Due to the continued raw material cost pressure Flint Group has to further increase prices of all packaging inks in Europe effective 1 April 2011.

 “The price increases for our customers resulting from the recent issues in the raw material markets will be on average 8 percent. In some segments our cost increases will however necessitate price rises of up to 30 percent”, comments Doug Aldred, Vice President Sales Packaging & Narrow Web EMEA. He continues: “Violets, whites, greens and some specific reds are our major concern, and we will inform our customers individually about the overall impact of the price increases and surcharges on their specific product portfolio.”

Ink suppliers are still facing challenges on a multitude of fronts with regard to raw materials: Capacity constraints, government policies around the world, environmental concerns, decreased production of feedstocks, and more. At the end of 2010 the industry already forecasted that raw materials will remain a concern, but the current raw material cost increases are unprecedented.

Doug Aldred concludes: “The raw material cost increases that we have faced over the last few months came on top of the rises already experienced during 2010. Continuity of supply and our ability to produce high quality products remain the primary concern of Flint Group. In close co-operation with our customers we will attempt to minimise the impact of these increases with raw material replacements, alternative products where relevant and our ongoing focus on productivity improvements.'