What is in store for July?

As we move into July we are continuing to notice some small, but definite improvements in the industry. Corrugated box shipments are improving ever so slightly, but improving. Paper mills will be taking a bit more down time in July, historically a month for vacations and change over for new products. Several of the larger paper mills continue to use up inventories and are now beginning to buy ever so slowly.

Our industry will recover, but it will take quite some time. Far too many supermarkets, communities and solid waste authorities have stopped much of their recycling efforts because the markets and consumption are simply not there at this time. My feeling is they should continue recycling, work to develop other alternative outlets for their products. It would be a real shame for so many to completely give up what took so long to develop without exploring every option.

We believe that once we get through July we may see a little better improvement in markets, but the jury remains out on that.