Cartonmakers Must Accentuate Positives

By contrast, Kaplan reports '99 consolidations in the containerboard sector sought to balance supply and demand, and ultimately lend pricing support and bring back profitability. Major deals in the containerboard sector led to capacity withdrawals of almost 2 million short tons, or 5 percent of total North American capacity—a success which led to a pricing recovery that is expected to continue if export shipments stay strong.