NAPL Forecasts 2010 US Commercial Print Volume Up 2-4%

The NAPL forecasts US commercial print volume to increase 2-4% to $76 billion in 2010, after declining 14% in 2009 to $73.5 billion and declining 4% in the previous two years. Commercial printing reported slightly higher volume in September with fewer printers reporting business as slowing, but the NAPL Printing Business Index still remains low at 36.4 in October. One third of total US printing and writing paper shipments will go to commercial printers, totaling 6.3 million tons, evenly split between coated and uncoated grades