Coated Paper Market is likely to exceed USD 55 billion by 2026. Proliferating e-commerce industry along with rising demand for flexible paper packaging are driving the market share.

Some major findings of the coated paper market report include:
- The coated paper industry competitive landscape is consolidated in nature

- The industry ecosystem consists of four stages, raw material suppliers, product manufacturers, suppliers & distributors, and end-user industries

- Companies are engaged in vertical integration strategies for improving their operational expenses and reducing risks

- Some of the major players operating in the coated paper market include UPM, Verso Corporation, South African Pulp and Paper Industries Limited (Sappi Ltd.), Ltd, Stora Enso, and BURGO GROUP SPA

Proliferating e-commerce industry, technological innovation, sustainability, and attractive economies are driving the requirement for flexible packaging, thereby boosting the coated paper market demand. This paper offers superior physical properties with high standards and is widely used in the production of tea envelopes, shopping bags, food wrappers, cigarette pouches, etc. Additionally, the rising demand for high-quality print images in illustration books, labels, high-end handbooks, magazines, and brochures is bolstering the market growth as they offer high gloss with significant ink holdout capacity.

Coated fine paper accounted for over USD 25 billion in 2018. The paper can be either gloss or matte calendered with respect to specific end-use requirements. In addition to offset printing, it can also be printed on web or sheet-fed printing presses. Lighter-coated fine papers are used for brochures and maps, whereas high-quality coated grades of fine paper are used to print superior quality art books, handbooks, and advertising materials. Standard coated fine papers exhibit high grammage & brightness and find applications in high-quality advertising materials, annual reports, and books.

Printing will dominate the coated paper market accounting for over 40% revenue share over the forecast timeframe. The paper is used in the printing of brochures, handbooks, catalogs, and books. It resists moisture & dirt and requires less ink to print owing to its low ink absorption capacity. The images printed are sharp and bright due to its high degree of ink holdout, making such paper ideal for printing applications. Moreover, it is smoother and suitable for certain types of finishing techniques such as spot varnish or flood coatings.

Online calendering will dominate the market share with over 80% share over the study period. This can be attributed to the benefits offered by the system including efficient calendering along with significant savings in terms of operational expenses. Further, the availability of a wide range of calenders further accentuates the segment share over the projected timeframe.

Talc will exhibit a growth rate of around 2.5% over the projected timeframe. This can be attributed to the advanced properties that is imparted by the material including improving smoothness, porosity and required opacity to the paper. Moreover, the material can also be easily used as a runnability aid, pitch control, functional filter, and coating pigment.

North America held a moderate coated paper market share in 2018. The augmenting food and medical flexible packaging industries in the region are likely to increase the demand for coated paper in printed packaging products for fruits, groceries, dry-food products, and medical products. Robust development of corporate offices is further driving the demand for coated paper in the production of publication papers, financial reports, and press releases. The U.S. is a prominent market in the region owing to substantial printing & packaging sectors and stringent regulations on single-use plastic packaging.