AF&PA reports slight decrease in printing-writing paper shipments

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), Washington, has released its July 2022 printing-writing paper monthly report which reveals total printing-writing paper shipments decreased 1 percent in July compared with the same month last year.

However, both U.S. purchases of total printing-writing papers and total printing-writing paper inventory levels increased. U.S. purchases are up 3 percent compared with July 2021 while total inventory levels are up 2 percent compared with last month. According to the June 2022 printing-writing paper report, both U.S. purchases and total inventory levels had decreased when compared with June 2021 and May 2022 numbers, respectively.

The report also says:

• Uncoated free sheet (UFS) paper shipments decreased 1 percent compared with July 2021, but UFS inventory levels increased 5 percent, imports increased 8 percent and exports decreased 25 percent from June 2022.
• U.S. purchases of coated free sheet (CFS) papers in July increased 2 percent compared with last year while inventory levels decreased 1 percent compared with June numbers. AF&PA says CFS imports and exports both increased compared with June 2021, up 32 percent and 6 percent, respectively.
• Coated mechanical (CM) paper shipments decreased 18 percent compared with July 2021. CM inventory levels increased 2 percent and imports increased 48 percent in June, while exports decreased 41 percent that same month.
• U.S. purchases of uncoated mechanical (UM) papers in July increased 16 percent compared with last year. UM inventory levels decreased 13 percent compared with June 2022, imports increased 9 percent and exports decreased 10 percent.