June brings no end to price talks for NBSK pulp

13 July 2017

Pulp buyers are putting up resistance to manufacturers' price hike initiative. Converters report improved supply for NBSK pulp compared to the previous month.

As of the first week of July, price negotiations between northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp producers and their customers had not yet been entirely completed on many markets in Western Europe. The talks centred on the targeted increase for the month of June. However, according to market respondents, producers have apparently been unable to implement the hike in its entirety.

Customers in the NBSK pulp market are putting up resistance to manufacturers' price plans, according to EUWID sources on both sides of the market. Converters reported improved availability of NBSK pulp compared with the previous month, with additional volumes being available again. Furthermore, prices in Asia have declined, which was often used as an argument against further price hikes in Western Europe, EUWID was told.

 

Source: euwid-paper.com