Kraft paper shipments by U.S. producers in May totaled 128,900 tons, 3.4% lower than the prior month, AF&PA (Washington, D.C., USA) reported in its May 2014 Kraft Paper Report issued this past week. Bleached kraft paper shipments dropped from 11,800 tons in April to 9,400 tons in May, while unbleached kraft paper shipments decreased from 121,700 tons to 119,500 tons. 

Overall, kraft paper shipments for the first five months of 2014 were 1.4% lower than the same period last year. Total month-end inventories increased 6.4% compared with April.