The Washington-based American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has reported containerboard production in the United States in 2017 rose by 3.1 percent compared with 2016.
In a news release summarizing its “December 2017 Containerboard Report,” the organization also indicates containerboard producers closed the year in a healthy state, with December 2017 output 3.6 higher than output in December 2016. December 2017’s output also rose by 1.8 percent compared with the month before.
The containerboard mill operating rate for December 2017 increased to 98.9 percent, up from 96.9 percent the prior month and 96.5 percent in December 2016.
Although U.S. mills do not export large volumes of containerboard, the export volume in 2017 rose by 4.1 percent compared with 2016, AF&PA says.