AF&PA Published March Printing-Writing Monthly Report

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Washington-based The American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) published its March 2024 Packaging Papers and Printing-Writing Monthly report.

During the month, the total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments recorded a decline by 5% when compared with the same month a year before. The cumulative shipment during the initial three-month period too were down by 2% over the corresponding quarterly period in 2023.

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The operating rate for bleached packaging papers stood at 82.5%, up by 5.7% year-on-year. The year-to-date operating rate recorded surge by 9.5%. The shipments of bag and sack- the biggest subgrade in unbleached packaging papers totalled 99,700 short tons in March this year, down by 0.3% from March 2023. However, the year-to-date shipments were up by 3.5%.

According to AF&PA, the total printing-writing paper shipments declined marginally by 1% in March compared to the same month a year before. The country’s purchases of total printing-writing papers also recorded decline by 1% during February 2024, compared with the previous year. The total printing-writing paper inventory levels registered modest decline by 1% when compared with the prior month.

The shipments of uncoated free sheets remained flat in March 2024. The coated free sheet shipments were up by 5%, whereas mechanical paper shipments tumbled by 18%.