American Forest & Paper Association Releases September 2020 Containerboard Monthly Report

Total Containerboard production in March increased nine percent compared to March 2020. It was up two percent when compared to the same three months of 2020. March 2021 production of containerboard for export decreased 15 percent compared to the same month last year; it was down 25 percent year-to-date. The containerboard operating rate was 98.4 percent, up 2.8 points from March 2020 and essentially flat (-0.3 pts.) year-to-date. Mill inventories of containerboard at the end of March decreased 77,000 short tons from the previous month and were down 56,000 short tons compared to March 2020.

Paper production in Laakirchen and Steyrermühl is undergoing radical changes. The two sites - in future both part of the HEINZEL GROUP - are to grow together into a center for sustainable packaging papers, renewable energy and wood processing. Several key projects are planned and the projects are being presented at a press conference of Laakirchen Papier AG on Wednesday, December 6th: from the conversion of the paper machines to the production of sustainable packaging papers to the conversion of the energy supply to renewable energy sources through the use of existing recyclable and residual materials to the expansion of district heating. The HEINZEL GROUP is pursuing ambitious climate targets, focusing even more on the circular economy and planning to significantly reduce its consumption of fossil natural gas.

UPM Raflatac and Mus Verpakkingen, a Dutch supplier of metal packaging and closures, have partnered to find a more sustainable alternative for can labeling. Historically, Mus's products have primarily been used in the paint and chemical markets, but today Mus provides a wide assortment of cans, closures and aerosols for the cosmetic and food industries, too. Together with UPM Raflatac, Mus has tested the new RafBio PE material in application. RafBio PE is a sustainable alternative to standard PE film and is made from sugarcane ethanol containing more than 80 % renewable plant-based raw material. This ecodesigned film material reduces greenhouse gas emissions and is recyclable within the same recycling streams as fossil-based PE. For the test series, Mus has labeled 1 liter cylindrical cans with RafBio PE Clear FTC 85 film. The plan is to use RafBio label material for other sizes, too, as the labeled range of cans goes from 125 mm to 5 liters. Click Read More below for additional information.