Suppliers of uncoated woodfree paper to the German market have confronted their customers with plans to increase prices by up to 8% as of the second half of April. Buyers explain that hikes for UWF paper are largely cost driven and believe that suppliers have only a slim chance of implementing higher prices.
Uncoated woodfree paper suppliers report healthy order inflow in the first two weeks of April. After prices remained largely stable in March, manufacturers are largely positive in their outlook for a potential price hike on the German market. More producers have informed their customers of their plans, and wholesalers also appear to be supportive of the price hike. UWF suppliers are working on an increases of 6-8% for deliveries as of the middle of April, mainly for offset sheets.
Buyers of UWF offset sheets say they have heard nothing from their wholesale suppliers so far. Buyers of reel paper even claim they have not received any notification of a price hike at all. They expect that prices will not change in the first half of the year.
Although lead times for uncoated woodfree paper 80 g have lengthened in the recent period, they are not indicative of a shortage in supply, they say. Suppliers on the other hand argue that the cost burden leaves them no other choice but to take prices up by a notch.
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