<B>Domestic Paper Stock Use Increased Last Year</B>

A total of 37.852 million tons of recovered fiber were consumed by domestic paper and paperboard mills last year. The total was a 2.2 percent increase from domestic paper stock consumption in 1999.

According to the American Forest and Paper Association, this past December’s total consumption level of 2.823 million tons, however, was a decline from December 1999’s consumption level of 3.010 million tons.

A sign of concern for the paper stock industry is the steadily increasing inventory level being reported by domestic mills.

According to the AFPA, the inventory of recovered fiber at mills ended the year at 1.1579 million tons, a 1.9 percent increase from the previous month, as well as a 4.8 percent jump from December 1999’s figures.

With high inventory of recovered fiber, a number of mills have been sharply curtailing their purchases to bring inventories down to more manageable levels. To accomplish this a number of paper and paperboard mills are either halting new purchases of recovered fiber or greatly reducing the monthly purchases.