U.S. Boxboard Production Dipped 2% in October, Says AF&PA

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) released its U.S. Boxboard Report for the month of October 2020. The total U.S. boxboard production recorded decline by 2%, as compared to the same month last year. The boxboard operating rate was up marginally by 0.8 points from the prior year at 93.6%. The recycled boxboard production was down 5% during the month, in comparison with the previous year.

The containerboard operating rate was 98.1%, up 3.6% from October last year. The Oct ‘20 containerboard production for export registered notable decline by 13% over the same month last year. The containerboard mill inventories reported decline by 6,000 short tons from the previous month. When compared with October last year, the inventories were up by 42,000 short tons.

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Meantime, AF&PA reported 4% surge in total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments. The operating rate was down 2.5% to 86.1%. The mill inventories remained more or less unchanged at around 765 short tons when compared with the prior month. Upon comparison with the prior year levels, the inventories were up by nearly 17,000 short tons.

The total printing-writing paper shipments tumbled 24% in October this year. The inventory levels have increased by 2% when compared to September 2020. The U.S. purchases of total printing-writing papers dipped by 21%, compared to the same month a year before.