Late surge propels UK to fibre export record

United Kingdom – The UK, Europe’s largest exporter of recovered paper, established a new overseas shipment record last year of 4.88 million tonnes, bettering by 0.7% its previous best of 4.847 million tonnes set in 2008.

The milestone was overtaken during a frenetic end to the year in which the UK exported 466 232 tonnes in December alone, a monthly total beaten only once last year by the 505 116 tonnes shipped abroad in June. Around the turn of the millennium, the UK’s exports had amounted to some half a million tonnes for the whole year. Across last year as a whole, the UK’s mixed & mechanical exports climbed 5.8% to 1.983 million tonnes and overseas deliveries of corrugated & kraft jumped 10.5% to 2.717 million tonnes.

Meanwhile, the high grades total sky-rocketed 73.3% to 179 905 tonnes, according to data released by the Confederation of Paper Industries and HM Revenue & Customs. While exports were charting new highs, UK mills’ consumption of recovered paper tumbled 10.2% last year to 3.336 million tonnes. The country’s collection volumes were similar to the previous year.