AF&PA publishes US paper report for August 2015

SPOKANE (Scrap Monster): The Washington D.C.-headquartered American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) has released the production statistics for the month of August this year.

According to the statistics, the containerboard production went higher by nearly 3% in August ’15 when compared with the production during the same month a year before. Also, the average daily production of containerboard has increased marginally by 1.1% over the previous month. The operating rate for containerboard remained flat at 96.3% in August.

The total kraft paper shipments during August surged higher by nearly 7.8% over same month the previous year to 143.6 thousand short tons. Out of this, bleached kraft paper shipments constituted 8.70 thousand short tons whereas the balance 134.90 thousand short tons accounted for unbleached kraft paper shipments. The combined shipment for the initial eight-month period of the year was higher by 1.8% when compared with the corresponding eight-month period in 2014.

AF&PA notes that bleached paper kraft shipments increased by over 1.2% over the previous month while unbleached paper craft shipments dropped by 2.7% in August ‘15. The month-end inventories declined to 73.6 thousand short tons in August ‘15.

The total shipment of printing-writing paper declined 6% in August this year. The August ‘15 coated free sheet (CFS) paper shipments dropped 7% when compared with the previous year. Uncoated free sheets (UFS) shipment remained essentially flat during the month. Coated mechanical (CM) shipments during August ‘15 plunged lower by almost 18% when matched with the same month in 2014. Uncoated mechanical (CM) shipments during August ‘15 have reduced by 13% when matched with August 2014.

Meantime, the total boxboard production decreased 2.3% from those during August ’14. However, the production increased by 1.3% over July this year. The production of Recycled Boxboard dropped when compared with August 2014, but increased when compared with July this year.