During the last six months, the costs of raw materials used for the manufacture of ink and varnish have increased by more than 30% on a global level, and in certain cases beyond 50%. In spite of the drastic measures taken in-house, the manufacturers of ink are not capable of absorbing such massive increases, reports EUPIA, the European association of the manufacturers of printing ink, and AFEI, the French Association of manufacturers of printing ink.
Price increases have been spurred by shortages due to recent reductions in capacity following economic restructuring and new antipollution legislations in China. Reductions in stock in the supply chain and increasing demand for these products, particularly in emerging markets have exacerbated the problem.