Negotiations in Progress on Decor-Paper Prices for Deliveries Are Dragging on Longer

Manufacturers and buyers report that negotiations currently in progress on decor-paper prices for deliveries in the first quarter of 2013 are dragging on longer than they have done in previous years. There have been only a few contracts signed so far; most of the negotiations were not concluded until the end of December or the beginning of January. The backdrop to this situation is the widely diverging standpoints of the two sides, the differing assessments of raw-material markets and the uncertainties regarding the further trend in decor-paper demand. Decor-paper producers entered into the negotiations on the basis of a continuation of existing prices, while buyers had aimed at receiving the proportional reduction in prices associated with lower prices for titanium dioxide.