<B>Paper Production Down Year to Date</B>

Domestic production of paper dipped slightly over the first 11 months of this year, compared to production figures the same time last year.

According to the American Forest and Paper Association total paper production stands at 41.788 million tons, a 0.8 percent decline from the same time last year.

Within the paper group there were some positive indicators. Newsprint production is up 3.3 percent over the first 11 months compared to 1999’s 11-month total. For last year production stands at 6.765 million tons.

Tissue paper production also is up slightly over the first 11 months of the year. The total for last year is 6.306 million tons, a 0.7 percent increase from figures the same time last year.

The other components of the paper industry posted less optimistic figures for the first 11 months. The production of printing and writing paper over the first 11 months of the year declined by 1.5 percent to 24.547 million tons.

Within the P&W group there were some mixed signals in the various subgroups. Coated free sheet paper saw production drop a sharp 4.6 percent between 1999 and last year.

Another big loser was uncoated free sheet paper production, which dipped 2.2 percent last year to 12.612 million tons.

The other component of the paper industry, packaging and other papers, also posted a sharp decline between 1999 and last year. According to the AFPA for the first 11 months of the year production stands at 4.170 million tons, a 4.7 percent drop from the previous year.