PAMSA Issues Annual Production Report for 2020

The Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA) collates data from the South African pulp and paper sector to draw up an annual summary of paper manufacturing and paper recycling statistics.  Due to several issues in the collection of our annual statistics, this report has been published a little later than usual. For this reason, we have included data up to the third quarter of 2021.

During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 the essential nature of the services offered was recognised by communities and governments around the world.

“Never before had our services and products been more appreciated as panic buying of items like toilet paper ensued,” says Jane Molony, executive director of PAMSA.

The demand wasn’t limited to hygiene products, but also packaging. Online shopping has become a lifeline for those in quarantine and for those who needed to isolate. Since then, buying your groceries online has become part of our “new normality”. eCommerce has increased the demand for packaging to ensure goods arrive safely at their destination. This is yet another example of how the paper industry is perfectly poised to meet the changing needs in society.

“Paper also provides the printed word on medicine boxes and in books where screen-tired eyes can rest and our brains can unplug,” she adds.

“Many of us found a new appreciation for the outdoors such as the abundance of fresh, newly minted oxygen in planted forests for those whose lungs were compromised and whose minds were stressed and stretched to breaking point.”

Our report details our contribution to South Africa’s balance of trade through our exports of paper products. In 2020, the value of imported paper and board was R3.2 billion but pulp exports brought in foreign exchange worth R12.5 billion, creating a positive balance of trade of R9.3 billion.

Also covered in the report are our pulp and paper grade production statistics, including printing and writing paper, packaging and tissue, along with our paper recovery and recycling numbers.

In 2020, South Africa achieved a 69.8% paper recovery rate, slightly down on 2019. However, at a four-year average, South Africa’s paper recovery is 70.0%, well above the global average of 59.3%. The data for 2021’s recovery rate is not currently available.

The report is available here.