1. The Bigger Picture: Demand for Corrugated Equipment Is Rising
First off, whether new or used, demand for corrugated box machinery is rising—driven by e-commerce, sustainability trends, and automation.
- One estimate pegs the broader packaging machinery market growing from $46.23 billion in 2024 to $48.31 billion in 2025 (CAGR ~4.5%), with a leap to $60.7 billion by 2029 The Business Research Company.
- Looking specifically at corrugated box making machines:
- $0.95 billion in 2025 to $1.36 billion by 2032 (CAGR ~5.2%) Fortune Business Insights.
- Another takes it higher—$2.8 billion in 2025 to $4.4 billion by 2035 (CAGR ~4.4%) Future Market Insights.
- A third positions it at $3.14 billion in 2024 to $3.2 billion in 2025 (CAGR ~2.2%), reaching $3.76 billion by 2029 (CAGR ~4.0%) The Business Research Company.
- Another source expects growth from $2.93 billion in 2025 to $3.59 billion by 2033 (CAGR ~2.54%) Straits Research.
Bottom line: Regardless of which study you trust, the market for corrugated box machinery is growing—most estimates show mid-single-digit annual growth through the late 2020s.
2. So What About the Used Machine Market?
Here’s where the data gets murky—none of the sources explicitly break out used machine sales. However, we can infer some logical trends:
a) Rising Demand Promotes Resale
As overall machinery demand rises, more equipment changes hands. Businesses upgrading to advanced lines naturally push their used machines into the secondary market—so used machine inventory and demand likely rise in tandem with overall growth.
b) Cost Pressures Make Used Attractive
Startups and cost-sensitive players often gravitate toward used equipment to conserve capital—particularly when new machine lead times are long. While we don’t have firm numbers, anecdotal patterns suggest heightened interest in used gear.
c) Automation Push May Shrink Used Supply
The drive toward fully automated, high-speed lines could mean older, semi-automatic or basic machines get phased out faster—which could actually paradoxically shrink used stock availability in certain segments, at least short-term.
3. Conflicting Data? Yes. Here’s Why
Multiple sources conflict on baseline numbers and growth rates—from $0.9 billion to $3.1 billion for 2024–2025. That’s a massive gap—and it signals:
- Differing data collection scopes (machine types, geographies, inclusions of backend components).
- Varying definitions of “box making machine”—some reports include corrugators only; others include flexo folder-gluers, die cutters, etc.
We can’t pinpoint used-market growth precisely, but all signs point toward a growing secondary market, propelled by health in primary equipment demand.
4. Counterpoint: Could the Used Market Stall?
Be cautious—here’s a realistic counter-view:
- If industries rapidly adopt newer, fully automated systems (as some reports forecast), demand for older machines might dry up, making resale harder.
- Some regions might restrict used machinery imports due to regulations or favor local manufacturing—impacting global used-market dynamics.
Even so, for markets like startups and developing regions, used machines generally remain a viable path.
5. Final Thoughts: Yes, With Caveats
What’s Clear:
- Corrugated box machinery demand is rising under multi-billion-dollar markets, growing in the 2–5% CAGR range Fortune Business InsightsFuture Market InsightsThe Business Research Company+1Straits Research.
- By extension, the used machinery market is very likely expanding, benefiting buyers and sellers as long as equipment cycles continue.
What’s Unclear:
- There’s no direct data on used-machine sales volume or value.
- Inventory swings, regulatory shifts, and tech obsolescence all affect actual growth in nuanced ways.
Bottom Line:
The used corrugated box machine market probably is growing in 2025, riding the coattails of a healthy primary market. But smart buyers and exporters know to evaluate specific segments, regions, and machine types, because availability and demand may vary.