Question-and-Answer Session
[Operator Instructions]
And your first question comes from George Staphos. You may proceed.
George Staphos - Banc of America Securities
Hi, guys. Good morning. Thanks for the details as always. Doyle, you are saying that box pricing pretty much materialized as you expected. Was there any variability through the quarter? I would imagine not.
Are you pretty much resolved now on the August price hike? And can you give us a flavor in terms how trends are shaping up early in April in that side of the business? And then I have some follow-ons.
Doyle R. Simons - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
George, as we indicated in... as I indicated in the prepared remarks, we did realize over $40 from August 2007 through the first quarter of 2008. So, I would tell you we have fully realized the price increase from last year. In terms of current market conditions, box demand has been and remains solid currently.
George Staphos - Banc of America Securities
Okay. One question, are you done now pretty much with your national account customers? I know you said that you got it implemented, but is there any residual left for 2Q?
Doyle R. Simons - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
No, we were essentially done with that process.
George Staphos - Banc of America Securities
Okay. One of the things that's obviously been a strategy at Temple and the box side has been to improve utilization rates. And obviously, that's had a positive on your returns as we understand. But given the focus on utilization in a somewhat sluggish macroeconomic environment, whether or not it's affecting the box business, I think views vary.
How do you incentivize your managers to avoid pricing at uneconomic levels? How do you factor in return on capital perhaps on that side of the ledger to keep price from dropping too low and the drive for utilization rates.
J. Patrick Maley III - President, Chief Operating Officer, Director
This is Pat.
George Staphos - Banc of America Securities
Hey, Pat.
J. Patrick Maley III - President, Chief Operating Officer, Director
How we approach that piece of the business is we are focused on return on investment and profitably growing our business. And the drive for asset utilization is a drive towards achieving the lowest cost position. It doesn't mean that you transfer or translate that to decreased pricing in the market.
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