Paper Outlook

The Shift Is On

Sutton contends that the market for super calendered (SC) printing papers is on the verge of shifting in the producer's favor, with higher prices likely to follow. He attributes this change to reduced supplier capacity, fewer European imports and stronger domestic demand. On that latter point, the Pulp and Paper Products Council (PPPC) reports that North American demand for SC-A papers increased by 12.8 percent in the first two months of 2004 alone.