conservancy Construction Engineering Co., Ltd.; Cao Hengzhao, Deputy Party Secretary and General Manager; Gu Weidong, Vice General Manager and Chief Engineer; Li Ren, Vice General Manager; Liu Yaqian, Vice President of Global Advanced Solutions at BASF; Han Wei, Vice President of Shanghai Innovation Park at BASF; and Liu Shuai, Director of Dispersed Systems Business in Greater China at BASF; along with Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC Group Co., Ltd.; Lin Zhiqiang, General Manager of Shanghai DBC Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd.; and Dou Wanqiang, Deputy General Manager of DBC New Materials Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. attended the signing ceremony and cooperation exchange meeting.According to the agreement, the three parties will establish a comprehensive strategic partnership based on the principles of long-term vision, mutual advantage, market orientation, and win-win cooperation. They will jointly develop pipeline non-digging repair technology systems to promote the full-scale implementation and application of this innovative technology in urban water supply pipelines. This will significantly reduce traffic congestion caused by pipeline repair and renovation, thereby enhancing urban water supply safety and saving urban space while beautifying the city.Urban Water Supply Pipeline Repair NeedsAccording to data from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, China's urban water supply pipeline length reached 920,082 kilometers in 2019, while the drainage pipeline length was 743,982 kilometers. Behind the continuous improvement of China's water supply network system and the rapid growth in the length of urban water supply pipelines, a significant issue that cannot be ignored is the increasing severity of pipeline aging, corrosion, and burst leakage.Safe water supply benefits both the country and its people. Ensuring water safety is crucial for public health and social stability. The safety of urban water supply pipelines has become a common challenge worldwide, especially in the renovation and repair of these pipelines. Underground water supply pipelines have been in use for several decades, and their aging, corrosion, and leakage can affect water safety. Replacing or repairing urban underground water supply pipelines requires substantial financial investment and engineering work, which can cause environmental damage and severe traffic congestion.Due to the limitations of conventional technical methods and the practical challenges in cost and technology faced by foreign companies in innovation applications, these issues have remained unresolved for a long time. Therefore, revolutionary innovative technological solutions are urgently needed to address problems such as aging and damage to water supply pipelines, corrosion, and pollution.In urban water supply pipeline repair projects, the persistent issues of prolonged traffic congestion on roads and disruptions in residents' lives due to water shutdowns are common. How can these two major objective problems be resolved while also achieving comprehensive restoration of old water supply pipelines? Tunnel Investment and Shanghai DBC Group have been collaborating for a long time to research and experiment with solutions to this challenge, ultimately proposing the most efficient and safe technological innovation solution. Recently, both parties jointly developed and implemented a systematic solution for water supply pipeline repair technology with BASF, the world's largest chemical company.From left: Liu Yaqian, Senior Vice President of BASF's global colloidal-systems development platform; Qian Zhibin, Party Secretary and Chairman of Shanghai Water Construction Engineering Co., Ltd.; and Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC Group Co., Ltd., sign a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement on trenchless pipeline rehabilitation technology.On May 24, during a multi-party high-level strategic dialogue organized by DBC, representatives from Shanghai Urban Construction (Group) Co., Ltd., Tunnel Investment, Shanghai Water Conservancy Construction, DBC Group, and BASF engaged in comprehensive technical discussions on innovative organic urban renewal. They also conducted in-depth exchanges on the innovative research results of pipeline repair technology and reached a deep cooperation intention.Partnership BackgroundAbout DBC New Materials: DBC New Materials Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of DBC Group, was established in Shanghai, China in 2016. As a national high-tech enterprise, it focuses on the development and application of new materials, driven by environmental protection material applications and serving users with a commitment to their well-being. This collaboration aligns with DBC's vision of 'innovating future applications to provide high-quality solutions for the safety and convenience of human life and the environment.' DBC will continue to focus on the innovative development of traditional industries and work with outstanding partners to advance the construction of organic cities through infrastructure technological innovation.About Shanghai Water Conservancy Construction: Shanghai Water Conservancy Construction Engineering Co., Ltd. is a state-owned large enterprise primarily engaged in urban water supply, water environment construction, and municipal engineering general contracting. It was formed by the strong integration of Shanghai Water Supply Equipment Engineering Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Water Environment Construction Co., Ltd. In 2014, during the new round of state-owned enterprise reform, the company was fully transferred to Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co., Ltd., marking a new chapter in its development.About BASF Chemicals: BASF is the world's largest chemical company, with approximately 110,000 employees globally and contributions to success for almost all industries. Its products are categorized into six business segments: chemicals, materials, industrial solutions, surface technologies, nutrition & care, and agricultural solutions. In 2020, BASF's global sales amounted to approximately €59 billion.BASF in Greater China - The partnership between BASF and the Chinese market dates back to 1885. Since then, BASF has been a reliable partner in China. As one of the key foreign-invested enterprises in the Chinese chemical industry, BASF's main production sites are located in Shanghai, Nanjing, and Chongqing, with the Shanghai Innovation Center serving as a global and regional R&D hub. In 2020, BASF's sales to customers in the Greater China region amounted to approximately €8.5 billion, with a workforce of 8,948 employees by year-end.",
            "date_published": "2021-06-23T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2021-06-23-dpu-071-1f1375/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2021-03-02-dpu-070-1b178d.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2021-03-02-dpu-070-1b178d.html",
            "title": "Synthetic Running Tracks: Raw-Material Prices Rose Sharply at the Start of 2021 — Industry Discussion",
            "summary": "The migrated article reports sharp increases in raw-material prices for synthetic running tracks at the start of 2021. The stated figures and market conditions are histo…",
            "content_text": "Raw Material Price Fluctuations and Industry BackgroundThe first wave of raw material price hikes at the beginning of 2021 has hit PVC running tracks particularly hard, with the main materials used for such tracks seeing a more than 50% increase compared to last year. This has put significant pressure on production and construction companies in the sports flooring industry. In light of the challenges faced by these enterprises, it is crucial to understand the reasons behind the price fluctuations and adjust strategies accordingly.Current Price Situation and TrendsThe price of MDI, a main raw material for synthetic running tracks, rose sharply year on year, while other auxiliary-material prices were reported to have increased by multiples.To provide some context, a PVC running track is part of the sports flooring series. We often refer to sports flooring asThe primary reason for the increase in PVC running track raw material prices: Recent extreme cold weather in North America has significantly impacted MDI production overseas. A total of 1.06 million tons of MDI capacity (accounting for 11% of global capacity) is currently under force majeure, with Covestro extending delivery periods for all products until the end of March. Additionally, Covestro remains under force majeure since October last year and is expected to continue until mid-2021. Currently, the Japan Takeda 400,000-ton/year MDI plant is operating at reduced capacity, while the Chongqing BASF (400,000 tons) is undergoing maintenance. The European Huntsman (470,000 tons) will also be conducting a one-month maintenance period. This has led to tight supply of MDI. On the demand side, the resumption of production and operations in downstream sectors is driving increased demand, supporting a significant increase in MDI prices and price spreads after the holiday season. As the demand peak approaches, MDI prices are expected to remain high for some time.In 2020, the sports flooring industry faced a severe downturn, primarily due to the suspension of large-scale events such as sports competitions and concerts, leading to unprecedented operational challenges for numerous sports venues across the country.The Sports Flooring Industry Chain Faces PressureMost school sports field renovation projects have been delayed until 2021. Typically, there are few construction projects for sports fields after the Spring Festival, but this year's demand has come earlier, and the recent rise in raw material prices has left manufacturers and contractors feeling helpless.The Pressure on the Rubberized Track Industry is EvidentCurrently, the surge in raw material prices has affected the rubberized track industry, putting significant pressure on the entire supply chain. DBC Group's market department has been tracking upstream and downstream data for a long time. They have learned from many industry insiders that there is considerable concern about the situation in 2021. Despite effective control of the pandemic and normal market operations, companies faced raw material price increases right after they started their operations, making it difficult for them!Naturally, when material prices rise, product prices should follow. However, for sports flooring manufacturers, this is not so straightforward.On one hand, the main customer base for these companies—schools—are funded by the government and usually have a budget set a year in advance. These budgets are typically implemented through bidding processes, where winning bids are often lower than the budgeted amounts. School sports field projects are still generally bound by the rule of low-cost bidding.The Concerns of Testing and Inspection Institutions: Price and Quality Polarization in Rubberized Tracks in 2021While raw material prices can rise, rubberized track prices are hard to increase due to the bidding rules, where clients still hope for lower prices! The competition in the rubberized track industry is intense, and professionals from multiple testing institutions are concerned that 2021 might see extreme price polarization. Some small enterprises may cut corners to survive, leading to substandard or toxic tracks, which could severely impact the industry's overall healthy development.However, leading companies in the rubberized track industry, due to their large volume of use, have a certain time frame for locking in raw material prices. Raw material suppliers also have specific conditions or time windows for price increases. Additionally, these leading companies have advantages in scale and cost control, making them more resilient to fluctuations in raw material prices.How Long Will This Wave of Raw Material Price Increases Last?Historical Responses and Market Insights from the DPU TeamThis is the most frequently asked question by industry consultants regarding DBC's DPU track team. As a DPU track team recognized for its numerous leading advantages within the industry, we are willing to share our insights on the market and our thoughts on future development at this critical juncture.Before answering this question, let us briefly review some of DBC's initiatives and actions in 2020. In the entire industry, the DPU track team was the first to speak up and provided a systematic, comprehensive, and continuous voice. 2020 was also the most challenging year for judging market trends, akin to a math problem with no clear answer. Leading companies and industry experts organized video seminars with DBC's team. At that time, the industry was still in the learning and adaptation phase for video conferencing. Despite this, everyone overcame numerous challenges. Multiple companies began frequent video conferences with DBC's DPU track team in March 2020 to discuss market trends and raw material price analysis. The DPU track team accurately predicted the raw material price trends in 2020, urging multiple production and construction enterprises to stock up on materials at critical points and innovate distribution channels. We shared our information without reservation with scale and responsible peers, making precise calculations and executing decisions in early 2020 during the pandemic. The DPU track team achieved its full-year material sales targets in the second quarter of 2020, while prices began to soar rapidly in the third quarter.DBC's DPU track team has always been meticulous in collecting market dynamics data, which has given us confidence for our next analysis. To put it simply, MDI supply will remain tight, and demand for sports flooring MDI will continue to increase from March to June. Upstream companies' expansion and production are expected to bring price relief in the third quarter (for reference).How Should Companies Respond?The 'price surge' has arrived, and no amount of worry can change the reality of raw material price increases. Therefore, instead of complaining about the price hikes, companies should proactively seek solutions to mitigate the crisis.In a highly competitive market with rising operating costs, finding new growth points remains a viable strategy for sports flooring companies to escape crises.Companies must understand the basic characteristics of their industry. Most construction projects for sports venues will be concentrated in summer and early autumn. Each company should have a clear and strategic positioning, including regional customer maintenance and brand management of their products. DBC's DPU track team welcomes all industry professionals to discuss market trends and precise development strategies. We will strive to ensure that agents and contractors receive fair pricing.The Chinese Sports Flooring Market Never Lacks Positive NewsIn October last year, the General Office of the State Council issued the 'Opinions on Strengthening the Construction of Fitness Facilities and Developing Mass Sports,' which provided specific and actionable suggestions for building a higher-level public fitness service system. This timely rain has supported the thriving fitness industry. Subsequently, various local governments have introduced related implementation policies.Recently, Shanghai issued the 'Opinions on Promoting Fitness Facilities Engineering and Strengthening Sports Venue Construction,' proposing to continue the construction of people-oriented fitness facilities such as smart fitness parks and fitness trails. It encourages technological innovation, promoting the application of new technologies, processes, materials, and equipment in fitness facility construction and management. Some netizens suggested, 'Fitness trails must use high-quality plastic surfaces that are environmentally friendly and do not harm knees. They should not just be marked on concrete as fitness trails.'As the fitness and wellness sector continues to deepen, and more people begin to prioritize sports and health after the pandemic, the demand for sports venues will gradually increase. This will drive technological advancements in artificial tracks and turf, opening up new growth opportunities for the sports flooring industry. Companies should seize this opportunity to strengthen their core competencies and solidify their competitive position.Additionally, due to factors such as rising raw material prices, technological progress, and the development of environmentally friendly products, there is a trend of increased pricing in sports flooring products. Owners of school sports fields, sports venues, urban fitness paths, and park leisure paths should adopt an objective and rational perspective on the price trends in the sports industry to avoid falling into the traps of substandard or hazardous tracks.",
            "date_published": "2021-03-02T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2021-03-02-dpu-070-1b178d/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2021-01-27-dpu-069-0a23f0.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2021-01-27-dpu-069-0a23f0.html",
            "title": "Synthetic Running-Track Group Standard Led by DBC New Materials Receives an Initial 'Shanghai Standard' Mark",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports that a synthetic-surface sports-field group standard led by DBC New Material Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. was included in an initial…",
            "content_text": "The launch ceremony for the first batch of 'Shanghai Standards', hosted by the Shanghai Market Supervision Administration, was successfully held in the multi-functional hall of the administration. The T/SHHJ000003-2018 group standard for 'Limitation of Harmful Substances in Synthetic Surface Layers of School Sports Fields', led by DBC Group's New Material Technology Co., Ltd. and released by the Shanghai Chemical Building Materials Industry Association, has successfully obtained the first batch of 'Shanghai Standards' label.In April 2020, the evaluation pilot program for 'Shanghai Standards' was fully launched with the aim of cultivating and establishing a high-level standard cluster, enhancing the recognizability of high-level standards, building the 'Shanghai Standards' brand, and boosting its international influence. After units voluntarily applied, underwent form review, professional preliminary evaluation, and professional final evaluation, 10 standards were successfully selected as 'Shanghai Standards' over a period of six months, covering multiple fields such as financial services, public services, integrated circuits, new materials, and major equipment. The group standard for 'Limitation of Harmful Substances in Synthetic Surface Layers of School Sports Fields' was among them.The group standard for 'Limitation of Harmful Substances in Synthetic Surface Layers of School Sports Fields' (referred to as the 'Shanghai Group Standard') is a prime example of both. This standard was quickly developed and updated following public attention on 'problematic sports fields' in 2015. After its release, it was widely applied across the country, driving technological advancements in the industry, setting a benchmark for group standard implementation, and ensuring the health and safety of schoolchildren.Shanghai Standards - DBCShanghai Standards - Group Standard - Quadrilateral Cooperation AllianceChairman of Shanghai Chemical Building Materials Industry Association, Mr. Lou MinggangGeneral Manager of Shanghai Jianke Inspection Co., Ltd., Mr. Han ZhenxiongDr. Daniel Schoenfelder, Head of Construction Business for Asia Pacific, BASFChairman of DPU New Materials Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Mr. Lin FanqiuThe Shanghai group standard was once described as the 'strictest to date' for school synthetic tracks because it set stringent limits on the types and release levels of hazardous substances in raw materials and finished surfaces.This standard has been widely applied in Shanghai and across the country since its release, providing crucial technical support for quickly addressing the out-of-control situation of harmful substances in school sports field surface layers, thereby ensuring the health and safety of millions of primary and secondary school students.DPU Sports Flooring Product Series Honors from DPU New Materials Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.Main drafting unit for the mandatory national standard GB36246-2018Institute of Green Sports Grounds, Ministry of Education Equipment CenterExecutive Committee Member of the Sports Goods Industry Federation of China, Professional Committee on Sports Surface MaterialsVice-Chairman Unit of the Quality and Credit Promotion Association of China, Professional Committee on Educational EquipmentNational High-tech EnterpriseShanghai Building Materials Industry Technological Innovation AwardNational Quality-Trustworthy ProductIAAF-Recognized ProductChina Athletics Association Certified ProductMaterial Supplier for National Olympic Sports Center VenuesDBC Group is dedicated to the research and application of sports new materials. By the end of 2020, it had completed over 2,600 sports field projects in various categories, including more than 800 public primary and secondary schools and universities, over 1,600 private and international schools and kindergartens, and more than 200 fitness trails and sports venue running tracks.",
            "date_published": "2021-01-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2021-01-27-dpu-069-0a23f0/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2020-09-30-dpu-068-c7eaee.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2020-09-30-dpu-068-c7eaee.html",
            "title": "DBC and BASF Present a DPU Seamless Prefabricated Track System at a 2020 Shanghai Sports Exhibition",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports on DBC and BASF exhibiting a DPU seamless prefabricated track system in Shanghai in September 2020. Product and event claims reflect the…",
            "content_text": "At the 2020 Shanghai International Sports Equipment Exhibition, DBC Group's DPU Sports Flooring Team showcased innovative technical solutions for sports flooring, including the new DPU seamless prefabricated track product series. This is the fourth consecutive year that DBC Group and German BASF have jointly participated in the Shanghai Trade Fair, each year bringing surprises with new technological products, and 2020 did not disappoint market expectations.At the 2020 Shanghai International Sports Equipment Exhibition, DBC Group's DPU Sports Flooring Team was present.On CCTV5 Sports Channel, Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC Group and a Councilor of the China Sports Goods Industry Association, expressed during an interview with CCTV: 'In 2020, all of us have been striving forward. Especially for companies participating in the trade fair, there is great confidence in the future. The spirit of sportspeople to persevere and not give up inspires us as we work in this vast sports industry environment.'The new DPU seamless prefabricated track product series integrates innovative materials and structures, aiming to address three major objective challenges in outdoor construction of sports venues (temperature, humidity, rainy weather). This solution is expected to inject strong momentum into the scaled-up high-quality development of the industry.At the launch of the new DPU seamless prefabricated track product series, Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC New Materials Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., stated: 'I regard 2020 as a test and challenge for our business operations. We use future technologies to address current challenges. The DPU seamless prefabricated track can increase outdoor construction efficiency by 50%, reduce harmful pollution from cross-construction, and lower the risk of TVOC (Total Volatile Organic Compounds) exceeding standards in the final product.'Like other products in the DPU Runway Series, the DPU seamless prefabricated running track is renowned for its three key technologies: shock absorption and cushioning technology, odor-free technology, and UV-resistant aging technology. These features ensure that the track excels in both environmental performance and physical mechanical properties. For instance, it offers strong shock absorption and rebound, reducing injuries to knees and ankles during exercise; it remains flexible over a long lifespan without hardening; and it is odorless, free of VOCs, and formaldehyde, thereby reducing environmental pollution and maintenance costs.Mr. Yong Zhang, Vice President of the Global Functional Materials Business Management of BASF Greater China, said in his address: 'It is a pleasure to be here with all of you at the DPU seamless prefabricated running track booth of DBC Group at the 2020 Sports Expo. This marks our fourth consecutive year of collaboration. I am also honored to witness the launch of this new product, jointly developed by BASF and DBC Group.'To demonstrate the new product's puncture resistance, we invited professional athletes to wear cleats and perform in-place running on the DPU seamless prefabricated running track. After several steps, the surface remained intact, showcasing its superior physical properties to the audience present.Following the perfect demonstration of the puncture resistance of DPU tracks, many audience members at the site were eager to experience the physical properties of seamless prefabricated tracks. We conducted a tug-of-war activity with two participants to showcase the product's outstanding tensile and torsional resistance.Creating safe, environmentally friendly, and durable tracks—That's what we specialize in!Tensile strength～Torsional resistanceDuring the exhibition, Xiao Du prepared many engaging on-site interactive games. For example, in the finger running game, audience members scanned a QR code to enter the game and ran using their fingers to earn rankings and win exquisite gifts.On September 29, the First China Sports Goods Industry Federation Sports Flooring Professional Committee was established, with DBC serving as a deputy chairman.DBC is dedicated to the research and application of sports new materials. By June 30, 2020, it had completed over 2,600 sports field projects, including more than 800 public primary and secondary schools, universities, over 1,600 private and international schools and kindergartens, and over 200 fitness trails and sports venue running tracks.DBC Chairman Lin Fanqiu stated: 'With a long-term perspective on technological development, we focus on the future while working hard for value. We are committed to exploring sustainable development with like-minded partners. We have the confidence and determination to face the future. As 2020 enters its final quarter, we will continue to look to the horizon while keeping our feet on the ground, ready to embrace another year full of hope and challenges.'DBC & BASF DPU Seamless Prefabricated Track Construction Technology Training and Agent Franchise Enrollment are Now Accepting Applications. Contact Phone: 400-677-9978, Email: Sino.yang@dbc.cn",
            "date_published": "2020-09-30T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2020-09-30-dpu-068-c7eaee/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2020-03-03-antux-8121db.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2020-03-03-antux-8121db.html",
            "title": "BASF and DBC Introduce the ANTUX Weekend School Repainting Service in a Remote Launch Event",
            "summary": "The migrated publication introduces a school repainting service and the interior-coating positioning used at the time. Health, environmental and application claims requi…",
            "content_text": "Spring is a season of renewal, but 2020 has been anything but ordinary. The spread of the novel coronavirus has had a significant impact on various industries, presenting unprecedented challenges. It is crucial to understand the evolving situation and plan ahead accordingly.Mr. Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC Group, delivered a speech titled 'Introduction to DBC & ANTUX and Analysis of the School Market.' He highlighted that BASF and DBC have been long-standing service providers for school facilities, contributing their technological innovations and market actions towards creating safe environments for schools. Together with like-minded industry partners, they are fostering a healthy and sustainable green campus environment. In light of the current special circumstances, based on mutual trust and genuine market intent, BASF and DBC have once again collaborated to launch ANTUX weekend refresh services for schools, safeguarding student health.",
            "date_published": "2020-03-03T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2020-03-03-antux-8121db/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2020-01-02-dpu-060-e7b05e.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2020-01-02-dpu-060-e7b05e.html",
            "title": "DPU Fitness Path Hosts a New Year's Walk at the National Olympic Sports Center",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports on a New Year's fitness walk held on a 2.5-kilometer DPU path at Beijing's National Olympic Sports Center. Event details and site design…",
            "content_text": "On the eve of the new year, Beijing experienced a cold front with temperatures dropping to minus 10 degrees Celsius. A group of fitness enthusiasts gathered on the newly constructed DPU fitness pathway at the National Olympic Sports Center to kick off the new year with a healthy run. At the seventh 'Welcoming the New Year, Striding Towards a Brighter Tomorrow' fitness walk and the unveiling ceremony of the DPU fitness pathway, residents from nearby communities and all staff members of the National Olympic Sports Center experienced the 2.5-kilometer-long pathway.▲Key participants in the ribbon-cutting ceremony included Li Quanhai, Director of the National Olympic Sports Center; Lin Xiaohua, Party Secretary; Geng Baoquan, Tan Ying, and Zhang Hongxia, Deputy Directors; Cai Lin, Deputy Director of the Asian Games Village Sub-district Office; Chen Ding, London Olympics Men's 20km Race Walk Champion; Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC Group Co., Ltd.; Han Wei, Business Director for Greater China of the Building Business in BASF's Performance Materials Division; and Zhang Yunzhong, Chairman of Zhonghao Yinhe Industrial Co., Ltd.▲Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC Group, delivered a speech on behalf of his company.In 2019, the National Olympic Sports Center conducted thorough research and actively sought out high-quality social resources to re-pave the 2.5-kilometer-long fitness pathway within its premises. This DPU fitness pathway utilizes advanced elastic materials known as ETPU, also referred to as popcorn material, which is characterized by its high elasticity, environmental friendliness, and durability. Despite the cold winter in Beijing, this running track maintains excellent shock absorption, providing maximum protection for the knee joints of fitness enthusiasts and runners, making it one of the international high-quality fitness pathways.National Olympic Sports Center: Witnessing the Revival of China's Sports SectorEvery day, many local residents in the vicinity of the National Olympic Sports Center engage in physical activities such as running, skipping rope, and fitness exercises. Mass fitness has long been integrated into the daily lives of the local population, just as it is at the National Olympic Sports Center.Over the past three decades, as a window for China's sports development to the outside world, the National Olympic Sports Center has hosted major sporting events such as the 11th Asian Games, the 21st World University Games, and the 2008 Olympics, among others. These events have been greatly appreciated by the general public. The growth and development of the National Olympic Sports Center have witnessed the revitalization of China's sports sector. In the new era, the National Olympic Sports Center is actively exploring new models and approaches for mass fitness work, promoting the concepts of healthy exercise and scientific fitness to a wider audience. It is also building and improving various fitness facilities within its premises with an international perspective, aiming to provide better and more diverse fitness experiences to the public.National Olympic Sports Center Director Li Quanhai emphasized in his speech that as a national-level mass fitness demonstration base, the center has always taken the responsibility of constructing public sports services. It continuously enhances its facilities, creates fitness organizations, organizes public events, provides fitness guidance, and promotes sports culture. In recent years, the center has hosted over 28 million mass fitness activities annually.▲ National Olympic Sports Center Director Li Quanhai presented plaques to representatives from BASF and DBC Group.The 'Welcoming New Year for a Better Tomorrow' event has been held consecutively for seven years, receiving enthusiastic responses from nearby fitness enthusiasts. With the promulgation of the 'Outline of the Construction of a Sports Powerhouse,' the Olympic Sports Center is committed to making its mass fitness activities more refined and superior, reaching a broader audience. We hope to promote more people's participation in sports through public welfare sports activities, bring joy through exercise, and also promote personal health, family harmony, and social peace, contributing to a moderately prosperous society.The DPU Fitness Path: Three Technologies Make the Track Stand OutAccording to reports, this DPU fitness path uses Infinergy ETPU particles, a polyurethane thermoplastic foamed material invented by BASF, a world-leading chemical company. DBC Group, a pioneer in new materials application innovation, has creatively applied it to sports venues. Lin Fanqiu, the chairman of DBC Group, believes that 'the fitness path project at the Olympic Sports Center is an exemplary case of innovative application of new technologies and materials in mass fitness facilities.'We are confident that this DPU track will be the world's most environmentally friendly fitness path. It is not only environmentally friendly but also protects exercisers' knee joints from injury, maintaining excellent elasticity even in sub-zero winter temperatures in Beijing. High-quality sports venue facilities will help promote mass fitness more widely and smoothly. We hope that people can run to health and vitality on this track, and we wish for more comfortable, environmentally friendly, and durable tracks in the future to bring happiness to the nation.According to Hans Wei, Business Director of the Construction Sector in the Greater China Region of BASF's Performance Materials Division, the DPU fitness path is a series of systems developed jointly by BASF and DBC Group, utilizing various types of novel materials. It features ETPU cushioning technology, zero-VOC odorless technology, and UV-resistant aging technology. Not only does it meet all environmental requirements stipulated in the new national standard GB36246-2018 drafted by the Ministry of Education, but it also complies with the most stringent impact protection standards for sports surfaces in Europe and America.Zhang Yunzhong, Chairman of Zhonghao Galaxy Industrial Co., Ltd., expressed gratitude to the Olympic Sports Center for providing the company with an opportunity to serve society and offer a healthy lifestyle to Beijing residents. He said,In the new decade: run freely, healthily, and comfortablyDespite the cold weather, participants were enthusiastic. A resident of the Asian Games Village subdistrict said: 'I started exercising here in 1990—nearly thirty years ago. The Olympic Sports Center is part of our lives; it feels as though something is missing if we do not come for a walk.' The resident added that the center had built a fitness path, provided free physical-fitness testing, distributed scientific-fitness guides, organized public-interest activities and, according to what participants had heard, arranged insurance for attendees. The resident also expressed happiness at joining Olympic race-walking champion Chen Ding for the walk.In March 2018, the General Administration of Sport of China, National Development and Reform Commission, and 12 other ministries jointly issued the 'One Million Kilometer Fitness Path Project Implementation Plan,' aiming to complete approximately 300 kilometers of fitness paths in each county (city, district) by 2020 to promote widespread fitness activities.Fitness paths are crucial carriers for mass fitness. Their environmental safety and durability are vital for the health of the public, impacting the effective implementation of a Healthy China strategy. As we approach 2020 and embark on a new decade, not only must we get moving and start running, but we must also run freely, healthily, and comfortably!▲ At the 2019 TiE Expo, DBC Group unveiled a DPU fitness path product system solution.",
            "date_published": "2020-01-02T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2020-01-02-dpu-060-e7b05e/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-10-24-dpu-059-226401.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-10-24-dpu-059-226401.html",
            "title": "2018 National Education Development Statistical Bulletin",
            "summary": "This page reproduces the 2018 National Education Development Statistical Bulletin as a migrated public-information record. Figures and policy context are historical and…",
            "content_text": "In 2018, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the education system guided by Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implemented the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the National Education Conference, adhered to the general tone of steady progress, and pursued high-quality development. The system promoted educational priority development and fulfilled the fundamental task of fostering virtue and nurturing talent by launching the 'Writing the Chapter of Educational Progress' action. Significant breakthroughs were made in various aspects of educational reform and development, achieving notable accomplishments at all levels of education. These achievements propelled the country closer to its goals of accelerating modernization in education, building an education powerhouse, and providing satisfactory education for the people.I. OverviewThere were a total of 518,800 schools at all levels across the country, an increase of 5,017 from the previous year, representing a growth of 0.98%; the total number of students enrolled in all levels of education was 276 million, an increase of 5.394 million from the previous year, or 2.00%; and the number of full-time teachers was 16.7285 million, an increase of 459,600 from the previous year, or 2.83%.II. Preschool EducationThere were a total of 266,700 kindergartens across the country, an increase of 11,700 from the previous year, representing a growth of 4.60%. The number of children enrolled in preschool education decreased by 740,400 to 18.6391 million, a decline of 3.82%; while the number of children currently attending kindergarten increased by 562,800 to 46.5642 million, a growth of 1.22%. The number of staff in kindergartens was 4.5315 million, an increase of 338,600 from the previous year, or 8.08%; and the number of full-time teachers was 2.5814 million, an increase of 149,200 from the previous year, or 6.14%. The gross enrollment rate in preschool education reached 81.7%, an increase of 2.1 percentage points from the previous year.Figure 1: Preschool Education Enrollment and Gross Enrollment RateIII. Compulsory EducationThere were a total of 213,800 schools at the compulsory education stage in China, enrolling 34,698,900 students and having 150 million students enrolled, with 97.309 million full-time teachers. The gross enrollment ratio for nine years of compulsory education was 94.2%.1. Primary SchoolThere were a total of 161,800 ordinary primary schools in China, a decrease of 52,000 from the previous year, representing a decline of 3.11%. Additionally, there were 101,400 teaching points for primary schools, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous year. A total of 18,673,000 students were enrolled, an increase of 1,007,400 from the previous year, representing a growth of 5.70%; there were 103,392,500 students enrolled, an increase of 2,455,600 from the previous year, representing a growth of 2.43%; and 16,164,900 graduates, an increase of 505,900 from the previous year, representing a growth of 3.23%. The net enrollment rate for primary school-aged children reached 99.95%.Figure 2: Primary School Enrollment and Net Enrollment RateThere were 57.325 million staff members in primary schools, an increase of 87,200 from the previous year, representing a growth of 1.54%; among them, 6.0919 million full-time teachers, an increase of 147,000 from the previous year, representing a growth of 2.47%. The qualification rate for full-time teachers' academic credentials was 99.97%, an increase of 0.01 percentage points from the previous year. The student-to-teacher ratio was 16.97:1.Table 1: Primary School Numbers, Staff, and TeachersThe gross floor area of school buildings in ordinary primary schools (including teaching points) was 78,619.53 million square meters, an increase of 3,531.07 million square meters from the previous year. The proportion of schools meeting standards for facilities and equipment was as follows: 88.47% for sports fields (gyms), 94.23% for sports equipment, 93.89% for music equipment, 93.70% for art equipment, and 93.72% for science and mathematics laboratory equipment. All these proportions increased from the previous year.2. Junior High SchoolThere were a total of 52,000 junior high schools across the country (including 11 vocational junior high schools), an increase of 88 from the previous year, representing a growth of 0.17%. The number of students enrolled was 16,025,900, an increase of 553,700 from the previous year, or 3.58%; the number of students in school was 46,525,900, an increase of 2,105,200 from the previous year, or 4.74%; and the number of graduates was 13,677,700, a decrease of 297,000 from the previous year, or 2.13%. The gross enrollment ratio for junior high school was 100.9%.Figure 3: Enrollment and Gross Enrollment Ratio in Junior High SchoolThere were 4,193,800 staff members in junior high schools, an increase of 115,700 from the previous year, or 2.84%. Among them, there were 3,639,000 full-time teachers, an increase of 90,300 from the previous year, or 2.54%. The qualification rate for full-time teachers in terms of academic credentials was 99.86%, an increase of 0.03 percentage points from the previous year. The student-to-teacher ratio was 12.79:1.Table 2: Number of Junior High Schools, Staff Members, and Full-Time TeachersThe total floor area of school buildings in junior high schools was 64,368.13 million square meters, an increase of 3,361.39 million square meters from the previous year. The proportion of schools meeting standards for facility and equipment included: 92.58% for sports fields (gyms), 95.91% for sports equipment, 95.45% for music equipment, 95.21% for art equipment, and 95.64% for science laboratory equipment. All proportions increased from the previous year.3. Migrant Workers' ChildrenThere were a total of 14,240,400 migrant workers' children enrolled in compulsory education across the country. Among them, 10,483,900 were enrolled in primary school and 3,756,500 were enrolled in junior high school.IV. Special EducationThere were a total of 2,152 special education schools nationwide, an increase of 45 from the previous year, representing a growth of 2.14%. These schools employed 58,700 full-time teachers, an increase of 2,700 from the previous year, marking a growth of 4.78%.A total of 123,500 students with various forms of special education were enrolled nationwide, an increase of 12,700 from the previous year, representing a growth of 11.43%. The number of students in special education programs was 665,900, an increase of 87,100 from the previous year, marking a growth of 15.05%. Among them, there were 3,316 students in attached special education classes, accounting for 0.50% of the total number of special education students; 329,100 students received special education in regular classrooms, accounting for 49.41% of the total number of special education students; and 116,400 students received home-based instruction, accounting for 17.48% of the total number of special education students.Five, Secondary EducationThere were a total of 24,300 secondary schools nationwide, a decrease of 298 from the previous year, representing a decline of 1.21%. The number of students enrolled was 13,497,600, a decrease of 327,300 from the previous year, marking a decline of 2.37%. The total number of students in secondary education was 39,346,700, a decrease of 363,200 from the previous year, representing a decline of 0.91%. The gross enrollment ratio for secondary education was 88.8%, an increase of 0.5 percentage points from the previous year.Figure 4: Secondary School Enrollment and Gross Enrollment Rate1. General High SchoolsThere were a total of 13,700 general high schools nationwide, an increase of 182 from the previous year, representing a growth of 1.34%. The number of students enrolled was 7,927,100, a decrease of 73,500 from the previous year, marking a decline of 0.92%. The total number of students in general high schools was 23,753,700, an increase of 8,200 from the previous year, representing a growth of 0.03%. The number of graduates was 7,792,400, an increase of 35,200 from the previous year, marking a growth of 0.45%.There were 2,742,500 staff members in general high schools, an increase of 77,400 from the previous year, representing a growth of 2.91%. The number of full-time teachers was 1,812,600, an increase of 38,600 from the previous year, marking a growth of 2.18%. The student-to-teacher ratio was 13.10:1; the percentage of full-time teachers with qualified academic qualifications was 98.41%, an increase of 0.26 percentage points from the previous year.Table 3: Number of Ordinary High Schools, Staff, and Full-time TeachersThe total floor area of school buildings in ordinary high schools was 54,206.05 million square meters, an increase of 2,694.31 million square meters from the previous year. The proportion of schools meeting standards for various facilities and equipment were as follows: 91.77% for sports fields (gyms), 93.84% for sports equipment, 92.71% for music equipment, 92.91% for art equipment, and 93.70% for science laboratory equipment.2. Adult High SchoolThere were 354 adult high schools nationwide, a decrease of 38 from the previous year; with 40,300 students enrolled and 36,000 graduates. The number of staff was 2,633, including 2,129 full-time teachers.3. Secondary Vocational EducationThere were a total of 10,200 secondary vocational schools nationwide, a decrease of 442 from the previous year, representing a 4.14% decline. Among these, there were 3,322 ordinary secondary specialized schools, a decrease of 24; 1,097 adult secondary specialized schools, a decrease of 121; 3,431 vocational high schools, a decrease of 186; and 2,379 technical schools, a decrease of 111.Enrollment in secondary vocational education was 5,570,500 students, a decrease of 253,800 from the previous year, or a 4.36% decline, accounting for 41.27% of total enrollment in secondary education. This included 2,419,300 students in ordinary secondary specialized schools, a decrease of 43,100; 462,500 students in adult secondary specialized schools, a decrease of 106,300; 1,403,200 students in vocational high schools, a decrease of 80,800; and 1,285,500 students in technical schools, a decrease of 23,600.The total number of students enrolled in secondary vocational education was 15,552,600, a decrease of 372,300 from the previous year, or a 2.34% decline, accounting for 39.53% of total enrollment in secondary education. This included 6,994,200 students in ordinary secondary specialized schools, a decrease of 135,700; 1,131,300 students in adult secondary specialized schools, a decrease of 141,200; 4,010,800 students in vocational high schools, a decrease of 129,700; and 3,416,400 students in technical schools, an increase of 34,300.The number of graduates from secondary vocational education was 4,872,800, a decrease of 96,000 from the previous year, or a 1.93% decline. This included 2,185,900 graduates from ordinary secondary specialized schools, an increase of 15,900; 511,000 graduates from adult secondary specialized schools, a decrease of 93,100; 1,272,900 graduates from vocational high schools, a decrease of 17,000; and 903,000 graduates from technical schools, a decrease of 18,000.Table 4: Status of Secondary Vocational Education StudentsSecondary vocational education institutions had a total of 1.0663 million staff members, a decrease of 13,400 from the previous year, representing a decline of 1.24%. Among them, secondary specialized schools had 397,500 staff members, an increase of 693 from the previous year; adult secondary specialized schools had 51,900 staff members, a decrease of 7,799 from the previous year; vocational high schools had 339,500 staff members, a decrease of 4,311 from the previous year; and technical schools had 266,700 staff members, a decrease of 1,854 from the previous year.Secondary vocational education institutions had a total of 833,500 full-time teachers, a decrease of 5,677 from the previous year, representing a decline of 0.68%, with a student-to-teacher ratio[17] of 19.10:1. Among them, secondary specialized schools had 305,000 full-time teachers, an increase of 3,382 from the previous year; adult secondary specialized schools had 39,500 full-time teachers, a decrease of 5,263 from the previous year; vocational high schools had 283,000 full-time teachers, a decrease of 3,057 from the previous year; and technical schools had 198,100 full-time teachers, a decrease of 740 from the previous year.Higher EducationThe total scale of higher education enrollment in China reached 38.33 million students, with a gross enrollment ratio of 48.1%. There were a total of 2,663 institutions of higher learning (including 265 independent colleges), an increase of 32 from the previous year, representing a growth of 1.22%. Among them, there were 1,245 undergraduate institutions, an increase of 2 from the previous year; and 1,418 vocational colleges and technical schools, an increase of 30 from the previous year. There were 277 adult higher education institutions, a decrease of 5 from the previous year; and 815 graduate training institutions, including 580 ordinary universities and 235 research institutes. The average scale of ordinary higher education institutions was 10,605 students, with undergraduate institutions averaging 14,896 students and vocational colleges and technical schools averaging 6,837 students.Figure 5: Scale of Higher Education Enrollment and Gross Enrollment RateA total of 858,000 graduate students were enrolled, including 739,300 full-time students. Among them, 95,500 doctoral students and 762,500 master's students were enrolled. There were 2.7313 million graduate students in total, with 389,500 doctoral students and 2.3417 million master's students. A total of 604,400 graduates were produced, including 60,700 doctoral graduates and 543,600 master's graduates.A total of 7.9099 million students enrolled in ordinary higher education institutions, an increase of 295,000 from the previous year, representing a growth of 3.87%; the number of students was 28.3103 million, an increase of 774,500 from the previous year, representing a growth of 2.81%; and the number of graduates was 7.5331 million, an increase of 174,800 from the previous year, representing a growth of 2.38%.Table 5: Status of Undergraduate and Vocational StudentsEnrollment in adult undergraduate and vocational programs increased to 273.31 million students, up by 55.78 million from the previous year, a growth of 25.64%; the number of on-campus students reached 590.99 million, an increase of 46.84 million from the previous year, representing an 8.61% rise; graduates numbered 217.74 million, a decrease of 29.30 million from the previous year, or 11.86%.The national higher education self-study examination for academic qualifications had 544.69 million examinees, with 48.72 million obtaining graduation certificates.There were 248.75 million staff members in ordinary higher education institutions, an increase of 4.45 million from the previous year, or a growth of 1.82%; among them, there were 167.28 million full-time teachers, an increase of 3.95 million from the previous year, representing a 2.42% rise. The student-to-teacher ratio in ordinary higher education institutions was 17.56:1, with 17.42:1 for undergraduate institutions and 17.89:1 for vocational (undergraduate) institutions. In adult higher education institutions, the number of staff members decreased to 38,000, a reduction of 3,381 from the previous year; among them, there were 21,900 full-time teachers, a decrease of 2,082 from the previous year.The total floor area of buildings in ordinary higher education institutions was 97,713.56 million square meters, an increase of 2,313.23 million square meters from the previous year; the total value of teaching and research instruments and equipment was 553.306 billion yuan, up by 53.77 billion yuan from the previous year.Seven: Private EducationThere were a total of 183,500 private schools and institutions at all levels, an increase of 5,815 from the previous year, accounting for 35.36% of the national total; enrollment increased to 177,975,000 students, up by 578,900 from the previous year, a growth of 3.36%; the number of students in all types of education reached 53,782,100, an increase of 2,577,400 from the previous year, or 5.03%. Among them:Figure 6: Scale and Structure of Private Education StudentsThere were 165,800 private kindergartens, an increase of 5,407 from the previous year, or a growth of 3.37%; the number of children enrolled decreased to 9,972,600, a reduction of 20,600 from the previous year, or 0.21%; the number of children in attendance increased to 26,397,800, an increase of 674,400 from the previous year, or 2.62%.There were 6,179 privately-run primary schools, an increase of 72 from the previous year, representing a growth of 1.18%; admissions reached 15.531 million students, up by 1.761 million, or 12.79% compared to the previous year; and there were 884.57 million students enrolled, an increase of 70.4 million, or 8.65% from the previous year.There were 5,462 privately-run junior high schools, an increase of 185 from the previous year, representing a growth of 3.51%; admissions reached 23.047 million students, up by 2.138 million, or 10.22% compared to the previous year; and there were 636.3 million students enrolled, an increase of 58.62 million, or 10.15% from the previous year.There were 3,216 privately-run general high schools, an increase of 214 from the previous year, representing a growth of 7.13%; admissions reached 11.695 million students, up by 0.554 million, or 4.97% compared to the previous year; and there were 328.27 million students enrolled, an increase of 22.01 million, or 7.19% from the previous year.There were 1,993 privately-run secondary vocational schools (including 265 independent colleges and 1 adult college), a decrease of 76 from the previous year. Admissions reached 8.123 million students, an increase of 0.255 million, or 3.24% compared to the previous year; and there were 209.7 million students enrolled, an increase of 12.37 million, or 6.27% from the previous year. There were 735 postgraduate students and 1,490 postgraduates in training.There were 750 private higher-education institutions, including 265 independent colleges and one adult higher-education institution, an increase of three from the previous year. General undergraduate and junior-college enrollment reached 1.8394 million, up by 85,700 or 4.89%; total enrollment reached 6.4960 million, up by 211,400 or 3.36%. Master's-program admissions numbered 735, with 1,490 students enrolled.Notes:[1] All statistical data exclude the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region, and Taiwan Province. Some discrepancies may arise due to rounding.[2][3] Includes children in independently established kindergartens and attached kindergarten classes.[4] Gross enrollment ratio refers to the percentage of students enrolled in a level of education, regardless of age, out of the population of the corresponding age group. Due to the inclusion of non-standard age group students (underage or overage), the gross enrollment ratio may exceed 100%.[5] Compulsory education consolidation rate refers to the percentage of junior high school graduates in a grade relative to the number of students who entered primary school in that grade.Net enrollment rate for school-age children in primary education refers to the percentage of the school-age population enrolled in primary education out of the total population in the age group prescribed by the state for primary education, calculated separately according to different enrollment ages and school systems in various regions.Because the number of faculty and staff in nine-year integrated schools is counted under junior secondary education, and that in complete secondary schools and twelve-year integrated schools is counted under senior secondary education, while full-time teachers are classified by educational level, there are cases where the data on primary school faculty and staff is smaller than that on full-time teachers.Includes full-time teachers in the primary education stage of nine-year integrated schools and twelve-year integrated schools.The qualification rate of full-time teachers' educational background refers to the percentage of full-time teachers meeting the minimum educational requirements prescribed by the state at a certain educational level out of the total number of full-time teachers at that level. The minimum educational requirements for teachers at each level refer to the relevant provisions of the Teachers Law of the People's Republic of China: to obtain a primary school teacher qualification, one should have a diploma from a secondary normal school or above; to obtain a junior secondary school teacher or a cultural or professional course teacher qualification in a junior vocational school, one should have a diploma from a higher normal junior college or other junior college or above; to obtain a senior secondary school teacher qualification or a cultural or professional course teacher qualification in a secondary specialized school, technical school, or vocational high school, one should have a bachelor's degree from a higher normal institution or other university or above.Schools with qualified facilities and equipment refer to those where the area of sports fields (halls) and the provision of sports equipment meet the relevant standards of the 'Notice on Printing and Distributing the Trial Basic Standards for National School Sports and Health Conditions' (Jiao Ti Yi [2008] No. 5) issued by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Finance; and where the provision of music equipment, art equipment, mathematics and natural science experimental instruments, and science experimental instruments, etc., meet the relevant standards for instrument provision prescribed by each province, autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government. Includes ordinary primary schools, junior secondary schools, and ordinary senior secondary schools.Includes full-time teachers in the junior secondary education stage of nine-year integrated schools, twelve-year integrated schools, and complete secondary schools.[12] Children of migrant workers who move with their parents refer to school-age children and adolescents whose household registration is in rural areas of other provinces (regions, municipalities) or other counties (districts) within the same province, who move with their working parents to urban or town areas (living together) in the destination location and receive compulsory education.[13] Includes students in special education schools, attached special education classes, regular classes, and those receiving home-delivered education.[14] Includes students in special education schools, regular primary schools, and junior high schools receiving home-delivered education.[15] The high school stage includes regular high schools, adult high schools, and secondary vocational schools.[16] Secondary vocational education includes general secondary specialized schools, vocational high schools, technical schools, and adult secondary specialized schools.[17] The student-to-teacher ratio for secondary vocational education does not include data from technical schools.[18] This includes the total number of students enrolled in various forms of higher education such as graduate studies, general undergraduate and vocational bachelor's and associate degree programs, adult undergraduate and associate degree programs, online undergraduate and associate degree programs, and higher education self-study exams.[19] The average size of general higher education institutions only includes the number of full-time undergraduate and vocational students, excluding data from branch campuses.[20] The student-to-teacher ratio for general higher education institutions does not include data from branch campuses, with the total student population being the equivalent student count.[21][22] This includes school-owned and non-school-owned independent use.",
            "date_published": "2019-10-24T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2019-10-24-dpu-059-226401/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-05-22-dpu-054-6d4b09.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-05-22-dpu-054-6d4b09.html",
            "title": "China Sports Industry Summit Highlights New Materials, Technologies and Equipment R&D",
            "summary": "The migrated publication summarizes a May 2019 China Sports Industry Summit discussion in Shanghai, including a call attributed to sports-administration official Li Ying…",
            "content_text": "On May 22, the China Sports Industry Summit, a brand-level event of the International Sports Goods Expo, was held at the Grand Shangri-La Hotel in Shanghai. Deputy Director Li Yingchuan of the General Administration of Sport of China (GASC), Vice Chairman Jiang Xiaojun of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and Dean of the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua University, Director Liu Fumin of the Economic Department of GASC, President Li Hua of the China Sports Goods Industry Association, Shanghai Sports Bureau Director Xu Bin, and over 600 industry experts and practitioners attended the summit.Driving Innovation to Upgrade the Sports Goods IndustryAs a new growth point in the national economy, the sports industry has shown significant effects in social, economic, and ecological development. Since the release of Document No. 46 by the State Council in 2014, the sports industry has rapidly become a new economic hotspot, thanks to policy incentives and resource aggregation. Deputy Director Li Yingchuan of the General Administration of Sport of China (GASC) stated,Deputy Director Li Yingchuan of the General Administration of Sport of ChinaHow can we promote the high-quality development of the sports industry, particularly in sports equipment, in the next phase?Li Yingchuan noted, 'Firstly, we should drive the transformation and upgrading of the sports equipment industry through innovation, seizing major opportunities brought by the new round of technological and industrial revolutions. Secondly, we should integrate with sports reforms to expand the development space of the sports equipment industry. We will develop more new materials, technologies, and equipment, and create a wider range of user-friendly sports equipment, especially for winter sports equipment, to meet fitness needs. Lastly, we should adhere to market orientation to build well-known sports equipment brands.'Promoting Development and Governance in TandemAt the China Sports Industry Summit, Jiang Xiaojun, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and Dean of the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua University, illustrated the significant promotion of the sports industry by Document No. 46 through a micro-data example—the change in the number of gyms. 'In our neighborhood, there was only one gym within a 600-meter radius in 2015. By July 2018, there were ten gyms,' she said. The same pattern was observed in other communities, with 8-10 gyms within the same radius at the same point in time.Jiang Xiaojun, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and Dean of the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua UniversityJiang Xiaojun also noted that five years is not a long time, but significant changes have occurred. These changes may have a more pronounced impact on the sports industry than on the overall economy, bringing new challenges.Jiang Xiaojun acknowledged that China's sports industry is characterized by the strong engagement of both government and market forces. The coexistence of these two forces could lead to a situation where incentives are multiplied but contradictions are also intensified, resulting in a rapid yet 'chaotic' development. Therefore, while promoting development, effective governance is also essential. This dual approach, which emphasizes both development and governance, is an appropriate model for the development of China's sports industry.Steady Progress and Open DevelopmentAs the industry association and organizer of the summit, the China Sports Equipment Industry Association has been committed to promoting the healthy and sustainable development of the industry. Following the theme of 'stability' for the year, President Li Hua of the association delved into the depth of this concept. On one hand, the new phase of China's economic development emphasizes stability, making the long-term nature of the sports industry more evident. This requires all parties to take a more steady approach. On the other hand, the new positioning of the sports industry as a new growth point for the national economy places higher demands on focusing on core competitiveness and on proactive innovation and assuming the role of a pillar industry.President Li Hua of the China Sports Equipment Industry AssociationLi Hua also expressed firm confidence in the development of the sports industry, stating: 'The cross-sector integration attributes ofAs a benchmark for the development of the sports industry in the new era, Shanghai is actively building itself into an 'International Sports Event Capital.' The city has achieved many outstanding results in various development initiatives and innovative practices. Shanghai's Sports Bureau Director Xu Bin particularly emphasized that by boldly 'opening up' and adeptly 'being open,' the sports market will continue to expand.Shanghai Sports Bureau Director Xu BinXu Bin stated that based on a year-long in-depth survey, last year we addressed the pain points, difficulties, and bottlenecks in the development of Shanghai's sports industry by pushing the Shanghai municipal government to issue the 'Several Opinions on Accelerating the Innovative Development of the Sports Industry in Our City,' which we refer to as the '30 Measures for Sports Industry.' The goal is to build four key systems: the first is a sector system led by competitive performance and fitness leisure industries; the second is a market system dominated by internationally competitive sports enterprises, while from a government perspective, we aim to serve both large and small businesses; the third is a spatial system centered on major sports venues and industrial clusters; and the fourth is a support system focused on industrial policies and business environment.By 2020, the total scale of Shanghai's sports industry is expected to reach around RMB 200 billion. By 2025, we aim for it to grow to RMB 400 billion, positioning Shanghai as a world leader in the sports industry. By 2035, the development level of the sports industry should align with the city's strategic goals, that is, becoming a global city of excellence.The China Sports Industry Summit is organized by the China Sports Goods Industry Association with support from the State General Administration of Sport. Since its inception in 2013, it has maintained its position as an 'industry thought leader,' focusing on key issues and hot topics in industry development. In 2019, the summit's theme was 'Steadfast Progress: Firmly Advancing High-Quality Development.' It aimed to review the steady progress of the sports industry over the past five years since the issuance of Document No. 46 from the State Council, delve into new thoughts and practices in building core competitiveness in the sports sector, and gather wisdom to drive high-quality development in the sports industry, guiding all parties involved to move forward together.",
            "date_published": "2019-05-22T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2019-05-22-dpu-054-6d4b09/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-05-21-dpu-053-2b5fbd.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-05-21-dpu-053-2b5fbd.html",
            "title": "Meeting Notice: Seminar on End-to-End Delivery under New Sports-Ground Standards",
            "summary": "A migrated 2019 meeting notice for a technical seminar on the full delivery chain for sports grounds under new standards. Schedule, speakers, organizers and registration…",
            "content_text": "New National Standards Technical Seminar for Sports Venue ConstructionOrganizer: Ministry of Education Equipment Research and Development CenterChina Sports Goods Industry AssociationLocation: Shanghai (National Convention and Exhibition Center)Shanghai Trade Expo 5.1 Hall F009(Conference Room in the Trade Activities Area)Date and Time: May 25, 2019, 09:00-12:00Contact: Yang Sino, Conference Registration CoordinatorPhone: +86 136 0160 2792 (WeChat same number)Email: Sino.yang@dbc.cnConference Agenda(09:30-09:45)Session: Technical Seminar on the Full Chain Technology for Constructing Sports Venues in Accordance with New National StandardsTopic: Opening Remarks at the China International Sports Equipment ExpoGuest Speaker: Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the China Sports Equipment Industry Federation, Luo Jie(09:45-10:00)Topic: The Significance and Role of Green Sports Venue Construction in Cultivating Well-rounded Successors for Socialist SuccessionGuest: Zhao Xianzhi, Deputy Secretary and Deputy Director of the Party Branch, Research and Development Center for Educational Equipment of the Ministry of Education(10:00-10:20)Topic: Policy and Regulatory Measures for Implementing New National Standards in School Sports Ground Construction Management in ShanghaiGuest: Zhang Jing, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Education Infrastructure Management Center(10:20-10:40)Topic: Policy and Regulatory Measures for Effectively Implementing New National Standards in School Ground ConstructionGuest: Not specified in the migrated source; refer to the final agenda issued at the time.(10:40-11:00)Topic: Data Analysis Report on the Chinese Campus and Sports Venue Sports Ground MarketGuest: Research Collaborative Unit for Green School Sports Grounds of the Ministry of Education Equipment Center, DBC Group(11:00-11:30) (Roundtable Discussion)Topic: Quality Control Throughout the Process of Sports Grounds / Ensuring New National Standards for Inspection in School Ground ConstructionGuests: Research Collaborative Units and Testing Institutions of the Ministry of Education Equipment Center for Green Sports Grounds in Primary and Secondary Schools(11:30-11:50) (Roundtable Discussion)Topic: Learning New National Standards and Correctly Guiding the Market, How to Promote the Spirit of Craftsmanship and Self-discipline Through the Inheritance of Craftsmanship and Self-discipline to Effectively Enhance the Overall Quality of the Sports Grounds IndustryGuests: Presidents, Secretaries-General, Chairmen, and Experts from Relevant Associations and Enterprises in the National Sports Industry(11:50-12:00)Segment: Golden Spatula Award Craftsmanship Inheritance Program (Award Ceremony)Topic: Third National Advanced Technical Workers in Sports Grounds Award CeremonyGuests: Representatives of Outstanding Construction Technical Workers from Various Provincial and Municipal Sports GroundsOrganizers:China International Sports Equipment Expo Organizing CommitteeDBC GroupDBC New Materials Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.Guangzhou Tongxin Sports Equipment Co., Ltd.Shandong Taishan Sports Engineering Co., Ltd.Guangzhou Jierui Sports Facilities Co., Ltd.Medi Grass Co., Ltd.China Building Materials Testing and Certification Group Co., Ltd.Co-organizers:National Sports Goods Quality Supervision and Inspection CenterShanghai Sports Facilities Construction Engineering Industry AssociationShaanxi Sports Facilities Industry AssociationHunan Sports Facilities Construction AssociationShandong Sports Venue Professional CommitteeGuizhou Sports Facility Construction and Equipment AssociationJiangsu Galaxy Chemical Light Industry Co., Ltd.Guangdong Chuangao High-tech Science and Technology Co., Ltd.Fujian Aoxiang Sports Plastic Technology Co., Ltd.Nanjing Feineng Rubber Products Co., Ltd.Guangzhou Disen Sports Equipment Co., Ltd.Guangdong Baisheng New Materials Technology Co., Ltd.Chongqing Huachang Sports Facilities Co., Ltd.Chongqing Chaoyuan Sports Facilities Co., Ltd.Hangzhou Qinglang Sports Facilities Co., Ltd.BASF Polyurethane Specialties (China) Co., Ltd.Beijing Ruijishede Construction Engineering Co., Ltd.China Jian Chenbo (Beijing) Construction Engineering Co., Ltd.Beijing Yangguang Pudi Construction Engineering Co., Ltd.Henan Shitong Sports Equipment Co., Ltd.Metro Transportation GuideMetro Route◎1.5 kilometers from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport and Hongqiao Railway Station, and approximately 60 kilometers from Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Both can be reached by taking Metro Line 2 to Xujingdong Station for direct access.◎25 kilometers from Shanghai Railway Station and 23 kilometers from Shanghai South Railway Station. Both can be reached by taking Metro Line 3 to Zhongshan Park Station, then transferring to Line 2 to Xujingdong Station for direct access.◎Get off at Zhujiang Road Station on Line 17. This station is located in the northwest corner of the north plaza of the exhibition hall.Public Transportation◎ Metro Line 2 Xuxingdong Station (near West Entrance): Air-conditioned Bus 1503, Qingfengxu Special Line Air-conditioned Bus, Bai Xu Line Air-conditioned Bus, Zhu Xu Line Bus, Air-conditioned Bus 865, D4 Bus Air-conditioned Bus, Bus 710, D2 Bus Air-conditioned Bus◎ Pumen East Road Zhuguang Road Station: D4 Bus Air-conditioned Bus◎ Songze Avenue Zhulu East Road Station: Bus 197ParkingThe public pay parking lot is located in the north plaza, with a capacity for 2,000 small vehicles. Enter the exhibition grounds via the outer ring entrance on Songze Avenue and proceed to the north parking lot through Gate 10. Walk across the north plaza to enter the north entrance hall (please follow on-site instructions to choose your entry point).Taxi Drop-off PointDismount at Gate 10 of the outer ring of the exhibition grounds, then walk through the north plaza to enter the north entrance hall (due to temporary traffic control during the exhibition period, please follow on-site instructions to choose your drop-off location).Taxi Pick-up PointA taxi pick-up point is located on the east side of the first floor in the east hall of the exhibition grounds (near Hall 1).Location: Shanghai (National Exhibition and Convention Center)Contact: Yang Sino (Conference Registration Contact Person)Email: sino.yang@dbc.cn",
            "date_published": "2019-05-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2019-05-21-dpu-053-2b5fbd/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-04-11-dpu-052-538b12.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-04-11-dpu-052-538b12.html",
            "title": "2019 Golden Trowel Award Craftsmanship Program Opens with Its First Competition",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports on the opening event of a sports-flooring skills competition. Organizer names, event results and awards require review against contempor…",
            "content_text": "On April 9, a hotly contested national skills competition in sports flooring took place at the Chongqing Sheraton Hotel, marking a significant event in the industry. Over 200 technical workers, along with experts and leaders from testing institutions, domestic and international companies, gathered to participate in this grand competition, contributing to the development of the sports flooring industry.Similar to the previous two 'Golden Blade' competitions, the 2019 third edition of the Golden Blade Award National Advanced Worker Competition in Sports Flooring continues to focus on craftsmanship and dedication. However, this year's competition is set against the backdrop of a critical period for high-quality development in the industry, marking a new stage of transformation and upgrading. Thus, held in early spring 2019, the competition aligns with the new demands of the sports flooring industry, emphasizing respect for technology, talent, and innovation.The event featured a rich and practical agenda with insightful presentations from industry experts. The on-site competition was intense, and the discussions among guests were engaging. The combination of theoretical knowledge and practical skills training, along with the hands-on competition in a hotel setting, provided a comprehensive experience. The event has successfully gathered industry consensus and will contribute to the healthy development of the sports flooring materials industry.From Skills Competition Back to the Spirit of CraftsmanshipWhat is a craftsman? In the construction of brick and mortar, every effort and detail is a testament to the dedication and professionalism. When you truly embody the spirit of craftsmanship, you will find joy in your work and produce genuine results.At the opening ceremony of the competition, DBC Group Chairman Lin Fanqiu emphasized that craftsmanship is not only a professional skill and moral integrity but also a form of self-cultivation. 'We respect craftsmen and craftsmanship, which means respecting labor, creativity, and conscience. For the sports flooring industry to recover from negative news about toxic tracks, it must rely on craftsmen with a spirit of craftsmanship. Only then can we create green, environmentally friendly projects, high-quality conscience projects, and cost-effective projects that ensure the health and safety of billions of people and contribute to the Chinese Dream! 'Over the past two years, the National Advanced Technician Competition in Sports Flooring has had a positive impact on the industry, raising awareness that meeting strict environmental standards and physical mechanical performance is a comprehensive reflection of a product's quality. Proficient craftsmanship and a spirit of continuous improvement are essential for producing high-quality products and projects.Discussing the motivation behind this competition, he said, 'In the next decade, the sports flooring industry will be highly competitive with extremely harsh eliminations, whether for material companies, contractors, or individual craftsmen. We hope that new craftsmen can carve out their own paths in this intense competition, both grounded and visionary. At the same time, we aim to standardize construction practices in the sports flooring materials industry, enabling more technicians to meet professional standards and enhancing their overall competitiveness.'While the Golden Trowel Award is a technical skills competition, its significance extends beyond that, Lin Fanqiu explained. 'With good standards, materials, and craftsmen, the right pursuit is now in place. However, the unity and mutual respect within the industry are crucial for sustainable development.' The organizers hope to gather more industry forces through this event, promoting collaborative and rational growth to advance the industry's ecosystem and contribute to a beautiful and healthy China.'In her speech, Guo Chao, Director of the Exhibition Department of the China Sports Goods Industry Association (CSGIA), succinctly articulated the aspirations of master craftsmen. She said, 'The CSGIA is a significant platform in the sports industry, serving both enterprises and consumers while exploring deeper technical areas. Just as today's competition showcases, we can provide standardized operational guidelines in the future. More importantly, our expert team can offer skill certification to master craftsmen, providing them with authoritative recognition and enhancing their professional paths.'Guo Chao also provided a detailed overview of the current state and future development of the CSGIA and the China International Sports Goods Fair (CISGF). She mentioned that the 2019 CISGF will feature over 1,500 exhibitors and more than 100,000 visitors.Finally, Guo Chao expressed her anticipation of seeing the advanced craftsmen at the CISGF on May 23. The fair will provide a broader platform for everyone to focus on master craftsmen, respect their craftsmanship, and value creativity.Finally, Guo Chao expressed her anticipation to see the advanced craftsmen and artisans during the Shanghai Sports Expo in May. The expo will provide a broader platform for everyone to focus on craftsmanship, respect the art of making, and value creativity.At the event, 12 guests from associations, testing institutions, manufacturing companies, and engineering firms, along with master craftsmen, offered insights on how the industry can develop healthily. They proposed various practical solutions and action plans. Through training and exchanges, the participating craftsmen broadened their horizons in terms of concepts, products, standards, norms, operations, and tools, which will contribute to the overall progress of the industry and improvement in construction quality.In the intense competition, over 200 technical workers from across the country showcased their 'talents.' After 150 minutes of laying six different structural DPU running track systems, one by one, miniature tracks were produced. Ultimately, 60 craftsmen stood out through the scores given by more than ten professional judges and dozens of observers.According to reports, the 2019 third edition of the Golden Blade Award Advanced Technician Competition in Sports Flooring across China will consist of three stages. After the opening ceremony in Chongqing, an online vote will be held in early May. On May 23rd, all finalists will travel to Shanghai for the final round during the 37th China International Sports Equipment Expo. Who will become the 2019 Golden Blade Award star? We look forward to seeing who it will be.This competition is supported by the Chinese Sports Goods Industry Association, organized by DBC Group and BASF Polyurethane Specialties (China) Co., Ltd., and hosted by Shanghai DBC Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd., the China International Sports Equipment Expo, Chongqing Huachang Sports Facility Co., Ltd., and Chongqing Chaoyuan Sports Facility Co., Ltd. Jiangsu Galaxy Chemical Light Industry Co., Ltd., Fujian Aoxiang Sports Flooring Technology Co., Ltd., and Guangdong Chuao High-tech Co., Ltd. are co-organizers.Event HighlightsNext, the article moves into the event itself.First, let's take a look at the exterior of the hotel, where the 'Golden Twin Towers' are meticulously crafted, towering into the sky.Could the grand Hyatt Regency hotel and construction skills competition be a match made in heaven? Anything is possible! Of course, environmental friendliness and odorlessness are non-negotiable. If materials are toxic or smelly, the first victims would be the skilled workers on the front line!!Construction workers are dispersing ETPU popcorn particles.At this moment, the craftsmen are the stars. We are happy to play supporting roles, promoting respect for technology, talent, and innovation across the industry!The competition is in full swing, with many people observing.In the process of refining the 'work,' there can be no room for carelessness.Judges are carefully scoring the entries...They are peers and also fathers and sons; their shared commitment to the craft is presented as a form of continuity.Their words may be simple, but they are heartfelt, reflecting their confidence and hope in the industry. This is the essence of the Master Legacy Program—to ensure that the spirit of craftsmanship continues to thrive...After a tense competition, 60 craftsmen received their graduation certificates. A few were also selected for further consideration...The lucky draw segment is highly anticipated.Ms. Lee XiuZhen from South Korea presented an iPhone Xr 128G to a lucky craftsman (his bronze complexion reflects his professional dedication).Two iPads, ten boxes of 'Unity Tea' (symbolic gifts), and ten pairs of Adidas Boost sneakers were distributed to the lucky craftsmen!Group photo from the opening ceremony of the 2019 Third Golden Blade Award Advanced Technician Competition for Sports Flooring Nationwide.",
            "date_published": "2019-04-11T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2019-04-11-dpu-052-538b12/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-03-27-dpu-051-dee423.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-03-27-dpu-051-dee423.html",
            "title": "2019 Campus Running-Track Sampling Inspections to Apply GB 36246-2018",
            "summary": "The migrated article summarizes a 2019 product-safety work plan attributed to the State Administration for Market Regulation, including campus running-track materials am…",
            "content_text": "The National Market Supervision and Administration Bureau has issued a notice on the '2019 Children and Student Products Safety Protection Campaign Work Plan,' focusing on four key products: school running tracks, children's toys, student stationery, and school uniforms. The plan calls for increased quality supervision and strict enforcement of non-conforming products, and severe punishment for illegal and non-compliant behaviors.The notice highlights the need to focus on sampling raw materials used in the construction of school running tracks, such as plastic granules and adhesives, and to test their safety performance indicators. It also aims to provide technical support for implementing the requirements of GB 36246-2018 'Middle School and Primary School Synthetic Material Surface Layer Sports Grounds.'The plan emphasizes comprehensive, stringent, and multi-party governance to ensure the quality and safety of children's and student products. It aims to provide a sense of comfort for children in terms of wearing, using, and playing.Notification from the Office of the State Administration for Market Regulation on the Issuance of the '2019 Children and Student Products Safety Protection Campaign Work Plan'To the provincial, autonomous region, municipal market supervision bureaus, and Xinjiang Production and Construction Commission:The '2019 Children and Student Products Safety Protection Campaign Work Plan' has been approved by the 4th Bureau Meeting of the State Administration for Market Regulation on March 18, 2019. It is now issued to you for implementation in light of your specific circumstances.Office of the State Administration for Market RegulationWork Plan for the 2019 Children and Student Products Safety Protection CampaignThe quality and safety of children's and student products are closely linked to the physical and mental health of young people, impacting family happiness and social harmony. In recent years, under the joint efforts of various levels of market supervision departments and all sectors of society, the overall situation regarding the quality and safety of children's and student products in China has shown a steady improvement. However, due to factors such as uneven economic and social development and weak awareness among some enterprises regarding quality and safety, as well as integrity, certain products and areas still face challenges in terms of quality and safety, drawing significant public attention. To implement the requirements of the National Market Supervision Work Conference, and to safeguard the quality and safety of children's and student products, this work plan has been formulated.I. General Requirements(1) Guiding PrinciplesGuided by Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will fully implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and its second and third plenary sessions. We will earnestly implement the decisions and plans of the central government and the State Council, leveraging the opportunity provided by the reform of market supervision institutions to integrate regulatory resources, strengthen multi-party cooperation, enhance regulatory efficiency, and solidify the safety assurance line for children's and student products. This will ensure that young people are comfortable in their attire, use their products with ease, and enjoy themselves.(2) Basic PrinciplesWe will adhere to a problem-oriented approach. Focusing on products closely related to the healthy growth of young people, such as toys, stationery, school uniforms, and raw materials for school running tracks, we will continue to conduct supervisory inspections and special rectification campaigns. We will continuously improve preventive measures to effectively mitigate systemic and regional risks.We will adopt a comprehensive regulatory approach. Leveraging the integrated advantages of the institutional reform, we will coordinate the use of various functions to apply multiple regulatory measures, forming a synergy in market supervision law enforcement.We will enforce strict regulation. We will severely punish quality and safety violations that harm the health of young people, enhancing the deterrent effect of market supervision law enforcement.We will promote multi-party governance. We will leverage the self-regulatory role of industry associations, the technical support role of testing institutions, the publicity role of the media, and the supervisory role of public opinion and the general public to promote social governance.(3) Work ObjectivesThrough the Children and Student Products Safety Guardian Action, we have identified the production enterprises of key children and student products and assessed the quality and safety conditions in the industry. We have rectified problematic industrial clusters, cleared out non-compliant products, and prosecuted major cases of quality and safety violations to maintain a high-pressure regulatory environment for children and student product quality and safety. Multiple educational and promotional activities have been organized to enhance students' and parents' awareness of quality and safety issues and improve their safety prevention capabilities.II. Key WorkThe action also focuses on school running track raw materials. Key inspections are conducted on the plastic granules and adhesives used in constructing school running tracks to test their safety performance indicators. We actively provide technical support for the implementation of the GB 36246-2018 Standard for Synthetic Material Surface Layers of Sports Grounds in Primary and Secondary Schools.The action also includes requirements for children's toys, student stationery, school uniforms, and school running track raw materials.III. MeasuresGather Basic Information. The provincial, autonomous region, municipal market supervision bureaus, and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Market Supervision Bureau (hereinafter referred to as provincial-level market supervision departments) should organize grassroots market supervision departments to identify the number and information of production enterprises of children's toys, student stationery, school uniforms, and school running track raw materials within their jurisdictions. They should establish a database according to unified requirements and report it; they should also rely on technical institutions and industry associations, combining historical consumer complaints, media reports, public opinion monitoring, and regulatory enforcement data, to analyze the quality and safety conditions of these four categories of products in their regions, identify issues, analyze causes, and propose solutions. Municipal-level market supervision departments in industrial clusters should also conduct quality and safety analyses on their local main products.Conduct Specialized Governance in Production Fields. At the municipal and county (district) levels, as well as at grassroots market supervision stations, children's toys, student stationery, school uniforms, and school running track raw materials should be prioritized for inspection. All production enterprises should be subject to routine supervision and hazard identification according to the 'double random, one open' regulatory requirements. Focus on reviewing purchase records and test reports of raw materials to ensure their compliance.Municipal and county-level market supervision departments in industrial clusters should conduct specialized governance targeting prominent issues. They should intensify quality supervision spot checks, severely punish products that do not meet mandatory standards, and crack down on illegal and non-compliant behaviors. They should promote industry associations to widely carry out quality improvement and quality breakthrough activities, and encourage technical institutions to provide public training on quality and safety and promote the implementation of mandatory standards. They should guide industry associations to initiate self-regulatory initiatives for quality and safety, advocating for self-discipline and compliance in the children's and student products industry, and jointly opposing non-compliant enterprises.Measures also include specialized governance in school surroundings, online business supervision, and special educational campaigns.IV. RequirementsStrengthen Leadership and Organization. Each provincial market supervision department should strengthen the leadership and organization of the Children and Students' Products Safety Protection Campaign. They should clarify their responsibilities, and in conjunction with this work plan and local realities, conduct inspections and sort out key products, key markets, and key areas. They should develop more targeted campaign plans and work measures based on these inspections.Enhance the Handling of Issues. Local market supervision departments must seriously handle discovered quality and safety incidents, file cases and investigate a batch of substandard products, rectify and govern a batch of problematic enterprises, eliminate and ban a batch of illegal enterprises, and transfer a batch of major cases. Confiscate and destroy counterfeit and shoddy products with serious quality and safety hazards in accordance with the law to enhance the deterrence of regulatory law enforcement. Strengthen enterprise credit supervision, collect relevant credit information in a timely manner to the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System, and publicize it to the society in accordance with the law. Include illegal enterprises in the 'blacklist', increase the intensity of joint punishment for dishonesty, and urge enterprises to implement their main responsibilities for quality and safety.Enhance Emergency Response. Focus on network public opinion, media reports, and consumer complaints about children and students' product quality and safety issues. Quickly collect and analyze information to promptly handle potential quality and safety problems. Develop emergency response plans based on theStrengthen News Promotion. Utilize various channels such as television, radio, newspapers, and the internet to widely publicize the progress and achievements of the Children and Students' Products Safety Protection Campaign. Highlight typical cases to deter illegal activities. Especially during theNew National Standard for 'PVC Tracks': GB36246-2018 for Middle and Primary School Synthetic Material Surface Sports FieldsIn response to the recent incidents of toxic running tracks in schools, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China officially released the new national standard GB36246-2018 for Middle and Primary School Synthetic Material Surface Sports Fields on May 2018. The new standard took effect on November 1, 2018, replacing the national standard GB/T 19851.11-2005 for Middle and Primary School Sports Equipment and Grounds - Part 11: Synthetic Material Surface Sports Fields.This mandatory national standard, known as the 'New National Standard for PVC Tracks', was developed under the leadership of the Ministry of Education after over two years of revision, more than 100 expert meetings, and extensive on-site investigations. It collected data from hundreds of companies and underwent countless validation tests. The implementation of this new standard will undoubtedly promote the sports flooring industry towards greater standardization and self-regulation, ensuring the health of all users of sports fields.",
            "date_published": "2019-03-27T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2019-03-27-dpu-051-dee423/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-03-26-dpu-050-cb64b0.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-03-26-dpu-050-cb64b0.html",
            "title": "2019 Golden Trowel Award National Sports-Flooring Skills Competition Opens",
            "summary": "The migrated publication announces a sports-flooring skills competition organized by DBC Group, the China Sporting Goods Federation and BASF Polyurethanes Specialties (C…",
            "content_text": "To honor the spirit of craftsmanship, establish standardized construction standards, and promote respect for technology, talent, and innovation across the industry, the 2019 third edition of the Golden Trowel Award National Advanced Technician Competition for Sports Flooring is set to commence in Chongqing. This competition, co-organized by DBC Group, China Sports Equipment Industry Federation, and BASF Polyurethane Specialties (China) Co., Ltd., along with Shanghai DBC Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd., China International Sports Equipment Expo, Chongqing Huachang Sports Facilities Co., Ltd., and Chongqing Chaoyuan Sports Facilities Co., Ltd., aims to elevate the standards of craftsmanship in the sports flooring industry.The Golden Trowel Award National Advanced Technician Competition for Sports Flooring has been held for two consecutive years, focusing on the craftsmen and specialized construction skills in sports flooring. It seeks to pass down and promote the spirit of craftsmanship while driving standardization in the construction of sports ground materials. Over the past two years, the competition has had a positive impact on the industry, raising awareness that meeting strict environmental standards and physical mechanical performance is essential for a product's quality. Proficiency and precision in craftsmanship are fundamental to ensuring high-quality products and projects.Registration is now open!Follow DBC Group’s WeChat official account, select the technician competition registration option from the bottom right corner, and enter the registration channel.Let craftsmen across the land have steady work, earn a living, and work with dignity!In 2019, to further promote the spirit of craftsmanship, unleash the potential of outstanding technical workers across the country, foster a fair and healthy competitive environment, and cultivate an atmosphere of respecting labor and valuing skills, the third edition of the Golden Trowel Award National Advanced Technician Competition for Sports Flooring is set to continue its upgrade. The competition registration has now commenced, with preliminary rounds, advancement rounds, and finals to follow. This spring, the 'Golden Trowel Craftsmen Inheritance Plan' sports flooring skill competition will bring a feast of skills to the entire industry. Meanwhile, in line with the spirit of seeking common ground while reserving differences, we continue to invite like-minded partners to work together to advance the professionalization and development of green sports facilities in campuses, sports venues, and urban fitness trails.Competition detailsCurrently, there are widespread issues with non-standardized construction practices in sports field installations. This competition aims to promote professionalization among practitioners, standardize processes, and set a benchmark for meticulous craftsmanship and excellence. It will enhance the understanding of technical workers regarding standardized construction methods and guide the industry towards sustainable and healthy development.To recognize and honor the contributions of technical workers, the organizers have invited key leaders from the Chinese sports industry and representatives from renowned domestic and international companies to attend the national semi-final in Chongqing on April 9. They will witness and commend outstanding technical workers across the country, driving advancements in technology and process improvements.This national advanced technician competition for sports fields has garnered coverage from over a dozen professional media outlets and received support from associations and enterprises in related sectors nationwide. The competition is now open to outstanding construction units, teams, and individuals in the sports field industry. In late April, an online voting platform will be launched to recognize the efforts of frontline workers who cannot participate in person and to honor exemplary projects from recent years. On May 23, during the 37th China International Sports Equipment Expo in Shanghai, the national final will be held to showcase the craftsmanship and spirit of the artisans.Competition scheduleStart online registration immediatelyApril 9: National launch event in ChongqingLate April: Launch online voting channelMay 23: National final during the China International Sports Equipment Expo in ShanghaiTo excel in every detail is the essence of a craftsman.Rooted in craftsmanship, centered on artisans, the 2019 Golden Motech Award Craftsmanship Inheritance Plan invites you to join us in Chongqing for this exciting journey!For registration, please fill out the necessary information in the electronic application form. Alternatively, you can find the registration process on DBC Group's WeChat service account. We look forward to your participation! This event is free for participants who meet the artisan criteria, offering complimentary accommodation and prizes. Please register as soon as possible as space is limited.Thank you to all the artisans with a craftsman's spirit!!The 2nd Golden Trowel Award Competition and Ceremony Highlights!To do well in one's work, one must first sharpen one's tools.",
            "date_published": "2019-03-26T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2019-03-26-dpu-050-cb64b0/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-03-19-dpu-049-02cdc9.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-03-19-dpu-049-02cdc9.html",
            "title": "DPU Sports-Flooring System VIP Service Window Announced in 2019",
            "summary": "The migrated page announces a DBC and BASF customer-service window for DPU sports-flooring system solutions. Availability, service scope and response channels require cu…",
            "content_text": "The VIP customer service platform for DPU sports flooring system solutions by DBC and BASF is now open!To drive overall market upgrades and break the vicious cycle of low-bid winning, DBC has, over the past three years, organized numerous training sessions with industry peers to educate managers. We remain committed to advancing the industry through innovation and application breakthroughs.DBC collaborates with VIP clients to provide a high-quality and convenient service system for the market!Mutual empowerment!To enhance customer service quality and better support our partners, DBC has specially launched a VIP service channel. This will improve our communication efficiency and convenience.Follow DBC Group’s official WeChat account: DBCGROUP; click on the VIP channel at the bottom right corner, select DPU Service Platform to enter the DBC VIP customer service window or directly access the DPU Service Platform via the ‘Read More’ option at the bottom!We are continuously improving and welcome your feedback. Thank you.DBC Lin Fanqiu's Opening Remarks for the Year of the Pig: Striving Together with Like-Minded Colleagues!",
            "date_published": "2019-03-19T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2019-03-19-dpu-049-02cdc9/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-02-11-dpu-048-f60aac.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2019-02-11-dpu-048-f60aac.html",
            "title": "DBC Founder Lin Fanqiu's 2019 Lunar New Year Message",
            "summary": "A migrated Lunar New Year message from DBC founder Lin Fanqiu on work, purpose and collaboration. Personal views and titles reflect the 2019 publication. This page prese…",
            "content_text": "On the first workday of the Year of the Pig, let's kick off the new year together! Whether you are at your workplace, on the road, or still at home or traveling, it all works out well. Life is full of uncertainties, but what remains constant is our ideals and the commitment to them. Work is an indispensable companion for humans, though we may sometimes resent it. However, it enriches our lives and makes our spiritual world more colorful.In this era of unprecedented material abundance, where we lack nothing, possessing material things no longer stimulates our senses or provides lasting satisfaction. Instead, work efficiency has become a capability that new humans need to develop. We need a sense of achievement, continuous achievement, and let such achievements reside in us. This way, we can face the gains and losses, right and wrong of work without complaint. The most delightful outcome is that we won't complain about life either!Indeed, I enjoy my work because it always offers me challenges and hope. Sometimes it feels like an endless, insurmountable sea, and at other times, like a cradle carrying the hopes of millions. It seems to give my soul a place to rest. Perhaps this sounds exaggerated, but it is my genuine feeling. In the coming days, I will share with all supporters and followers of DBC the insights and new things I have observed!Ning'er Public Welfare Project InspectionOn the first workday after the New Year's Day in 2019, I set off for a remote county—Ning'er County, Hani and Yi Autonomous County (formerly known as Pu'er County). Departing from Shanghai, I took a flight to Kunming and then traveled to Pu'er City before reaching Ning'er County. Ning'er County is likely unfamiliar to many, but most people know about Pu'er tea, which originates from Pu'er Mountain, located in Ning'er County. This trip left me with the most unforgettable memories of the unity among the county's numerous ethnic minorities and the government leadership's serious approach to poverty alleviation work. Over three years, the entire county has united in efforts to achieve a small but significant dream for China—lifting 200,000 people out of poverty! In fact, I believe the happiness index here is quite high, and what I can do is add to it by contributing my modest effort to this county with a unifying spirit.My visit to Ning'er County was to inspect a public welfare donation project. Each year, DBC Company encourages several like-minded partners to undertake some construction projects. This will be the fourth year for us. In 2019, we hope to donate and construct a sports field at a school here. The current sports field at this school is made of concrete and asphalt surfaces. Over 2,000 children exercise on these hard surfaces, and over the years, some students have inevitably suffered from sports injuries. I hope that this year's donation by DBC and our partners can allow the children to run joyfully on an environmentally durable rubber track.My trip to Ning'er County left a deep impression on me. I love the simple lifestyle and the optimistic and positive attitude of the people here, as well as the rural scenery and the fairyland-like view of Pu'er Mountain where one can gaze at the clouds.Most of us tend to choose the path that seems simple and easy. When faced with difficulties at work, we retreat, jump from one industry to another, and end up making things worse for ourselves... The same applies to businesses. It may be easier to copy or imitate others, and profits might come quickly. However, after a couple of years, most such ventures are either stagnant or dead ends. Many have made fortunes by copying in the past, but times have changed. We need new approaches, new mindsets, and new perspectives.The Tao Te Ching states: 'Opposition is born from interdependence; difficulty and ease complement each other.' Difficulty and ease may seem contradictory, but they are also interconvertible. When undertaking any endeavor, one should adopt a long-term perspective and dialectical thinking. There is no constant in the world. The best choice is to do what you believe is right, but first, you must have the ability to recognize yourself.There is no doubt that DBC has chosen the right, albeit challenging, path. It is correct because future applications will be convenient, high-quality, and environmentally friendly, making human life simpler and more comfortable. In the future, DBC will bring more innovative technological applications to various fields, bringing surprises to many.In 2018, we established a new corporate slogan: 'We Innovate Future Applications.' This slogan clarifies DBC's development path—how to balance market benefits, true product environmental friendliness and performance, and how to contribute to the Earth on which we all depend. It is not only DBC's way out but also the path for any industry or enterprise to thrive.On Work, Unity, and Self-AwarenessUnity is an eternal topic that is pursued by nations and families alike. It always brings us unexpected surprises!Why should we unite? Who should we unite with? How can we achieve unity? I often ask myself these questions. Some might say that the Chinese are the least united! But as a part of China, we cannot continue to be passive spectators and onlookers as depicted by Lu Xun. Unity is possible, and there have been many examples of unity in China. We need to invest some time to find like-minded individuals who share our vision for unity, and then build the strength to pull others into this unity.Do not work with those who have other intentions; otherwise, you will undermine unity and hinder progress.Finding like-minded individuals is not easy; cherish those who share your struggles and aspirations!Every new year brings us strength and hope. DBC Group wishes to grow together with the most suitable, hardest-working partners who are committed to shared development!Wise people say that it's difficult for individuals at different cognitive levels to communicate effectively. This is why we often hear that 'birds of a feather flock together.' However, in this globalized world, can we truly distinguish ourselves from others? Distinguishing ourselves may be even more challenging than learning to embrace diversity.How can we gain clarity about ourselves and know that our convictions are correct?As Laozi said: 'To understand others is wisdom; to understand oneself is enlightenment. To conquer others is power; to conquer oneself is strength.' This is profound wisdom in life!In simpler terms, one must have self-awareness and understand their capabilities. If dreams are too grand but there's no clear understanding of one's abilities or steps to improve, such dreams can only remain as mere fantasies.True personal growth lies in the continuous evolution of self-awareness. If you feel societal, industrial, corporate, or personal injustices, first lower your own standards and mindset. Then, assess whether it's your inadequacy or if the society is truly unjust. If you still perceive injustice, you must speak up, stand firm, and fight for what you believe in. Break free from the cognitive limitations, accept yourself, and challenge yourself. Once you see clearly and understand fully, your mind will be calm, and you'll have direction in your actions.Transforming from an employee to a professional, and then to an expert—this is our understanding of work!A study found that 20 defunct tech companies had one common trait: apart from the owners, almost no one worked overtime. In entrepreneurship, what we need most are speed and stability. How much can you accomplish if you work a regular 9-to-5? How can you succeed in fierce market competition?Performance and market success must be achieved through personal effort. Therefore, don't complain about low salaries; everyone has their own choices. Your income is insufficient because you are not yet proficient enough.Reviewing 2018 and Looking Ahead to 2019How do we evaluate this year, 2018?Let me start with the macro perspective. Although DBC Group is still growing, I am not at a lofty height. However, we must recognize the importance of macro trends to every individual, company, and industry. A small fluctuation in the macro environment can be a fatal blow to the micro level, to our existence, our businesses, and our industries. Similarly, by valuing and understanding these trends, they could potentially become our allies.In 2018, China's development was marked by quality, just as more people learned to do things efficiently. This was a long and arduous process, and it was difficult because of the various reforms and awakenings in thought, the persistence in innovation and action, and the tough decisions that led us to this level of understanding!In 2019, as in previous years, pessimists will see only risks and difficulties. Many economists have already issued warnings. However, we can ensure that this year does not get worse by working together and overcoming the challenges ahead.Looking back at 2018, a typical business event in China was the rise and fall of OFO shared bicycles. From investors flocking to it to its sudden collapse within two years, was it a result of capital pressures or the consequences of unchecked expansion? Regardless, entrepreneurs must have a very strong heart.The most notorious business case in 2018 was Elizabeth Holmes's downfall in the United States. 'The river may turn east for thirty years and then west for another thirty.' Ultimately, evil will not go unpunished.This world is filled with opportunities, choices, and uncertainties. We cannot change the macro environment, but we can improve our micro environment by working hard. At least this will not make the macro environment worse.Over the past two years, DBC Group has partnered with BASF to innovate in ETPU sports flooring products, achieving significant market success. This innovative product, which drives technological progress in the industry, has been recognized by industry peers and professionals. Our business performance is a true reflection of the market's acceptance, serving as a powerful response to doubts and opposition.As the ancient Roman philosopher Cicero said, 'The greater the difficulty, the greater the glory.' DBC Group has not yet reached its pinnacle, but we have earned respect through our efforts and capabilities. We remain vigilant, advancing steadily in the face of challenges.In 2018, we achieved much, thanks to the unity, perseverance, and dedication of our partners supporting DBC. In 2019, DBC will collaborate with its key strategic partner, BASF, to deepen our presence in the sports flooring market and explore the technological upgrades and innovative applications of Infinergy ETPU in furniture materials, educational equipment, sports equipment, aerospace components, and automobiles. Known as 'popcorn,' ETPU has proven its excellence in the sports flooring industry. Our challenge is to extend its success into more fields, which also presents a great opportunity.DBC is committed to becoming a global enterprise that drives innovation in future materials applications and high-quality development. In 2019, we will spare no effort and go all out to launch our ambitious plans...During the Spring Festival, I traveled to Tibet and faced numerous challenges: adjusting quickly to altitude sickness, driving for six hours on a winding mountain road in the cold night, and encountering heavy snow and freezing winds on the way to Mount Everest Base Camp.Reflecting on these experiences now, the most profound feeling is that difficulties and good fortune coexist wherever you are. In this new year, let us face challenges with resilience and gratitude for our blessings, and move forward with composure.As I write this from a flight back to Shanghai after the Spring Festival, I wish everyone a Happy New Year and a prosperous Year of the Pig!",
            "date_published": "2019-02-11T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2019-02-11-dpu-048-f60aac/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-12-17-dpu-047-e7154e.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-12-17-dpu-047-e7154e.html",
            "title": "DBC and BASF Announce 2018 Strategic Cooperation on Future Infinergy ETPU Applications",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports a December 2018 event at BASF's Ludwigshafen headquarters concerning future Infinergy ETPU applications. Agreement scope and current coo…",
            "content_text": "On December 12, Shanghai DBC Group and German BASF held a global strategic partnership ceremony for the innovative future applications of Infinergy® ETPU at BASF's headquarters in Ludwigshafen. Through this collaboration, BASF and DBC Group will jointly develop new global applications for Infinergy® E-TPU (Infinergy E-TPU), focusing on technological upgrades, application innovation, market promotion, and channel expansion. The establishment of this strategic partnership marks a new chapter in the corporate strategic cooperation between DBC Group and BASF.Innovating Future ApplicationsInnovating Future Applications(From left to right) Raimar Jahn, President of BASF's Functional Materials Division; Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC Group; Dr. Jens P. Dierssen, Global Business Management Leader for Infinergy at BASF.According to the agreement, BASF SE and DBC Group will jointly promote the rapid growth of the Infinergy innovative application market, particularly in the development of technical applications in home new materials, educational equipment, sports equipment, and aerospace machinery. Both parties will develop and promote Infinergy® ETPU mattresses, seats, cushions, yoga mats for high-end soft furniture products; as well as ETPU applications in aircraft seats and new energy vehicles, and in logistics and express packaging series products. BASF will continue to support DBC Group's development in the sports equipment sector, enhancing the development and promotion of sports flooring and sports venue products. Both parties will also jointly optimize channel resources and establish a rapid and effective market development interaction mechanism.Raimar Jahn, President of BASF's Functional Materials Division and responsible for global functional materials business, said: 'BASF is committed to continuous innovation to help our customers succeed. We leverage our integrated, innovative, sustainable, digital, and operational excellence advantages to provide solutions that meet customer needs, enhance customer appeal, and support the growth of our partners in relevant market sectors.'DBCGroup Chairman Lin Fanqiu stated: 'Our collaboration with BASF, the world's largest chemical company, is one of the key factors behind DBC's success. We share a consistent vision of innovation and open collaboration. This global strategic partnership marks another milestone in our collaboration history and will support DBC Group in becoming an innovative global enterprise focused on advanced materials applications and high-quality development. The long march ahead is indeed arduous, but today we embark on a new journey. DBC will continue to approach challenges with dedication and innovation, embracing the future with craftsmanship.'DBCGroup's collaboration with BASF began in 2013, with both parties aiming for innovation, cooperation, and mutual benefit. Together, they have achieved remarkable success in technological innovation, product development, and market expansion. Notably, the ETPU sports field series products jointly invented by both companies in 2016 have achieved significant market success. The ETPU rubber track product has been on the market for nearly two years, with over 1,500 cases using this innovative product that drives industry technological progress. It has received widespread recognition from professionals and has also earned certification from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and the Chinese Athletics Association.Recently, BASF announced its new strategic plan: 'We will transform our organization to be more customer-centric and agile.' BASF plans to significantly simplify its structure and processes, optimize its product portfolio, and further strengthen its integrated Verbund system to become faster and more flexible. The company will also focus more on customers, providing customized services and solutions to achieve organic growth in its business segments.BASF's new strategic plan highlights its commitment to placing customers at the forefront and optimizing its organizational structure and product portfolio for maximum efficiency. This support will enable a more efficient and smooth implementation of DBC and BASF's innovative ETPU future application strategic collaboration, jointly driving the rapid growth of the Infiniti ETPU innovation application market.Join us in advancing technological innovation! Let's work together for mutual success!",
            "date_published": "2018-12-17T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-12-17-dpu-047-e7154e/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-12-07-dpu-046-2630bf.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-12-07-dpu-046-2630bf.html",
            "title": "BASF and DBC Release a Video on Future Infinergy ETPU Applications",
            "summary": "The migrated publication introduces a product video produced by BASF and DBC for future Infinergy ETPU applications. Visual claims and product performance require separa…",
            "content_text": "A groundbreaking innovation video from BASF & DBC Group showcases the cutting-edge product with impressive effects, offering a unique visual experience!In the video, BASF's 'polyurethane thermoplastic foam material e-TPU INFINERGY® ETPU particles' combines comfort, durability, resilience, and environmental friendliness, making it a revolutionary product. The infinergy from Adidas Boost running shoes has been innovatively applied by DBC Group to ETPU athletic tracks and artificial turf. Future applications may include ETPU furniture, packaging, aircraft, and automotive seats.Innovation never stopsIn 2016, ETPU was innovatively applied in sports flooring. In just two years, DBC Group and BASF have used their labor of wisdom to serve the industry with innovation, creating true value that has been recognized by users and trusted by the market. Currently, our share in the global sports flooring market is among the top.Recently, the ETPU athletic track has received double good news - it has been certified by both the Chinese Athletics Association and the International Association of Athletic Fields (IAAF). This means that the BASF & DBC Group ETPU athletic track series may be widely applied in top professional events around the world.A good product that advances technology will ultimately win users, markets, and the respect of professionals. This also confirms DBC Group Chairman Lin Fanqiu's work creed: doing things with attention to detail, precision, reality, and intention leads to ultimate success.Many ask about the development path of DBC Group. In short, it is based on two pillars: first, technological innovation; second, win-win cooperation. Innovation runs through everything, whether in technological or collaborative innovation.On cooperation, DBC Group Chairman Lin Fanqiu said:In this era of global digital competition, whether you are a state-owned enterprise (SOE), a central state-owned enterprise (CSOE), or a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), you will face the possibility of being transformed. We must enhance our competitiveness through effective and innovative cooperation. Having your own core advantages is key to attracting excellent partners. Therefore, companies need to strengthen their capabilities, foster internal growth, build talent teams, and embrace a future of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. In this era of information and pragmatism, integrity in actions and words is not just for show; it is the foundation for cooperation and shared success.It is precisely based on such business philosophy that DBC Group has broadened its path in its collaboration with BASF.On August 30, 2018, DBC Group was honored by BASF as the 'Best Partner in the Construction Industry in Greater China.' This recognition reflects DBC's strong innovation capabilities and its all-out efforts.This is an era without clear rules. We are not naturally endowed with good fortune. Facing a vast market and harsh realities, we must work hard, strive for excellence, and seek better products to meet the increasingly changing market demands and higher user expectations.In the future, the world will be full of possibilities. Meeting challenges with craftsmanship and embracing the future through innovation—doesn't that sound like a good approach?Observant readers may have noticed that a new brand, Infiniti INFINERGY, was mentioned in the video. What's DBC Group's next move? Stay tuned to the DBC Group WeChat official account for more details.",
            "date_published": "2018-12-07T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-12-07-dpu-046-2630bf/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-12-05-dpu-045-23e82c.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-12-05-dpu-045-23e82c.html",
            "title": "DBC Group Organizational Structure Diagram",
            "summary": "A migrated organizational chart for DBC Group. Entities, reporting lines and roles reflect the source-period record and require current corporate confirmation. This page…",
            "content_text": "This archival item is presented as an image-based organizational chart. The original visual is preserved below in full.",
            "date_published": "2018-12-05T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-12-05-dpu-045-23e82c/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-12-05-dpu-044-41528a.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-12-05-dpu-044-41528a.html",
            "title": "DBC Group's New Materials Applications and Business Overview",
            "summary": "A migrated overview of DBC Group's new-materials application businesses and its environmental-material positioning at the time. Product, performance and environmental cl…",
            "content_text": "DBC Group is rooted in the development and application of new materials, driven by the use of environmental materials, with user experience as its service philosophy. The company is dedicated to creating a green lifestyle through environmentally friendly materials.DBC Group has partnered with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to establish a joint venture and has collaborated with the world's largest chemical company, BASF, to set up a joint research and development center and brand. Together, they are leading the high-quality development of material technology innovation and application.DBC Group creatively integrates the environmental, functional, and practical aspects of infinergy ETPU products, providing full lifecycle services to improve the environment.We provide lightweight and safe materials for aerospace equipment and new energy vehicles.We offer environmentally friendly, durable, lightweight, and recyclable packaging materials for the logistics industry.We supply easy-to-maintain environmental materials for educational equipment and sports facilities.We provide creative furniture materials made of ETPU for a green, comfortable, and safe home life, including mattresses, sofas, chairs, and mats.We provide professional sports venue flooring materials, such as ETPU rubber running tracks, for schools and sports venues.We offer lightweight and recyclable packaging materials, such as E-TPU phone cases and appliance packaging boxes, for electronic and household products.We supply environmentally friendly, durable, and low-maintenance functional materials for urban renewal projects, including underground space development and sponge city construction.Innovating future applications, DBC Group.",
            "date_published": "2018-12-05T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-12-05-dpu-044-41528a/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-11-28-dpu-040-065986.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-11-28-dpu-040-065986.html",
            "title": "Hefei Education Bureau Holds Training on GB 36246-2018 for School Sports Grounds",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports on a Hefei training session concerning GB 36246-2018 for synthetic-surface school sports grounds. Event details and current standards ap…",
            "content_text": "To standardize the construction of synthetic material surface sports fields in primary and secondary schools in Hefei, and to ensure the health and safety of students and teachers, the Hefei Education Bureau organized a training session on the new national standards GB36246-2018 for synthetic material surface sports fields for primary and secondary schools in response to guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education and the Anhui Provincial Department of Education. The training was held on November 13, 2018, as part of the '2018 Education System Infrastructure and Energy Management Cadre Training.' Representatives from relevant departments of the Hefei and district education bureaus, principals of key schools in the city, and leaders responsible for infrastructure work in various districts attended the training session. Deputy Director Lu Changyun of the Hefei Education Bureau, Deputy Director Zhu Weihong and Tan Longbing of the Project Office attended the meeting.The new national standard GB36246-2018 for synthetic material surface sports fields for primary and secondary schools, drafted by the Ministry of Education and jointly issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China, came into effect nationwide on November 1. At this training session, Lin Fanqiu, a key drafter of the new national standard GB36246-2018, President of BIOTEN New Materials Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., a special professor at Peking University, a councilor of the China Sports Equipment Association, and vice dean of the Ministry of Education's Green Sports Grounds Research Institute, provided a detailed and comprehensive interpretation of the new standard.Mr. Lin Fanqiu provided a comprehensive interpretation of the new national standard and conducted an in-depth analysis of quality control methods for sports field construction.During the training session, Mr. Lin elaborated on the background, requirements, and construction technology controls of the new standard, particularly addressing the limits on harmful substances, physical properties, and odor evaluation, which were of great relevance and practical value to the participants.The three-hour training session saw the education bureau officials of Hefei fully engaged in their studies, demonstrating a commendable level of commitment.During the Q&A and interactive session following the training, officials from the Hefei Education Bureau raised many professional questions regarding the overall quality requirements and specialized assurance measures for sports field construction. These included issues such as problems encountered from the base layer to the surface layer, chemical environmental control methods during construction, the realization of material and construction physical mechanical properties, and the construction indicators and requirements for the base layer. Lin Fanqiu responded positively and addressed each question in detail. He also shared practical management strategies and operational technical support from actual projects.According to statistics from the Anhui Provincial Department of Education, as of 2017, there were a total of 2,004 schools at various levels across the city, including 54 general colleges, 54 vocational schools, 108 high schools, 245 junior high schools, 542 primary schools, 994 kindergartens, 6 special education schools, and 1 national defense school. The successful convening of this new national standard training session will help the Hefei education system understand and grasp the new standards, guide the construction of environmentally durable sports fields in primary and secondary schools, and promote the implementation of the green campus construction strategy.",
            "date_published": "2018-11-28T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-11-28-dpu-040-065986/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-11-14-dpu-037-835c82.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-11-14-dpu-037-835c82.html",
            "title": "Migrated 2018 Publication on Athletics Certifications for a BASF-DBC ETPU Track System",
            "summary": "The page reports certificates attributed to the Chinese Athletics Association and IAAF for a specific ETPU track system. Certificate holder, product scope, standards, va…",
            "content_text": "In recent years, the ETPU rubber track series developed and launched jointly by BASF and DBC Group has gained widespread market acceptance and received consistent praise from both domestic and international professional sports enthusiasts. The infinergy ETPU particles invented by BASF have been creatively applied to sports fields by DBC, earning recognition from domestic and foreign research institutions and material science institutes as an excellent product that drives advancements in sports technology. These tracks are widely used in sports venues, international schools, renowned kindergartens, fitness trails, universities, and primary and secondary schools across China, with over 2,100 projects utilizing the ETPU rubber track products developed by BASF and DBC.Recently, the ETPU rubber track series has received double good news! It has earned certifications from both the Chinese Athletics Association and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). This means that the ETPU rubber track series developed by BASF and DBC Group is now poised for large-scale application in world-class professional events.Certification from the Chinese Athletics AssociationIAAF CertificationSince its market launch, the ETPU rubber track has continuously received positive feedback from industry experts. Products that can drive technological progress will always earn the respect of professionals. Recently, the ETPU track product has won two additional honors, which attest to the work philosophy of Lin Fanqiu, chairman and senior engineer of DBC New Materials Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., and the inventor of the ETPU rubber track. He believes that success comes when one pays attention to detail, strives for excellence, focuses on practicality, and maintains a clear purpose. The birth of the ETPU rubber track was a long and arduous journey, involving countless research and argumentation processes, over 60 failed application tests, before it could finally be officially launched.In fact, the market promotion of the ETPU rubber track has not been without its challenges. Obstacles and various challenges have never ceased, and how to make precise decisions in the face of the huge contradiction between theory and practice, and how to bravely advance under the pressure of imitators and infringers... In the face of these difficulties, Lin Fanqiu and his team did not shy away from challenges but instead advanced head-on with the most effective strategic planning and speed, achieving the company's predetermined goals while also disregarding so-called challengers.Collaboration is also the unwavering development path of Mr. Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC Group. He says that in this era of global digital competition, whether you are a state-owned enterprise, a central state-owned enterprise, or a small and medium-sized enterprise, you will face the possibility of being transformed. We can only enhance our global competitiveness through effective collaboration. Having one's own core advantages allows us to attract excellent partners. Therefore, companies need to work hard to strengthen their own capabilities, create internal driving forces for development, build talent teams, and embrace a future of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. In this era of information and pragmatism, integrity in actions and words is not just something to boast about; it is the foundation for collaborative development and shared success.DBC Group is willing to work together with like-minded partners to build a sustainable future that benefits all parties involved.We welcome you to join hands with DBC Group with sincerity!",
            "date_published": "2018-11-14T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-11-14-dpu-037-835c82/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-11-09-dpu-036-852efd.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-11-09-dpu-036-852efd.html",
            "title": "GB 36246-2018 for Synthetic-Surface School Sports Grounds: Migrated Release Note",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports the 2018 release of GB 36246-2018 and a stated implementation date. Current standard status, amendments and project applicability must b…",
            "content_text": "The newly revised national mandatory standard for plastic running tracks, GB 36246-2018, titled 'Synthetic Material Surface Layers for Primary and Secondary School Sports Fields', was officially approved on the website of the Standardization Administration of China on May 7, after more than two years of revision. Upon implementation of the new standard, the previous standard GB/T 19851.11-2005, 'Sports Equipment and Facilities for Primary and Secondary Schools Part 11: Synthetic Material Surface Layers for Sports Fields', released and implemented in 2005, will be abolished. The Chinese sports flooring industry will use this new benchmark for measurement.A strong youth makes a strong China, and a strong sports sector contributes to a strong China. The dream of a sports powerhouse is closely linked to the Chinese Dream. Physical fitness and sports as part of a healthy China and the sports industry have gradually permeated from national strategy into schools, sports venues, fitness trails, and everyday life for the public. Therefore, the healthy development of the green sports flooring materials industry is particularly important. The release of the new standard marks the beginning of a quality development era for the sports surface materials industry.According to reports, the revision of the standard is based on a comprehensive outcome of scientific research, technological advancements, and practical experience. Its objectives include ensuring student health during physical activities, improving product quality, and guiding industry self-regulation. The new standard, while meeting usage requirements, optimizes social resource allocation and provides guidance for the design, construction, and acceptance of synthetic sports surfaces in schools. This will create a healthy exercise environment for students, foster their lifelong sports awareness, and promote the green and sustainable development of school sports.Industry experts generally believe that the new standard will raise the quality threshold for the sports flooring materials industry, leading to an upgrade in product performance and quality. High-performance and high-quality products are expected to gain more market attention.The new national standard for synthetic sports surfaces in schools will come into effect on November 1, 2018. The release of the new standard undoubtedly provides reassurance to school staff, students, and parents, signaling the end of the era of fear surrounding synthetic sports surfaces and the arrival of a new era of quality development.II. Interpretation of New Standard GB 36246-2018 (Refer to 'Read More' for details)01 Ground Foundation Requirements02 Thickness RequirementsPhysical Properties (6 Items)Weathering ResistanceRequirement for Inorganic Fillers ContentRequirement for Anti-Slip Rubber Particle ContentLimit on Harmful Substances in Surface Finish (18 Items)Limit on Harmful Substances in Non-Solid Raw Materials (12 Items)Limit on Harmful Substances in Solid Raw Materials (7 Items)Raw Material Evaluation MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)Sampling RequirementsInspection RulesJudgment RulesII. History of Polyurethane Rubber Track DevelopmentIII. Main Drafting Units of the New National StandardMinistry of Education Equipment Research and Development Center, Tsinghua University, China National Building Material Inspection and Certification Group Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Metrology and Quality Inspection Institute, Shanghai Jianke Inspection Co., Ltd., Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Forestry University, Shandong Provincial Product Quality Inspection Institute, Zhejiang Furniture and Hardware Research Institute, Ministry of Ecology and Environment Solid Waste and Chemicals Management Technology Center, Guangzhou Tongxin Kangti Equipment Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Provincial Product Quality Supervision and Inspection Research Institute, Guangzhou Quality Supervision and Inspection Institute, Shanghai Chemical Building Materials Industry Association, Wuhan Sports Institute, China Polyurethane Industry Association, Guo Zheng Inspection and Certification Co., Ltd., General Administration of Sport of China Sports Equipment Center, Shandong Taishan Sports Engineering Co., Ltd., Shanghai Hangkuan Stadium Facilities Engineering Co., Ltd., Guangzhou Ocean Yuanheng Chemicals Co., Ltd., DBC Group New Materials Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Guangzhou Jierui Sports Facility Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Leading Kangti Industrial Co., Ltd., Madeira Artificial Grass Co., Ltd., Qingdao KeXing Educational Equipment Co., Ltd.Principal DraftersZhang Pengyi, Li Ping, Guo Zhongbao, Wu Haitao, Che Yanping, Jiandang Wei, Yu Ruozhen, Luo Zhenyang, Cai Chenmin, Ding Qiong, Huang Difei, Zhu Xiaocui, Zhang Yaodong, Zhang Bin, Wang Weishan, Meng Qingsheng, Lou Minggang, Li Jianbo, Zheng Weitao, Chen Shao, Hou Libo, Wu Ying, Chen Lin, Huang Yuliang, Wang Gang, Jia Zhiyong, Wang Ji'an, Yu Xin, Zhou Licheng, Guo Fei, Bian Zhiyong, Li Zhishi, Guo Long, Shi Jianhua, Lin Fanqiu, Wu Xue, Sun Zhen.IV. Process of New National Standard DevelopmentFrom 2015 to 2016, the 'problematic track' incidents spread across a wide range of regions in China. According to incomplete statistics, at least 25 cities in Jiangsu, Guangdong, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Henan, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Beijing, and Shenyang were affected by problematic tracks in 2015.On June 24, 2016, the Ministry of Education issued a notice requiring local authorities to conduct special inspections on rubber tracks in schools. The tracks were to be registered, inspected, and those found non-compliant with environmental and quality standards were to be removed immediately. Officials responsible for negligence or corruption were to be held accountable.On September 1, 2016, the Ministry of Education website reported on the progress of the comprehensive management of rubber tracks in schools. It stated that there were 68,792 rubber tracks in primary and secondary schools across the country, with 4,799 under construction, and 2,191 had been halted. Ninety-three problematic tracks had been removed. The Ministry also indicated that it was working with the National Standardization Administration to revise relevant standards. It also urged local authorities to develop their own mandatory standards for rubber tracks before the national standards were issued.In November 2016, a draft standard for 'Synthetic Material Surface Layers for School Sports Fields' was proposed by the Ministry of Education's Research and Development Center for Educational Equipment. It was publicly announced on the website of the National Standardization Administration of China for project initiation and public consultation.From January to April 2017, a survey team from the Ministry of Education conducted an applicability survey in nearly ten provinces and cities across the country. The survey included discussions on opinions and suggestions, as well as on-site sampling inspections of school grounds.On October 26, 2017, the website of the Ministry of Education's Research and Development Center for Educational Equipment released a notice soliciting public comments on the draft national standard 'Synthetic Material Surface Layers for Primary and Secondary School Sports Fields'.On May 7, 2018, the National Standard Committee proposed to release the national standard 'Synthetic Material Surface Layers for School Sports Fields' GB 36246-2018.According to Zhongzheng, this new national standard was organized by the Ministry of Education and took over two years to revise. It involved more than 100 expert meetings and nationwide field investigations and sampling inspections, collecting validation experiments from hundreds of companies in the market. The new standard, with its professionalism, scientificity, and comprehensiveness, will promote advancements in technology and quality levels in China's sports flooring industry, ensuring the healthy physical activities of millions of students across the country.Zhongzheng Sports represents professional media in the sports flooring industry to commend the Ministry of Education! We applaud every staff member who contributed to the standard! Thank you for your hard work and dedication, which have yielded rich and forward-looking results.※ Related Downloads ※Download the White Paper on the 'Standard Price for Synthetic Material Surface Layers for School Sports Fields' - Dual-Track Approach to Addressing Environmental Durability ChallengesGB 36246-2018 'Synthetic Material Surface Layers for School Sports Fields' New National StandardNo news images were detected on the original page.",
            "date_published": "2018-11-09T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ]
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-11-09-dpu-034-28fa8b.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-11-09-dpu-034-28fa8b.html",
            "title": "DPU Sports-Flooring Technical Training Held in Chongqing",
            "summary": "This page is retained as a duplicate migrated record of an April 2018 technical training event in Chongqing. Use the related primary article and original materials befor…",
            "content_text": "On April 20, a technical training session for DPU sports flooring materials products was successfully held in Chongqing, jointly organized by DBC Group and BASF with local partners. Over 120 construction professionals from the Chongqing region actively participated, and received strong support from Hua Chang Sports in Chongqing and Guangdong Chuao Sports.The theme of this product training session focused on technological upgrades and the spirit of craftsmanship. At the beginning of the meeting, the current market situation and vast potential development prospects in the local education and sports industry in Chongqing were analyzed. Following this, a DBC Group product technical manager provided a detailed explanation of several key changes in new standards, based on the draft of the new national standard for athletic track surfaces, and the actual experiences of industry practitioners from both physical and chemical performance perspectives.Technical manager explains chemical and physical standard dataIn the subsequent segment, Zhou Jun, Deputy General Manager of DBC Group's New Materials Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., showcased three innovative product systems from the DPU series: the DPU basketball court system, the DPU dedicated track for primary and secondary schools, and the DPU sports venue dedicated track. Zhou Jun noted that as the industry gains increasing attention from national, social, and market perspectives, high-quality products, especially those with innovation and market relevance, are likely to be highly sought after and possess significant development potential. The DPU series developed in collaboration between DBC Group and BASF is a testament to their deep partnership.The DPU basketball court system, incorporating the new national standard, increased its thickness to 8mm for better protection of athletes. This system leverages technological innovation to significantly reduce the number of steps, intensity, and time required for construction while excelling in both physical and chemical performance. This will provide strong support for the significant demand for basketball courts across the country. Attendees expressed great enthusiasm and interest in this groundbreaking product.This picture is a bit mysterious! Just people pushing people! A breakthrough product, definitely.In addition, Zhou Jun introduced two targeted plastic track products at the meeting: one dedicated to primary and secondary schools and the other to sports venues. The primary and secondary school dedicated track is a targeted product system developed by DBC Group in collaboration with BASF, based on extensive data collection and research on Chinese students' height, weight, and physical activity levels, leveraging the superior physical properties of ETPU material. The sports venue dedicated track is another targeted product, specifically designed for competitive athletics after in-depth analysis of athlete data from various international track and field competitions by a research team. Currently, the track at Wuyuanhe Stadium, the largest sports venue in Hainan Province, is nearing completion and uses this system.At this training session, there were also high-quality construction companies from Chongqing, including one of the winners of the 'Golden Trowel' award at the 2023 China Green Campus Construction Quality Forum and Advanced Technical Worker Competition. Many construction companies shared their experiences and insights on constructing DBC Group and BASF's sports flooring products, engaging in interactive exchanges with attendees. This sharing is a strong response to the call for craftsmanship and professional spirit initiated by DBC Group and multiple enterprises, institutions, and industry associations this year. Mr. Zhou Jun from DBC Group also stated that DBC Group and BASF will jointly develop a comprehensive training system for sports flooring construction professionals, including training, assessment, and competitions, with innovation and technology as the core drivers to produce excellent technical workers for the market and industry.At this DPU sports flooring materials training session, all participating units showed great enthusiasm for various products, reflecting Chongqing's desire for new products and pursuit of new technologies. This also highlights the current state of the sports flooring materials industry, where there is significant attention to technological innovation, and advanced technology is driving rapid transformation and upgrading in the industry. DBC Group will continue to uphold its 'technological upgrade, business innovation' corporate philosophy, leading the progress and development of the entire industry.",
            "date_published": "2018-11-09T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-11-09-dpu-034-28fa8b/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-11-08-dpu-033-201655.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-11-08-dpu-033-201655.html",
            "title": "Ningxia Education Department Delegation Visits BASF and DBC Sports-Surface Materials Operations in Shanghai",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports a November 2018 visit and discussion concerning GB 36246-2018 and sports-surface materials. Attendee roles, facility descriptions and co…",
            "content_text": "The Ningxia Autonomous Region Education Bureau delegation, comprising Deputy Inspector Dong Hongwei, Director Ma Xuguang of the Equipment Center, Deputy Director Wang Guofeng, Deputy Director Ma Weigao of the Finance Department, and Zhang Zhining, Deputy Director of Economic Cooperation at Ningdong Management Committee, among others, visited Shanghai on November 6 to inspect and learn from BASF and DBC. They had friendly discussions with management and technical staff from both companies regarding the requirements of the new National Standard GB36246-2018 for synthetic sports field surfaces implemented by the Ministry of Education this month.The Ningxia Autonomous Region Education Bureau places great emphasis on the construction of school sports fields. This visit to Shanghai aims to gain a deeper understanding of the new National Standard GB36246-2018 through discussions with DBC, the drafters of the standard, to ensure and enhance the quality of synthetic sports field construction in Ningxia's schools. The delegation also visited BASF’s advanced and well-equipped sports field materials production base in Pudong, Shanghai, which provides a high-quality assurance from the source of materials for sports field construction. This visit allowed the delegation to better understand the production process and quality control systems, which will help the education system in selecting appropriate materials and ensuring construction quality.Dr. Han Wei from BASF provided an overview of the company and organized a tour of the facility.Technical Director Dou Wanqiang from DBC Environmental Engineering Company introduced the standardization of chemical and construction performance in synthetic track surfaces.Visit the exhibition hall.The BASF Shanghai Pudong facility is indeed quite large; it takes some time to make a full circuit by golf cart.Leaders of the Ningxia Department of Education expressed their impressions after visiting the BASF Shanghai Pudong production base: Throughout the entire tour, there was no odor both inside and outside the factory premises, and even in the production areas. The wastewater treatment area also had no noticeable smell. Such a large-scale chemical enterprise has achieved the utmost in environmental standards, which is truly admirable and worthy of learning from. It deserves respect. Let us all contribute to the green campus construction in China!",
            "date_published": "2018-11-08T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-11-08-dpu-033-201655/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-11-01-dpu-032-ae7d69.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-11-01-dpu-032-ae7d69.html",
            "title": "2018 Urban Renewal Forum: DBC Presents a Cork-Structure Fitness Path",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports that DBC presented a cork-structure fitness path at a 2018 urban-renewal technology forum. Material composition and performance claims r…",
            "content_text": "Recently, the '2018 Building Technology · Urban Renewal' Technology Forum and the release event of the '2018 Shanghai Construction Industry Development Report' were successfully held. The forum, themed around 'Organic Urban Renewal: Performance and Safety', featured presentations on topics such as urban renewal, public safety in cities, and urban construction, with participation from government authorities, industry experts, renowned universities, and research institutions. Over 500 guests attended the event.Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC Group, was invited to attend the forum and delivered an insightful speech titled 'The Great Development of Environmental Durability Materials in Urban Renewal - A Brief Discussion on Functional Materials'. From a materials technology perspective, Lin analyzed the application of environmental durability and recyclable materials in fitness paths and sponge cities, exploring the role and potential applications of functional materials in urban renewal.DBC Group is rooted in the development and application of new materials, driving innovation through the use of environmentally friendly materials. With infrastructure and urban renewal as its goals, and user experience at the core, DBC aims to build a green ecosystem that fosters collaboration, sharing, and mutual benefit. In the field of sports flooring, DBC collaborates with BASF to develop EPTU (Expanded Polyurethane Thermoplastic) running tracks and permeable fitness paths, which offer excellent resilience, superior impact absorption, and outstanding water permeability. These materials meet stringent European and American environmental standards and are widely used in over a thousand sports venues, schools, and fitness paths across the country, providing athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and children with an unparalleled experience.For sponge cities, DBC has partnered with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and BASF to develop the permeable and pressure-resistant road system 'Luotouba', providing a practical solution for sponge city construction. In actual applications in Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu, Guizhou, and Jiangsu provinces, Luotouba demonstrated excellent water permeability, anti-pressure, wear resistance, and slip resistance, as well as environmental friendliness, colorful appearance, easy maintenance, and sound reduction properties. It has become a 'breathing' urban landscape pavement, effectively alleviating the urban heat island effect and preventing city surfaces from overheating.We innovate future applicationsDBC Group aims to 'forge green cities with eco-friendly materials and create sustainable green living.' In its development, DBC Group consistently integrates material innovation with environmental protection. It makes relentless efforts to enhance urban construction and urban renewal.This event was hosted by Shanghai Academy of Building Science (Group) Co., Ltd., with joint hosting by Nan Tong Blue Star Decoration Engineering Co., Ltd. It was jointly organized by Shanghai Academy of Building Science, Shanghai Jianke Architectural Design Institute, and Shanghai Jianke Media Culture Communication Co., Ltd. Deputy Inspector Zhu Jianhao from the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and Duxunfu Xu from the Policy Research Office also attended the forum.",
            "date_published": "2018-11-01T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-11-01-dpu-032-ae7d69/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-10-31-dpu-031-12eca8.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-10-31-dpu-031-12eca8.html",
            "title": "Ministry of Education Notice on Synthetic-Surface Sports Grounds in Primary and Secondary Schools",
            "summary": "A migrated copy of a Ministry of Education notice on the construction and management of synthetic-surface sports grounds in primary and secondary schools. Current applic…",
            "content_text": "To the education departments of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Education Bureau:The mandatory national standard 'Synthetic Material Surfaces for School Sports Fields' (GB36246-2018, hereinafter referred to as the New Standard) has been jointly issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China. It will come into effect on November 1, 2018. To further strengthen the construction and management of synthetic material surfaces for school sports fields, ensure the health and safety of students and teachers in primary and secondary schools, and improve school sports facilities, the following work requirements are hereby notified:I. Truly Elevate Political AwarenessEducation administrative departments at provincial levels should deeply study and implement the spirit of the National Education Conference, uphold the concept that health comes first in education, and help students enjoy sports, enhance their physical fitness, develop their personalities, and temper their wills through sports activities. They should fully recognize the significance of the New Standard in improving the quality of synthetic material surfaces for school sports fields, ensuring the health and safety of students, and enhancing school sports facilities. They should attach great importance to the construction, use, and management of synthetic material surfaces for school sports fields.II. Enhance the Strength of Publicity and ImplementationThe New Standard draws on relevant standards from both domestic and international sources and addresses key safety, environmental, and sports protection issues in the construction of synthetic material surfaces for school sports fields. It also considers the main risk points throughout the entire lifecycle of such surfaces, setting technical indicators that meet the requirements of green development, technological progress, industry norms, and student health protection. Education administrative departments at provincial levels should make full use of various media to study, publicize, and implement the New Standard, taking practical measures to ensure its effective implementation. Synthetic material surfaces for school sports fields constructed or put into use after November 1, 2018, must comply with the New Standard.III. Establishing a Long-term Regulatory MechanismProvincial education administrative departments should conduct specialized research, refine their plans, clarify responsibilities, and ensure practical outcomes. Strengthen regulatory measures during the bidding and procurement, installation and construction, quality inspection, and supervision and acceptance processes to establish a long-term regulatory mechanism. Ensure that government departments, schools as purchasers, supervisors, and users fulfill their primary responsibilities. Focus on curbing practices such as multiple layers of subcontracting and low-bid winning. Bidding and procurement should directly involve construction companies to avoid excessive involvement of intermediaries.IV. Enhancing Supervision and InspectionProvincial education administrative departments should regularly collaborate with relevant departments to conduct supervision, inspection, and special rectification efforts. Prevent inaction or negligence in work and hold accountable those who violate regulations due to favoritism, negligence, solicitation of bribes, or other misconduct that results in substandard facilities endangering students' health. Recently, all regions should deploy specific actions for the implementation of the new national standards and report their progress by the end of the year to the Department of Physical Education, Health, and Art Education.",
            "date_published": "2018-10-31T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-10-31-dpu-031-12eca8/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-10-17-dpu-030-396c89.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-10-17-dpu-030-396c89.html",
            "title": "Xi'an Silk Road Education Equipment Forum and a Reported GB 36246 Track Test Result (Huashang)",
            "summary": "The migrated Huashang report covers an October 2018 education-equipment forum at Xi'an Greenland Pico International Convention and Exhibition Center and a reported local…",
            "content_text": "[Summary] From October 11-12, 2018, the 'First Xi'an Silk Road Education Equipment Forum' was held at the Greenland Pickering International Convention Center in Xi'an, jointly organized by the Xi'an Municipal Education Bureau, Xi'an Exhibition Office, and Xixian New Area Education and Sports Bureau.On October 11-12, 2018, the 'First Xi'an Silk Road Education Equipment Forum' was held at the Greenland Pickering International Convention Center in Xi'an, jointly organized by the Xi'an Municipal Education Bureau, Xi'an Exhibition Office, and Xixian New Area Education and Sports Bureau. Notable attendees included Zhang Quan, Director of the Equipment and Information Department of the Ministry of Education's Basic Education Administration, Liu Qiang, Director of the Primary and Secondary School Science and Technology Equipment Department of the Ministry of Education's Research and Development Center for Educational Equipment, Zhang Youwei, Deputy Director of the Information Center, Zhao Changbao, Deputy Secretary and Deputy Director of the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education, Jiang Jianchun, Secretary and Director of the Xi'an Municipal Education Bureau, Zhao Chunping, Deputy Secretary and Deputy Director of the Xi'an Municipal Education Bureau, Wang Xiaohu, Deputy Secretary and Chief Supervisor of the Xi'an Municipal Government, and Li Gang, Deputy Director of the Xixian New Area Education and Sports Bureau. Over 400 managers, experts, and industry representatives attended the event.The forum, themed 'New Era, New Technology, New Equipment, New Education – Innovating Educational Technology Equipment to Build a Silk Road Educational High Ground,' aimed to facilitate collaboration between schools and education equipment companies. It featured in-depth discussions on new equipment, technologies, and products in the educational sector. The event also invited representatives from education equipment departments in the five northwest provinces of China, other regions in Shaanxi Province, district and county education bureau directors, school principals, and leading manufacturers of high-quality educational equipment and sports facilities.The first new national standard rubber track testing report for Shaanxi was released.At this forum, Professor Lin Fanqiu, a special appointee professor at Peking University, a councilor of the China Sports Goods Federation, and a senior engineer, interpreted the GB36246-2018 National Mandatory Standard for Synthetic Material Surface Layers in School Sports Fields. The meeting reported on the first ETPU breathable running track project in Xi'an that met the national standard, which was completed by Shaanxi Minlin Construction Engineering Co., Ltd., a local company. This report includes chemical and physical performance indicators of the finished product, as well as test results for key concerns such as impact absorption, adhesive VOCs, TVOC of the finished product, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon disulfide, and odor assessment. All tests met the GB36246-2018 standard requirements, with many values significantly exceeding the new national standards. This has given confidence to the Shaanxi education system to implement the new standards. The GB36246-2018 National Mandatory Standard for Synthetic Material Surface Layers in School Sports Fields was released on May 14, 2018, and took effect on November 1, 2018. The new era of national standards has begun, and companies should focus more on the construction of sports field facilities to ensure the quality and safety of green school sports fields.Founded in 2005, Shaanxi Minlin Construction Engineering Co., Ltd. specializes in sports field facility construction. The company has completed over 400 projects, including the tennis court at Shaanxi Provincial Stadium, the synthetic running track at Xi'an University of Sport (accepted by the China Athletics Association), the renovation of sports fields at Shaanxi University of Science and Technology covering 20,000 square meters, the procurement and installation of sports flooring at Xi'an Technological University's all-weather gymnasium, renovations of sports fields at High-tech Zone No.1 Middle School and No.1 Primary School, the renovation of the sports field at Ankang No.1 Primary School, the new construction of a 400-meter sports field at Fengping County Middle School (awarded the municipal quality engineering prize 'Tianhan Cup'), the sports square at Wutai Forest Park in Jingbian County, and the renovation of the sports field at Yulin Century Square.",
            "date_published": "2018-10-17T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-10-17-dpu-030-396c89/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-09-30-dpu-028-91d759.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-09-30-dpu-028-91d759.html",
            "title": "DBC and BASF Report an ETPU Track Donation to the China Welfare Institute Nursery",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports that DBC, BASF and Green Energy Rubber donated an ETPU track to the China Welfare Institute Nursery. Project scope and completion detail…",
            "content_text": "Recently, the ETPU sports track at the China Welfare Institute Kindergarten was successfully completed as part of a donation project by DBC Group & BASF in collaboration with Green Energy Rubber. The donors visited the kindergarten and had a friendly exchange with Director Fang Yue.In the shade of willows along Huashan Road in Shanghai, numerous historic buildings stand as iconic landmarks. No. 639 Huashan Road houses the China Welfare Institute Kindergarten, which was personally founded by Soong Ching-ling.The China Welfare Institute Kindergarten, with a dedication by Soong Ching-ling.A group photo was taken with the leadership of DBC Group, BASF, and Green Energy Rubber at the China Welfare Institute Kindergarten.At the founding of New China in 1949, Soong Ching-ling focused her attention on children's education. The China Welfare Institute Kindergarten was established in 1950 by Soong Ching-ling. With deep passion for the next generation, she advocated 'giving the best to children,' encompassing not only material conditions that keep pace with societal development but also creating a healthy and nurturing environment for their growth.In November 1951, Soong Ching-ling visited a nursery school of the China Welfare Institute and cared for four sets of triplets. At the time of the school's establishment, many parents who had enrolled their children were sent to the front lines, and Soong Ching-ling showed particular affection for the remaining children.In 1953, Soong Ching-ling was with the children at the China Welfare Institute Nursery School.The China Welfare Institute Nursery School is a culturally rich international institution. For 68 years, the nursery school has upheld Soong Ching-ling's educational philosophy, dedicated to providing high-quality early education and fostering 'harmonious physical and mental health, inquisitive and articulate, civilized and disciplined, and open-minded' children.The ETPU sports track donated by DBC Group and BASF.Fang Yue, director of the China Welfare Institute Nursery School and a Shanghai municipal people's political consultative conference member (second from right), shared with representatives from DBC Group and BASF the rich cultural heritage and open-minded educational philosophy of the nursery school.An ETPU sports track suitable for children's play and exercise.On September 26, DBC Group Chairman Lin Fanqiu, BASF Global Senior Vice President Zheng Daqiang, BASF Functional Materials Global Vice President Zheng Huaceng, and Business Director Dr. Han Wei, among others, visited the Shanghai Children's Welfare Institute Kindergarten. Accompanied by Shanghai Municipal People's Political Consultative Conference Member and Director of the Shanghai Children's Welfare Institute Kindergarten Fang Yue, they toured the unique indoor and outdoor kindergarten environment and engaged in friendly exchanges.Sit on a small stool and experience the daily life of the children.The children served food and fruits for the gentlemen to 'taste'.Little friends invite you to 'eat'~Adults with a childlike heart :)The children's drawing skills are truly impressive~~In the sports flooring sector where DBC Group and BASF have deepened their collaboration, they consistently use high-quality materials and rigorous construction techniques to create safe, environmentally friendly, and durable sports floors, supporting the true implementation of the national fitness strategy. Moreover, DBC Group and BASF are also committed to schools, promoting green and environmental protection sports fields into schools with their charitable actions, helping children to stay healthy and grow happily.The exchange seminar was hosted by Fang Yuan.Ms. Fang Yue presented an honorary certificate to the company in recognition of their contributions to the children.Group photo time.Lunchtime! Thank you, Principal Fang Yeyuan, for accompanying the children to enjoy a meal at the kindergarten.Principal Fang Yeyuan of Shanghai Zhongfu Kindergarten believes that every child has the right to be loved. 'Nurturing each young sapling to grow healthily' is the responsibility and duty of every early childhood educator. Her rigorous, meticulous, and responsible work attitude makes her deeply concerned about the growth and development of children. She continuously improves and enhances the kindergarten's educational and teaching activities, and persists in creating a safe, green, and fun indoor and outdoor environment for the children. Principal Fang Yeyuan warmly welcomed the donation team and led everyone into a kindergarten with warmth and rich historical heritage.Over the past three years, DBC Group and BASF have been actively practicing their commitment to public welfare through projects such as the sports field at Beijing No. 1 Affiliated Primary School, Shanghai Dingding Kindergarten for migrant workers' children, and Hope Primary Schools in mountainous areas like Hunan Miaopu Hope School.Dr. Zheng Daqing, Senior Vice President of BASF and Head of Business and Market Development for Greater China, said: 'BASF is committed to supporting the development of education and creating a safe and healthy learning and growth environment for children. Just as Madame Song Qingling once said,DBC Group Chairman Lin Fanqiu stated that while we may not be able to accomplish great things, we can still do small acts of kindness with great love. DBC will continue to pay attention to the development of school sports in China, working together with various stakeholders to create a new chapter in school sports under the guidance of the grand blueprint for a sports powerhouse.Construction site for the ETPU children's dedicated protective running track at Shanghai Waishengu Kindergarten",
            "date_published": "2018-09-30T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-09-30-dpu-028-91d759/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-09-20-dpu-027-a1e253.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-09-20-dpu-027-a1e253.html",
            "title": "DBC at CIIF: Chemical New Materials Mini Forum",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports on DBC's participation in the 20th China International Industry Fair in Shanghai and a small forum organized with BASF and Shanghai Huay…",
            "content_text": "The 20th China International Industrial Exhibition, themed 'Innovation, Intelligence, Green', opened today. The exhibition features eight specialized exhibitions covering the entire intelligent green manufacturing value chain from basic materials and key components to advanced manufacturing equipment and integrated solutions, showcasing the latest products and key technologies in advanced manufacturing. DBC Group and BASF are participating in the China International Industrial Exhibition, and DBC Group, together with BASF and Shanghai Huayi Group, organized a 'Chemical New Materials Mini Forum' to explore beneficial applications of emerging economies and material innovation.DBC Group's team remains enthusiastic. DBC Group, together with BASF, showcased their ETPU children's protective flooring products at the China International Industrial Exhibition.DBC buddies remain enthusiastic.DBC Group displayed their ETPU children's protective flooring products.ETPU Fitness Pathways, ETPU Mixed Rubber Tracks, DPU Basketball Courts, ETPU Child Protective FlooringChemical New Materials Forum",
            "date_published": "2018-09-20T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-09-20-dpu-027-a1e253/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-09-11-dpu-026-b65236.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-09-11-dpu-026-b65236.html",
            "title": "DBC at Shijiazhuang Hanlin School's 2018 Opening Ceremony",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports on Shijiazhuang Hanlin School's opening ceremony during China's 2018 Teachers' Day and DBC participation in the event. Guest titles and…",
            "content_text": "On September 10, on the occasion of the 34th Teachers' Day in China, Handlin School in Shijiazhuang held its inaugural opening ceremony, marking the official start of the school after six years of preparation. The ceremony featured a display of Handlin's unique Happy Foundation curriculum and was attended by notable guests such as Xu Haifeng, China's first Olympic gold medalist, and He Wenge, Deputy Director of the Hebei Provincial Sports Bureau, who presented plaques for the school's shooting program. Lin Zhiqiang, Vice President of DBC Group, also attended, representing the in-depth collaboration between DBC Group and Handlin School. This event marks the beginning of Handlin School's integrated international education path, promising a new chapter for Shijiazhuang's educational landscape. Handlin School is located in the High-tech Development Zone of Shijiazhuang, bounded by Jinsha South Road to the north, Qilian Street to the west, Nan'er Ring Road Extension to the south, and Kunlun Street to the east, offering convenient transportation and a beautiful environment.Guests at the event includedSu Xinyi, Deputy Director of Curriculum for AW Education Group in China, delivers a speechSu Yongjun, Principal of the Primary School at Hanlin School in Shijiazhuang, delivered a speechPrincipal Su Yongjun expressed high hopes for the students during his speech, encouraging them to learn how to learn through their studies, develop good habits through activities, and cultivate individuality through choices. He wished them to become 'grateful, idealistic, and responsible' Hanlin students with a 'Chinese soul and global perspective', aiming to become better versions of themselves and make the world a better place. Following his speech, an international friend from Singapore also delivered a speech. The school, adhering to an open educational philosophy, has established close collaborations with numerous international top universities, planning future activities such as international study tours for the students.Lin Zhiqiang and Xu HaifengHe Wenge, Deputy Director of the Hebei Provincial Sports Bureau, and Lin Zhiqiang, Vice President of DBC Group, pose for a commemorative photograph.DBC, as a high-quality supplier, was invited to participate in the event. After several rounds of comparison, Hanlin Group ultimately decided to use DPU sports flooring products, including ETPU full plastic track and DPU basketball system. To celebrate the new students' arrival and Teachers' Day, we also demonstrated the performance of the ETPU material for the small area of the track on campus. In the near future, we hope that child-protective flooring can also support the growth of Hanlin students.As a premium supplier, DBC was invited to participate in the event. After several rounds of comparison, Hanlin Group ultimately decided to use the DPU sports flooring series products, including the ETPU all-plastic track and the DPU basketball court system. To welcome the new students and teachers, we also demonstrated the performance of the ETPU track material on a small scale within the campus. In the near future, we hope that the DPU child protection flooring can also support the growth of children at Hanlin School.ETPU Demonstration with Egg Drop TestMs. Sun, President of Hanlin GroupActively participated in the eventExperienced the magical egg drop testTeachers present actively participated in the egg activity. A raw egg dropped on ETPU remained unharmed! Good impact absorption can effectively protect children's knee joints and ligaments, ensuring their safety.",
            "date_published": "2018-09-11T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-09-11-dpu-026-b65236/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-07-23-dpu-024-c45710.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-07-23-dpu-024-c45710.html",
            "title": "Lin Fanqiu Discusses GB 36246-2018 Construction Process Control at an Education-Ministry Seminar",
            "summary": "The migrated publication reports on a 2018 Beijing seminar concerning interpretation of GB 36246-2018 and attributes construction-process remarks to DBC founder Lin Fanq…",
            "content_text": "Recently, a seminar on the interpretation of the new national mandatory standard GB36246-2018 for synthetic material surface sports fields in school settings was successfully concluded in Beijing, organized by the Ministry of Education.Simultaneously, another expert seminar on the development of green sports fields in schools was also successfully held in Beijing recently, organized by the Ministry of Education.Following the formal release of the new national standard by the State Administration for Market Regulation, the Ministry of Education has convened a series of meetings and seminars involving relevant management departments within the education system across all provinces and cities. Over 350 participants from these departments gathered to hear expert interpretations of the standard. The seminar was hosted by Party Affairs Office Deputy Director Du Jianwei of the Ministry of Education, with participation and remarks from Deputy Director Xu Hong of the Physical Education, Health, and Art Department.The seminar was hosted by Party Affairs Office Deputy Director Du Jianwei of the Ministry of Education, with participation and remarks from Deputy Director Xu Hong of the Physical Education, Health, and Art Department.The standard was explained by Du Bichen Group Chairman Lin Fanqiu on 'construction technology process control for synthetic material surface sports fields'.Campus Green Sports Field Development: Expert SeminarDevelopment Seminar: DBC Group Chairman Lin Fanqiu analyzed the data objectively, discussing how to provide services for campus safety construction.The new national standard GB36246-2018 'Synthetic Material Surface Layers for Sports Fields in Primary and Secondary Schools' was proposed and overseen by the Ministry of Education. It was drafted by the Ministry of Education Equipment Research and Development Center. This standard, based on extensive and detailed data, is both professional and scientific, and its implementation will significantly enhance the construction level and product quality of green sports fields for campuses, ensuring the health of all primary and secondary school students. It also signals a commitment to high-quality industry development, technological advancement, and self-regulation.After over two years of preparation and formulation, the release of this standard is a significant event for society and the industry. It represents not only unified norms but also the direction and hope for the industry. The release of the new national standard heralds a new development cycle for the industry. Let us uphold quality, integrity, and dreams, working together to promote the healthy and sustainable development of sports field materials, contributing to the quality construction of green campuses in China.The Ministry of Education held a seminar on the interpretation of the standard, providing nationwide education systems with an understanding of sports field products and standards. This will help schools purchase accurate and reliable running tracks, enhancing communication among producers, users, and regulators.For campus sports fields, the new national standard serves as a benchmark for measurement; for the industry, it drives technological progress. It not only addresses the issue of low-price bidding but also acts as a new engine for industry development and a catalyst for quality upgrades.Without rules, one cannot make squares or circles. The healthy development of the sports field materials industry should be based on standards, with enhanced guidance, regulation, and accountability. For enterprises, they must focus on improving product quality and enhancing technological innovation to build core competitiveness and enter a broader development space and platform.Education administrators across the country are showing high enthusiasm for learning—well done!More than 350 officials from education management departments across various provinces and cities attended the meeting.Lin Fanqiu, one of the standard drafters, stated that based on international experience in standard setting, no standard can solve all problems. It is still necessary for practitioners to maintain self-discipline and continuous improvement, ensuring quality control in production processes and standardized operations during construction technology procedures. Enterprises must take full responsibility for the final product quality.In the current era of thriving youth sports in China, implementing updated quality standards for sports venue construction holds epoch-making significance. 'In the future, technology will continue to advance, and so will the standards. Let us together uphold this sustainable endeavor and safeguard the health and sports activities of Chinese youth, as well as the green campus construction quality for sustainable development.'",
            "date_published": "2018-07-23T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-07-23-dpu-024-c45710/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-07-23-dpu-022-5a3c10.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-07-23-dpu-022-5a3c10.html",
            "title": "Inspection Reports under GB 36246-2018 for Synthetic-Surface School Sports Grounds (Xinhua)",
            "summary": "The migrated Xinhua report describes 2018 inspections conducted under GB 36246-2018. Product subjects, test scope, laboratory authorization and current standard status r…",
            "content_text": "Xinhua, Beijing, July 23: The new national standard for rubber tracks, 'Middle and Primary School Synthetic Material Surface Sports Grounds' GB 36246-2018 (referred to as the 'new standard'), was recently officially released by the State Administration for Market Regulation. Inspection reports have now been issued following tests conducted according to the new standard.Although the new standard will only come into force on November 1, according to a report from the China National Building Material Testing Center (CTC) of the China National Inspection and Certification Group (referred to as 'CNIGC'), products such as permeable ETPU rubber tracks and solvent-free polyurethane adhesives from BASF and DBC Group have passed all tests under the new standard. These products are already compliant with the new standard.ETPU permeable rubber tracks are finished rubber track products. Guo Zhongbao, project leader of CTC at CNIGC, stated that this report was based on a full inspection according to the new standard GB 36246-2018. CNIGC has recently been authorized by the State Administration for Market Regulation to conduct third-party inspections under the new standard.According to the inspection report, chemical and physical performance indicators, as well as tests for harmful substances such as adhesive VOCs, finished product TVOCs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and carbon disulfide, all met the requirements of the new standard. Many of the test results exceeded the new standard's requirements.Lin Fanqiu, chairman of DBC Group, stated that after the industry experienced a period of turmoil, the new standard provides quantifiable benchmarks. Industry players must be responsible for the final quality of their products and should use technological advancements to upgrade their offerings while improving their service systems to ensure the safety and quality of green sports facilities on campuses.The Ministry of Education organized a seminar to interpret the new standard at the beginning of this month, with experts from the drafting group providing explanations to representatives from education departments across the country's provinces and municipalities.",
            "date_published": "2018-07-23T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-07-23-dpu-022-5a3c10/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-03-23-dpu-014-a94e0b.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2018-03-23-dpu-014-a94e0b.html",
            "title": "Interview: Lin Fanqiu on Green Development in Sports Flooring (Green Building)",
            "summary": "A migrated interview with DBC Group chairman Lin Fanqiu on green-development directions for sports-flooring materials. Statements in the interview reflect the speaker's…",
            "content_text": "This archival feature was published as scanned magazine pages. The complete original visual article is preserved below, followed by an English text reconstruction of the article.Sports Flooring Industry to Move Toward Green DevelopmentInterview with Lin Fanqiu, Chairman of DBC GroupBy Gao Jiaqi, staff reporter, Green Building, Issue 3, 2018.At the time of publication, Lin Fanqiu served as chairman of DBC Group and CASU, a visiting professor at Peking University's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, deputy director of the Ministry of Education's research institute for green sports grounds in primary and secondary schools, and a council member of the China Sporting Goods Federation. He had also received an industry innovation award.DBC is rooted in the development and application of new materials. Driven by environmentally responsible material applications, the company aims to support infrastructure and urban renewal, improve the user experience, build greener cities and help create a sustainable way of life.In 2016, DBC and BASF introduced an ETPU expanded thermoplastic polyurethane running-track product. Previously used mainly in athletic footwear, ETPU represented an innovative use in sports tracks. Lin said the material had performed well in more than one thousand school and stadium projects nationwide over the previous two years, including the track at Hainan's Wuyuanhe Cultural and Sports Center. He viewed ETPU tracks as a strong option for stadium and campus facilities because of product quality, environmental and safety considerations, and athletic comfort.DBC and BASF also introduced the DPU basketball-court system, a dedicated artificial-turf seam adhesive and the ANTUX coating line. The ANTUX interior wall coating described in the article was developed for schools and hospitals with zero-VOC and zero-formaldehyde positioning. The article reported applications at more than one hundred schools, including Peking University and Fudan University.To support sponge-city construction, DBC worked with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and BASF on a permeable, pressure-resistant pavement system. According to Lin, applications in Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu, Guizhou, Jiangsu and other locations showed water permeability, compressive strength, wear resistance and slip resistance, together with visual, maintenance and acoustic benefits. The system was intended to help urban pavements “breathe,” mitigate heat-island effects and reduce pavement heat buildup.Lin argued that the sports-flooring sector had reached a critical stage of transformation and upgrading. Repeated “toxic track” incidents had damaged public trust, while weaknesses in materials, construction and supervision left quality risks insufficiently controlled. Healthy development therefore required suitable physical and chemical material performance, professional worker training and effective supervision. DBC's proposed response was a full-process system combining higher standards, strict production control, installer training, third-party inspection and ongoing oversight.The article noted that, with support from DBC and other organizations, Shanghai issued the 2016 group standard T/310101002-C003-2016 on limits for harmful substances in synthetic surfaces for school sports grounds. Lin said standards could constrain the industry at the source by preventing poor-quality materials from entering construction. Beyond safety and environmental requirements, materials also needed physical durability to provide long-term sporting comfort, and continued innovation should deliver more reliable and suitable products.In 2017, DBC published a research report on development trends in sports-ground material applications. Based on industry, campus-track and risk data, the report examined polyurethane technology upgrades, the structure and direction of China's sports sector, and harmful-substance risks. Its main message was that safer and more environmentally responsible materials would create new opportunities while supporting standardization. DBC shared the data to encourage technical upgrading, business innovation and a healthier industry ecosystem.Lin also emphasized the resource value of durable materials. The article cited DBC's estimate that the total loss caused by a defective running track—including replacement, lost teaching time, medical examinations, work disruption and public-security costs—could reach four times the original construction cost. Since 2017, DBC had organized an annual China Green Campus Construction Quality Summit to bring experts, scholars and entrepreneurs together to address chronic industry problems and future development.The interview concluded that green building should integrate sustainability throughout the full project life cycle, especially in the selection of construction materials at the source. As conventional building materials reveal disadvantages such as high consumption, energy use, pollution and ecological or health impacts, resource-efficient and environmentally responsible alternatives become increasingly urgent. Lin stressed that campus environments in particular require greater attention to the environmental performance of school buildings and materials.",
            "date_published": "2018-03-23T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2018-03-23-dpu-014-a94e0b/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2017-08-26-dpu-008-17fa4b.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2017-08-26-dpu-008-17fa4b.html",
            "title": "CASU and DBC Advance Applied 'Sponge City' Materials (People.cn)",
            "summary": "The migrated People.cn article discusses DBC and CASU work on materials for sponge-city applications. Project performance, environmental effects and deployment status re…",
            "content_text": "This summer, many Chinese cities have once again experienced severe flooding during heavy rains, falling back into 'watching the sea' mode, with the 'floods after every rain' issue remaining pressing. At the same time, droughts have been rampant, highlighting the scarcity of water resources. In fact, to address the chronic problem of 'floods after every rain and droughts following immediately', the State Council Office initiated the Sponge City construction program two years ago.Background and Policy Progress of Sponge CitiesSponge cities are a new generation of urban rainwater management concepts, referring to cities that have the ability to adapt to environmental changes and mitigate the impact of rain-related natural disasters. They can also be described as 'water-elastic cities,' with the international term being 'Low Impact Development (LID) rainwater systems.' During rainfall, they absorb, store, permeate, and purify water; during times of need, they release and utilize the stored water.On December 31, 2014, in line with the spirit of the speech on strengthening sponge city construction and the requirements of the Central Economic Work Conference, the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and Ministry of Water Resources decided to launch a pilot program for sponge city construction supported by central fiscal funds. The Guidelines on Promoting Sponge City Construction stipulate that through sponge city construction, the impact of urban development and construction on the ecological environment should be minimized, with 70% of rainfall being locally absorbed and utilized. By 2020, 20% of the built-up area in cities should meet the target requirements; by 2030, 80% of the built-up area in cities should meet the target requirements.In October 2015, the State Council issued the Guidelines on Promoting Sponge City Construction to advance the work of sponge city construction. It is projected that by 2020, the industry scale will reach 9 trillion yuan, and by 2030, the market scale will reach 70 trillion yuan.On March 5, 2017, at the Fifth Session of the Twelfth National People's Congress, the government work report clarified the direction for sponge city development, making sponge city construction a priority in all cities, not just pilot cities.In 2015 and 2016, the country selected 30 cities as pilot projects for sponge city construction in two batches. As of now, the total area covered by sponge city construction pilot projects is 420 square kilometers, with a total investment of approximately 54.4 billion yuan. Among this, central fiscal subsidies amount to 23.34 billion yuan, local government fiscal inputs are 12.9 billion yuan, and social capital investments are around 18.2 billion yuan.However, the implementation effects of sponge cities seem to be limited. Floods still occur frequently in pilot cities, raising questions such as whether sponge cities are effective and how to address public concerns that 'sponge cities do not absorb water' and 'sponge cities are a waste of money.'This article offers some perspectives on the critical technical aspects of road permeable paving in sponge cities.The Functional Requirements of Permeable PavingChina is experiencing rapid urbanization, with significant achievements in city construction. However, issues such as high development intensity and extensive hard surfaces remain. The construction of buildings, roads, and ground surfaces has led to excessive hardening of the underlying surface, altering the natural ecological base and hydrological characteristics of cities. This has resulted in problems such as the urban heat island effect, urban flooding, reduced rainwater infiltration, and deteriorating water ecosystems.So-called 'sponge cities' aim to fully leverage the absorption, storage, and release functions of various surfaces and retention facilities in buildings, neighborhoods, roads, squares, parks, and green spaces. By adopting a combination of low-impact development measures such as 'permeation, retention, storage, purification, utilization, and discharge,' cities can become more resilient to environmental changes and natural disasters.Yukuang Yu, Dean of the School of Architecture and Landscape Design at Peking University, stated that 'sponge cities may take 5 to 10 years, or even longer, to address these issues. We cannot conclude that pilot projects for sponge cities have failed just because there was flooding this time. These pilot projects do have demonstrative significance, but it is often localized.'The challenges faced by sponge cities can be summarized as 'no flooding during light rain, no urban flooding during heavy rain, no black or foul-smelling water bodies, and reduced urban heat island effect.' The importance of building sponge cities to balance the relationship between water and cities is undeniable. However, the effectiveness of sponge cities needs time to be tested.How can we ensure that sponge cities are implemented effectively and withstand future scrutiny? For permeable road paving, it must not only allow water infiltration and storage but also be environmentally friendly and sustainable. It should consider both product technical performance and urban development issues. Specifically, permeable pavements should have excellent permeability and a certain capacity to retain water, which enables them to alleviate the pressure on drainage systems and reduce urban flooding. Additionally, they should possess high strength, deformation resistance, water stability, good surface smoothness, anti-slip properties, environmental friendliness, and durability.Historical Release Notes for the Road Permeable SystemDriven by technological innovation, DBC Group, a leading new materials company, collaborated with CASU to develop a new permeable pavement technology for sponge city applications. With support from the global chemical giant BASF, Reubao (a permeable pavement system for sponge cities) was born, providing practical solutions for sponge city construction. In actual applications across multiple provinces and cities in Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu, Guizhou, and Jiangsu, Reubao demonstrated excellent water permeability, compressive strength, wear resistance, anti-slip properties, as well as environmental aesthetics, colorfulness, ease of maintenance, and sound absorption and noise reduction. It has become a 'breathing' urban landscape pavement, effectively alleviating the urban heat island effect and preventing city roads from overheating.According to DBC Group's technical lead, the magic of Reubao's structural design lies in its ability not only to drain surface water but also to provide bottom waterproofing or regional water storage. It can filter rainwater through a hierarchical infiltration process, gradually replenishing groundwater while allowing moisture to evaporate from the ground surface during dry periods, thus maintaining a dynamic balance between surface water and groundwater, addressing the ecological issues caused by impermeable surfaces.Reubao not only allows rainwater to penetrate underground to replenish urban and rural groundwater ecosystems, ensuring the normal growth of surface vegetation. It also blocks rainwater from seeping into the ground to protect against foundation deformation that could affect the structural integrity of urban buildings. By managing water infiltration and drainage in a calculated manner, Reubao ensures the normal cycle of urban water ecology, supporting the healthy growth of surface vegetation and the urban ground ecosystem.In response to summer heat, Reubao also shows significant effectiveness in mitigating the urban heat island effect. By quickly dispersing stored heat on its breathable surface under intense sunlight, it can also release stored rainwater through evaporation, increasing urban humidity and comfort. This enhances the city's ability to regulate ground temperature and moisture.Some view sponge cities as a mere embellishment, but I believe they are far from that. The construction of sponge cities is still in its early stages and deserves time for growth. Beyond addressing urban flooding, sponge cities encompass water resources, water environments, water safety, and water ecology. They are genuine 'Beautiful China' projects aimed at benefiting future generations. It is crucial for managers and constructors to adopt a systemic and holistic approach in terms of quality, precision, adaptability to local conditions, and long-term monitoring and evaluation.Imagine this scene: After a heavy rain, the sky clears up, and the roads and sidewalks are spotlessly clean, gleaming as if washed by rain. Vehicles move orderly, and people step out to enjoy fresh air. Thanks to its advanced permeable pavement system, heavy rain is no longer a disaster but a natural blessing. Reubao, with its integrated water permeability and storage capabilities, has retained the water, showcasing ecological benefits in water conservation and drought resistance.",
            "date_published": "2017-08-26T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2017-08-26-dpu-008-17fa4b/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2016-11-17-dpu-003-f13a66.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2016-11-17-dpu-003-f13a66.html",
            "title": "Lin Fanqiu on Innovation and Entrepreneurship Mentoring at Peking University (Xinhua)",
            "summary": "A migrated 2016 Xinhua profile concerning Lin Fanqiu and entrepreneurship mentoring at Peking University. Personal titles, affiliations and quoted views reflect the orig…",
            "content_text": "The Global Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Peking University, serving as a practical base for the university’s innovation and entrepreneurship education, marks a significant step in supporting national strategies for innovation and entrepreneurship. It also represents an attempt to comprehensively build an ecosystem for student innovation and entrepreneurship, fostering innovative spirit and optimizing the entrepreneurial atmosphere on campus.Photo of a representative of the appointed mentorsFrom Mentor Appointment to Entrepreneurial InterviewsOn that day, entrepreneur Lin Fanqiu from Shanghai received a special appointment certificate as a mentor for the Global Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Peking University. At first glance, this young and handsome mentor gave the audience a fresh impression when he stepped onto the stage. Everyone was curious about what kind of guidance this young mentor would offer to the soon-to-be explorers. As I pondered how to approach him, Lin suddenly disappeared, and it took some time for me to locate him with a few colleagues.After several attempts, I finally managed to get in touch with him. On the phone, Lin Fanqiu sounded like a seasoned teacher. He is from Jining, Shandong, a region known for Confucianism and Mencius. He has lived in Beijing and has been running businesses in Shanghai for many years. His speech was humble, cautious, and polite, much like his impression on me.What surprised me was that Lin Fanqiu is deeply rooted in traditional and physical industries, which is quite different from what I had imagined. How can a young entrepreneur from Shanghai be passionate about innovation in traditional industries rather than high-tech sectors or even the internet? This only piqued my curiosity further. During our subsequent conversation, many of my questions were gradually answered.To my surprise, Lin Fanqiu has deeply rooted himself in traditional and physical industries, a stark contrast to what I had imagined. How can a young Shanghai entrepreneur be passionate about innovation in the physical sector rather than high-tech industries? Even more surprisingly, it has nothing to do with the internet! This only piqued my curiosity further. During our subsequent conversation, many of my doubts were gradually clarified.Most innovations are just a layer of window film that can be easily broken.On Innovation and Core CompetitivenessWhen discussing entrepreneurship, he immediately elevates the conversation to a higher level, demonstrating seriousness and professionalism. He has many different perspectives on today's entrepreneurial community. He repeatedly emphasizes his own entrepreneurial status, hoping that entrepreneurs can remain calm and clearly understand the market and themselves, avoiding overconfidence and limiting their vision. At this point, I feel like I have caught a young entrepreneur with unique insights who dares to speak.Lin Fanqiu points out that there is significant innovation potential in many sectors of the real economy and traditional industries, which urgently need to be updated. The business philosophy of traditional Chinese industries is still very backward, and Chinese proprietary materials are relatively low-end. Products and facilities we use in our daily lives often feature imported brands, even when holding a domestic product, its core materials and technologies are mostly controlled by foreign brand owners. 'The fierce competition in various internet services is a nightmare for most entrepreneurs. With nearly 1,000 teams working on the same service function across the country, only a few can survive.'Discussing entrepreneurship and innovation, Lin Fanqiu always reminds me that entrepreneurs need to have independent thinking abilities while maintaining pure innovative awareness. He believes that many innovations believed to change the world are actually being planned by small entrepreneurial teams for various IPO schedules, with numerous incubators working hard, and some large companies waiting in the wings to capitalize on the user habits of small businesses. Most innovations are just a layer of window film, easily broken. We cannot guarantee that we are the fastest or best, nor can we be certain that our ideas will attract investors' funding. We should not waste our time piecing together dreams.'The market is never short of hardworking individuals. The key to success lies in forming a team with successful traits, choosing the right direction, resisting the force of ignorance, and ensuring that the core of innovation is strong enough... These factors will determine success or failure.'In the increasingly open market environment, voices of entrepreneurship and innovation are constant, but reality is harsh—entrepreneurship is easy, but becoming established is difficult. What is the core competitiveness of entrepreneurial enterprises?Lin Fanqiu stresses that evolving from fragmented competitive structures to systemic ones is what defines core competitiveness. Most current innovative models are not complex; one can understand how to do it in just two minutes, which is why entrepreneurship is easy but becoming established is difficult. After deeply exploring their entrepreneurial direction, most people find it hard to convince themselves, struggle to keep up with changing trends, and cannot accurately predict their business models. 'We all work hard, but the reality often hits us hard afterward.''Specialize, deepen, and thoroughly understand an industry before crossing over and disrupting it.'From Deepening in the Real Economy to Material InnovationDespite his deep involvement in industrial innovation, Lin Fanqiu also has insights on the booming 'Internet+' trend. He says, 'Over the past few years, everyone has been pouring huge amounts of capital into internet service innovation, leading to a surge in entrepreneurs vying for what seemed like a lucrative market. This has created a cycle where resources are constantly reallocated, and soon after a technically sound startup emerges, it is often eroded by capital, leading to a bottomless pursuit of market value. Even more alarming is the large number of small business owners in traditional industries who, in an attempt to keep up with the trend, have squandered decades of accumulated wealth on internet innovation and various internet financial investments.' The innovative models that these groups focus on are generally not competitive and even outdated. However, in the eyes of some industrialists, these internet services hold great promise. How many internet startups have truly succeeded? What are they doing now? If your product has good development potential, how many people are engaging in similar innovations? Even if your innovation is not easily replicated and has a promising future, a copycat from BATW (Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, Wanda) can outshine you by a century.As the times continue to evolve, we spend less time on traditional industries, and it becomes increasingly easy to chase after trends. Cross-industry disruption has become the loudest voice of this era.In Lin Fanqiu's view, it is not too late to focus on a particular industry, deepen its expertise, and then venture into cross-industry disruption to achieve one's original aspirations. For instance, just like the recently victorious 45th US President, Donald Trump, an elderly businessman, managed to become the president. What was his greatest political achievement? No one can verify it because he lacked political experience, but we know that he was a successful real estate developer. This shows that excelling in one's core business increases the likelihood of success in other areas. As one ascends, the height, perspective, and resources available to an entrepreneur are far beyond those of ordinary people.Innovation and entrepreneurship in materials science present the best opportunities of this era.As our conversation drew to a close, Lin Fanqiu returned to his core expertise and expressed hopes for young entrepreneurs.He predicted that a major revolution in the era of basic materials is imminent, with industrial innovation becoming a more grounded development direction and a new focal point of national and global interest. Cities need functionality, infrastructure needs updating, and human living environments will become more environmentally friendly and secure. Even if there are no significant opportunities in the current materials industry, innovation and entrepreneurship require materials to bring ideas to life. The application of materials in innovation and entrepreneurship is the best opportunity of this era. The new path of industrial revitalization urgently requires a large number of outstanding young people to participate, enhancing overall innovation awareness, updating business models, stimulating research and development in China's materials industry, and making good products speak for themselves.He noted that the success or failure of startups is largely determined within the first few years. Going where there are fewer people avoids congestion and less intense competition. Entrepreneurship requires rational thinking, technological support, and learning, all of which require time to test and correct. Most current innovation fields do not provide the opportunity for calm reflection, and the pressure to be fast-paced has become a dead end for entrepreneurs. He hopes that young entrepreneurs develop a sense of self-awareness, as this will lead to automatic actions.What is capability? Lin Fanqiu often reminds himself and his friends that 'capability' is not just about having professional knowledge, experience, and methods. We cannot casually define ourselves as capable individuals. Success comes from diligence, opportunity, and wisdom, all of which are indispensable. Wisdom is not innate but can be learned. A wise person is first honest, and then they work hard. To build a great enterprise, we must be diligent and work hard because the more effort we put in, the luckier we become, and opportunities will follow.By delving into the materials industry, we can discover many niche areas, each of which holds immense potential and provides ample space for young people to realize their dreams. Lin Fanqiu hopes that the self-aware and automatic capabilities of this era's young entrepreneurs will flourish in industrial innovation. This will enable the tools of global change, such as the internet, to support real industries, driving a global revolution in basic materials and new material applications.",
            "date_published": "2016-11-17T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2016-11-17-dpu-003-f13a66/image1.jpg"
        },
        {
            "id": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2016-03-21-dpu-002-e7c05a.html",
            "url": "https://www.dbc.cn/EN/news-2016-03-21-dpu-002-e7c05a.html",
            "title": "School Sports-Ground Environmental Standards: Migrated 2016 Commentary (ifeng.com)",
            "summary": "The migrated commentary summarizes expert views on environmental management for synthetic-surface school sports grounds. It is not a current regulatory, certification or…",
            "content_text": "These conclusions were reached by chemical experts, material experts, application experts, technical experts, and construction experts, providing effective management control methods for the environmental safety of school sports fields.At a national initiative meeting on environmental standards for sports flooring hosted by BASF, a German chemical company, and DBC Group, an environmental company in Shanghai, experts collectively called for strict management of the environmental safety of school sports fields to prevent the addition of harmful substances. Schools are places that nurture the future of our country and are crucial to students' health. There is no reason for toxic and pungent-smelling materials to be used on school sports field running tracks.BASF, a German chemical company, and DBC Group have jointly launched an overall solution for environmentally friendly and durable sports flooring, ensuring that the tracks, sports fields, and gymnasium floors laid by contractors meet strict International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) certification standards. Additionally, BASF and DBC have introduced a quality control service system, which will maintain user interests by ensuring that materials from BASF are absolutely environmentally friendly, safe, and durable, and by integrating unified construction norms for contractors and subcontractors to ensure the highest standards in sports flooring construction and installation.The controversy over toxic school running tracks last year was due to the use of polyurethane-based materials in conventional running tracks. Toxic tracks added large amounts of low-cost toxic solvents, such as chlorinated paraffin, MOCA, catalysts, benzene, toluene, and xylene, to reduce costs, generating a large number of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that caused pungent odors, leading to students experiencing poisoning symptoms during exercise.Administrators of schools and other institutions: As the summer renovation period for school running tracks approaches, we must first recognize the essence of the problem, listen to the public opinions of experts, and then manage and control it in a reasonable and effective manner. We cannot risk using immature so-called environmentally friendly products at the expense of practicality.Experts believe that polyurethane-based materials have been used for over half a century in developed countries like Europe and America. Polyurethane MDI systems are not only environmentally safe, elastic, strong in adhesion, wear-resistant, acid- and alkali-resistant, and anti-aging but also have all-weather properties, dust-proofing, antibacterial, seamless, easy to clean and maintain, and vibrant colors, making them the best all-weather indoor and outdoor sports flooring materials internationally recognized for their ability to beautify the environment and enhance interest in sports participation.Polyurethane running tracks have good flatness, high compressive strength, appropriate hardness and elasticity, and long-term stable physical properties, which are beneficial for athletes' performance, effectively improving athletic performance and reducing injury rates.Sampling and Testing Procedures for Sports Flooring Polyurethane Rubber CoatingI. Pre-event, during-event, and post-event sampling inspections to ensure compliance with environmental standards during the material usage phase.1. Verify that testing agencies and materials meet standard requirements;2. Conduct random material sampling at the construction site before commencement to confirm consistency with the manufacturer's test reports;3. Post-completion inspections according to predetermined schedules. For example, for a polyurethane rubber track, after 14 days of drying, testing by the client or an authoritative testing agency on-site cutting samples to check chemical and physical properties for compliance.II. Rubber Granules Used: Primarily Must Meet Environmental Standards, No Recycled Materials, No Odorous Particles, and EPDM Colored Granules Should Contain at Least 25% Rubber Content Under Environmental Considerations.III. Five Types of International Standardized Polyurethane Rubber Tracks Are as Follows:① Breathable Polyurethane Rubber Track② Composite Polyurethane Rubber Track③ Mixed Polyurethane Rubber TrackFull Plastic Rubber TrackProtective Rubber TrackFour, Key Indicators for Environmental Standards in Rubber Tracks and Their Corresponding Requirements for Adhesives and Surface Layers① Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) content per liter ≤ 5g (equivalent to a VOC content of no more than 5 g per kilogram)② No chlorinated paraffins③ No benzene, toluene, or xylene④ No MOCA (N-Methylolacrylamide)The source describes pure MDI as a durable, environmentally positioned raw material for polyurethane systems; this statement requires contemporary product-specific evidence.⑥ No toxic or odorous solventsFive, Rubber Tracks Must Be Both Environmentally Friendly and Durable with a Service Life of More Than 8 YearsAll data must fully meet the 'Environmental Sports Flooring Standards'. Testing results must be issued by authoritative Chinese institutions such as Shanghai JKY, China National Building Research Corporation, Shanghai Chemical Industry Association, and East China University of Science and Technology.The establishment of environmental standards for sports flooring will take time. The data requirements outlined above were compiled after half a year of expert analysis following the 'Toxic Track' incident. This data aggregates the consensus reached by domestic and international experts on the initial requirements for sports flooring standards.Why establish environmental standards for sports flooring?Chinese schools, sports venues, and public walking tracks are nurturing our future and hope. Children's immune systems differ from adults, and the health of athletes requires environmental protection. The promotion of fitness for all also needs a safe and environmentally friendly environment. As producers, builders, and consumers, we have a responsibility to contribute to this effort. We must eliminate unnecessary additives and banish toxic tracks.Following the release of the State Council's 'Several Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Sports Industry and Promoting Sports Consumption' in October 2014, local governments responded by formulating their own sports industry development guidelines. As of now, 30 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities have issued such guidelines, each with its own set of tasks.By October 2015, the total scale of the sports industry in these 30 provincial governments had surpassed 7 trillion yuan, surpassing the 5 trillion yuan target set by Document No. 46. Below are the main tasks and goals set by local governments for the development of the sports industry.The State Council has set a goal of 2 square meters per person for sports flooring in China by 2025, with Shanghai aiming to become a global sports city with an average of 2.6 square meters per person. These targets reflect China's comprehensive launch of environmental requirements for sports flooring.",
            "date_published": "2016-03-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-07-21T00:00:00+08:00",
            "language": "en",
            "tags": [
                "Company News"
            ],
            "image": "https://www.dbc.cn/docs/assets/images/news/news-2016-03-21-dpu-002-e7c05a/image1.jpg"
        }
    ]
}