<B>Box Shipments, Consumption, Dip for September</B>

The continued problems in the paperboard industry continue to be highlighted by the slumping market for the material throughout North America. According to the most recent figures from the Fibre Box Association the shipment of corrugated products declined by 3.9 percent during September from figures the same time last year.

The biggest loser for the month was the Northeast, which saw shipments plummet 7.3 percent for the month. Other declining regions include the West, dropping 5.2 percent; the South Central, declining 5.1 percent; the North Central U.S., dropping 4 percent; and the East Central, declining 2.4 percent. The only region posting an increase for the month was the Southeast, which saw corrugated shipments increase by 0.6 percent for the month.

For the first nine months shipments also are down. For the first nine months of this year shipments dipped by 0.5 percent to 301.380 billion square feet. The Northeast saw the biggest drop between the two years, 3.3 percent. Other declining regions include the South Central, dropping 1.9 percent; and the West, dropping 1 percent between the two years.

The consumption of containerboard at domestic mills also dropped for the month and first nine months. According to the FBA, September's consumption level stands at 2.480 million tons, a 4 percent drop from figures the same time last year.

For the first nine months of the year consumption stands at 23.052 million tons, a 0.6 percent drop from 1999's nine -month total.

Meanwhile, the inventory of containerboard at corrugator plants dipped at the end of September. The inventory level at the end of September stands at 2.589 million tons, a 0.1 percent dip from figures the previous month.

The drop in inventory levels resulted in a sharp decline in the weeks of supply on hand. According to the FBA, the weeks of supply at the end of September stands at 4.2 weeks, compared to August's supply total of 4.6 weeks.