<B>Paper Production Holding Up For Year</B>

According to the American Forest and Paper Association the figure for the first seven months of the year increased to 26.687 million tons. One caveat of the figures is the totals do not include tissue paper or packaging and other papers, which did not have monthly statistics available. These two grades, especially tissue paper, are significant consumers of recovered fiber.

While paper production increased, domestic paperboard production declined by 0.6 percent over the first seven months to 29.391 million tons. The biggest loser was unbleached kraft linerboard, which saw a 2.5 percent drop over the first seven months. Recycled paperboard production also saw a sharp 1.1 percent drop between the two years.