In the bleached board arena, after doing an impressive job of holding prices in the wake of weak demand during much of 2009, major producers in North America have announced a $40 per ton price hike effective mid-January, according to Wilde. This is the first increase since October 2008. SBS folding carton list prices have remained flat at $1,000 - $1,050 per ton since June. The price hike is driven by a combination of improvement in seasonal demand (unmade orders as of mid-December = +300,000 tons per week against +240,000 tons per week in late February/early March) and a reduction in supply (closure of MWV's 200,000 tpy No. 2 paper machine at Evadale, Texas and IP's 140,000 tpy coated boxboard mill in Franklin, Va., by mid-year).

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