AF&PA Publishes US Packaging Paper Export Statistics for July

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has published the monthly report for packaging paper exports for the month of July 2017. According to AF&PA data, the exports rose by nearly 5% when compared with same month a year before. The Association has also released the monthly reports of printing-writing paper shipments, containerboard production and boxboard production.

The overall packaging paper shipments by the US totaled 230,900 tons in July 2017, 4.7% higher when compared with the same month a year before. Bag and sack shipments edged higher by 6.1%. On the other hand, food wrapping shipments declined by nearly 10% over the previous year. The packaging paper inventory increased marginally to 173,100 tons. The operating rate for the month was 88.4%.

The AF&PA data indicates that the total shipments of printing-writing paper by the US dropped by 5% in July 2017 in comparison with July last year. The shipments of all the four major categories of printing-writing paper witnessed decline during the month, thereby resulting in 2% rise in inventory over the previous month.

The shipments of coated mechanical (CM) paper declined in July, when matched with the previous year. The exports had surged higher by 12% in June. The exports of one-side coated free sheet (CFS) paper registered 3% decline in July. It must be noted that the shipments had declined by 4% in June this year. The shipments of uncoated mechanical (UM) and uncoated free sheet (UFS) paper shipments decreased year-over-year during the month.

According to AF&PA, the US containerboard production soared by 5.2% in July 2017 year-over-year. The average daily production climbed higher marginally by 1.7% upon comparison with June. The containerboard operating rate increased from 96.3% in June to 97.9% in July this year. The cumulative US containerboard production for export rose by 6.3% over the corresponding seven-month period in 2016.

The US Boxboard Report suggests marginal rise in boxboard production by the US in July. When matched with July 2016, the production was up by 2.9%. Over the previous month, the boxboard production recorded 6.5% jump. The production of unbleached kraft boxboard and solid bleached boxboard and liner production registered month-on-month and year-on-year rise. On the other hand, production of recycled boxboard dropped when compared with June 2017 and July 2016.

AF&PA is the national trade association of the US forest products industry.