AF&PA releases quarterly containerboard, boxboard reports

The American Forest & Paper Association, Washington, has released its third quarter 2022 containerboard and boxboard reports, and while boxboard numbers increased across the board, containerboard figures show a downward trend.

According to the report, total containerboard production in the third quarter decreased 8.6 percent compared with last year’s quarter, and is down 1.6 percent compare with the same nine months of 2021.

New containerboard supply, which is domestic production plus imports, is down 7.3 percent compared with the third quarter last year and down 2.3 percent year to date.

Both the linerboard and medium operating rates also are down, with the linerboard rate at 86 percent, down 8.3 points from the previous quarter, and the medium rate at 91.4 percent, down 4.6 percent from the previous quarter.

Boxboard production, however, is up 3 percent in the third quarter compared with the same period last year and is up 2 percent compared with the same nine months of 2021. The boxboard operating rate is 95.7 percent, an increase of 1.2 points from the previous quarter and 0.6 points year to date.

Solid bleached boxboard, recycled boxboard and uncoated kraft and gypsum production all saw increases, too.

Solid bleached boxboard production increased 2 percent compared with last year’s third quarter and 2 percent compared with the same nine months of 2021, while recycled boxboard production increased 5 percent and 4 percent, respectively.

Uncoated kraft and gypsum production increased 3 percent compared with the third quarter of 2021 and 1 percent when compared with the same nine months last year.