AF&PA Releases 47th Annual Survey

Overview
Total U.S. paper and paperboard capacity declined 1.6 percent in 2006 to 97.7 million tons. The decline marked the sixth consecutive annual contraction in paper and, paperboard capacity, and the sharpest decline since 2001. Capacity declined only fractionally in 2004, and by 0.8 percent in 2005. For the six year period from 2001 through 2006, U.S. capacity to produce paper and paperboard declined at an average annual rate of 1.0 percent. Competition from paper imports, growth in the U.S. trade deficit with respect to packaged goods, and electronic substitution, were some of the factors that directly or indirectly led to the capacity reductions.