Due to increasing pressure from raw material price increases, Freudenberg Politex has implemented a 5-7% price hike for different products in its portfolio, effective March 15.

The company says PET chips prices have been on the move since the summer of 2012, pushed upwards by rising production costs, derived by low production capacity exploitations, and by the continuous increase of PX (parxylene) and MEG (monoethylene glycol). The situation has impacted the industry, not only depressing  construction activity, but also reducing consumer spending and therefore creating a shortage of waste material such as post consumer bottles, which for Freudenberg Politex represent a crucial raw material.

Freudenberg Politex says it has tried to offset the effect of these increases through productivity improvements and efficiencies at all manufacturing facilities, but based on current market conditions this is not sufficient.