Paper, Board Production Continues Slide

Reflecting the continued problem in the domestic paper industry, U.S. paper and paperboard producers continue to report bleak numbers through the last quarter of the year.

The most recent figures from the American Forest and Paper Association show that combined paper and paperboard production dropped by 5.8 percent over the first 11 months of the year from figures the same time last year. Broken out individually, paper production fell by 7.2 percent, while paperboard production dropped by 4.5 percent

On the paper side, newsprint production continues to be one of the biggest problem grades. Through the first 11 months of the year production has fallen a staggering 11 percent to 5.983 million tons.

Printing and writing paper, the largest component of the paper sector, dropped by 8.6 percent, while tissue paper was able to increase production by 2 percent.

On the paperboard side, the declines were seen across the board, with unbleached kraft paperboard falling 6.3 percent the first 11 months, semichemical production down 6.4 percent; bleached paperboard down 2.7 percent; and recycled paperboard, down 1.9 percent.

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