AF&PA report shows decrease in packaging, printing-writing shipments

The Washington-based American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has released its monthly packaging papers and printing and writing papers reports, revealing a decline in shipments for both grades.

According to the AF&PA, total packaging and specialty packaging shipments deceased 3 percent this April compared with April 2024 and are down 3 percent compared with the same four months of last year.

The report shows the operating rate for unbleached packaging papers was 86.5 percent, up 1.9 percent from last April and up 1.6 percent year to date.

Shipments of food wrapping, the biggest subgrade in bleached packaging papers, were 27,700 short tons in April, up 6.6 percent from last April and up 11.2 percent year to date.

RELATED: AF&PA reports paper production boost, capacity decline

As far as printing and writing papers, the AF&PA reports a 7.6 percent decrease in shipments this April compared with April 2024, while U.S. purchases of total printing and writing papers increased 7 percent this March compared with March 2024.

The report also shows total printing and writing paper inventory levels decreased 3 percent month over month.

The AF&PA says the three major printing and writing categories—uncoated freesheet (UFS), coated freesheet (CFS) and mechanical papers—showed mixed performance on both a month-over-month basis and yearly basis.

UFS shipments dropped 11.4 percent month over month and 9 percent year to date, while CFS shipments decreased nearly 5 percent month over month but are essentially flat (0.1 percent) year to date.

Mechanical papers outperformed the other categories, posting a 10.8 increase month over month and a 5.1 percent yearly gain.