European Kraftliner Price Increases to Escalate Sourcing Costs
SCA is raising European kraftliner prices by €100 per tonne, driving up finished box and packaging procurement costs.
Kraftliner
Mill Designation
Premium virgin fibre packaging paper provides top ply surfaces for corrugated board production. Unbleached sulfate pulp forms the structural matrix of kraftliner because long softwood fibres impart burst resistance and tensile strength. Mills deliver this heavy paper grade in specific grammage categories to converters who bond the material to fluting mediums.
Moisture content targets hover around eight percent during winding to prevent curling during subsequent processing steps.
Converter Specification
Corrugators apply starch adhesive to the fluting tips before pressing the paper liner against the corrugated medium under controlled heat and pressure. Double backer applications demand high ring crush performance from the bottom liner to support vertical stacking loads inside warehouses. Printers feed the finished board into flexographic presses where surface absorption rates dictate ink drying speeds and dot gain tolerances.
Market Valuation
Pulp mills price structural packaging paper according to softwood fibre input costs and regional supply balances. Buyers track monthly index adjustments published by trade agencies to negotiate supply contracts across European and North American manufacturing sectors. Currency fluctuations between the United States dollar and local trading tender alter import parity pricing for overseas shipments.
Inventory levels at conversion plants dictate spot market activity whenever scheduled mill maintenance reduces regional output capacity.