{"id":2620,"date":"2025-05-06T06:22:17","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T06:22:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/?p=2620"},"modified":"2025-05-06T08:29:52","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T08:29:52","slug":"impress-may-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/de\/impress-may-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Impress May 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stability, uncertainty, and price pressure converge in a shifting market.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><b>\ud83d\udcc9 Exports Under Pressure, German Prices Slightly Down<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The export market remains <\/span><b>slow and subdued<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, particularly towards Asia. Export volumes are below previous months, influenced by <\/span><b>logistical uncertainty<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>hesitant buying behavior<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Germany, we\u2019re seeing a <\/span><b>modest price drop for board grades<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Contract prices for <\/span><b>OCC 90\/10<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have softened slightly in May. Spot prices show minimal movement, reflecting a market in search of direction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Our expectation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> export conditions may stabilize in June\u2014<\/span><b>if freight flows improve and Asian demand picks up.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><b>\ud83d\udcc8 Higher Grades Remain Stable \u2013 Polish Demand Supports Pricing<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The market for <\/span><b>higher grades<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> such as 1.11 and 2.01 has remained <\/span><b>surprisingly steady<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In a volatile environment, that signals <\/span><b>strong underlying demand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rather than weakness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Poland, the picture is even more positive:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strong demand from local mills<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rising prices for board and deinking grades<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Volume recovery compared to Q1<\/span>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Polish demand is currently acting as a <\/span><b>regional driver of stability and price support<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>\ud83d\udcf0 New Paper: Price Hike Falls Short of Expectations<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In early April, a <\/span><b>\u20ac60 per ton price increase<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was announced for new paper. In practice, most increases have <\/span><b>stopped at \u20ac40<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, held back by <\/span><b>muted demand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>geopolitical uncertainty<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key areas of concern include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weakened demand from <\/span><b>Southern Europe<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slower export orders<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduced purchasing from larger print houses<\/span>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether the full price increase will be implemented still depends heavily on <\/span><b>how demand develops in June<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>\ud83c\udf0d Global Uncertainty Continues to Shape the Market<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Political instability and economic headwinds continue to erode <\/span><b>confidence across the supply chain<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Buyers and processors alike remain cautious, leading to <\/span><b>delays in contracting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>less activity in the spot market<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key influences at play:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ongoing shipping and container issues<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Declining industrial production in Germany<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uncertainty around upcoming elections in several EU countries<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The market is in motion\u2014but without clear direction.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>\ud83d\udce6 White Top Liners Underperform in the Packaging Market<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Demand for <\/span><b>WT-Liners<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (white top testliners) remains weak. Once a popular choice for colorful, printed packaging, these grades are now losing ground to <\/span><b>natural brown alternatives<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, fueled by the so-called \u201cAmazon effect\u201d and the shift toward a more sustainable image.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Retailers are increasingly opting for <\/span><b>neutral-looking packaging<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Less demand for visually striking or printed materials<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Webshops prefer simpler, unbranded designs when shipping high-value items<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\ud83d\udc49 For the recovered paper market, this means fewer returns of clean, white packaging\u2014and declining demand for white fiber grades.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>\ud83d\udea7 Holidays Disrupt Transport and Production Flows<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">April and May bring the usual disruption. With holidays stacked back-to-back\u2014<\/span><b>Good Friday, Easter, King\u2019s Day, Labour Day, Ascension Day, and Pentecost<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014the industry faces a short but intense wave of interruptions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This results in:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Temporary production halts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduced staffing in warehouses and logistics<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slower processing of recovered materials<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Would we ever consider condensing the calendar into 11 productive months and one digital downtime? Until then, it remains a challenge for planning and capacity.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>\ud83c\udf0d Global Tensions Add Uncertainty to the Market<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where past decades saw isolated conflict zones (Afghanistan, Iraq, Georgia), we now face a new phase: <\/span><b>geopolitical tensions among global powers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And it\u2019s hitting our sector too:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Currency markets are volatile<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shipping lanes are congested or rerouted<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trade flows face extra costs due to duties and new regulations<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The paper industry is caught between political instability and logistical complexity. Our advice? <\/span><b>Don\u2019t freeze; adapt.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> These storms are real, but with clear navigation, we can emerge stronger.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>\ud83d\udd0e What\u2019s Ahead for June?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We head into June with a <\/span><b>mixed market picture<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. While exports remain weak, there are signs of potential stabilization within Europe. The coming weeks will be key for:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A rebound in new paper demand<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sustained demand from Poland<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Easing of shipping disruptions<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As always, this market demands <\/span><b>agility, insight, and up-to-date information<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\ud83d\udce9 Missed the April edition? Catch up on <span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/de\/impress-april-2025\/\">IMpress \u2013 April 2025<\/a><\/span> for context on recent shifts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stability, uncertainty, and price pressure converge in a shifting market. \ud83d\udcc9 Exports Under Pressure, German Prices Slightly Down The export market remains slow and subdued, particularly towards Asia. Export volumes are below previous months, influenced by logistical uncertainty and hesitant buying behavior. In Germany, we\u2019re seeing a modest price drop for board grades. Contract prices [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2621,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2620","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nieuws"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/3.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2620","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2620"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2620\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2628,"href":"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2620\/revisions\/2628"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2621"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2620"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2620"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imtrade.nl\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2620"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}