DOJ subpoenas International Paper and rivals over containerboard pricing
The US Department of Justice has issued grand jury subpoenas to International Paper, Smurfit Westrock and Packaging Corporation of America in an antitrust investigation into containerboard pricing run from the Northern District of Illinois. The companies disclosed the September 2026 subpoenas in SEC filings in the first week of November and say they are cooperating; Smurfit Westrock says it believes its practices comply with antitrust law, and no charges have been announced. A separate private class action alleging coordinated price increases was allowed to proceed to discovery on 4 September 2026; the defendants have filed answers denying wrongdoing.
Why this mattersA grand jury antitrust probe of three major North American containerboard producers adds legal exposure while 2026 containerboard prices run about 20% above year-earlier levels.
- DOJ grand jury subpoenas issued in September 2026 to Smurfit Westrock, International Paper and Packaging Corporation of America
- Investigation is based in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- Companies disclosed the subpoenas in SEC quarterly filings in the first week of November 2026
- 2026 containerboard prices are running roughly 20% above the same point in 2025 after three announced increases
- A separate private class action filed in July 2025 alleges near-lockstep price increases since November 2020
- Judge Mary M. Rowland denied motions to dismiss the class action on 4 September 2026, allowing discovery to proceed
- Cascades confirmed it received a grand jury subpoena in September 2026
- The 2025 class action also names Georgia-Pacific, Greif and Pratt Industries as alleged price-fixing defendants from 2020 onwards
- PCA acquired Greif's containerboard business for USD 1.8bn in 2025
- Fastmarkets RISI's North American containerboard price index rose in September 2026 after several producer price increases this year