Folding Carton Shipments Remain Strong Despite Softness in September

But, monthly shipments in August and September show some signs of a softening market. For the first time in 2006 there was a clear downward trend in shipments. Orders in August were high compared to September shipments, suggesting that some orders were pulled or sent to the warehouse as “make-and-hold” finished products until needed. A spike in finished goods inventory suggests that the latter is definitely happening. Orders remain strong in September at a 5.9 percent year-over-year increase, which suggests that shipment numbers in the fourth quarter could improve or we could see further increases in the finished good inventory.