European paper and board production rose to over 90m tonnes in 200, a 5.6% increase on 1999 and an all-time record, according to statistics from the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI).

Consumption also rose to over 84m tonnes in 2000, which was the first year CEPI countries produced more than the US.

But employment in the sector reflected world economic problems, falling 1.9% to 258,000.

The increased production levels took in all grades. Output of graphic grades, including newsprint, rose by over 5.7% to 45.6m tonnes.

Production of coated mechanical grades was up 13.3% to just over 9m tonnes, with consumption rising by over 7.3% to 6.9m tonnes. Demand for uncoated mechanical grades rose 4.2% to 4.9m tonnes.

Newsprint consumption only grew 0.7% to 10.5m tonnes, mainly due to a rise in imported newsprint of nearly 100,000 tonnes.

Paper and board consumption rose 4.3% to 84.1m tonnes, while production of integrated and market pulp reached 40.7m tonnes, an increase of 5.5%.

But these levels are not likely to be repeated in 2001, with Q1 output at 22.6m tonnes, slightly lower than the same period last year.

Story by Andy Scott