Recycled Board Production Up First Two Months

Recycled paperboard production posted a sharp increase of 7.5 percent the first two months of the year, compared to figures the same time last year. The American Forest and Paper Association reports total recycled board production at 2.757 million tons for Jan.-Feb.

The improvement in recycled paperboard production was driven primarily by a sharp 10.2 percent increase in recycled linerboard production. For the first two months of the year recycled liner increased by 10.2 percent, with the total at around 700,000 tons. In comparison, total linerboard production increased at 3.7 percent between the two years.

Recycled corrugated medium also increased, although at a much lower 0.2 percent increase between the two years. Total recycled medium production stands at around 650,000 tons for the first two months. Meanwhile, total medium production increased by 8 percent between the two years.

Recycled boxboard production posted a decline between the two years. For 2000 production of the grade stands at around 450,000 tons, a 1.1 percent decline from figures the same time last year. In comparison, total boxboard production shot up a robust 8.5 percent.