US paperboard markets retain strength in June

The Washington-based American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) says containerboard production in June in the United States increased by 1 percent compared with June 2019. Containerboard output has risen by 5 percent year to date compared with the first half of 2019.

The domestic containerboard mill operating rate was 90.1 percent in June 2020, up 1.8 points from the June 2019 figure and up 3.9 points year to date, says AF&PA.

Containerboard for export has played a role in the health of the sector, with exports increasing 5 percent in June 2020 compared with June 2019, and exports up 34 percent year to date.

Boxboard output has not quite kept up with its 2019 pace, having decreased by 1 percent in June 2020 compared with June 2019 and likewise having dropped 1 percent year on year for the first half of 2020.

The boxboard operating rate was nonetheless a healthy 93 percent in June 2020, up 1.1 points from June 2019 and up 0.9 points year to date.

Printing and writing (P&W) paper remains in a down cycle, with shipments from U.S. mills down by 25 percent in June 2020 compared with June 2019. U.S. purchases of uncoated free sheet (UFS) papers in June 2020 decreased 28 percent compared with last June, and UFS exports decreased by 44 percent in June compared with the month before.