Kleannara expands clay-coated kraft board exports to South Africa
Kleannara is expanding exports of its Clay Coated Kraft Board (CCKB), an eco-friendly premium paperboard, to South Africa as part of a push to diversify revenue and improve profitability. The company cites tightening EU packaging rules and rising customer demand for recyclable materials as tailwinds, and plans to pursue new customers in South Africa, Europe and Southeast Asia. Kleannara returned to profit in the second quarter of 2026 with an operating profit of KRW 600m.
Why this mattersTightening EU packaging rules are pulling Korean board makers out of commodity white board and into higher-priced coated grades sold into new export markets.
- Kleannara is expanding exports of its Clay Coated Kraft Board (CCKB) to South Africa
- CCKB offers higher strength, water resistance and printability than standard white board, used in HMR and household product packaging
- EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation took effect from August, cited by the company as driving customer demand for recyclable packaging
- Kleannara plans further customer development in Europe and Southeast Asia alongside South Africa
- The company reported an operating profit of KRW 600m in the second quarter of 2026, returning to profit