AF&PA reports year-over-year containerboard production increase

According to the most recent report from the Washington-based American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), U.S. containerboard production is up 7 percent in the first quarter of 2024 compared with the same period in 2023, marking the second straight quarterly increase.

Containerboard production had decreased through the end of 2022 and much of 2023 before picking back up later that year. In the fourth quarter of 2023, containerboard production in the U.S. was up 12 percent compared with the fourth quarter of 2022.

In the AF&PA’s most recent report released April 26, new containerboard supply is down slightly this quarter compared with the fourth quarter of 2023 but is up 3.7 percent from a year ago despite what the organization says has been a “significant increase in exports.”

The report also reveals that containerboard mill inventories ended the quarter at 429,000 short tons.

Boxboard production also decreased in the first quarter, down 2 percent compared with the first quarter of 2023, while the boxboard operating rate was 89.2 percent, up 1.3 points compared with the same period last year, and uncoated recycled boxboard production remained essentially flat year over year.

The AF&PA also released two monthly reports in mid-April that reveal a decrease in shipments for both packaging and printing and writing papers.

In March, total packaging paper and specialty packaging shipments decreased 5 percent compared with March 2023 and are down 2 percent when compared with the same three-month period in 2023.

Printing and writing paper shipments decreased 1 percent this March compared with March 2023, while U.S. purchases and inventory levels of total printing and writing papers decreased 1 percent this February compared with February 2023.