Manufacturers pushed through NaOH price hikes in the second quarter. but are having difficulties in implementing mark-ups announced for the third quarter of the year.
Caustic soda (NaOH) prices are continuing to point higheron Western European markets. Many of the price increases that materialised at the start of the second quarter look to have gained a foothold despite a major slowdown on the supply side that was rooted in better NaOH availability in recent weeks
The chlorine industry had raised prices for 50% caustic soda solution based on in April or May at the latest after several electrolysis units went offline.
It is now much harder for suppliers to institute the additional mark-ups that they are eyeing after NaOH supply returned to normal in June and July and since demand has been stable so far this year. Experts think that even instituting a modest price increase is not easy. Industry insiders thus think that the third quarter will bring a change to the market situation, but that the spectrum of prices would not alter much.
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