LONDON—A number of major suppliers have announced an increase in their chloroprene rubber prices within the month of November.
German manufacturer Arlanxeo was the latest to join the list, announcing Nov. 9 that it was going to raise its prices for chloroprene rubber and chloroprene adhesive grades in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia.
Product prices will increase $230 per metric ton, effective Nov. 25, Arlanxeo announced, explaining that the increase was due to overall market and cost developments of the past months.
Arlanxeo distributes CR under the brand name Baypren and has production capacity of 60, 000 tons per year for the polymer.
A day earlier, Japanese supplier Showa Denko announced that it, too, had decided to increase its price in European and Asian markets from shipments departing from Japan beginning Nov. 16. The price will be increased by $430 per ton for US-dollar-based transactions.
“We have avoided raising our prices for as long as possible, but we can no longer prolong the inevitable,” said the Showa Denko announcement.
On Nov. 1, another Japanese supplier Tosoh Corp. announced that it was increasing prices for exported chloroprene rubber sold under the Skyprene brand name. The “general” increase will see prices rise by $400 per ton beginning Jan. 1, according to the Tosoh statement.
Tosoh said that over recent years it had strived to offset or absorb costs and that the export price rise was “necessary so as to ensure ability to stably supply [CR].” The company statement went on to ask for customers' understanding regarding the increase.
Tosoh has a chloroprene rubber capacity of around 34,000 tons per year, said Masayuki Kitani, business development & sales manager, Tosoh Europe BV said in reply to ERJ's enquiry.
CR products are used in applications like cable sheathings, hoses, belts and air springs as well as adhesives.