Solid start to the new year for Germany's envelope and shipping bag paper market

摘要

Manufacturers of envelope and shipping bag paper report a positive start to the new business year in Germany. Load rates are back to normal again after the situation in the fourth quarter was not satisfactory throughout the industry, reports say. Business was slow to get into gear in the graphic paper industry and demand only started to pick up at the end of the third week of the year. The kraft and sulphite packaging paper market started the year on an unusually quiet note. In previous years, business had largely returned to normal in the second week of January. As regards the magazine and catalogue paper segment, publishing houses are often still finding it difficult to finalise supply agreements for the first quarter or first half of the year, whereas many commercial printers appear to have made more progress. Both are keen to achieve lower prices. Paper manufacturers confirm that LWC as well as SC paper prices are on a downward trend.