Carton Shipments Hit $7 Billion

Folding carton shipments reached an estimated $7 billion and 4.4 million tons in the first three quarters of this year, the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) reports. When compared with the first three quarters of last year, shipments in dollars increased by 3.2 percent, while tons increased by 3.4 percent. So far this year remains one of the strongest years measured by year-over-year growth since 2000, the PPC states.

Monthly shipments in August and September show some signs of a softening market, as illustrated in the accompanying shipments chart. For the first time this year there is a clear downward trend in shipments. This is in line with RISI’s strong forecast for 2006 and its expectation that the market would slow some going into 2007.