Pete Reiber

The folding carton market has been slowly recovering since it hit a low in 2002. However, market projections for 2005 are a mixed bag. IT'S EASY FOR the folding carton market to be optimistic about the future if it bases its outlook on 2004's end-of-the-year numbers. According to the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), last year saw a 4.4 percent increase in folding carton shipments by dollar value, and a 4.3 percent rise by volume, reaching a total of $9 billion on the year. However, things aren't as golden as the statistics make it appear. Recent information from the large, integrated companies reports a $50