Pulp and paper machinery market seen topping $847 billion by 2030

The pulp and paper machinery market is forecast to grow 6% a year through 2030, driven by demand for sustainable packaging, automation and stricter efficiency rules. Western Europe is expected to lead regional growth, while the U.S. is projected to be the largest country market.

Why it matters: - The pulp and paper machinery market sits at the center of the shift toward recyclable packaging, automated mills and lower-emission production. - The market is projected to surpass $847 billion by 2030, making it a major slice of the wider machinery industry. - Demand is being pushed by packaging, sustainability mandates and modernization spending across paper mills.

What happened: - The Business Research Company released its Global Market Report 2026 for pulp and paper machinery. - The report projects a 6% CAGR for the market through 2030. - The report says Western Europe will be the dominant region by 2030, with the market there reaching $315 billion from $235 billion in 2025. - The report says the U.S. will be the largest country market in 2030 at $142 billion, up from $112 billion in 2025. - Valmet Corporation was the market leader in 2025 with a 0.3% share of global sales.

The details: - The market includes continuous digesters, pulp washers, black liquor recovery boilers, bleaching towers, Fourdrinier machines and other equipment. - Fourdrinier machines are projected to be the largest segment in 2030, at 33% of the market or $280 billion. - The report also breaks the market into specialty paper machines, graphic paper machines, packaging paper machines and tissue paper machines. - Distribution is split between direct OEM sales and indirect sales. - Applications are divided into industrial and commercial uses. - The top 10 players held a combined revenue share of about 1% in 2025, showing a highly fragmented market. - Valmet, Andritz and Voith each held 0.3% of global sales in 2025. - Kadant held 0.2%, while BW Papersystems and Fabio Perini each held 0.1%. - Paper Converting Machine Company and Bellmer each held 0.02%. - Toscotec held 0.01%, and Baosuo Paper Machinery Manufacture held 0.003%. - More than $203 billion in combined market value is expected to be added by 2030 across the strongest-growth equipment segments. - Fourdrinier machines are expected to add $63 billion in value from 2025 to 2030. - Continuous digesters are expected to add $46 billion. - Black liquor recovery boilers are expected to add $38 billion. - Pulp washers are expected to add $27 billion. - Bleaching towers are expected to add $18 billion. - Other equipment types are expected to add $11 billion. - The report cites fiber-based packaging demand in e-commerce, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, personal care and consumer goods as a major growth driver. - Regulations limiting single-use plastics and corporate sustainability commitments are also increasing investment in modern mills and converting lines. - Automation and Industry 4.0 tools such as AI, IIoT, robotics, predictive maintenance and digital process controls are improving efficiency and uptime in paper mills. - Stricter environmental rules and energy-efficiency requirements are driving upgrades to digesters, recovery boilers, bleaching systems, paper machines and water recycling systems. - In April 2026, Voith introduced the first commercial DuoCentri NipcoFlex press with a center belt on the PM19 paper machine at Wuzhou Specialty Paper. - The system uses a closed full-width web threading design that improves runnability, extends equipment life, lowers mechanical stress and improves process stability.

Between the lines: - The market remains fragmented because paper machinery requires heavy capital spending, specialized engineering and customization across different paper grades and mill setups. - That fragmentation gives an edge to companies that can pair broad equipment portfolios with automation, aftermarket support and digital service tools. - The biggest winners are likely to be suppliers that help mills cut energy use, reduce waste and upgrade older assets without sacrificing throughput.

What's next: - Expect continued investment in packaging capacity, especially where brands and converters are replacing plastic with fiber-based alternatives. - Mills are likely to keep spending on digital controls, predictive maintenance and automation to offset labor constraints and raise output consistency. - Equipment makers will keep competing on energy efficiency, sustainability performance and high-speed converting capabilities. - More information