Containerboard production rises in December 2019

Total containerboard production in December 2019 increased 2 percent compared with December 2018 and was down 4 percent when compared with the same 12 months of 2018, according to the Washington-based American Forest & Paper Association’s (AF&PA) December 2019 Containerboard Monthly Report. 

AF&PA reports that December 2019 production of containerboard for export increased 11 percent compared with the same month in 2018, and it was down 13 percent year to date. The containerboard operating rate was 94.4 percent, up 0.6 percentage points from December 2018 and down 4.8 percentage points year to date. Also, mill inventories of containerboard at the end of December 2019 increased 3,000 short tons from the previous month and were essentially flat compared with December 2018. 

Total boxboard production in December 2019 decreased 5 percent compared with December 2018 and was down 1 percent when compared with the same 12 months in 2018, AF&PA reports in its December 2019 Boxboard Monthly Report. The boxboard operating rate was 88.8 percent, down 4 percentage points from December 2018 and down 1.5 percentage points year to date.

Solid bleached boxboard production in December 2019 decreased 4 percent compared with December 2018 and was down 1 percent when compared with the same 12 months of 2018, AF&PA reports. Recycled boxboard production in December 2019 decreased 3 percent compared with December 2018 and was down 1 percent when compared with the same 12 months of 2018.

Both AF&PA’s December 2019 Containerboard Monthly Report and its December 2019 Boxboard Monthly Report along with detailed tables, charts and historical data can be purchased by contacting Kory Bockman at statistics_publications@afandpa.org or calling 202-463-4716.