The German market for recovered paper and board is clearly a buyers’ market in November, with prices for the bulk grades mixed paper (1.02) and supermarket paper and board (1.04) falling this month. After the first round of negotiations at the beginning of November, paper mills were reportedly offered additional volumes at reduced prices.
Market participants attribute the November price reductions above all to persistently weak demand from the paper industry. Mill stocks of both finished paper and recovered paper and board are said to be well filled, while recyclers and waste management companies report relatively normal inventories and continuing low collection volumes.
Difficulties in exports to Asia may also have contributed to improved recovered paper availability and falling prices. Market sources say that the prices currently offered by buyers from the Far East are not attractive enough for deliveries from Germany.
Sales problems for medium and higher grades
Price levels for graphic paper for deinking as well as for medium and higher grades moved broadly in line with the bulk grades in November.
The situation remains particularly difficult for woodfree shavings (3.18.01) and, to a lesser extent, for white newsprint/magazine paper (3.14/3.15), for which demand appears to be very limited again this month.
Subscribers can read the full market report and access the overview of the price changes in October for the individual recovered paper grades here:
