Price increases were on the cards on the Italian recycled containerboard market in February. Paper manufacturers say they are pushing for additional price hikes for deliveries in March.
Recycled containerboard prices have started moving up on the Italian market in February. A few suppliers said they had used healthy demand levels on the domestic market and in export to hike prices for brown and white recycled containerboard grades by a good deal. Negotiations with buyers had gone relatively smoothly and new prices had been accepted without exception for all deliveries of with effect from 1 February, they said.
The majority of market players, however, were a little less enthusiastic about the business in Italy. Given the low level of activity in the corrugated industry, containerboard demand was rather subdued in February, different manufacturers stated. Paper suppliers had been unable to raise all prices from the start or middle of the month: it was therefore not unusual for February's price increases not to apply until March, a few buyers said.
As far as price development for recycled containerboard in March is concerned, no precise information could be provided so far. After enjoying partial success in February, suppliers said they would not abandon their goals and would ask for additional price hikes for brown and white grades in order to get the business at more profitable levels. In an interview on 1 March, however, some manufacturers confirmed that price talks for March deliveries were not a done deal yet.
⇒ This article is an excerpt from EUWID's monthly report on the paper markets in Italy. The EUWID Price Watch Italy for February was published in EUWID Pulp and Paper no. 10 on 6 March.
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