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

Classification Context

Section:: PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Class:: 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.

Filing statistics

IPC B31 recorded 88,023 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 4 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 3,992 in 2013 to 11,614 in 2023 (+191%), peaking at 12,329 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class B31 are GPI (GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL) (356 applications), KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION (296 applications) and RANPAK CORPORATION (257 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Related Keywords

BENDING plasticsmaking CARDBOARD articlesworking CARDBOARDmaking paper CUPSmaking articles from FOIL(S)working FOIL(S)FOLDING sheets of plastics or substances in a plastic state in generalworking LAYERED PRODUCTS in a manner analogous to papermaking articles from METAL(S) foilmaking articles from PAPER sheetworking PAPERmaking articles from sheets of PLASTICSworking sheets of PLASTICSworking SHEET(S) of cardboard, paper, plastic sheet or metal foilapplying TAPE(S); tapingworking WEB(S) of cardboard, paper, plastic sheet or metal foilWORKING paper, cardboard or foilsWORKING plastic sheets

4 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

Navigate with arrow keys, Enter to open

B31B MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
B31C MAKING WOUND ARTICLES, e.g. WOUND TUBES, OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
B31D MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES OR
B31F MECHANICAL WORKING OR DEFORMATION OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

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