AF&PA Publishes Latest US Packaging Paper Export Statistics

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has published the monthly report for packaging paper exports for the month of March this year. According to AF&PA data, the total packaging paper shipments dropped sharply by nearly 7% when compared with the same month a year before. The Association has also released the monthly reports of printing-writing paper shipments, containerboard production and boxboard production.

The overall packaging paper shipments by the US during the first quarter of 2018 were down by 6.5% when matched with the comparable quarter in 2017. Bag and sack shipments declined by 8.3% year-on-year during Q1 2018. Also multiwall shipments and converting shipments were down by 12.6% and 2.8% respectively. Meantime, food wrapping shipments have remained essentially flat over the previous year. The operating rate declined from 88.5% in Feb ’18 to 87.4% in March 2018.

The AF&PA data indicates that the total shipments of printing-writing paper by the US dropped by 5% in March 2018 in comparison with March last year. The shipments of all the four major categories of printing-writing paper witnessed decline during the month. The inventory levels registered 2% month-on-month decline.

The shipments of coated mechanical (CM) paper registered tenth straight month of decline. The exports were down by 5% when compared with the same month in 2017. The exports of coated free sheet (CFS) paper too have declined by 5% over the previous year. Uncoated free sheet (UFS) paper exports registered decline for the first time in 2018. Also, shipments of uncoated mechanical (UM) papers recorded 21^st consecutive month of year-on-year decline.

The AF&PA monthly data also indicates that the U.S. containerboard production in March this year surged higher by 3.5% compared to March 2017. On the other hand, the total boxboard production dropped by 1.9% when compared to March 2017.