AF&PA: Printing-Writing Paper Shipments Posted Nominal Dip in November

The cumulative shipments until November 2022 were down by 3%, when compared with Jan-Nov ’21.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) released the Packaging Papers Monthly Report for the month of November 2022.

The total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments declined by 9% during the month, in comparison with the same month a year before. The cumulative shipments until November 2022 were down by 3%, when compared with Jan-Nov ’21.

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According to AF&PA, the bleached packaging papers operating rate for the month stood at 81.7%, down by 2.8% from November last year. The shipments of unbleached bag and sack paper totalled 81,200 short tons during the month, modestly down by 7.9% from the prior year.

As per the Printing-Writing Monthly report for the month, the total printing-writing paper shipments recorded marginal decline by 1% over the previous year. The total inventory levels of printing-writing paper surged higher by 9% from the prior month.

The uncoated free sheet (UFS) paper shipments remained essentially flat, compared to the same month in 2021. The coated mechanical (CM) paper shipments increased 5% compared to November 2021. The inventory levels of UFS and CM papers increased by 8% and 10% respectively over November 2021.

The U.S. purchases of coated free sheet (CFS) papers and uncoated mechanical (UM) papers increased by 22% and 5% year-on-year respectively in November 2022.