Recycled corrugated case material prices in Germany are showing a downward trend in March after being stable for some months. The extent of the price drop remains to be seen.
Despite good demand for corrugated board and the resulting sizeable demand for corrugated case material, prices for this paper grade in Germany were wobbly in the first week of March. Some market participants say there are just "cosmetic corrections", while others report more significant mark-downs. During the first days of the month, there was still a significant need for talks in the paper and corrugated industry, so a clear picture would only emerge over the course of the month, EUWID was told.
This development is a double-edged sword for the corrugated board industry because it involves the most recent hike from last year, which the industry was unable to pass on to its customers. Packaging producers want to take back this adjustment, but they also fear that a reduction could put even more pressure on their own selling prices and tight margins.
