U.S. Exports of Packaging Paper Surged 3% in May

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The monthly export statistics published by the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) suggests 3% jump in exports of packaging paper in May 2018. This is upon comparison with the same month a year before. However, the shipments were down marginally by 0.2% during the first five months of the current year. The mill operating rate increased from 92.9% in April to 94.5% in May this year. Also, inventories declined by 3.6% during the month.

According to AF&PA data, bag and sack shipments remained essentially flat during Jan-May ’18. The shipments of food wrapping too were up by 3.5%. On the other hand, multiwall shipments recorded 3.3% decline over the previous year. Converting shipments dropped marginally by 0.4%.

Meantime, the U.S. containerboard production edged higher by 1.5% in May 2018, when compared with May last year. The average daily production increased by 1.5%, upon comparison with April 2018. The containerboard operating rate was up from 97.1% in May last year to 98.5% in May 2018. The AF&PA data indicates 3.6% year-on-year decline in containerboard production for export in May 2018.

The total printing-writing paper shipments declined by 5% in May 2018, when compared with the year-ago month. The inventory levels have declined by 3% during the month. The shipments of Uncoated Free Sheet (UFS) witnessed marginal decline over the previous year. The shipments of coated free sheet (CFS) paper and uncoated mechanical (UM) paper registered slight decline when compared with May 2017. The purchases of coated mechanical (CM) paper increased year-over-year in May 2018.

ALSO READ: AF&PA Publishes Latest US Packaging Paper Export Statistics

In related news, AF&PA has thanked California policymakers and urged them to introduce further measures to support recycling, paper recovery, economic growth and job creation.