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DIFF Class Not Allocatable
B31

MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER

Description

B31 encompasses machinery, processes, and techniques for manufacturing finished articles and performing operations on paper, cardboard, and fibrous materials with paper-like properties. This includes converting raw or semi-finished paper stock into consumer products (bags, envelopes, boxes, containers), as well as mechanical and chemical working operations such as folding, cutting, embossing, and laminating. The classification covers both the equipment used (forming machines, cutting apparatus, finishing devices) and the procedural aspects of these manufacturing processes. Adjacent classifications address paper production itself (B31B–B31D cover specialized paper-making and converting), while B31 focuses broadly on the post-production conversion and finishing stages.

IPC and CPC are identically structured here. All 4 subcodes exist in both systems.

3 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.

Child Classifications

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Top Applicants

Top Applicants (IPC)

2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

  1. GPI (GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL) US 356
  2. KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION US 296
  3. RANPAK CORPORATION US 257
  4. P&G (PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY) US 228
  5. BOBST MEX CH 218
  6. JIANGSU NANJIANG MACHINERY COMPANY 214
  7. SINOTECHO (WUHAN) INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY COMPANY 209
  8. DONGGUAN HONGMING MACHINERY COMPANY 195
  9. BHS CORRUGATED MASCHINEN- UND ANLAGENBAU DE 192
  10. TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE CH 183

Top Applicants (CPC)

2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

  1. GPI (GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL) US 496
  2. P&G (PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY) US 403
  3. KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION US 332
  4. RANPAK CORPORATION US 279
  5. PULPAC SE 256
  6. BOBST MEX CH 251
  7. TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE CH 246
  8. PREGIS INNOVATIVE PACKAGING US 210
  9. WESTROCK SHARED SERVICES US 204
  10. BHS CORRUGATED MASCHINEN- UND ANLAGENBAU DE 198