International Paper has officially broken ground on a new $225 million corrugated packaging facility in Rankin County, Mississippi, as the company continues expanding its North American packaging network.

The new greenfield plant represents a major investment in automation, manufacturing efficiency and long-term corrugated packaging growth across the Mid-South region.

New Facility Details

The new facility will include:

• 468,000 square feet of manufacturing space
• an 80-acre site in East Metro Center
• advanced corrugated packaging production systems
• upgraded automation and safety technologies

The plant will be located in Brandon, Mississippi, less than 10 miles from International Paper’s existing Richland box plant.

Construction is expected to begin in June 2026, with commercial operations targeted for Q4 2027.

Why International Paper Is Expanding

The company said the new plant is designed to strengthen:

• manufacturing reliability
• product quality
• operational efficiency
• supply chain responsiveness
• cost competitiveness

The investment also supports growth in key corrugated packaging markets, particularly as e-commerce, logistics and retail packaging demand continue expanding across North America.

Existing Employees Will Transition

International Paper confirmed that employees currently working at the Richland facility are expected to transition into the new Brandon plant once construction is completed.

Advanced Automation and Operational Efficiency

The new facility is expected to feature the latest technologies in:

• manufacturing automation
• safety systems
• logistics integration
• operational efficiency
• corrugated converting capabilities

This reflects a broader trend across the packaging industry, where large producers are investing heavily in modern, highly automated corrugated plants to improve productivity and reduce long-term operating costs.

Rail Infrastructure Supports Strategic Growth

A major strategic advantage of the new facility is its connection to the CPKC Railway network.

The rail partnership is expected to improve:

• transportation efficiency
• raw material logistics
• customer delivery speed
• sustainability performance
• regional market connectivity

Integrated rail infrastructure is becoming increasingly important for large-scale corrugated packaging operations as manufacturers seek to reduce freight costs and improve supply chain resilience.

Industry Insight

International Paper’s investment reflects strong long-term confidence in corrugated packaging demand.

Several major market drivers continue supporting packaging expansion:

E-Commerce Growth

Online retail continues increasing demand for corrugated shipping packaging.

Supply Chain Localization

Companies are investing in regional manufacturing and packaging infrastructure to improve supply chain reliability.

Sustainability Pressure

Fiber-based corrugated packaging remains one of the most widely recycled and infrastructure-compatible packaging formats globally.

Automation Investment

Modern packaging plants increasingly rely on advanced automation to improve:

• throughput
• labor efficiency
• quality consistency
• production flexibility

Corrugated Packaging Remains a Strategic Growth Segment

Corrugated packaging has become increasingly important under global sustainability regulations and retailer packaging goals.

Compared with many flexible plastic formats, corrugated packaging benefits from:

• mature recycling infrastructure
• high recovery rates
• strong circular economy compatibility
• renewable fiber sourcing

This continues driving investment from major packaging groups worldwide.

Final Thought

International Paper’s new Mississippi corrugated packaging facility represents more than a regional factory expansion.

It reflects the broader transformation happening across the packaging industry — where automation, logistics integration, sustainability and supply chain resilience are becoming central competitive advantages.

As corrugated packaging demand continues growing across e-commerce and industrial sectors, large-scale investments like this are likely to accelerate throughout North America.

Last Updated on 27/05/2026 by Jota Machinery