European Pulp Consumption Rises

Pulp consumption in Europe increased in May to 1,023,367 metric tons from 966,047 metric tons in April. The May figure was down 2.7% compared with May 2011, according to Belgium-based UTIPULP, a non-profit association representing the "Group of European Market Wood Pulp Users." UTIPULP's statistics include information from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the U.K. for sulfite and kraft pulps.

Pulp inventories at European ports declined in May after an increase in April, according to Europulp. Inventories totaled 1,017,951 tmetric ons in May.

European shipments of newsprint and mechanical paper decreased in May, according to the European Association of Graphic Paper Producers. Total shipments of newsprint were 871,000 metric tons in May, which was 4% lower than the same period last year. Total supercalendered shipments fell by 2.9% in May.

TAPPI
http://tappi.org/