Dan Stolfi

Continued economic strength, new end-use market opportunities and better production strategies all paint a bright picture for this once over-shadowed segment. By David Luttenberger By most accounts, the U.S. folding carton industry had a banner year in 1998. According to Gary Stanley of the U.S. Department of Commerce (DoC), segment records were set for both quantity and value of product shipments. DoC figures estimate the value of shipments at $9.7 billion. That's a 3.5 percent increase over '97. Much of the good news for the paperboard carton segment can be directly attributed to the strength of the national economy and a better-than-expected export climate.