Manufacturers of woodfree uncoated paper had partial success in realising their latest price targets on the Italian market. Several copy paper producers achieved increases for C- and B-grades in May. Prices of offset grades have also seen minor increases, but some suppliers are still negotiating with customers and aim at finalising the price hikes in June.
Manufacturers of woodfree uncoated paper had partial success in realising their latest price targets in May. Several copy paper producers achieved increases for C- and B-grades. Prices of offset grades have also seen minor increases, but some suppliers are still negotiating with customers and aim at finalising the price hikes in June.
The conditions in the Italian market currently do not appear to be the best to implement or consolidate a market-wide price hike. Various EUWID respondents complained about some local manufacturers who refrained from increasing prices for May deliveries or only charged insignificantly more.
For several paper manufacturers June presents the last chance to finalise the price hikes which were announced for April and May, and they are determined not to let the opportunity pass. Some are even planning further increases to prices of offset grades and copy paper in a second step. Other market participants, however, take a less dramatic view of the situation on the Italian woodfree uncoated paper market: the latest round of price hikes has arrested the downward trend in prices and has therefore fulfilled its purpose, they say.
