Figures for printing and writing papers distributed by the Washington-based American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) reveal a continuing decline in the demand for the paper grades in the United States.
According to the AF&PA Printing-Writing Paper Report for October 2015, total printing-writing paper shipments decreased 8 percent in October compared to October 2014. Total printing-writing paper inventory levels decreased 3 percent from the prior month.
Broken out into it’s the printing-writing segments four largest grades, the AF&PA reports:
- uncoated free sheet (UFS) paper shipments decreased 4 percent relative to shipments in October 2014, the fourth decrease in the past six months; imports of UFS decreased 34 percent year-over-year in September;
- October coated free sheet (CFS) paper shipments decreased 7 percent compared to October 2014 while imports of CFS papers decreased 8 percent in September, the second year-over-year decrease in the past three months;
- uncoated mechanical (UM) paper shipments decreased 3 percent when compared with October 2014 while imports of UM papers were down 12 percent in September, the 15th consecutive monthly decline; and
- coated mechanical (CM) shipments in October decreased 21 percent relative to October 2014 after imports of CM increased in September by 27 percent compared to the same period last year.
The complete October 2015 report with tables, charts and historical data can be purchased by contacting Caroline Nealon of the AF&PA at Statistics_Publications@afandpa.org.