Total U.S. printing and writing (P&W) paper shipments decreased 3% in April compared with April 2013, with increases in year-over-year shipments of uncoated mechanical, coated mechanical, and coated freesheet grades, according to the AF&PA (Washington, D.C., USA) April 2014 Printing-Writing Paper Report released this past week. Uncoated free sheet (UFS) paper shipments in April decreased 8% compared with April 2013. YTD shipments are down 7% in 2014. UFS imports increased 38% in March compared with a decrease in UFS export shipments of 12%.
April coated free sheet (CFS) paper shipments increased 1% to 313,800 tons. YTD shipments of coated freesheet grades are essentially flat compared with 2013.
Uncoated mechanical (UM) paper shipments also increased 5% in April, the seventh year-over-year increase in the past eight months. Year-to-date shipments of UM are up 3% compared with 2013.
Coated mechanical (CM) shipments in April increased 1% relative to April 2013, the first year-over-year increase in the past 21 months. Imports of CM through March were down 12% relative to the same three month period in 2013.
TAPPI
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