The spiral of price increases for many of the industry's raw materials still shows little sign of slowing down.
Over the last couple of months, many European suppliers have raised waste based containerboard prices. Several cartonboard manufacturers also announced rises; Sonoco increased prices for all its coreboard grades in Europe; and Ahlstrom's LabelPack division lifted its rates on flexible packaging and labelling papers.
On the plastics front, Dow increased its PE and PP resin, and specialty polyolefin prices, while DuPont did the same for its EVAs.
In the USA, prices for all waste based containerboard grades have also hiked. Smurfit-Stone, North America's largest box maker announced increases; and other suppliers lifted prices on recycled paperboard and tissue. MeadWestvaco has also raised some SBS paperboard prices.
Most recently, US spot market prices have risen on northern bleached softwood kraft pulp, unbleached kraft linerboard, and semi chemical corrugating medium.
See our feature 'Swings and Roundabouts' where Simon King, of PCI Films Consulting, gives his views on the reasons behind the price hikes.
