U.S. P&W Paper Shipments Decline
Total U.S. printing and writing (P&W) paper shipments decreased 4% in November, compared with November 2011, according to the AF&PA (Washington, D.C., USA) November 2012 Printing-Writing Paper Report published in late December. Three out of the four major P&W paper grades posted decreases compared with the prior November report, with coated free sheet posting the only year-over-year increase.
Additional key findings included:
- November shipments of coated free sheet (CFS) papers increased year-over-year for the sixth time in the past 12 months. CFS shipments increased 1%, compared with November 2011, to 330,800 tons, the fourth highest total in 2012.
- While uncoated free sheet (UFS) paper shipments decreased 2% compared with November 2011, to 705,500 tons, October exports increased year-over-year for the third consecutive month. Year-to-date shipments of UFS paper were down 3% compared with the same months in 2011. Exports of UFS increased year-over-year in October, up 15%. Year-to-date UFS exports are up 11% in 2012 compared with the same 10 months of 2011.
- November uncoated mechanical (UM) paper shipments decreased 24%, compared with November 2011, the twentieth consecutive month of year-over-year decline.
- November shipments of coated mechanical (CM) papers decreased 5% compared with November 2011. Year-to-date shipments of CM were down 5% compared with the same 11 months in 2011.
TAPPI
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