Paper, Board Output in CEPI Countries Down 2%, Pulp Less than 1%
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CEPI, Brussels, Belgium, this past week reported that after the recovery in 2010, following the previous financial downturn, indications are that paper and board production by CEPI member countries fell in 2011 by close to 2% as the momentum of the revival was affected by the economic slowdown, particularly in the second half of the year. With overall volumes continuing to remain below pre-crisis levels, CEPI estimates that member countries produced around 95 million metric tons of paper and board in 2011. Most grades are expected to show lower annual production levels compared with 2010.
Paper production had reached 103 million metric tons 2007 and decreased by 13% between 2007 and 2009 before increasing by over 8% in 2010, according to CEPI. European pulp and paper levels remain slightly below the average European manufacturing industry performance but still above other energy intensive sectors.
Based on estimates, CEPI continues, it appears that the total performance of CEPI countries during 2011 is similar to that of most of the other major paper producing regions of the world, with the exception of South Korea and China, which have performed better. CEPI estimates that world paper production recorded very limited growth in 2011, at around 0.5%. The average quarterly production level for 2011 was between 23.5 million and 24 million metric tons, whereas in 2006 and 2007, the average quarterly production was more than 25 million metric tons.
CEPI estimates that 2011 production of pulp decreased by less than 1%, after a rise of more than 8% the previous year, with total output of approximately 39 million metric tons. It further estimates that utilization of paper for recycling by CEPI members fell by about 1.5%.
Based on cumulative data up to the end of the third quarter of 2011, CEPI expects that total paper deliveries for the year will have fallen by around 1% compared with 2010. Preliminary indications are that imports of paper into the region appear to have decreased slightly over 2010. Imports from North America accounted for 42% of all imports in the first three quarters of 2011 and imports from non-CEPI European countries had a share of 24%.
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