Containerboard production up in March

Containerboard production increased in March compared with the same time period in 2019.

According to the Washington-based American Forest & Paper Association’s (AF&PA’s) March 2020 Containerboard Monthly report, total containerboard production in March increased 10 percent compared with production in March 2019. It was also up 8 percent in the first three months of the year compared with the same time frame in 2019. 

Production of containerboard for export increased 39 percent in March compared with figures in the same month of 2019, and it’s up 44 percent year to date, AF&PA reports in its Containerboard Monthly report. At the end of March, mill inventories of containerboard decreased 8,000 tons from the previous month and were down 2,000 tons compared with the same time in 2019. 

However, total boxboard production in March fell 2 percent compared with March 2019, AF&PA reports in its March 2020 Boxboard Monthly report. It was also down 2 percent when compared with the first three months of the year. 

AF&PA reports that recycled boxboard production in March decreased 1 percent compared with March 2019; it was essentially flat in the first three months of the year compared with the first three months of 2019.

AF&PA’s March 2020 Containerboard Monthly report as well as its March 2020 Boxboard Monthly report along with their detailed tables, charts and historical data can be purchased by contacting Kory Bockman at Statistics_Publications@afandpa.org or 202-463-4716.