After last week’s price increase for uncoated woodfree products in the Middle East and North Africa, Portucel Soporcel Group, Portugal, reports that it will be "forced" to also increase the price for these grades (in reels) in Europe for the third time this year, effective September 1. The increase will be between 4% and 8%. 

Strong pressure on the industry's cost structure, continuous profitability deterioration, and high operating rates have made the current prices unsustainable, the company noted. 

In 2014, the Portucel Soporcel group set a new record for paper output, increasing the sales volume by 3% to 1,564 million tons, allowing the Group to achieve growth in turnover to EUR 1,542.3 million.