WASHINGTON – The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) released its January 2024 Packaging Papers Monthly report. Total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments in January decreased 4% compared to January 2023. The operating rate for bleached packaging papers was 86.0%, up 11.3 points from January 2023. Shipments of the biggest subgrade in unbleached packaging papers – bag & sack – were 92,900 short tons for the month of January, down 1.1% from the same month last year. …AF&PA also released the January 2024 Printing-Writing Monthly report. Total printing-writing paper shipments decreased 9% in January compared to January 2023. U.S. purchases of total printing-writing papers decreased 19% in December 2023 compared to the same month in 2022. Total printing-writing paper inventory levels decreased 1% when compared to December 2023. Compared to the same period last year—Uncoated Free Sheet shipments decreased 3%, Coated Free Sheet shipments decreased 12%, and Mechanical papers shipments decreased 35%.