U.S. P&W Paper Shipments Decline in August
Total U.S. printing and writing (P&W) paper shipments decreased 5% in August compared with August 2011, according to the AF&PA, Washington, D.C., USA, August 2012 Printing-Writing Paper Report issued this week. All four major P&W paper grades posted single-digit decreases compared with last August.
U.S. purchases of P&W papers also decreased, down 6% in August. Total P&W paper inventory levels decreased 5% from last month, primarily due to double-digit decreases in mechanical-grade paper inventories. Additional key findings include:
- Shipments of coated freesheet papers decreased year-over-year, but August shipments reached the highest level since October 2011
- Shipments of uncoated freesheet papers were down year-over-year, the sixth consecutive single-digit year-over-year decrease
- Uncoated mechanical paper inventories dropped sharply
- The inventory of coated mechanical papers also dropped and hit the lowest point since December 2007.
TAPPI
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