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Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Yusuf Allinson Yusuf Allinson London, United Kingdom Last Updated: March 2024 SIC C16.240

Revenue

£1.3bn

2024-25

£1.3bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

£XX.Xm

Employees

7,591

Businesses

383

Wages

£XXX.Xm

Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK industry analysis

Sales of wooden containers move in line with manufacturing activity, wholesaling activity, UK export levels and demand for the transportation and storage of goods. Revenue is anticipated to rise at a compound annual rate of 4.8% to £1.3 billion over the five years through 2023-24.  Revenue growth can be attributed to a surge in wooden container prices in recent years because of swelling timber prices – manufacturers have upped the amount they charge to cover higher input costs, accelerating revenue expansion. Revenue is set to rise by 0.8% in 2023-24. Despite strong recent growth, moderate import competition and strong competition from substitutes (mainly cardboard and steel containers) have held revenue back to an extent.

Trends and Insights

  • Higher prices push up revenue. Timber prices have shot up over the past couple of years – the result of COVID-19 slowing production even as demand for wood surged. Manufacturers have passed costs on to customers through higher prices, boosting revenue.
  • Vaccine transportation gives sales a boost. Efforts to distribute the COVID-19 vaccines both across the UK and to other countries have pushed sales up during the vaccine rollout.
  • Proximity to markets is key. That’s why there are more wooden container manufacturers located in the North West and the West Midlands than there are in other regions – both areas are home to lots of downstream manufacturers.
  • Import competition edges upwards. Wooden containers made abroad now absorb over a fifth of domestic demand, with products made in the EU taking up the bulk of this.

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  • Critical performance data and rankings
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 4.8 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £1.3bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Global timber shortages push up wooden container prices, boosting revenue

  • The pandemic tanked production and stopped distribution of lumber. At the same time, there was a surge in demand for new housing construction, home renovations and DIY projects. This caused a massive surge in global timber prices and pushed up product prices.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Price drops cut into wooden container manufacturers' income

  • Global timber prices are dropping sharply from their 2021 and 2022 peaks, which could herald an incoming drop in the selling prices of wooden containers, threatening income and profit for manufacturers.

Biggest companies in the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue (£m)
2024
Scott Group Investments Ltd
214.7
James Jones & Sons (Pallets and Packaging) Ltd
104.7
Eglinton (Timber Products) Ltd
17.3

To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Flat pallets and pallet collars , Box pallets and load boards and Other . Flat pallets and pallet collars is the largest segment of the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK.

Trends and Insights

A surge in exports boosts sales of wooden pallets

  • Wooden pallets include flat pallets, pallet collars, box pallets and load boards.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

This industry manufactures wooden containers such as pallets, boxes, barrels and cable drums. These are used to transport and store a wide variety of goods. The manufacture of containers from compressed wood is not included in the industry.

What's included in this industry?

Wooden palletsCases, boxes and similar packagingCable drums

Companies

Scott Group Investments LtdJames Jones & Sons (Pallets and Packaging) LtdEglinton (Timber Products) Ltd

Purchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

PALLET COLLARCABLE DRUMPALLET POOL

Industry Code

SIC 2007

SIC 16.24 - Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Higher prices push up revenue. Timber prices have shot up over the past couple of years – the result of COVID-19 slowing production even as demand for wood surged. Manufactur...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Vaccine transportation gives sales a boost. Efforts to distribute the COVID-19 vaccines both across the UK and to other countries have pushed sales up during the vaccine roll...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Proximity to markets is key. That’s why there are more wooden container manufacturers located in the North West and the West Midlands than there are in other regions – both a...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Import competition edges upwards. Wooden containers made abroad now absorb over a fifth of domestic demand, with products made in the EU taking up the bulk of this.

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Acquisitions up the Scott Group’s revenue. The group has taken over a fair few companies recently, aiming to consolidate its position in the market. Its efforts have been rew...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Scott Group Investments Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of James Jones & Sons (Pallets and Packaging) Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Eglinton (Timber Products) Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Scott Group Investments Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for James Jones & Sons (Pallets and Packaging) Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Eglinton (Timber Products) Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Timber regulations can be cumbersome. Originally outlined by the EU and adopted into UK law after Brexit, the Timber and Timber Products (Placing on the Market) Regulations m...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Profit swells in line with product prices. Though higher input costs can be bad for a lot of industries, wooden container manufacturers have reaped the rewards of higher timb...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2018-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Assets (2018-2022)
  • Liabilities (2018-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom in 2024?

The market size of the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom is £1.3bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK industry in 2024?

There are 383 businesses in the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.3 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 4.8 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK market in United Kingdom?

The biggest companies operating in the Wooden Container Manufacturing market in United Kingdom are Scott Group Investments Ltd, James Jones & Sons (Pallets and Packaging) Ltd and Eglinton (Timber Products) Ltd

What does the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK in United Kingdom include?

Wooden pallets and Cases, boxes and similar packaging are part of the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK in United Kingdom?

The company holding the most market share in United Kingdom is Scott Group Investments Ltd.

How competitive is the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Wooden Container Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Cardboard Packaging & Paper Bag Manufacturing in the UK
  • Plastic Packing Goods Manufacturing in the UK
  • Steel Drum & Similar Container Manufacturing in the UK

Complementors

  • Sawmilling & Wood Planing in the UK

International industries

  • Wood Pallets & Skids Production in the US
  • Pallets and Other Wood Product Manufacturing in Australia

View all industries in United Kingdom

Methodology

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IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

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Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the UK include:

  • Office for National Statistics
  • Office for Budget Responsibility
  • Bank of England

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

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