A good orders position and low inventory levels have enabled producers of kraft and sulphite packaging paper to slightly raise prices in Germany in the third quarter.
Prices for kraft and sulphite packaging paper by and large were increased in Germany in the third quarter even though several converters claim to have thwarted the paper industry's efforts. A number of paper producers explain that they have not been able to implement the envisaged hike for all customers although they could still negotiate a higher price on an average against the backdrop of relatively tight paper availability in the recent past.
Producers were very happy with business in Germany in the third quarter. "The market is still very stable", most surveyed respondents said about the balance of supply and demand at the current juncture. Following a weak year in 2013, business figures in 2014 have so far been very positive. In the first six months of the year, deliveries could not be made at all times in view of the extremely high demand but now load levels are comfortable leaving little to be desired and order books are full until the end of the year, a producer said. Most converters also report that ordering from customers is brisk and in-house stocks are low so that incoming goods can be directly converted for a large part.
