USA Paper Demand Today

USA coated paper shipments continue to be held down because of Coated Free Sheet (Coffee table magazines) imports. Uncoated Free Sheet (office copy paper and trade book) demand continue to decline - 15.8million tons in 1999 to 14,2 million tons in 2004. Major reasons sited include Internet, electronic payments and communication. The shinning segments remain niche specialty papers(Medical, Electrical ) and uncoated mechanical papers (directories and inserts) and this is expected to continue.