As per the 64th Paper Industry Annual Capacity and Fiber Consumption Survey released by the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), containerboard share of total paper and paperboard capacity has exceeded by 50 percent since 2021.
May 21, 2024
The packaging paper capacity in the American pulp and paper industry increased by 4.8 percent in 2023, while the containerboard capacity registered near-record levels due to 11 consecutive years of growth averaging 1.6 percent from 2011 to 2021. The containerboard share of total paper and paperboard capacity has exceeded by 50 percent since 2021.
These statistics were revealed by the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) in its 64th Paper Industry Annual Capacity and Fiber Consumption Survey, released recently. The report provided detailed data on U.S. paper industry capacity and production compiled by the AF&PA statistics team.
As per the report, the paper and paperboard capacity in the US declined by 1.6 percent in 2023 to reach 79.7 million tons. It showed an average decline of 0.9 percent per year since 2014. The U.S. paper and paperboard production declined 7.2 percent last year, with declines in all categories except tissue, it noted.
As per the survey report, four machines totaling 2.1 million tons of containerboard and packaging paper capacity started up during 2023, all using 100 percent recycled fiber. However, more than 1.7 million tons of capacity, mostly using wood fiber, was permanently removed in 2023 as the industry faced demand weakness from customer destocking and economic headwinds.
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The containerboard capacity declined 0.7 percent in 2023, showing consecutive declines in 2022 and 2023. However, the containerboard capacity registered near-record levels due to 11 consecutive years of growth averaging 1.6 percent from 2011 to 2021. The containerboard share of total paper and paperboard capacity has exceeded 50 percent since 2021, it added.
The report said the packaging paper capacity increased by 4.8 percent. All the growth came from unbleached packaging papers. Meanwhile, the boxboard capacity declined by 2.0 percent in 2023.
The survey further mentioned two recent announcements of adding boxboard capacity in 2025 to meet the demand for paper-based consumer packaging in the US.
The printing-writing capacity dropped 5.0 percent in 2023, lower than the three-year and 10-year trend of 7.1 percent and 6.9 percent declines, respectively. The printing-writing capacity went below 10 million tons for the first time in more than 50 years and accounted for just 12 percent of total paper and paperboard capacity in 2023, down from 28 percent in 2000 when electronic communication became widespread, revealed the report.
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Tissue capacity declined by 0.9 percent in 2023. In spite of two consecutive year-over-year declines, tissue capacity increased at an average annual rate of 0.4 percent from 2014 to 2023.
As per AF&PA, its capacity survey detailed the U.S. industry data for 2023 and 2024 for all major grades of paper, paperboard and pulp, as well as fiber consumption. Based on a comprehensive survey of the American pulp and paper mills, the survey included production data for 2023.
As per AF&PA, its data represented about 89 percent of the American paper and paperboard industry capacity, with estimates completing the data set.
