AICC members have expressed concern that recent containerboard price increases will meet with great resistance from customers and will put greater pressure on profitability. This concern is underscored by a lack of public box price announcements from many integrated producers. What is your perspective? This survey will ask questions on this and other industry developments such as the WestRock acquisition of Kapstone.

As always, all responses are confidential, but we are providing a place for your name and email address if you care to leave it. Your doing so will allow us to ask follow up questions if we need clarification on any of your responses.

Participation is voluntary and all responses are confidential. If you have questions, please contact Steve Young at AICC headquarters, 703.535.1381, or syoung@aiccbox.org.

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* 1. What are you?

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* 2. Industry reports showed box shipment +2.0% in November; +0.4% in December; and January numbers are expected to be strong. How is your business?

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* 3. Mills report high operating rates, upwards of 98.9% in January, according to American Forest & Paper Association. In your market (and depending on the kind of plant you have) have you experienced any tightness of supply with regard to:

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* 4. All major containerboard producers have announced $50-60 increases with effective dates in February/March, depending on the grade. For those who have box plants in your market, have they also announced accompanying increases in the price of finished corrugated products?

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* 5. WestRock made headlines a couple weeks ago by announcing their acquisition of KapStone Paper & Packaging. The combined companies will have a containerboard market share of 24-25%, according to industry analysts. If you are a purchaser of containerboard or sheets from either company, are you concerned about this acquisition?

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* 6. Again, referring to the WestRock/KapStone acquisition, on the local box plant level do you have any concerns about an over-concentration of boxmaking capacity in your market on the part of the combined companies?

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* 7. If you answered "yes" to number 6, where are you located?

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* 8. Optional:

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* 9. May we quote you?

Thank you for completing the survey. All responses are confidential. If you have questions, please contact Steve Young at AICC headquarters, 703.535.1381, or syoung@aiccbox.org.

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