U.S. shipments of corrugated products increased 0.6 percent, from 30.33 bsf in December 2015 to 30.52 bsf in December 2016, according to the Fibre Box Association (FBA). There was one less shipping day in December 2016. Average week shipments increased from 7.583 bsf in 2015 to 8.032 bsf in 2016, or 5.9 percent. Year to date shipments of corrugated products were 1.7 percent higher in 2016 compared to 2015.
Containerboard consumption increased slightly, from 2.457 million tons in December 2015 to 2.470 million tons in December 2016, or 0.5 percent. Consumption was up 2.7 percent year to date over 2015.
Containerboard inventory at corrugator plants increased 2.7 percent from 1.899 million tons in November to 1.949 million tons in December. Weeks of supply remained constant at 3.0.
