Containerboard production on the rise in February

Total containerboard production in February increased 10 percent compared with February 2019, and it’s up 7 percent for the first two months of the year compared with the first two months of 2019, according to a news release from the Washington-based American Forest & Paper Association. 

The association released its February 2020 Containerboard Monthly report. According to AF&PA, February production of containerboard for export increased 55 percent compared with the same month in 2019 and was up 46 percent year to date. The containerboard operating rate in February was 93.4 percent, up about 3.1 percent from February 2019 and up 3 percent year to date. 

AF&PA reports that mill inventories of containerboard at the end of February increased 29,000 tons compared with the previous month and were up 44,000 tons compared with February 2019.

Total boxboard production in February was somewhat flat, AF&PA states in its February Boxboard Monthly report. That production rate decreased 1 percent compared with February 2019 and was down 1 percent compared with the same two months in 2019. The boxboard operating rate was 93.7 percent in February, essentially flat from February 2019 and up 1.3 percent year to date.

Recycled boxboard production in February increased 2 percent compared with February 2019; it was flat for the first two months of the year compared with the same two months in 2019. 

Both of AF&PA’s reports with detailed tables, charts and historical data can be purchased by contacting Kory Bockman at Statistics_Publications@afandpa.org or 202-463-4716.