AF&PA’s paper reports

December 2010 paperboard

According to the American Forest & Paper Association’s (AF&PA) December 2010 United States report, total boxboard production increased by 7.3 percent compared to December 2009, and was flat compared to last month. Year-end production was up 3.7 percent over 2009.

Additional key findings in this report:

• Unbleached Kraft Folding production increased.
• Solid Bleached Folding up over same month last year.
• Recycled Folding saw a decrease in production.
• Inventory of Solid Bleached Kraft Paperboard increased.

December 2010 kraft paper sector

AF&PA reports that total Kraft paper shipments were 126.9 thousand tons, an increase of 1.3 percent compared to December 2009, and flat when compared to November 2010. Total year-end shipments rose 10.2 percent over last year. Total inventory was 79.7 thousand tons.

Additional key findings from the report include:

• Total Unbleached Kraft shipments increased over December 2009.
• Total Bleached Kraft shipments were down compared to the same month last year.

December 2010 containerboard

For the fourteenth straight month, containerboard production rose over the same month a year ago. Total production saw an increase of 40,300 tons or 1.5 percent when compared to December 2009. Production rose compared to November 2010, however, the month over month average daily production was down by 2.4 percent. Year-end 2010 production has increased 7.1 percent over 2009. The containerboard operating rate for December 2010 was up 3.7 points over December 2009 to 92.6 percent.

Additional key findings from the report include:

• Linerboard production continues to increase over same month last year.
• Medium production also increased over last year.
• Containerboard operating rates up.

Recovered paper consumption seven percent higher in 2010

AF&PA reports that the United States paper industry consumed 31.3 million tons of recovered paper in 2010, a 7 percent increase over 2009 consumption levels. Consumption in December was approximately flat when compared to the previous month.

The United States exported one percent less recovered paper in November than in October. Year-to-date exports of recovered paper are down two percent compared to the same months last year.