<B>North American Newsprint Production Dips in November</B>

The production of newsprint by North American newsprint mills dipped 0.9 percent to 1.284 million metric tons, according to the Pulp and Paper Products Council.

Despite a decline in production, the operating rate at mills moved up from 96 percent of capacity November 1999 to 98 percent of capacity this past November.

Although newsprint production for the month dipped, production over the first 11 months of the year is up 1.5 percent to 14.591 million metric tons. The operating rate also is up between the two years, with 2000’s 11-month operating rate standing at 98 percent of capacity.

While production dipped modestly for the month, Canadian and U.S. newsprint mills posted conflicting figures. Canadian newsprint mills saw production increase by 0.4 percent for the month to 753,000 metric tons, while U.S. newsprint mills saw total production for the month drop by 2.8 percent to 531,000 metric tons.

Shipments of finished newsprint declined a sharp 3.6 percent for November to 1.278 million metric tons, compared to 1999’s November shipment total of 1.325 million metric tons.

For the first 11 months of the year newsprint shipments from North American sources increased by 2.4 percent to 14.267 million metric tons.

Broken out by individual regions, shipments to the United States declined by 4.8 percent for the month to 941,000 metric tons; shipments to Canadian sources dipped by 8.8 percent to 106,000 metric tons; and shipments to overseas sources increased by 4.5 percent to 231,000 metric tons.

For the first 11 months shipments to the United States increased by 2.8 percent to 10.737 million metric tons; shipments to Canadian sources also increased by 2.8 percent, to 1.144 million metric tons; and shipments to overseas sources moved up 0.9 percent to 2.746 million metric tons.