Decor paper manufacturers report another rise in order intake over the past two months

摘要

Demand for decor paper has picked up in all relevant regions and market segments during the first three months of 2021. Manufacturers have seen their order backlogs and lead times increase sharply again. Reservations are being booked relatively quickly and converted into firm orders. By contrast, inventories have fallen further and are now at a historically low level, according to a variety of producers. European manufacturers are ramping up capacity as much as possible. Most companies had shortened their production stoppages over Christ-mas and New Year, and producers were set to continue operating on most paper machines over Easter, too. A similar approach is planned for Whitsun, although final decisions have yet to be made, according to paper producers. If order intake remains at this level, maintenance stoppages slated for summer would likely be scaled back or possibly even cancelled altogether, they believe.