May 23, 2012 | ||||||||
Using the plastometer to measure rubber covered roll hardness (deformation) |
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Supply discipline in North America - mitigating the impacts of capacity investments (Editor's note: This article
first appeared in the April 10, 2012 issue of Over the Wire Tissue.)
The
wave of [tissue] capacity investments announced in the past two years
in North America created a concern for downward pressure on operating
rates. However, with the closure of Kimberly-Clark's Everett, Wash., USA,
mill last year and the recently announced closure of Kruger's two machines
in British Columbia, the North American market appears to be more in balance.
Several projects are expected to be completed this year and the question
going forward is if this supply discipline will continue. In addition,
the closures have been concentrated in the West, raising questions about
how regional supply/demand balances are developing.
CAPACITY CHANGES
Figure 1: Tissue Capacity Changes in North America. Source:
Pöyry Smart Terminal
REGIONAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCES IN THE U.S. Going forward, these trends appear to be continuing. A large number
of the capacity additions are concentrated in the U.S. Southeast as
an attractive fiber supply and other favorable facts are driving the
interest. In the West, threats from imported products may be playing
a factor in the competitive landscape.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Lindsay Gervais is a Consultant at Pöyry Management Consulting.
Contact her at: lindsay.gervais@poyry.com.
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