Total U.S. April printing-writing paper shipments down 9% year-over-year on decreases in all four major grades; purchases fell 5% while total inventory levels rose 3% month-over-month: AF&PA

Kendall Sinclair

WASHINGTON , May 25, 2011 (press release) – According to the American Forest & Paper Association’s April 2011 Printing-Writing Paper Report, total printing-writing paper shipments decreased 9% in April compared to April 2010. All four major printing-writing grades posted decreases compared to last April. U.S. purchases (shipments + imports – exports) of printing-writing papers decreased 5% in April. Total printing-writing paper inventory levels increased 3% compared to March 2011.

Some points of interest from the report include:

March exports of uncoated free sheet (UFS) increased year-over-year for the first time in eight months.
Inventory of coated free sheet (CFS) increased for the third time this year in April.
Coated mechanical (CM) inventory month-over-month increase is in the double digits for the second time this year.
Uncoated mechanical (UM) shipments down in the double digits year-over-year for the first time since November 2009.

AF&PA members can access the full report on the AF&PA StatMill web site:
http://www.afandpa.statmill.org/getreports.asp?RepId=227&DateCode=APR011

The American Forest & Paper Association is the national trade association of the forest products industry, representing pulp, paper, and wood products manufacturers, and forest landowners. Our companies make essential products from renewable and recyclable resources that sustain the environment. The forest products industry employs one million workers and generates six percent of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP. Visit AF&PA online at www.afandpa.org.

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