SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The monthly report released by the American Forest & paper Association (AF&PA) suggests notable decline in exports of packaging paper by the US during the opening month of 2018.
According to AF&PA data, the US packaging paper shipments totaled 219,200 tons in January 2018, significantly lower by 9.5% when compared with the exports during the same month a year before. The operating rate during the month was 84.3%. The packaging paper inventories rose by 3.6% from end-2017 levels to total 171,800 tons. The multiwall shipments dropped the most by 19% from the prior month. The exports of bags and sacks too witnessed sharp drop by 13.4%. Meantime, the food wrapping shipments saw marginal uptick by 0.4% over the prior month.
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The report indicates marginal jump in the country’s total containerboard production during the month. The US containerboard production edged higher marginally by 0.7% year-on-year. The average daily production declined by almost 3% from the prior month. The containerboard operating rate at 97.2% was higher when compared with the rate of 95% in January last year. The containerboard production for exports have dropped sharply by 10.5% from January 2017, said AF&PA data.
The printing-writing paper shipments by the US declined 5%, upon comparison with January 2017. Among various grades, uncoated free sheets reported small increase in shipments. The shipments ended 1% higher when compared with January 2017 levels. However, this increase was not adequate to offset the decline in shipments of the other three grades-coated free sheet, coated mechanical and uncoated mechanical. The inventory level of printing-writing papers in January has declined marginally by 1% from end-2017 levels.
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