Calcium carbonate for papermaking is steadily increasing

In the fine structure of papermaking process, fillers and pigments have become the second most important raw materials after fibers, and their importance is self-evident. Among many papermaking fillers, calcium carbonate stands out with its huge dosage, mature modification technology, continuously improving application value and significant cost-effectiveness, becoming the leader in the industry. Main paper types Calcium carbonate filler addition amount Heavy calcium is a high-quality filler material and is widely used in the fields of printing paper, writing paper, office paper and advertising paper, except for cigarette paper, filter paper and some special low-quantity information paper with specific performance requirements.
In specific applications, for coated paper, the selected heavy calcium raw material needs to be refined to 325 mesh to ensure that its whiteness exceeds the high standard of 92%, and the calcium carbonate content is strictly controlled above 98% to ensure the excellent quality of the paper. For paper types such as whiteboard paper that pursue higher fineness, the fineness of heavy calcium needs to be increased to above 1250 mesh, and the high whiteness of more than 92% and the purity of calcium carbonate of 98% are also maintained to meet the market demand for exquisite printed products. As a pigment, heavy calcium carbonate exhibits extraordinary performance in the primer and topcoat processes. Its high whiteness and excellent fluidity make it an ideal choice for the formulation of high-solid content coatings, effectively reducing the dependence on adhesives and significantly optimizing the ink absorption capacity of the coating. At the same time, heavy calcium carbonate can give the coating excellent whiteness and harmonious tones, improve the air permeability of the paper, and is therefore widely regarded as a common choice in the field of coating pigments. Light calcium carbonate plays an important complementary role in the application of paper coating pigments, and it cleverly makes up for the shortcomings of kaolin and heavy calcium carbonate in some aspects. Especially in the production of low-quantity coated base paper, coated paper pursuing high gloss effects, and elegant matte coated paper, light calcium carbonate plays an irreplaceable role with its unique properties.
In summary, heavy calcium carbonate and light calcium carbonate have their own advantages in the field of papermaking fillers, and their selection should be closely aligned with the needs of the actual paper production process to achieve the best performance match and cost-effectiveness.
In 2023, the national production of machine-made paper and paperboard will be 144.055 million tons. Recently, many papermaking companies have officially announced price increases for their products. On November 19, many paper companies including Jinguan Paper (China), Bohui Paper, and Wanguo Paper simultaneously issued price increase letters, announcing that they would increase the price of white cardboard by 200 yuan/ton. In early November, paper companies such as Nine Dragons Paper and Wanguo Paper announced a price increase of 200 yuan/ton, and also shut down some paper machines for 3-10 days. Not only white cardboard, but also other paper varieties have risen in price. Data shows that the price of corrugated paper at Nine Dragons Paper's Tianjin and Dongguan bases and Henan Henry Paper has increased by 30 yuan/ton since November 20; Nine Dragons Paper's Shenyang base plans to increase the price of corrugated paper by 30 yuan/ton on November 25.
Since November, the terminal order support from the e-commerce festival still exists. In addition, after the end of the US presidential election, some market participants have certain concerns about the adjustment of tariffs in the future market, prompting some downstream companies to choose to stock up in advance, and the overall demand for containerboard paper has increased. However, some analysts believe that the price increase transmission of some paper products may not be smooth.
The weak consolidation of household paper has lasted for a long time. This week, the head paper companies have plans to increase prices at the end of the month, but other paper companies have not followed suit. The industry has responded flatly. Considering the fluctuations in raw material prices and the current status of terminal demand, the market price of household paper is still difficult to fluctuate significantly.
It is estimated that global paper production is expected to increase from 406 million tons in 2015 to 482 million tons in 2030, and the increase in paper production is bound to drive the growth of calcium carbonate production. In 2020, China's machine-made paper and paperboard production was 127 million tons, and China's papermaking calcium carbonate is expected to be 12 million tons in 2020. In 2023, China's machine-made paper and paperboard production will be 144 million tons, and China's calcium carbonate for papermaking is expected to reach 13.6 million tons in 2023; from January to September 2024, China's machine-made paper and paperboard production will be 116 million tons, and the annual output is expected to be 155 million tons. In 2024, China's calcium carbonate for papermaking is expected to reach 14.6 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 10.2%. Compared with the downward trend of most calcium carbonate application industries such as plastics, coatings, rubber, steel, glass, and artificial granite, this growth is commendable. It is also one of the few industries with an increase in calcium carbonate consumption, and it has attracted much attention from calcium carbonate mines and processing plants.