The Longstanding Pressure on MDF/HDF Prices Has Remained in Place in Central Europe

The longstanding pressure on MDF/HDF prices has remained in place in Central Europe during the first quarter amid a challenging sales environment. Minor price cuts have emerged again, with deals being struck at relatively short notice. Buyers and even some manufacturers report that a few suppliers are still willing to make slight concessions for large orders. The price brackets for a few grades have become even wider at the bottom end as a result. Amid this backdrop, customers continue to display the cautious buying that has been witnessed since the fourth quarter. Contracts had already become shorter and shorter over the past few months, with a number of buyers putting pen to paper for just one or two months or solely for each order. Manufacturers also reported that the number of framework agreements running for an even longer period of time had recently dwindled again. At the same time, spot transactions have become more popular. Source: euwid-wood-products.com