Pulp and paper demand deteriorates as global economic crisis takes hold : markets for paper, paperboard and woodpulp, 2008-2009

Abstract

Pulp and paper production and consumption in both Europe and North America declined in 2008 and 2009 as the global economic crisis took hold. In early 2009, leading trade associations were reporting year-over-year declines of 17% in total paper and paperboard production in both Europe and the United States, considerably more than the 2008 drop. Capacity-utilization rates deteriorated in Europe and North America, leading to a wave of capacity withdrawals in the form of mill downtime and mill shutdowns. By mid-2009, pulp and paper commodity prices were beginning to stabilize or increase slightly, although prices remained generally well below peak levels of the preceding year. Energy and climate policies gained industry attention in North America via alternative fuel tax credits (applicable to black liquour), renewable fuel standards, and energy and environmental improvement assistance. European Union political developments relevant to pulp and paper included an energy and climate package, illegal logging, and reclassifying recovered paper as “secondary material” instead of “waste”. In June 2009, the Confederation of European Paper Industries called for a temporary moratorium on new environmental rules for the sector in response to the economic crisis. Negative impacts of the economic crisis on importers of Russia’s timber combined with consequences of Russia’s rising roundwood export tax, have prompted discussion of further postponing or even cancelling the log export tax. The European paper industry called on the European Commission to take leadership or risk jeopardizing the industry’s future. Global forest products industry CEOs, who represent the pulp and paper industry worldwide, have called for a level playing field to reboot the global economy.

Citation

Ince, Peter J.; Akim, Eduard L.; Lombard, Bernard; Parik, Tomas. 2009. Pulp and paper demand deteriorates as global economic crisis takes hold : markets for paper, paperboard and woodpulp, 2008-2009. Forest products annual market review, 2008-2009. Geneva timber and forest study papers ; no. 24. New York : United Nations, 2009: p. 85-96: ISBN: 9789211170078: 9211170079.