Europe: stats show small drop in 2016 paper & board production over 2015; packaging grades to continue to grow
(Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 07, 2017) Paper and board production in CEPI countries shows a small decline from 2015. CEPI member countries paper and board production has decreased by 0.1% in 2016 compared to the previous year, according to preliminary figures. Total production in 2016 was around 91 million tonnes. Machine closures in Europe in 2016 were compensated by new capacities or upgrading of existing ones.
United States and Canadian production are expected to be down by 1.0% and 1.8% respectively. Output slightly increased in South Korea (+0.5%), whilst it was unchanged in Japan and Brazil compared to 2015. The highest growth rates in paper and board output appear to have been recorded by Russia (+3.8%), India (+2.9%) and China (+2.9%).
According to very first estimates, world paper and board production will be up by 0.8% in 2016 to reach 410 million tonnes.
The decline in output of graphic grades persists whilst production of packaging grades continues to rise
The picture by sector maintains the situation witnessed in recent years with a continuation of the decline in the production of graphic grades and further growth in the output of packaging grades.
Weak printing and publishing activities continue to have an impact on the overall production of graphic grades, which fell by around 3.7%. Output of newsprint – used mainly for daily newspapers – is expected to fall around 6.4%. The production of graphic papers for other communication needs – magazines and catalogs, direct mail, directories, etc. – have recorded different developments. The decline in the output of coated mechanical paper and coated woodfree grades reach 7.1% and 5.0% respectively, while uncoated mechanical paper output increased by1.9%. The production of uncoated woodfree grades – mainly office paper – is estimated to have decreased by 1.4%.
The production of packaging grades is estimated to have increased by around 2.3% compared to 2015. Within the packaging grades, case materials – mainly used for transport packaging and corrugated boxes – recorded an increase in production of 2.2%. The output of carton board plus other packaging board – such as small goods packaging or book covers – grew by 2.8%, and the production of wrapping grades – used for paper bags production – showed an increase of around 1.2%. Production is impacted by the ongoing trend towards light-weighting and resource efficiency as it is measured in tonnes. The share of packaging grades accounted for 50.1% (49.0% in 2015) of the total paper and board production, with graphic grades accounting for 37.3% (38.8% in 2015).
Sanitary and household manufacturers are estimated to have seen an increase in output of about 1.8% compared to 2015 and accounted for 8.1% of total production. Output of all other grades of paper and board – mainly for industrial and special purposes – increased by 2.8% (4.5% of total production).
To download complete report Go To: CEPI’s Preliminary Statistics 2016
(Source: CEPI)
Cover Image: courtesy CEPI
