U.S. Paper Production Capacity to Stabilize through 2015

U.S. paper and paperboard capacity declined 1.6% in 2012 but will hold essentially stable over the next three years (2013-2015), according to the AF&PA (Washington, D.C., USA) 53rd Annual Survey of Paper, Paperboard and Pulp Capacity. Paper and paperboard capacity is slated to decline 0.4% in 2013 but then rise 0.6% in 2014 and 0.2% in 2015. For the entire three-year projection period, paper and paperboard capacity is expected to rise 0.4% at an average annual rate of 0.1%.

Tissue paper and containerboard grades are slated to add capacity during the next three years, while capacities for newsprint and printing and writing paper grades are expected to decline. The survey findings indicate that boxboard capacity will hold essentially stable.

The survey reports U.S. industry capacity data for 2012 through 2015 for all major grades of paper, paperboard, and pulp, based on a comprehensive survey of all U.S. pulp and paper mills. Survey respondents represent about 90% of the U.S industry capacity.

TAPPI
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