Dow Emulsion Polymers has raised its prices and says it is “accelerating reviews of all global operating efficiencies and economics due primarily to the extraordinary rise in energy and related raw material costs”.
Effective June 1, 2008, DEP’s prices have risenby up to 20 per cent globally for all latex emulsion products sold into the paper, flooring and performance latex market/application segments. The increase is in addition to previously announced price actions.
General manager Philippe Raynaud de Fitte comments: “We are conscious of the challenges our customers also face with current industry dynamics, as every link of the value chain is affected to some degree in the pinch between ‘big oil’ [companies] and consumers. The reality is that the current environment is untenable and requires DEP to pass on the surging costs immediately.”
In addition to the price increases, DEP is continuing an aggressive cost control plan and is accelerating existing reviews for all of its manufacturing facilities. Phase one of this review resulted in the closure of the latex plant at Freeport, Texas.
