The Prices of imported Base Paper is reportedly up by 10 percent with immediate effect because the high price of Titanium Dioxide, which is major raw material for base paper manufacturing. The Décor paper supplier companies say that the price of Titanium dioxide plays significant role in the printed décor paper cost, as it’s a crucial raw material and always reported to cause the fluctuation in its prices to the material which is the main ingredient of the Laminates industry.
The recent jump in the prices of Titanium dioxide has forced the base paper companies to increase the prices. Titanium dioxide manufacturers have pushed the price hikes due to inflationary pressures associated with the raw material costs. Titanium dioxide producers say that they are facing increasing prices for Ilmenite and Rutile ore once again. In the view of these higher raw material costs, major TiO2 pigment manufacturers, such as Huntsman Corp., Kronos, Tronox and Crystal had already informed their customers about additional price hikes in the first quarter of 2017.
On other hand, Craft Paper prices have also gone up by 15 % in last week of March. Mr. Arun Murarka says that the prices increase is noted mainly in B and C grade craft paper by 10 to 12 percent, whereas A grade prices are unaffected. He seeks to Craft Paper producers to bring prices back as softening Dollar rates against rupee and pulp prices may compensate their input cost.
The recent price hike in décor and craft paper will create another burden to Indian laminate industry which are working on minimum margin. There are many HPL producers who have managed to increase some price last month in tune of Rs 20 to 40 per sheet but not all. The price increase in shuttering ply has not happened as use of craft is very less yet an effect 50 paise is talked about on film face plywood.