The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) released the following November 2023 reports:
Printing Writing Paper
According to the report, total printing-writing paper shipments decreased 16 percent in November compared to November 2022. U.S. purchases of total printing-writing papers decreased 24 percent in November compared to the same month last year. Total printing-writing paper inventory levels remained essentially flat (+0.4 percent) when compared to October 2023.
Individually, shipments in all three major P-W grades (UFS, CFS, and MECH) in November decreased as well. Uncoated Free Sheet shipments decreased 10 percent when compared to November 2022, Coated Free Sheet shipments decreased by 21 percent compared to the same period last year, and Mechanical papers shipments decreased by 39 percent compared to the same period last year.
Packaging Papers
Total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments in November increased by 1 percent compared to November 2022. They were down 1 percent compared to the same 11 months of 2022.
- Shipments of the biggest subgrade in unbleached packaging papers – bag & sack – were 95,200 short tons for November, up 4.8 percent year-to-date.
- The bleached packaging papers operating rate was 80.4 percent, down 0.3 points from November 2022 and down 0.5 points year-to-date.
