Demand for office paper in Germany seasonally slow in July and August
A series of official announcements that higher woodfree uncoated paper prices are to take effect from 1 October have really caught nobody by surprise. If manufacturers get their way, buyers will have to hand over up to 8% more. Negotiations were only slowly getting going on the German market in the dying days of August because of the summer holidays. September might bring a change because more contacts will be back in the office and business will pick up again. A number of EUWID contacts said that paper producers will not offer much in the way of concessions, even though market conditions have shifted to favour buyers. After all, pulp prices were not expected to remain stable for long, feared producers that are complaining about a massive burden from costs.
On the market for woodfree coated paper, the market leader has announced plans to charge 6-8% more with effect from 1 October. Other manufacturers have followed suit and are seeking similar mark-ups. However, July and August did not go well for suppliers in Germany after a slow June, so observers are increasingly doubtful about whether price hikes will come to fruition.
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