UM Shipments down 10%

Uncoated mechanical (UM) shipments decreased by double-digit percentages for the eighth consecutive month, yet it is the lowest decrease in the stretch, only hitting 10% by rounding, according to AF&PA. UM shipments decreased 10% compared with January 2011, to 141,300 tons. U.S. purchases of UM were down 21% compared with January 2011, the largest year-over-year decline in purchases since July 2009.

The cause of this drop, AF&PA notes, is a decrease of UM imports by 9%, led by a 24% decline in imports from Canada in December 2011. UM inventories were the only ones to decrease, down 2%, or 1,800 tons, from December.

TAPPI
http://www.tappi.org/