AF&PA: Containerboard, boxboard production up in Q3

The Washington-based American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has released its third-quarter containerboard and boxboard reports, revealing production and operating rate increases, particularly for recycled medium.

According to the AF&PA’s third-quarter 2024 containerboard report, released Oct. 25, total containerboard production in the U.S. increased 3 percent compared with last year’s third quarter and 6 percent compared with the first nine months of 2023.

Recycled medium had what AF&PA says is “a very strong quarter” with production reaching nearly 2 million tons and an operating rate above 90 percent for the first time since the second quarter of 2022. According to the report, operating rates for all other major grades declined quarter over quarter, however, total production essentially was flat.

Production for export was down 15 percent from the second quarter, and AF&PA says that is the lowest total so far this year despite production for export being up more than 26 percent year to date because of weak export numbers in the first half of last year.

New supply for the third quarter is up 2.8 percent from the second quarter, the highest it’s been since the second quarter of 2022, with AF&PA saying strong domestic production and imports indicate growing demand for containerboard in the U.S. compared with weaker exports.

AF&PA’s quarterly boxboard report also reveals increases in production and operating rate.

Total boxboard production in the third quarter increased 10 percent compared with the same period last year and is up 3.2 points year to date.