Industry entry barriers are rising, and the advantages of leading companies continue to expand.
Release time:
2025-12-29
Under the dual impetus of tightening environmental policies and the industry’s drive toward high-quality development, the market entry barriers for the pulp molding industry have risen across the board, accelerating industry reshuffling and further widening the competitive advantages of leading enterprises.
Under the dual impetus of tightening environmental policies and the industry’s drive toward high-quality development, the market entry barriers for the pulp-molded packaging industry have risen across the board, accelerating industry reshuffling and further widening the competitive advantages of leading enterprises. Industry data show that in 2024, the number of newly established pulp-molded packaging companies in China declined by 32.7% compared to 2023, with a large number of companies—those with outdated technology, failing to meet environmental standards, or operating on a small scale—being phased out by the market. Currently, the industry has established a systematic set of barriers covering multiple dimensions, including production qualifications, environmental certifications, and technical standards. Particularly in terms of environmental requirements, as the nation’s “14th Five-Year Plan for Plastic Pollution Control Action” is implemented more deeply, stricter standards have been set for pulp-molded packaging enterprises regarding wastewater discharge, exhaust gas treatment, and solid waste recycling. To meet these requirements, companies must invest heavily in upgrading their environmental protection equipment. In terms of financial barriers, the initial investment threshold for the industry has now risen to over 10 million yuan, an increase of about 40% compared to 2023, primarily used for constructing standardized production facilities, introducing fully automated production lines, and acquiring advanced environmental treatment equipment. For small and medium-sized enterprises, the high initial investment and ongoing R&D expenditures are simply unaffordable, further exacerbating industry differentiation. Against this backdrop, leading enterprises, leveraging their technological strengths, economies of scale, and extensive distribution channels, have captured the lion’s share of the market. According to statistics, the top 10 domestic pulp-molded tableware companies currently account for 58% of the market share—a rise of 8 percentage points from 2023. Through large-scale production, these leading firms have further reduced their unit production costs. At the same time, thanks to stable product quality and well-established supply chain systems, they have forged long-term partnerships with major catering chains, food delivery platforms, and overseas buyers. By contrast, small and medium-sized enterprises are gradually shifting toward differentiated competition, focusing on niche segments such as high-end baking packaging and custom tableware for specialty restaurants. By precisely targeting these specialized markets, they can avoid direct competition with the industry leaders. Industry experts predict that over the next three to five years, the concentration of the pulp-molded packaging industry will continue to increase. Leading enterprises possessing core technologies, scale advantages, and integrated full-industry-chain capabilities will dominate market development trends, while SMEs lacking core competitiveness will face the risk of being merged or eliminated.
Hubei Wheat-Straw Environmental Technologies Co., Ltd.
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