French rubber industry reports continued cost pressures

Vitry-sur-Seine, France – French rubber processors are continuing to report increasing pricing and supply issues that have characterised the market over the past three months. 

At the start of the fourth quarter, SNCP carried out a survey of purchasing conditions of general rubber goods (GRG) companies – tracking price evolution of rubber and filler since January.

Between the first and fourth quarters of this year, GRG members saw prices for styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) increase by 46%, while prices for EPDM, nitrile rubber and carbon black have risen by 44%, 51% and 24% respectively.

On a brighter note, SNCP members have reported “a slight easing in the price of plasticisers in the fourth quarter after the very strong tensions of the first half of the year.”

Price increases have continued over the past three months, according to Bruno Muret, of the Syndicat National du Caoutchouc et des Polymères (SNCP).

Meanwhile, it is proving “difficult” for rubber compounders and processors to pass on increased materials and energy costs, added the SNCP directeur economie et communication. 

There are, he noted, “various tensions over supplies, difficult negotiations with customers and still very weak demand from the automotive and aeronautic sectors.”

Supply-chain issues have also been “a major concern” for French rubber processors over the recent months. 

This is still the case, Muret commenting: “maritime transport remains disorganised and operates at a suboptimal level and hopes for improvement are regularly postponed.”

Further details in the Nov/Dec issue of ERJ magazine