US Exports of Paper and Paperboard Scrap Surged 7% Through August

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The cumulative exports of paper and paperboard scrap by the country surged higher by 7% during the opening eight months of 2017, says the latest trade statistics released by the US Census Bureau. The exports totaled $2.16 billion as compared with $2.03 billion during the corresponding eight-month period in 2016.

Through August this year, the key destinations of US export were China, Mexico, India, South Korea and Canada. Nearly 90% of total US exports were to these five countries. China accounted for nearly 60% of all shipments by the US during this period. The exports to that country were valued at $1.29 billion, higher by 6.36% over the previous year. In second place was Mexico with imports of $231.4 million. The country’s imports were up by over 20% from the previous year. Mexico accounted for 10.7% market share of US exports. India imported $210.1 million paper and paperboard scrap from the US. The country’s imports rose by nearly 7% year-on-year. The other main export markets during Jan-Aug ’17 were South Korea ($109.5 million) and Canada ($102.5 million).

Among customs districts, Los Angeles represented over 28% of all shipments by the US. The exports through the district totaled $607.7 million, marginally higher by 5.32% when compared with the year before. The other customs districts which recorded significant shipment volumes were New York City ($434 million) and San Francisco ($194.9 million).

Meantime, the US imports of paper and paperboard scrap has increased 52% through August this year to $106.6 million. The first eight months of 2016 had recorded imports of only $70.03 million, the data shows. The imports have almost equaled the imports of $110.37 million recorded during the entire year 2016.

The top exporter of paper and paperboard scrap to the US was Canada. The imports from that country represented 94% of total US imports and were valued at $99.9 million, significantly higher by over 55% when matched with the previous year. Mexico’s shipments to the US totaled $6.4 million during Jan-Aug ’17. The other key exporters were China ($137,205), Turks and Caicos Islands ($24,865) and Haiti ($24,652).

The top five customs district which accounted for bulk of the inward shipment of paper and paperboard scrap were Buffalo, Seattle, Ogdensburg, N.Y., Detroit and Pembina, N.D. These five customs districts together accounted for nearly 85% of total US imports during the eight-month period from January to August this year.