AF&PA report shows steady decline in printing-writing shipments

Printing and writing paper shipments have been steadily declining since last fall, and in the most recent report from the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), shows the biggest decrease in months.

According to the AF&PA’s February 2023 Printing-Writing Monthly Report, total printing and writing paper shipments decreased 15 percent compared with February 2022, and the Washington-based group says shipments decreased in all three major printing and writing grades compared with the same month a year prior. Uncoated free sheet recorded the smallest decline, falling 9 percent compared with last February.

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Total shipments last increased in September 2022 (5 percent) and have been declining ever since. Shipments decreased 4 percent in October compared with the previous year, 1 percent in November, 9 percent in December and 9 percent in January, according to AF&PA monthly reports.

Inventory levels, however, have seen the opposite trend. In September 2022, total printing and writing paper inventory levels decreased 1 percent from month over month before gradually increasing through January. The biggest jump was from October to November last year when levels increased 9 percent, and in February, inventory levels remained essentially flat (0.3 percent) compared with January.

February also marks the first month since August 2022 that saw a decrease in total U.S. purchases of printing and writing papers, with the report showing a 6 percent decline compared with February 2021. Since total purchases decreased 1 percent last August, the numbers had been on the rise—the biggest increase in November 2022 when total purchases increased 13 percent from the previous year.

In January, compared with year-ago levels, the AF&PA reports net imports increased in coated and uncoated free sheet papers, while net imports of mechanical papers decreased 2 percent.