Paper Stock Exports End the Year Down Slightly
The export of recovered fiber from the United States ended the year down slightly, although the decline was far less than the total export market.
For December, exports totaled 878,683 tons, bringing the export total, year to date, to 10.533 million tons, compared to 2000’s export total of 10.56 million tons.
The major driver for the U.S. paper stock market last year was China, which continues to play a greater role in the recovered paper market.
While shipments to China climbed, total paper stock shipments to Canada plummeted more than 20 percent. In fact, last year was the first year when China became the largest destination of recovered fiber fro the United States. Total shipments of recovered fiber to reached 155,222 tons, pushing the total exports for the year to 2.248 million tons, compared to 2000’s export total of 2.824 million
Domestic Paper Stock Use Declines
The consumption of recovered fiber at domestic mills declined from 2000 to last year, according to the American Forest and Paper Association.
For December, the most recently reported month, consumption reached 2.8 million tons, down from both the previous month, as well as from December 2000.
The figures for the month pushed the total for last year to 36.653 million tons, a 3.2 percent decline from 2000’s figure of 37.855 million tons.
While dipped last year, the inventory of recovered fiber on hand moved up slightly. For December, the inventory level stands at 1.142 million tons, compared to the previous month’s figure of 1.122 million tons.
While increasing, most grades of paper and pulp showed increases in inventory levels between November and December.