Tensions in global pulp markets are tightening, by all accounts, with nervous energy on both sides of the transaction ledger seeming to lead to little change in prices in April. It would however be best to say ‘yet’, because weaker demand for pulp is now being matched with production at… Read More
Read All About It! Recycle that newsprint any way you can
153,000 tonnes of Old Newsprint was recovered in 2018 Recovery rate declined 1.3% compared to 2017 Major end-uses include paperboard, recycled newsprint and products like kitty litter and moulded fibre Australia’s ability to collect recyclables remains world class, as the latest newsprint recovery analysis demonstrates. In calendar year 2018, more… Read More
China to the rescue! Has real growth returned? ~ Economics Briefing
Always a little suspect, China’s economic growth was reported at 6.4%, year-on-year in the March quarter of 2019. Growth was above expectations and was driven by a solid increase in industrial output, as well as domestic consumption, feeding into renewed hope that the driver of global economic growth has turned… Read More
Stink Bug Pain Spreads to 32 Countries for 2019-20: Update
Stink Bug infestation has spread rapidly 32 countries now on Australia’s target list for 2019-20 season 280,000+ tonnes of pulp, paper, paperboard and printed material impacted Treatment costs between AUD12/t and AUD48/t Rapid expansion of the infestation of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) in Europe and North America has… Read More
Stink Bug Pain Spreads to 32 Countries for 2019-20
Rapid expansion of the infestation of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) in Europe and North America has plagued global trade over the 2018-19 risk season, as many importers of wood and paper products have experienced. In response, Australian authorities have announced the 2019-20 BMSB risk season will see 32… Read More
Paper prices to hold or rise in 2019
Sheeted paper prices set to hold Chemical pulp prices still at near record levels Fibre prices continue to rise Shipping costs will increase as Stink bug costs mount Prices of the main printing and communication paper grades are set to remain at current levels or rise throughout 2019. Under… Read More
Printed imports close to $1 billion in 2018
Printed material imports were valued at AUD968.6 million in 2018 Local printers missing work as ‘Other printed matter’ continues to assert itself Printed book import value slips 1.7% to AUD470 million At almost one billion dollars in 2018, Australia’s imports of printed material have proved to be very resilient over… Read More
Recycled paper price nonsense: Analyst Insight
Incorrect export declarations falsely dragging average prices down In the course of our regular close examination of international trade data, it has become apparent that there are serious anomalies in official customs export declarations for recycled paper and paperboard. These misreported declarations are having the effect of falsely dragging down… Read More
Waste paper exports lower, but stabilising
Australia’s exports of OCC recovered paper (Old Corrugated Containers) plunged 21.0% in 2018, falling to 710.2 kt compared with 2017. The fall in exports of 188.6 kt is directly attributed to the much-discussed Chinese restrictions on imports of lower quality recovered material. As recent news out of Victoria reminds us,… Read More
A4 imports slumped to a record low in December
Imports of A4 White Copy Paper slumped to their lowest recorded monthly volume in December 2018, plummeting to just 879 tonnes. On an annualized basis, imports continue to plunge, collapsing to 28,790 tonnes for the 2018 calendar year. The chart below shows the incredible change in fortunes for A4 White… Read More