AF&PA Releases Q2 2024 Containerboard Quarterly Report
According to the report, total Containerboard production in Q2 increased 7% compared to Q2 2023. It was up 7% when compared to the same 6 months of 2023. *Operating rates for all major grades except Semichemical Medium increased compared to Q1 2024, and total production was the highest it has been since Q2 2022. *Unbleached Kraft Liner production for export surged more than 44% over its year-ago levels. Total export production for the first half of the year is also up 40%. *Recycled Medium is the only grade with a flat operating rate (-0.2%) compared to the first half of 2023, as capacity increases (+175,000 tons) have slightly exceeded production gains (+140,000 tons). *Domestic new supply for Q2 was slightly lower than last year’s peak in Q4, but it is still up 3.7% year-to-date, as domestic production has increased as much as export production in terms of tonnage, and imports are up 9.8%.