North American Newsprint Production Increases

North American Newsprint production moved up in January from figures the same time last year. According to the Pulp and Paper Products Council total production for this January was 1.425 million metric tons, a 3.6 percent improvement from last January. Meanwhile, the operating rate at North American newsprint mills held firm at 97 percent of capacity.

The shipment of finished newsprint also improved between the two months. January's shipment total reached 1.318 million metric tons, a 5.4 percent increase. The improvement came from all three recorded sectors: United States, which posted an increase of 5.9 percent; Canada, which increased the figure by 7.3 percent; and Overseas, which increased its intake of North American newsprint 2.8 percent.