European graphic papers shipments fall 11.3% year-over-year in December, to 2.941 million tonnes, with decreases in all sectors: Euro-Graph

Diane Keaton

LOS ANGELES , January 25, 2013 (Industry Intelligence Inc.) – December 2012 shipments of European graphic papers declined 11.3% compared to a year ago, to 2.941 million tonnes, according to European Association of Graphic Paper Producers (Euro-Graph) statistics released today.

None of the six paper sectors covered (newsprint, coated woodfree, uncoated woodfree SC-magazine, coated mechanical reels, and uncoated mechanical—improved and others) was in the positive ranks.

And for all of 2012, shipments of 39.167 million tonnes fell 4.6% from 2011, also with all of the sectors showing decreases.

December 2012 shipments to Europe of 2.352 million tonnes dropped 13.8% year-over-year and exports of 589,000 tonnes decreased 0.1%. European demand of 2.425 million tonnes decreased 13.9%.

For all of 2012, shipments to Europe of 31.678 million tonnes were down 6.2%, with exports of 7.489 million tonnes up 3.2%. European demand was 32.655 million tonnes, down 6.4%.

(European demand, which includes both Western and Eastern Europe, is partly estimated; for woodfree grades it excludes Russian domestic deliveries. Other than newsprint, for each of the three mechanical grades for which figures are shown, the shipments to Europe and the European demand are the same.)

Shipments of uncoated woodfree papers (UWF) totaled 535,000 tonnes in December, for an 8.8% decrease from December 2011. Shipments to Europe of 432,000 tonnes dropped 10.8%, while exports of 103,000 tonnes rose 0.3%. European demand of 467,000 tonnes fell 9.1%.

The full-year UWF shipments of 7.411 million tonnes were down 3.3%, with shipments to Europe of 6.368 million tonnes and to outside of Europe of 1.043 million tonnes down 3.8% and 0.1%, respectively. European demand was 6.829 million tonnes, for a 4.0% decrease.

Coated woodfree (CWF) papermakers shipped 501,000 tonnes in December 2012, down 9.6% year-over-year. This included 393,000 tonnes to Europe, down 12.2%, and 108,000 tonnes exported, up 1.5%. European demand of 415,000 tonnes fell 12.9%.

From January through December, 7.313 million tonnes of CWF paper were delivered, for a year-over-year decrease of 2.9%. Shipments to Europe totaled 5.872 million tonnes, down 3.6%, and to outside of Europe they reached 1.440 million tonnes, up 0.1%. European demand was 6.190 million tonnes, for a 3.6% decrease.

European newsprint producers shipped 786,000 tonnes in December 2016, falling 14.4% from December 2011. This was seen in shipments to Europe of 644,000 tonnes, down 17.1% year-over-year, while exports of 142,000 tonnes were 0.8% (1,000 tonnes) higher. European demand of 659,000 tonnes fell 18.4%.

For 2012, newspaper deliveries totaled 9.918 million tonnes, down 4.7% from 2011. Deliveries to Europe of 8.023 million tonnes fell 9.2%, while to outside of Europe they grew 21.1% to 1.895 million tonnes. European demand was 8.222 million tonnes, falling 9.9%.

Coated mechanical reels shipments of 573,000 tonnes fell 13.1% in December 2012 compared to a year ago, including decreases of 16.0% to Europe, to 433,000 tonnes, and of 3.0% to outside of Europe, to 139,000 tonnes.

For the 12 months of 2012, they totaled 7.749 million tonnes, down 7.3% from those of 2011. This included 5.903 million tonnes to Europe and 1.846 million tonnes exported, down 9.0% and 1.5%, respectively.

December 2012 SC-Magazine paper shipments of 361,000 tonnes dropped 9.7% year-over-year. The figure included 304,000 tonnes to Europe and 57,000 tonnes exported, for respective decreases of 10.2% and 7.3%.

The 2012 total shipments of SC-Magazine paper were 4.318 million tonnes, down 5.0% from 2011, including 3.517 million tonnes to Europe and 801,000 tonnes exported, down 3.7% and 10.4%, respectively.

Shipments in December 2012 of uncoated mechanical paper (improved and others) of 186,000 tonnes were down 6.9% from a year ago. Producers shipped 147,000 tonnes to Europe, for a decrease of 11.4%, while the 39,000 tonnes they delivered to outside of Europe represented a 14.9% gain.

For all of 2012, there were 2.458 million tonnes of uncoated mechanical paper (improved and others) shipped, down 3.1%. This included 1.995 million tonnes to Europe, falling 4.8%, and 463,000 tonnes to outside of Europe, for a gain of 5.2%.

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