Fastmarkets: OCC Prices Hit Four-Year High
Box Shipments ( U.S. Corrugated Product Shipments) Industry Shipments In Billions of Square Feet Month June 2021
For the third consecutive month, US recovered paper pric- ing has increased in every domestic region for all grades, according to industry pricing analysts at Fastmarkets. High demand and low supply shot up old corrugated container (OCC) pricing by $40 per ton at the FOB seller’s dock in the South. The August rise is the 10th month in a row for US OCC pricing hikes in North America. OCC’s national average, at $159 per ton at the FOB seller’s dock in August, is at its highest pricing point in four years. This month marks the seventh month in four years that OCC’s US average has surpassed $100 per ton, and the third month in a row since July’s $129 per ton and June’s $109 per ton. Average pricing for OCC in August has increased $30 per ton compared with July’s $129 per ton. It is up 174 per- cent compared to August 2020. While all U.S. mills contin- ue to have demand for bulk grades. According to Fastmar- kets sources, one of the largest consumers of recovered fiber sought tons off both US coasts for its mills in the US interior. This action competes with the export market to keep tons domestic. In addition to major U.S. mills seeking OCC tons, sourc- es said mills in Mexico were pulling tons from the US Mid- west via truck and paying premiums, up to $40 per ton.
Year
Actual
Percent Change Avg Week Percent Change
2021 2020
35.963 34.395
4.6
8.173 7.817
4.6
Industry Total
Year-to Date
June 2021
Year
Actual
Percent Change Avg Week Percent Change
2021 2020
208.632 196.828
6.0
8.279 7.749
6.8
Industry Total
Containerboard Consumption (Thousands of Tons)
Year
Month
Percent Change Year-to-Date Percent Change
2021 2020
2.9450 2.8182
4.5
14.1095 13.3029
6.1
Container Board Inventory - Corrugator Plants (Thousands of Tons)
Corrugator Plants Only
Date
Percent Change Weeks of Supply
Percent Change
Jun. May
2.1046 1.9962
5.4
3.1 2.9
6.9
Shipping Days
Year
Month
Year-to-Date
2021 2020
22 22
126 127
SOURCE: Fibre Box Association
www.boardconvertingnews.com
6
August 23, 2021
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