January proves to be a tough month to implement price hike on containerboard,but suppliers may try again in February

摘要

The North American containerboard market has remained in a "steady state"through the seasonally slow holiday period and into the New Year.Prices have shown no sign of weakening as sometimes happens during the seasonally weak winter period.But at the same time there has not been enough momentum in demand (or curtailment in supply)to enable producers to push through their announced 40/ton price increase for January,according to most contacts.Most major integrated producers have been invoicing customers at the higher price."As of last week,no one on the producer side has blinked,"according to one contact.But independent converters say they do not expect to pay the increase in January and expect to receive a credit if the proposed price hike fails to take hold."I don't know of a single independent converter that expects to pay the increase in January,"one trader said,"and that's the acid test."