During September of this year, containerboard production increased 4 percent compared with production levels in September 2019, according to statistics shared in the Washington-based American Forest & Paper Association’s (AF&PA’s) September 2020 Containerboard Monthly report.
September production of containerboard for export decreased 12 percent compared with the same month last year, but it’s up about 19 percent year to date, AF&PA reports. The containerboard operating rate was at 95.9 percent, up 3.7 percentage points from September 2019, and up 2.8 percentage points year to date.
AF&PA reports that mill inventories of containerboard at the end of September decreased 67,000 tons from the previous month and were up 25,000 tons compared with September 2019.
Conversely, boxboard production in September decreased 6 percent compared with production levels in September 2019, and it was down 3 percent when compared with the same nine months in 2019, AF&PA reports in its September 2020 Boxboard Monthly report. The boxboard operating rate was 88.3 percent, down 3.6 percent from September 2019 and down 0.8 percentage points year to date, the association says.
Recycled boxboard production in September decreased 1 percent compared with production in 2019, and it was down 2 percent when compared with the same nine months in 2019.
For more details, individuals can purchase these reports with detailed charts and historical data by contacting Kory Bockman at statistics_publications@afandpa.org or 202-463-4716.
