Thursday, October 02, 2008

Uncoated Mechanical (Groundwood) Papers Update

Uncoated Mechanical Papers, also known as uncoated Groundwood specialties continue to enjoy good demand. Among USA four main printing and writing segments, this area was the only one that grew. Shipments were up 14% for 3.1million tons over the past six months. These are papers that are of publication quality and have a higher brightness than standard newsprint and are smoother. Typical end uses include newspaper inserts, direct mail fliers, catalogues, Sunday Newspaper Magazines, telephone directories and commercial printing.
At a glance
2008 estimate
USA Shipments 2,100,000 tons
USA Consumption 6,200,000 tons
Canada shipments 4,300,000 tons

Top 5 producers / Capacity / Market Share
AbitibiBowater / 2,530,000 / 38.5%
Catalyst / 890,000 / 13.5%
NewPage / 890,000 / 13.5%
Fraser Paper / 500,000 / 7.5%
Irving / 440,000 / 7%

No comments: