Total U.S. printing and writing (P&W) paper shipments decreased 7% in August compared with August 2013, with total paper inventories remaining unchanged compared with July, according to the AF&PA (Washington, D.C., USA) August 2014 Printing-Writing Paper Report released this week. According to the report: 

• Uncoated free sheet (UFS) paper shipments in August decreased 11% compared with August 2013. YTD shipments are down 9% in 2014. Imports of UFS increased 38% in July and were up 23% in 2014, the ninth consecutive monthly increase. 
• August coated free sheet (CFS) paper shipments decreased 7% compared with 2013. YTD shipments of coated freesheet grades are down 2%. Exports of CFS papers increased 3% in July, the third year-over-year monthly increase in 2014.
• Uncoated mechanical (UM) paper shipments increased 7% in August, the seventh consecutive month of year-over-year increases. Year-to-date shipments of UM are up 5% compared with 2013.
• Coated mechanical (CM) shipments in August increased slightly less than 1% relative to August 2013 and are down 5% for the year. Exports of CM grades increased 54% year-over-year in July and are up 5% compared with the first seven months of 2013.