Packaging Corporation of America (PKG) 10-Q 8 May 15 2015 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	1-May-15
Document and Entity Information [Abstract]
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	FALSE
Document Period End Date	31-Mar-15
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2015
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Trading Symbol	PKG
Entity Registrant Name	PACKAGING CORP OF AMERICA
Entity Central Index Key	75677
Current Fiscal Year End Date	-19
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		97,907,367

Consolidated_Statements_of_Inc

Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$1,425.70		$1,431.30
Cost of sales	-1,148.70		-1,129.90
Gross profit	277		301.4
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	-117.3		-116.5
Other expense, net	-2.6		-24
Income from operations	157.1		160.9
Interest expense, net	-19.2	[1]	-20.8	[1]
Income before taxes	137.9		140.1
Income tax provision	-47.1		-50
Net income	90.8		90.1
Net income per common share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$0.92		$0.92
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$0.92		$0.92
Dividends declared per common share	$0.55		$0.40
Statements of Comprehensive Income:
Net income	90.8		90.1
Foreign currency translation adjustment	-1.4		0
Reclassification adjustments to cash flow hedges included in net income, net of tax of $0.6 million and $0.6 million	0.8		0.8
Amortization of pension and postretirement plans actuarial loss and prior service cost, net of tax of $1.4 million and $0.8 million	2.2		1
Other comprehensive income	1.6		1.8
Comprehensive income	$92.40		$91.90
[1]	During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, we received an interest rebate on a portion of our bank debt, reducing our interest expense $4.1 million and $0.8 million, respectively.

Consolidated_Statements_of_Inc1

Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income (Parenthetical) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Reclassification adjustments to cash flow hedges included in net income, net of tax of $0.6 million and $0.6 million	$0.60	$0.60
Amortization of pension and postretirement plans actuarial loss and prior service cost, net of tax of $1.4 million and $0.8 million	$1.40	$0.80

Consolidated_Balance_Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$126.40	$124.90
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts and customer deductions of $12.4 million and $11.3 million as of March 31, 2015, and December 31, 2014, respectively	676.7	646.1
Inventories	687.6	664.9
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	65.7	61.9
Federal and state income taxes receivable	0	5.1
Deferred income taxes	58.4	75.7
Total current assets	1,614.80	1,578.60
Property, plant, and equipment, net	2,864.10	2,857.60
Goodwill	546.6	546.8
Intangible assets, net	287.8	293.5
Other long-term assets	72.1	72
Total assets	5,385.40	5,348.50
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	6.5	6.5
Capital lease obligations	1.1	1.1
Accounts payable	352.7	330.5
Dividends payable	54.1	39.4
Federal and state income taxes payable	24.1	0
Accrued liabilities	164	220
Accrued interest	18.8	13.5
Total current liabilities	621.3	611
Long-term liabilities:
Long-term debt	2,347.40	2,348.90
Capital lease obligations	22.5	22.8
Deferred income taxes	399.9	409.9
Pension and postretirement benefit plans	367.8	361.7
Other long-term liabilities	70.2	72.8
Total long-term liabilities	3,207.80	3,216.10
Commitments and contingent liabilities
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share, 300,000 shares authorized, 98.3 million and 98.4 million shares issued as of March 31, 2015, and December 31, 2014, respectively	1	1
Additional paid in capital	436	432.1
Retained earnings	1,271.60	1,242.20
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	-152.3	-153.9
Total stockholders' equity	1,556.30	1,521.40
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$5,385.40	$5,348.50

Condensed_Consolidated_Balance

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts and customer deductions of $12.4 million and $11.3 million as of March 31, 2015, and December 31, 2014, respectively	$12.40	$11.30
Common stock, par value	$0.01	$0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	300,000,000	300,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	98,262,000	98,368,000

Consolidated_Statements_of_Cas

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income	$90.80	$90.10
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization of intangibles and deferred financing costs	95.3	86
Share-based compensation expense	4.2	3.6
Deferred income tax provision	7.4	15.6
Pension and postretirement benefits expense, net of contributions	7.7	6.2
Other, net	-5.4	2.8
Increase in assets b
Accounts receivable	-31.4	-43.4
Inventories	-22.2	-13
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	-4.5	-8.7
Increase (decrease) in liabilities b
Accounts payable	-13.6	4.2
Accrued liabilities	-48.8	-17.4
Federal and state income taxes payable / receivable	28.8	23.3
Net cash provided by operating activities	108.3	149.3
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	-55.6	-50.9
Additions to other long term assets	-2.6	-2.7
Other	0.6	0
Net cash used for investing activities	-57.6	-53.6
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Repayments of debt and capital lease obligations	-1.9	-66.3
Common stock dividends paid	-39.4	-39.3
Repurchases of common stock	-7.6	0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	3.3
Excess tax benefits from stock-based awards	0.3	3.7
Shares withheld to cover employee restricted stock taxes	-0.3	-2.4
Other	-0.3	0
Net cash used for financing activities	-49.2	-101
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	1.5	-5.3
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	124.9	191
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$126.40	$185.70

Nature_of_Operations_and_Basis

Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation	Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation
	Packaging Corporation of America ("we," "us," "our," PCA," or the "Company") was incorporated on January 25, 1999. In April 1999, PCA acquired the containerboard and corrugated packaging products business of Pactiv Corporation (Pactiv), formerly known as Tenneco Packaging, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Tenneco Inc. We are a large diverse manufacturer of both packaging and paper products. We are headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, and we operate largely in the United States but also have operations in Canada.
	We report our business in three reportable segments: Packaging, Paper, and Corporate and Other. Our Packaging segment produces a wide variety of corrugated packaging products. The Paper segment manufactures and sells a range of papers, including communication-based papers and pressure sensitive papers (collectively, white papers) and market pulp. Corporate and Other includes support staff services and related assets and liabilities, transportation assets, and activity related to other ancillary support operations. For more information about our segments, see Note 16, Segment Information.
	In these consolidated financial statements, certain amounts in prior periods' consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation.
	The consolidated financial statements of PCA as of March 31, 2015, and for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, are unaudited but include all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) that management considers necessary for a fair presentation of such financial statements. The preparation of the consolidated financial statements involves the use of estimates and accruals. Actual results may vary from those estimates. These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and with Article 10 of SEC Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete audited financial statements. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2015, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2015. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.
	The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of PCA and its majority-owned subsidiaries after elimination of intercompany balances and transactions.

Acquisitions

Acquisitions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquisitions	Acquisitions
	Crockett Packaging Acquisition
	On April 28, 2014, we acquired the assets of Crockett Packaging, a corrugated products manufacturer, for $21.2 million, before $0.7 million of working capital adjustments. Sales and total assets of the acquired company are not material to our overall sales and total assets. In connection with the acquisition, we allocated the purchase price to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on estimates of the fair value at the date of the acquisition. See Note 3, Acquisitions, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information.

Earnings_Per_Share

Earnings Per Share	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings Per Share	Earnings Per Share
	The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted income per common share for the periods presented (dollars and shares in millions, except per share data).
		Three Months Ended
		31-Mar
		2015			2014
	Numerator:
	Net income	$	90.8		$	90.1
	Less: distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	(1.2		)	(1.4		)
	Net income attributable to common shareholders	$	89.6		$	88.7
	Denominator:
	Weighted average basic common shares outstanding	97.1			96.8
	Effect of dilutive securities	0.1			—
	Diluted common shares outstanding	97.2			96.8
	Basic income per common share	$	0.92		$	0.92
	Diluted income per common share	$	0.92		$	0.92
	During the three months ended March 31, 2014, all outstanding options to purchase shares were included in the computation of diluted common shares outstanding. On June 29, 2014, all remaining options to purchase shares expired and no options are outstanding.

Other_Expense_Net

Other Expense, Net	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Other Income and Expenses [Abstract]
Other Expense, Net	Other Expense, Net
	The components of other expense, net, were as follows (dollars in millions):
		Three Months Ended
		31-Mar
		2015			2014
	Integration-related and other costs (a)	$	3		$	4.1
	DeRidder restructuring (b)	1.2			1.1
	Refundable state tax credit (c)	(3.6		)	—
	Class action lawsuit settlement (d)	—			17.6
	Asset disposals and write-offs	1			1.3
	Other	1			(0.1		)
	Total	$	2.6		$	24
	___________
	(a)	The three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, includes Boise acquisition integration-related and other costs, which primarily relate to professional fees, severance, retention, relocation, travel, and other integration-related costs.
	(b)	The three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, includes restructuring charges at our mill in DeRidder, Louisiana. Restructuring activities include costs related to our exit from the newsprint business, the conversion of the No. 3 newsprint machine to containerboard, and other improvements.
	(c)	The three months ended March 31, 2015, includes a $3.6 million tax credit from the State of Louisiana related to our recent capital investment and the jobs retained at the DeRidder, Louisiana, mill.
	(d)	The three months ended March 31, 2014, includes $17.6 million of costs for the settlement of the Kleen Products LLC v Packaging Corp. of America et al class action lawsuit.

Income_Taxes

Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes
	For the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, we recorded $47.1 million and $50.0 million of income tax expense and had an effective tax rate of 34.2% and 35.7%, respectively. During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, the primary reasons for the difference from the federal statutory income tax rate of 35.0% were the effect of state and local income taxes and the domestic manufacturers’ deduction.
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, there were no significant changes to our uncertain tax positions. For more information, see Note 6, Income Taxes, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, cash paid for taxes, net of refunds received, was $9.8 million and $1.7 million, respectively.

Inventories

Inventories	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Inventories	Inventories
	We value our raw materials, work in process, and finished goods inventories using lower of cost, as determined by the average cost method, or market. Supplies and materials are valued at the first-in, first-out (FIFO) or average cost methods.
	The components of inventories were as follows (dollars in millions):
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
	Raw materials	$	275.7	$	261.9
	Work in process	12.5		11.3
	Finished goods	216.6		216.3
	Supplies and materials	182.8		175.4
	Inventories	$	687.6	$	664.9

Property_Plant_and_Equipment

Property, Plant, and Equipment	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Property, Plant, and Equipment	Property, Plant, and Equipment
	The components of property, plant, and equipment were as follows (dollars in millions):
		March 31,			December 31,
		2015			2014
	Land and land improvements	$	144.5		$	143.5
	Buildings	659.8			654.6
	Machinery and equipment	4,533.70			4,508.00
	Construction in progress	198.3			154.8
	Other	54.5			54.5
	Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	5,590.80			5,515.40
	Less accumulated depreciation	(2,726.7		)	(2,657.8		)
	Property, plant, and equipment, net	$	2,864.10		$	2,857.60
	Depreciation expense for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, was $85.2 million and $76.0 million, respectively. During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, we recognized $9.0 million and $1.3 million of incremental depreciation expense from shortening the useful lives of assets at our DeRidder, Louisiana mill.
	At March 31, 2015, and December 31, 2014, purchases of property, plant, and equipment included in accounts payable were $51.4 million and $13.9 million.

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets

Goodwill and Intangible Assets	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Goodwill and Intangible Assets	Goodwill and Intangible Assets
	Goodwill
	Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of an acquired business over the fair value of the identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination. At March 31, 2015, and December 31, 2014, we had $491.4 million and $491.6 million of goodwill recorded in our Packaging segment, respectively, and for both periods we had $55.2 million of goodwill recorded in our Paper segment on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Goodwill is affected by foreign currency translation.
	Intangible Assets
	Intangible assets are primarily comprised of customer relationships and trademarks and trade names.
	The weighted average remaining useful life, gross carrying amount, and accumulated amortization of our intangible assets were as follows (dollars in millions):
		31-Mar-15					31-Dec-14
		Weighted Average Remaining Useful Life (in Years)	Gross		Accumulated		Weighted Average Remaining Useful Life (in Years)	Gross		Accumulated
			Carrying		Amortization			Carrying		Amortization
			Amount					Amount
	Customer relationships	14	$	311.5	$	42	14.3	$	311.5	$	36.9
	Trademarks and trade names	13.2	21.8		3.5		13.4	21.8		3
	Other	2	0.2		0.2		2.2	0.2		0.1
	Total intangible assets (excluding goodwill)	13.9	$	333.5	$	45.7	14.2	$	333.5	$	40
	Amortization expense for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, was $5.7 million and $5.6 million, respectively.

Accrued_Liabilities

Accrued Liabilities	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accrued Liabilities [Abstract]
Accrued Liabilities	Accrued Liabilities
	The components of accrued liabilities were as follows (dollars in millions):
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
	Compensation and benefits	$	78.7	$	130.8
	Medical insurance and workers’ compensation	27		27
	Franchise, property, and sales and use taxes	16.8		17.5
	Customer volume discounts and rebates	10.3		13.9
	Environmental liabilities and asset retirement obligations	9.2		7.1
	Severance, retention, and relocation	8.8		8.3
	Other	13.2		15.4
	Total	$	164	$	220

Debt

Debt	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Debt	Debt
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, we made a principal payment of $1.6 million, on our seven-year term loan, due October 2020. For the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, cash payments for interest were $15.9 million and $10.5 million, respectively.
	Included in interest expense, net, are amortization of treasury lock settlements and amortization of financing costs, partially offset by patronage interest rebates. For both the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, amortization of treasury lock settlements was $1.4 million. For the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, amortization of financing costs was $0.4 million and $0.5 million, respectively. Also, during the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, we received a patronage interest rebate of $4.1 million and $0.8 million, respectively.
	For more information on our long-term debt and interest rates on that debt, see Note 10, Debt, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
	At March 31, 2015, we had $1,647.0 million of fixed-rate senior notes and $706.9 million of variable-rate term loans outstanding. At March 31, 2015, the fair value of our fixed-rate debt was estimated to be $1,737.6 million. The difference between the book value and fair value is due to the difference between the period-end market interest rate and the stated rate of our fixed-rate debt. We estimated the fair value of our fixed-rate debt using quoted market prices (Level 2 inputs) within the fair value hierarchy, which is further defined in Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The fair value of our variable-rate term debt approximates the carrying amount as our cost of borrowing is variable and approximates current market rates.

Employee_Benefit_Plans_and_Oth

Employee Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Employee Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits	Employee Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits
	The components of net periodic benefit cost were as follows (dollars in millions):
		Pension Plans						Postretirement Plans
		Three Months Ended						Three Months Ended
		31-Mar						31-Mar
		2015			2014			2015		2014
	Service cost	$	5.9		$	5.8		$	0.4	$	0.4
	Interest cost	11.5			11.4			0.3		0.3
	Expected return on plan assets	(13.3		)	(12.7		)	—		—
	Net amortization of unrecognized amounts
	Prior service cost	1.4			1.6			—		—
	Actuarial loss	2.1			0.2			0.1		—
	Net periodic benefit cost	$	7.6		$	6.3		$	0.8	$	0.7
	PCA makes pension plan contributions that are sufficient to fund its actuarially determined costs, generally equal to the minimum amounts required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). During the three months ended March 31, 2015, we made payments of $0.4 million to our nonqualified pension plans. We have no required minimum qualified contributions in 2015.

Sharebased_Compensation

Share-based Compensation	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Share-based Compensation	Share-based Compensation
	The Company has a long-term equity incentive plan, which allows for grants of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, and performance awards to directors, officers, and employees, as well as others who engage in services for PCA. The plan, as amended, terminates May 1, 2023, and authorizes 10.6 million shares of common stock for grant over the life of the plan. As of March 31, 2015, 1.9 million shares were available for future issuance under the plan. Forfeitures are added back to the pool of shares of common stock available to be granted at a future date.
	The following table presents restricted stock and performance unit award activity for the three months ended March 31, 2015:
		Restricted Stock							Performance Units
		Shares			Weighted Average Grant- Date Fair Value				Shares	Weighted Average Grant- Date Fair Value
	Outstanding at January 1, 2015	1,184,299			$	41.71			127,489	$	58.25
	Vested	(17,368	)		53.66				—	—
	Forfeitures	(2,781	)		71.19				—	—
	Outstanding at March 31, 2015	1,164,150			$	40.91			127,489	$	58.25
	Compensation Expense
	Our share-based compensation expense is recorded in "Selling, general, and administrative expenses". Compensation expense for share-based awards recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Income, net of forfeitures, was as follows (dollars in millions):
		Three Months Ended
		31-Mar
		2015				2014
	Restricted stock	$	3.6			$	3.3
	Performance units	0.6				0.3
	Total share-based compensation expense	4.2				3.6
	Income tax benefit	(1.6		)		(1.4		)
	Share-based compensation expense, net of tax benefit	$	2.6			$	2.2
	The fair value of restricted stock and performance units is determined based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date. As PCA’s Board of Directors has the ability to accelerate vesting of share-based awards upon an employee’s retirement, the Company accelerates the recognition of compensation expense for certain employees approaching normal retirement age.
	The unrecognized compensation expense for all share-based awards at March 31, 2015, was as follows (dollars in millions):
		31-Mar-15
		Unrecognized Compensation Expense				Remaining Weighted Average Recognition Period (in years)
	Restricted stock	$	23.8			2.4
	Performance units	5				2.9
	Total unrecognized share-based compensation expense	$	28.8			2.5

Stockholders_Equity

Stockholders' Equity	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Equity [Abstract]
Stockholders' Equity	Stockholders' Equity
	Dividends
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, we paid $39.4 million of dividends to shareholders. On February 26, 2015, PCA announced an increase of its quarterly cash dividend on its common stock from an annual payout of $1.60 per share to an annual payout of $2.20 per share. On February 26, 2015, PCA's Board of Directors approved a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.55 per share, which was paid on April 15, 2015, to shareholders of record as of March 13, 2015. The April 2015 dividend payment was $54.1 million.
	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
	Changes in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (AOCI) by component were as follows (dollars in millions). Amounts in parentheses indicate losses.
		Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments				Unrealized Loss On Treasury Locks, Net				Unrealized Loss on Foreign Exchange Contracts			Unfunded Employee Benefit Obligations				Total
	Balance at January 1, 2015	$	(2.7	)		$	(24.7	)		$	(0.4	)	$	(126.1	)		$	(153.9	)
	Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax	(1.4		)		—				—			—				(1.4		)
	Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of tax	—				0.8			(a)	—			2.2			(b)	3
	Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	(1.4		)		0.8				—			2.2				1.6
	Balance at March 31, 2015	$	(4.1	)		$	(23.9	)		$	(0.4	)	$	(123.9	)		$	(152.3	)
	Reclassifications out of AOCI were as follows (dollars in millions). Amounts in parentheses indicate expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Income.
			Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
			Three Months Ended								Affected Line Item in the Statement Where Net Income is Presented
			31-Mar
	Details about AOCI Components		2015				2014
	Unrealized loss on treasury locks, net		$	(1.4	)		$	(1.4	)		See (a) below
			0.6				0.6				Tax benefit
			$	(0.8	)		$	(0.8	)		Net of tax
	Unfunded employee benefit obligations
	Amortization of prior service costs		$	(1.4	)		$	(1.6	)		See (b) below
	Amortization of actuarial losses		(2.2		)		(0.2		)		See (b) below
			(3.6		)		(1.8		)		Total before tax
			1.4				0.8				Tax benefit
			$	(2.2	)		$	(1.0	)		Net of tax
	____________
	(a)	This AOCI component is included in interest expense, net. Amount relates to the amortization of the effective portion of treasury lock derivative instruments recorded in AOCI. The net amount of settlement gains or losses on derivative instruments included in AOCI to be amortized over the next 12 months is a net loss of $5.7 million ($3.4 million after tax). For a discussion of treasury lock derivative instrument activity, see Note 13, Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
	(b)	These AOCI components are included in the computation of net pension and postretirement benefit costs. See Note 11, Employee Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits, for additional information.

Concentrations_of_Risk

Concentrations of Risk	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Risks and Uncertainties [Abstract]
Concentration of Risk	Concentrations of Risk
	Our Paper segment has had a long-standing commercial and contractual relationship with OfficeMax Incorporated (OfficeMax), and OfficeMax is our largest customer in the paper business. OfficeMax was acquired by Office Depot, Inc. late in 2013. Office Depot agreed to be acquired by Staples, Inc. on February 4, 2015. The pending acquisition by Staples is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. This relationship exposes us to a significant concentration of business and financial risk. Our sales to Office Depot (including OfficeMax) represented 10% and 9% of our total company sales revenue, for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and 46% and 42% of our Paper segment sales revenue for both those periods, respectively. At March 31, 2015, and December 31, 2014, we had $62.1 million and $52.6 million of accounts receivable due from Office Depot (including OfficeMax), which represents 9% and 8% of our total company receivables, respectively.
	We cannot predict how the pending merger between Staples and Office Depot will affect our business. Significant increases in paper purchases would intensify the concentration of risk. Significant reductions in paper purchases would cause our paper business to expand its customer base and could potentially decrease its profitability if new customer sales required either a decrease in pricing and/or an increase in cost of sales. Any significant deterioration in the financial condition of the post-merger entity affecting its ability to pay or causing a significant change in the willingness to continue to purchase our products could harm our business and results of operations.

Transactions_With_Related_Part

Transactions With Related Parties	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Transactions With Related Parties	Transactions With Related Parties
	Louisiana Timber Procurement Company, L.L.C. (LTP) is a variable-interest entity that is 50% owned by PCA and 50% owned by Boise Cascade Company (Boise Cascade). LTP procures sawtimber, pulpwood, residual chips, and other residual wood fiber to meet the wood and fiber requirements of PCA and Boise Cascade in Louisiana. PCA is the primary beneficiary of LTP, and has the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of LTP. Therefore, we consolidate 100% of LTP in our financial statements in our Corporate and Other segment. The carrying amounts of LTP's assets and liabilities (which relate primarily to noninventory working capital items) on our Consolidated Balance Sheets were both $6.2 million at March 31, 2015, and $5.2 million at December 31, 2014. During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, we recorded $21.9 million and $16.1 million, respectively, of LTP sales to Boise Cascade in "Net Sales" in the Consolidated Statements of Income and approximately the same amount of expenses in "Cost of Sales". The sales were at prices designed to approximate market prices.
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, fiber purchases from related parties were $6.3 million and $7.2 million, respectively. Most of these purchases related to chip and log purchases by LTP from Boise Cascade's wood products business. These purchases are recorded in "Cost of Sales" in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Segment_Information

Segment Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Segment Information	Segment Information
	We report our business in three reportable segments: Packaging, Paper, and Corporate and Other. These segments represent distinct businesses that are managed separately because of differing products and services. Each of these businesses requires distinct operating and marketing strategies.
	Each segment's profits and losses are measured on operating profits before interest expense, net, and income taxes. For many of these allocated expenses, the related assets and liabilities remain in the Corporate and Other segment.
	Selected financial information by reportable segment was as follows (dollars in millions):
			Sales, net								Operating Income (Loss)
	Three Months Ended March 31, 2015		Trade		Inter-			Total
					segment
	Packaging		$	1,097.90	$	1.4		$	1,099.30		$	141.1		(a)
	Paper		297.3		—			297.3			35.6
	Corporate and Other		30.5		30.5			61			(19.6		)	(b)
	Intersegment eliminations		—		(31.9		)	(31.9		)	—
			$	1,425.70	$	—		$	1,425.70		157.1
	Interest expense, net										(19.2		)	(d)
	Income before taxes										$	137.9
			Sales, net								Operating Income (Loss)
	Three Months Ended March 31, 2014		Trade		Inter-			Total
					segment
	Packaging		$	1,095.60	$	1.8		$	1,097.40		$	170.7		(a)
	Paper		309.3		—			309.3			27.7			(c)
	Corporate and Other		26.4		37.7			64.1			(37.5		)	(b)
	Intersegment eliminations		—		(39.5		)	(39.5		)	—
			$	1,431.30	$	—		$	1,431.30		160.9
	Interest expense, net										(20.8		)	(d)
	Income before taxes										$	140.1
	____________
	(a)	The three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, include $10.3 million and $4.0 million, respectively, of restructuring charges at our mill in DeRidder, Louisiana. The restructuring charges primarily related to accelerated depreciation and were mostly recorded in "Cost of sales". The three months ended March 31, 2015, includes $0.9 million of Boise acquisition integration-related and other costs, mostly recorded in "Other expense, net".
	(b)	The three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, includes $2.6 million and $3.4 million, respectively, of Boise acquisition integration-related and other costs, mostly recorded in "Other expense, net". The three months ended March 31, 2014, includes $17.6 million of costs accrued for the settlement of the Kleen Products LLC v Packaging Corp. of America et al class action lawsuit. These costs are recorded in "Other expense, net".
	(c)	Includes $0.7 million of Boise acquisition integration-related costs, recorded in "Other expense, net".
	(d)	During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, we received an interest rebate on a portion of our bank debt, reducing our interest expense $4.1 million and $0.8 million, respectively.

New_and_Recently_Adopted_Accou

New and Recently Adopted Accounting Standards	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]
New and Recently Adopted Accounting Standards	New and Recently Adopted Accounting Standards
	In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2015-03 (Topic 835): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. This ASU conforms the presentation of debt issuance costs with that required for debt discounts under U.S. GAAP. Under the ASU, debt issuance costs are presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the related debt liability rather than as an asset. The guidance is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and requires the new guidance be applied retrospectively to all prior periods presented. We do not believe the adoption of this update will have a material effect on our financial position and results of operations.
	In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02 (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. This ASU makes targeted amendments to the current consolidation guidance and affects both the variable interest entity and voting interest entity consolidation models. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015. We do not believe the adoption of this update will have a material effect on our financial position and results of operations.
	In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 (Topic 606): Revenue from Contracts with Customers. This ASU amends the guidance for revenue recognition to replace numerous, industry-specific requirements and converges areas under this topic with those of the International Financial Reporting Standards. The ASU implements a five-step process for customer contract revenue recognition that focuses on transfer of control, as opposed to transfer of risk and rewards. The amendment also requires enhanced disclosures regarding the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenues and cash flows from contracts with customers. Entities can transition to the standard either retrospectively or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. On April 29, 2015, the FASB issued an exposure draft proposing a one-year deferral of the revenue recognition standard’s original 2017 effective date. The exposure draft has a 30-day public comment period. We do not believe the adoption of this update will have a material effect on our financial position and results of operations.
	There were no other accounting standards recently issued that had or are expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations.

Commitments_Guarantees_Indemni

Commitments, Guarantees, Indemnifications and Legal Proceedings	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments, Guarantees, Indemnifications and Legal Proceedings	Commitments, Guarantees, Indemnifications and Legal Proceedings
	We have financial commitments and obligations that arise in the ordinary course of our business. These include long-term debt, capital commitments, lease obligations, and purchase commitments for goods and services, and legal proceedings which are discussed in Note 8, Debt, and Note 20, Commitments, Guarantees, Indemnifications, and Legal Proceedings, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Except as disclosed in Note 10, Debt, and in Legal Proceedings below, at March 31, 2015, there have been no other significant changes to commitments outside the normal course of business.
	Guarantees and Indemnifications
	We provide guarantees, indemnifications, and other assurances to third parties in the normal course of our business. These include tort indemnifications, product guarantees, environmental assurances, and representations and warranties in commercial agreements. At March 31, 2015, we are not aware of any material liabilities arising from any guarantee, indemnification, or financial assurance we have provided. If we determined such a liability was probable and subject to reasonable determination, we would accrue for it at that time.
	Legal proceedings
	We are party to legal actions arising in the ordinary course of our business. These legal actions include commercial liability claims, premises liability claims, commercial disputes, and employment-related claims, among others. As of the date of this filing, we believe it is not reasonably possible that any of the legal actions against us will, either individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

Subsequent_Events

Subsequent Events	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
Subsequent Events	Subsequent Events
	Sale of European and Mexican Operations
	On April 1, 2015, we completed the sale of our Hexacomb corrugated manufacturing operations in Europe and Mexico for $23 million. The sale included three locations in Europe and two locations in Mexico. Sales, net income, and total assets of these locations are not material to our consolidated financial position or results of operations in any period presented. The gain on the sale is not expected to be significant.
	Turbine Failure at Jackson, Alabama, Mill
	On April 14, 2015, a severe thunderstorm caused a power failure and total mill outage at our Jackson, Alabama, white papers mill, resulting in damage to the steam turbine drive for the No. 1 paper machine. The machine was down about two weeks. The total cost of the outage including repairs, production losses, and additional operating costs will be covered under our property and business interruption insurance subject to a $3 million deductible.

Nature_of_Operations_and_Basis1

Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation (Policies)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Use of Estimates	The preparation of the consolidated financial statements involves the use of estimates and accruals. Actual results may vary from those estimates.
Consolidation	The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of PCA and its majority-owned subsidiaries after elimination of intercompany balances and transactions.
Inventory Valuation	We value our raw materials, work in process, and finished goods inventories using lower of cost, as determined by the average cost method, or market. Supplies and materials are valued at the first-in, first-out (FIFO) or average cost methods.

Earnings_Per_Share_Tables

Earnings Per Share (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Computation of Basic and Diluted Income Per Common Share	The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted income per common share for the periods presented (dollars and shares in millions, except per share data).
		Three Months Ended
		31-Mar
		2015			2014
	Numerator:
	Net income	$	90.8		$	90.1
	Less: distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	(1.2		)	(1.4		)
	Net income attributable to common shareholders	$	89.6		$	88.7
	Denominator:
	Weighted average basic common shares outstanding	97.1			96.8
	Effect of dilutive securities	0.1			—
	Diluted common shares outstanding	97.2			96.8
	Basic income per common share	$	0.92		$	0.92
	Diluted income per common share	$	0.92		$	0.92

Other_Expense_Net_Tables

Other Expense, Net (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Other Income and Expenses [Abstract]
Components of Other (Income) Expense	The components of other expense, net, were as follows (dollars in millions):
		Three Months Ended
		31-Mar
		2015			2014
	Integration-related and other costs (a)	$	3		$	4.1
	DeRidder restructuring (b)	1.2			1.1
	Refundable state tax credit (c)	(3.6		)	—
	Class action lawsuit settlement (d)	—			17.6
	Asset disposals and write-offs	1			1.3
	Other	1			(0.1		)
	Total	$	2.6		$	24
	___________
	(a)	The three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, includes Boise acquisition integration-related and other costs, which primarily relate to professional fees, severance, retention, relocation, travel, and other integration-related costs.
	(b)	The three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, includes restructuring charges at our mill in DeRidder, Louisiana. Restructuring activities include costs related to our exit from the newsprint business, the conversion of the No. 3 newsprint machine to containerboard, and other improvements.
	(c)	The three months ended March 31, 2015, includes a $3.6 million tax credit from the State of Louisiana related to our recent capital investment and the jobs retained at the DeRidder, Louisiana, mill.
	(d)	The three months ended March 31, 2014, includes $17.6 million of costs for the settlement of the Kleen Products LLC v Packaging Corp. of America et al class action lawsuit.

Inventories_Tables

Inventories (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Components of Inventories	The components of inventories were as follows (dollars in millions):
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
	Raw materials	$	275.7	$	261.9
	Work in process	12.5		11.3
	Finished goods	216.6		216.3
	Supplies and materials	182.8		175.4
	Inventories	$	687.6	$	664.9

Property_Plant_and_Equipment_T

Property, Plant, and Equipment (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Components of Property, Plant, and Equipment	The components of property, plant, and equipment were as follows (dollars in millions):
		March 31,			December 31,
		2015			2014
	Land and land improvements	$	144.5		$	143.5
	Buildings	659.8			654.6
	Machinery and equipment	4,533.70			4,508.00
	Construction in progress	198.3			154.8
	Other	54.5			54.5
	Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	5,590.80			5,515.40
	Less accumulated depreciation	(2,726.7		)	(2,657.8		)
	Property, plant, and equipment, net	$	2,864.10		$	2,857.60

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets1

Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Components of Intangible Assets	The weighted average remaining useful life, gross carrying amount, and accumulated amortization of our intangible assets were as follows (dollars in millions):
		31-Mar-15					31-Dec-14
		Weighted Average Remaining Useful Life (in Years)	Gross		Accumulated		Weighted Average Remaining Useful Life (in Years)	Gross		Accumulated
			Carrying		Amortization			Carrying		Amortization
			Amount					Amount
	Customer relationships	14	$	311.5	$	42	14.3	$	311.5	$	36.9
	Trademarks and trade names	13.2	21.8		3.5		13.4	21.8		3
	Other	2	0.2		0.2		2.2	0.2		0.1
	Total intangible assets (excluding goodwill)	13.9	$	333.5	$	45.7	14.2	$	333.5	$	40

Accrued_Liabilities_Tables

Accrued Liabilities (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accrued Liabilities [Abstract]
Components of Accrued Liabilities	The components of accrued liabilities were as follows (dollars in millions):
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
	Compensation and benefits	$	78.7	$	130.8
	Medical insurance and workers’ compensation	27		27
	Franchise, property, and sales and use taxes	16.8		17.5
	Customer volume discounts and rebates	10.3		13.9
	Environmental liabilities and asset retirement obligations	9.2		7.1
	Severance, retention, and relocation	8.8		8.3
	Other	13.2		15.4
	Total	$	164	$	220

Employee_Benefit_Plans_and_Oth1

Employee Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Costs	The components of net periodic benefit cost were as follows (dollars in millions):
		Pension Plans						Postretirement Plans
		Three Months Ended						Three Months Ended
		31-Mar						31-Mar
		2015			2014			2015		2014
	Service cost	$	5.9		$	5.8		$	0.4	$	0.4
	Interest cost	11.5			11.4			0.3		0.3
	Expected return on plan assets	(13.3		)	(12.7		)	—		—
	Net amortization of unrecognized amounts
	Prior service cost	1.4			1.6			—		—
	Actuarial loss	2.1			0.2			0.1		—
	Net periodic benefit cost	$	7.6		$	6.3		$	0.8	$	0.7

Sharebased_Compensation_Tables

Share-based Compensation (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Summary of Restricted Stock and Performance Unit Award Activity	The following table presents restricted stock and performance unit award activity for the three months ended March 31, 2015:
		Restricted Stock							Performance Units
		Shares			Weighted Average Grant- Date Fair Value				Shares	Weighted Average Grant- Date Fair Value
	Outstanding at January 1, 2015	1,184,299			$	41.71			127,489	$	58.25
	Vested	(17,368	)		53.66				—	—
	Forfeitures	(2,781	)		71.19				—	—
	Outstanding at March 31, 2015	1,164,150			$	40.91			127,489	$	58.25
Compensation Expense for Restricted Stock and Performance Units	Compensation expense for share-based awards recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Income, net of forfeitures, was as follows (dollars in millions):
		Three Months Ended
		31-Mar
		2015				2014
	Restricted stock	$	3.6			$	3.3
	Performance units	0.6				0.3
	Total share-based compensation expense	4.2				3.6
	Income tax benefit	(1.6		)		(1.4		)
	Share-based compensation expense, net of tax benefit	$	2.6			$	2.2
Unrecognized Compensation For Restricted Stock and Performance Units	The unrecognized compensation expense for all share-based awards at March 31, 2015, was as follows (dollars in millions):
		31-Mar-15
		Unrecognized Compensation Expense				Remaining Weighted Average Recognition Period (in years)
	Restricted stock	$	23.8			2.4
	Performance units	5				2.9
	Total unrecognized share-based compensation expense	$	28.8			2.5

Stockholders_Equity_Tables

Stockholders' Equity (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Equity [Abstract]
Components of Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI)	Changes in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (AOCI) by component were as follows (dollars in millions). Amounts in parentheses indicate losses.
		Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments				Unrealized Loss On Treasury Locks, Net				Unrealized Loss on Foreign Exchange Contracts			Unfunded Employee Benefit Obligations				Total
	Balance at January 1, 2015	$	(2.7	)		$	(24.7	)		$	(0.4	)	$	(126.1	)		$	(153.9	)
	Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax	(1.4		)		—				—			—				(1.4		)
	Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of tax	—				0.8			(a)	—			2.2			(b)	3
	Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	(1.4		)		0.8				—			2.2				1.6
	Balance at March 31, 2015	$	(4.1	)		$	(23.9	)		$	(0.4	)	$	(123.9	)		$	(152.3	)
Reclassifications Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI)	eclassifications out of AOCI were as follows (dollars in millions). Amounts in parentheses indicate expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Income.
			Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
			Three Months Ended								Affected Line Item in the Statement Where Net Income is Presented
			31-Mar
	Details about AOCI Components		2015				2014
	Unrealized loss on treasury locks, net		$	(1.4	)		$	(1.4	)		See (a) below
			0.6				0.6				Tax benefit
			$	(0.8	)		$	(0.8	)		Net of tax
	Unfunded employee benefit obligations
	Amortization of prior service costs		$	(1.4	)		$	(1.6	)		See (b) below
	Amortization of actuarial losses		(2.2		)		(0.2		)		See (b) below
			(3.6		)		(1.8		)		Total before tax
			1.4				0.8				Tax benefit
			$	(2.2	)		$	(1.0	)		Net of tax
	____________
	(a)	This AOCI component is included in interest expense, net. Amount relates to the amortization of the effective portion of treasury lock derivative instruments recorded in AOCI. The net amount of settlement gains or losses on derivative instruments included in AOCI to be amortized over the next 12 months is a net loss of $5.7 million ($3.4 million after tax). For a discussion of treasury lock derivative instrument activity, see Note 13, Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
	(b)	These AOCI components are included in the computation of net pension and postretirement benefit costs. See Note 11, Employee Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits, for additional information.

Segment_Information_Tables

Segment Information (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Selected Financial Information by Reportable Segment	by reportable segment was as follows (dollars in millions):
			Sales, net								Operating Income (Loss)
	Three Months Ended March 31, 2015		Trade		Inter-			Total
					segment
	Packaging		$	1,097.90	$	1.4		$	1,099.30		$	141.1		(a)
	Paper		297.3		—			297.3			35.6
	Corporate and Other		30.5		30.5			61			(19.6		)	(b)
	Intersegment eliminations		—		(31.9		)	(31.9		)	—
			$	1,425.70	$	—		$	1,425.70		157.1
	Interest expense, net										(19.2		)	(d)
	Income before taxes										$	137.9
			Sales, net								Operating Income (Loss)
	Three Months Ended March 31, 2014		Trade		Inter-			Total
					segment
	Packaging		$	1,095.60	$	1.8		$	1,097.40		$	170.7		(a)
	Paper		309.3		—			309.3			27.7			(c)
	Corporate and Other		26.4		37.7			64.1			(37.5		)	(b)
	Intersegment eliminations		—		(39.5		)	(39.5		)	—
			$	1,431.30	$	—		$	1,431.30		160.9
	Interest expense, net										(20.8		)	(d)
	Income before taxes										$	140.1
	____________
	(a)	The three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, include $10.3 million and $4.0 million, respectively, of restructuring charges at our mill in DeRidder, Louisiana. The restructuring charges primarily related to accelerated depreciation and were mostly recorded in "Cost of sales". The three months ended March 31, 2015, includes $0.9 million of Boise acquisition integration-related and other costs, mostly recorded in "Other expense, net".
	(b)	The three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, includes $2.6 million and $3.4 million, respectively, of Boise acquisition integration-related and other costs, mostly recorded in "Other expense, net". The three months ended March 31, 2014, includes $17.6 million of costs accrued for the settlement of the Kleen Products LLC v Packaging Corp. of America et al class action lawsuit. These costs are recorded in "Other expense, net".
	(c)	Includes $0.7 million of Boise acquisition integration-related costs, recorded in "Other expense, net".
	(d)	During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, we received an interest rebate on a portion of our bank debt, reducing our interest expense $4.1 million and $0.8 million, respectively.

Nature_of_Operations_and_Basis2

Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation - Additional Information (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments	3

Acquisitions_Narrative_Details

Acquisitions (Narrative) (Details) (Packaging, Crockett Packaging, USD $)	0 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 28, 2014
Packaging | Crockett Packaging
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business acquisition, cost of acquired entity	$21.20
Working capital adjustments	$0.70

Earnings_Per_Share_Computation

Earnings Per Share Computation of Basic and Diluted Income Per Common Share (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Numerator:
Net income	$90.80	$90.10
Less: distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	-1.2	-1.4
Net income attributable to common shareholders	$89.60	$88.70
Denominator:
Weighted average basic common shares outstanding	97.1	96.8
Effect of dilutive securities	0.1	0
Diluted common shares outstanding	97.2	96.8
Basic income per common share (in dollars per share)	$0.92	$0.92
Diluted income per common share (in dollars per share)	$0.92	$0.92

Other_Expense_Net_Details

Other Expense, Net (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Other Income and Expenses [Abstract]
Integration-related and other costs	$3	[1]	$4.10	[1]
DeRidder restructuring	1.2	[2]	1.1	[2]
Refundable state tax credit	-3.6	[3]	0
Class action lawsuit settlement	0		17.6	[4]
Asset disposals and write-offs	1		1.3
Other	1		-0.1
Total	$2.60		$24
[1]	The three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, includes Boise acquisition integration-related and other costs, which primarily relate to professional fees, severance, retention, relocation, travel, and other integration-related costs.
[2]	The three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, includes restructuring charges at our mill in DeRidder, Louisiana.
[3]	The three months ended March 31, 2015, includes a $3.6 million tax credit from the State of Louisiana related to our recent capital investment and the jobs retained at the DeRidder, Louisiana, mill.
[4]	The three months ended March 31, 2014, includes $17.6 million of costs for the settlement of the Kleen Products LLC v Packaging Corp. of America et al class action lawsuit.

Income_Taxes_Details

Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income tax provision	$47.10	$50
Effective income tax rate, percent	34.20%	35.70%
Effective income tax rate, at federal statutory income tax rate, percent	35.00%	35.00%
Cash paid for taxes, net of refunds received	$9.80	$1.70

Inventories_Components_of_Inve

Inventories Components of Inventories (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Raw materials	$275.70	$261.90
Work in process	12.5	11.3
Finished goods	216.6	216.3
Supplies and materials	182.8	175.4
Inventories	$687.60	$664.90

Property_Plant_and_Equipment_D

Property, Plant, and Equipment (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	$5,590.80		$5,515.40
Less accumulated depreciation	-2,726.70		-2,657.80
Property, plant, and equipment, net	2,864.10		2,857.60
Depreciation [Abstract]
Depreciation expense	85.2	76
Incremental depreciation expense	9	1.3
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment included in accounts payable	51.4		13.9
Land and Land Improvements
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	144.5		143.5
Buildings
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	659.8		654.6
Machinery and Equipment
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	4,533.70		4,508
Construction in Progress
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	198.3		154.8
Other
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	$54.50		$54.50

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets2

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Goodwill (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	$546.60	$546.80
Packaging
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	491.4	491.6
Paper
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	$55.20	$55.20

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets3

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Intangible Assets (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Weighted Average Remaining Useful Life (in Years)	13 years 11 months 12 days		14 years 2 months 8 days
Gross Carrying Amount	$333.50		$333.50
Accumulated Amortization	45.7		40
Intangible assets amortization expense	5.7	5.6
Customer Relationships
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Weighted Average Remaining Useful Life (in Years)	14 years 0 months 4 days		14 years 3 months
Gross Carrying Amount	311.5		311.5
Accumulated Amortization	42		36.9
Trademarks and Trade Names
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Weighted Average Remaining Useful Life (in Years)	13 years 2 months 8 days		13 years 4 months 28 days
Gross Carrying Amount	21.8		21.8
Accumulated Amortization	3.5		3
Other Intangible Assets
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Weighted Average Remaining Useful Life (in Years)	2 years		2 years 2 months 12 days
Gross Carrying Amount	0.2		0.2
Accumulated Amortization	$0.20		$0.10

Accrued_Liabilities_Details

Accrued Liabilities (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Accrued Liabilities [Abstract]
Compensation and benefits	$78.70	$130.80
Medical insurance and workersb compensation	27	27
Franchise, property, and sales and use taxes	16.8	17.5
Customer volume discounts and rebates	10.3	13.9
Environmental liabilities and asset retirement obligations	9.2	7.1
Severance, retention, and relocation	8.8	8.3
Other	13.2	15.4
Total	$164	$220

Debt_Additional_Information_De

Debt Additional Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Cash payments paid for interest	$15.90	$10.50
Amortization of net (loss) gain on treasury lock	1.4	1.4
Amortization of financing costs	0.4	0.5
Patronage Refunds	4.1	0.8
Book value of fixed rate debt	1,647
Book value of variable rate debt	706.9
Long-term debt (fixed-rate debt), fair value	1,737.60
Unsecured Debt | Seven-Year Term Loan, due October 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayment of debt	$1.60

Employee_Benefit_Plans_and_Oth2

Employee Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Pension Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost	$5.90	$5.80
Interest cost	11.5	11.4
Expected return on plan assets	-13.3	-12.7
Net amortization of unrecognized amounts, Prior service cost	1.4	1.6
Net amortization of unrecognized amounts, Actuarial loss	2.1	0.2
Net periodic benefit cost	7.6	6.3
Pension Contributions [Abstract]
Contributions to pension plans in 2015	0.4
Postretirement Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost	0.4	0.4
Interest cost	0.3	0.3
Expected return on plan assets	0	0
Net amortization of unrecognized amounts, Prior service cost	0	0
Net amortization of unrecognized amounts, Actuarial loss	0.1	0
Net periodic benefit cost	$0.80	$0.70

Sharebased_Compensation_Additi

Share-based Compensation - Additional Information (Details)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Long-term equity incentive plan, termination date	MayB 1, 2023
Number of shares authorized under plan	10.6
Number of shares available for future issuance under share-based plan	1.9

Sharebased_Compensation_Summar

Share-based Compensation Summary of Restricted Stock and Performance Unit Award Activity (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Restricted Stock
Restricted stock and performance unit award activity (shares) [Roll Forward]
Outstanding at January 1, 2015	1,184,299
Vested	-17,368
Forfeitures	-2,781
Outstanding at March 31, 2015	1,164,150
Restricted stock and performance unit award activity (weighted average grant-date fair value) [Abstract]
Weighted average grant-date fair value of outstanding shares at January 1, 2015	$41.71
Weighted average grant-date fair value of shares vested	$53.66
Weighted average grant-date fair value of shares forfeitures	$71.19
Weighted average grant-date fair value of outstanding shares at March 31, 2015	$40.91
Performance Units
Restricted stock and performance unit award activity (shares) [Roll Forward]
Outstanding at January 1, 2015	127,489
Vested	0
Forfeitures	0
Outstanding at March 31, 2015	127,489
Restricted stock and performance unit award activity (weighted average grant-date fair value) [Abstract]
Weighted average grant-date fair value of outstanding shares at January 1, 2015	$58.25
Weighted average grant-date fair value of shares vested	$0
Weighted average grant-date fair value of shares forfeitures	$0
Weighted average grant-date fair value of outstanding shares at March 31, 2015	$58.25

Sharebased_Compensation_Compen

Share-based Compensation Compensation Expense for Restricted Stock and Performance Units (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Total share-based compensation expense	$4.20	$3.60
Income tax benefit	-1.6	-1.4
Share-based compensation expense, net of tax benefit	2.6	2.2
Restricted Stock
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Total share-based compensation expense	3.6	3.3
Performance Units
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Total share-based compensation expense	$0.60	$0.30

Sharebased_Compensation_Unreco

Share-based Compensation Unrecognized Compensation Expense for Share-Based Awards (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation expense	$28.80
Remaining weighted-average recognition period	2 years 6 months
Restricted Stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation expense	23.8
Remaining weighted-average recognition period	2 years 4 months 24 days
Performance Units
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation expense	$5
Remaining weighted-average recognition period	2 years 10 months 24 days

Stockholders_Equity_Details

Stockholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Feb. 26, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	15-May-13
Common stock dividends paid		$39.40	$39.30
Dividends declared per common share	$0.55	$0.55	$0.40
Subsequent Event
Common stock dividends paid				$54.10
Annual Dividend
Dividends declared per common share	$2.20				$1.60

Stockholders_Equity_Changes_in

Stockholders' Equity Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income by Component (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2016
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Balance at January 1, 2015	($153.90)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax	-1.4
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of tax	3
Other comprehensive income	1.6		1.8
Balance at March 31, 2015	-152.3
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Balance at January 1, 2015	-2.7
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax	-1.4
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of tax	0
Other comprehensive income	-1.4
Balance at March 31, 2015	-4.1
Unfunded Employee Benefit Obligations
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Balance at January 1, 2015	-126.1
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of tax	2.2	[1]
Other comprehensive income	2.2
Balance at March 31, 2015	-123.9
Treasury Lock | Accumulated Net Gain (Loss) from Designated or Qualifying Cash Flow Hedges
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Balance at January 1, 2015	-24.7
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of tax	0.8	[2]
Other comprehensive income	0.8
Balance at March 31, 2015	-23.9
Foreign Exchange Contract | Accumulated Net Gain (Loss) from Designated or Qualifying Cash Flow Hedges
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Balance at January 1, 2015	-0.4
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of tax	0
Other comprehensive income	0
Balance at March 31, 2015	-0.4
Scenario, Forecast
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Net amount of settlement gains (losses) on derivative instruments included in accumulated OCI to be amortized over next 12 months, before tax				-5.7
Net amount of settlement gains (losses) on derivative instruments included in accumulated OCI to be amortized over next 12 months, after tax				($3.40)
[1]	These AOCI components are included in the computation of net pension and postretirement benefit costs. See Note 11, Employee Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits, for additional information.
[2]	This AOCI component is included in interest expense, net. Amount relates to the amortization of the effective portion of treasury lock derivative instruments recorded in AOCI. The net amount of settlement gains or losses on derivative instruments included in AOCI to be amortized over the next 12B months is a net loss of $5.7 million ($3.4 million after tax). For a discussion of treasury lock derivative instrument activity, see Note 13, Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Stockholders_Equity_Reclassifi

Stockholders' Equity Reclassifications Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Interest expense, net	($19.20)	[1]	($20.80)	[1]
Income before taxes	137.9		140.1
Provision for income taxes	-47.1		-50
Net income	90.8		90.1
Unfunded Employee Benefit Obligations | Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Amortization of prior service costs	-1.4	[2]	-1.6	[2]
Amortization of actuarial losses	-2.2	[2]	-0.2	[2]
Income before taxes	-3.6		-1.8
Provision for income taxes	1.4		0.8
Net income	-2.2		-1
Treasury Lock | Accumulated Net Gain (Loss) from Designated or Qualifying Cash Flow Hedges | Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Interest expense, net	-1.4	[3]	-1.4	[3]
Provision for income taxes	0.6		0.6
Net income	($0.80)		($0.80)
[1]	During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, we received an interest rebate on a portion of our bank debt, reducing our interest expense $4.1 million and $0.8 million, respectively.
[2]	These AOCI components are included in the computation of net pension and postretirement benefit costs. See Note 11, Employee Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits, for additional information.
[3]	This AOCI component is included in interest expense, net. Amount relates to the amortization of the effective portion of treasury lock derivative instruments recorded in AOCI. The net amount of settlement gains or losses on derivative instruments included in AOCI to be amortized over the next 12B months is a net loss of $5.7 million ($3.4 million after tax). For a discussion of treasury lock derivative instrument activity, see Note 13, Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Concentrations_of_Risk_Details

Concentrations of Risk (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Accounts receivable, net, current	676.7		$646.10
Office Depot (including OfficeMax) | Credit Concentration Risk
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Accounts receivable, net, current	62.1		$52.60
Office Depot (including OfficeMax) | Total Company Sales Revenue | Customer Concentration Risk
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage	10.00%	9.00%
Office Depot (including OfficeMax) | Total Company Receivables | Customer Concentration Risk
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage	9.00%	8.00%
Paper | Office Depot (including OfficeMax) | Paper Segment Sales Revenue | Customer Concentration Risk
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage	46.00%	42.00%

Transactions_With_Related_Part1

Transactions With Related Parties (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Carrying amount of LTP's assets	6.2		$5.20
Carrying amount of LTP's liabilities	6.2		5.2
Boise Cascade Co-Owner of LTP
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Variable interest entity, ownership percentage	50.00%
Boise Cascade Co-Owner of LTP | Fiber
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Revenue from related parties	21.9	16.1
Fiber costs from related parties	6.3	$7.20
Packaging Corporation of America [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Variable interest entity, ownership percentage	50.00%

Segment_Information_Details

Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments	3
Trade sales	$1,425.70		$1,431.30
Net sales	1,425.70		1,431.30
Operating income (loss)	157.1		160.9
Interest expense, net	-19.2	[1]	-20.8	[1]
Income before taxes	137.9		140.1
Class action lawsuit settlement	0		17.6	[2]
Patronage Refunds	4.1		0.8
Packaging
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Trade sales	1,097.90		1,095.60
Operating income (loss)	141.1	[3]	170.7	[3]
Paper
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Trade sales	297.3		309.3
Operating income (loss)	35.6		27.7	[4]
Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Trade sales	30.5		26.4
Operating income (loss)	-19.6	[5]	-37.5	[5]
Class action lawsuit settlement			-17.6
Intersegment Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Intersegment sales	0		0
Intersegment Eliminations | Packaging
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Intersegment sales	1.4		1.8
Intersegment Eliminations | Paper
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Intersegment sales	0		0
Intersegment Eliminations | Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Intersegment sales	30.5		37.7
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,425.70		1,431.30
Operating Segments | Packaging
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,099.30		1,097.40
Operating Segments | Paper
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	297.3		309.3
Operating Segments | Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	61		64.1
Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Intersegment sales	-31.9		-39.5
Net sales	-31.9		-39.5
DeRidder Restructuring Charges | Cost of Sales | Packaging
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	-10.3		-4
Boise Inc. | Integration-Related and Other Costs | Other Expense, Net | Packaging
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	-0.9
Boise Inc. | Integration-Related and Other Costs | Other Expense, Net | Paper
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)			-0.7
Boise Inc. | Integration-Related and Other Costs | Other Expense, Net | Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	($2.60)		($3.40)
[1]	During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, we received an interest rebate on a portion of our bank debt, reducing our interest expense $4.1 million and $0.8 million, respectively.
[2]	The three months ended March 31, 2014, includes $17.6 million of costs for the settlement of the Kleen Products LLC v Packaging Corp. of America et al class action lawsuit.
[3]	The three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, include $10.3 million and $4.0 million, respectively, of restructuring charges at our mill in DeRidder, Louisiana. The restructuring charges primarily related to accelerated depreciation and were mostly recorded in "Cost of sales". The three months ended March 31, 2015, includes $0.9 million of Boise acquisition integration-related and other costs, mostly recorded in "Other expense, net".
[4]	Includes $0.7 million of Boise acquisition integration-related costs, recorded in "Other expense, net".
[5]	cludes $2.6 million and $3.4 million, respectively, of Boise acquisition integration-related and other costs, mostly recorded in "Other expense, net".

Subsequent_Events_Subsequent_E

Subsequent Events Subsequent Events (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2015
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
Proceeds from sale of Hexacomb Europe and Mexico	$23