AF&PA Survey Hints at Continued Surge in Containerboard Capacity

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) released the findings of the 62nd Paper Industry Capacity and Fiber Consumption Survey.

The survey indicates that containerboard capacity continued to expand for the eleventh consecutive year and reached a record high of 42.3 million tons in 2021. The containerboard capacity expanded at its fastest rate in nearly 25 years. Also, the share of containerboard in total paper and paperboard capacity exceeded 50% for the first time in 2021.

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The recovered paper consumption at U.S. paper and paperboard mills soared 3.9% in 2021. The recovered paper consumption by U.S. mills hit the highest level since 2008. The recovered paper share of total fiber consumption has surged from 36.0% in 2012 to 41.6% in 2021, AF&PA survey indicated.

Meantime, the boxboard capacity recorded marginal surge by 0.6% during the previous year, thus outperforming its long term declining trend. Also, tissue paper capacity remained more or less unchanged. The overall U.S. paper and paperboard capacity declined by 0.4% in 2021, the survey said.

The survey predicts that total paper and paperboard capacity is likely to remain flat in 2022. Also, it suggests surge in boxboard and newsprint, stability in containerboard and tissue, and declines in printing-writing.