Cautious start to 2025
Paper Volumes Slightly Decline in the First Quarter
After a positive year in 2024, which ended with an increase of 7.8%, European graphic paper manufacturers again suffered a slight decline in volumes compared to the previous year in the first quarter of 2025. Sales volumes fell by 2% in Q1 to 288,480 t (previous year: 294,358 t).
However, this more negative trend had already become apparent in the fourth quarter of 2024, with a decline of almost 5%.
For proper context, it should be noted that comparable quarterly volumes were significantly higher in the pre-coronavirus period. For example, the volume of paper sold in Q1 2021 was around 396,000 t, 37% higher than this year.
All manufacturers are now eagerly awaiting the rest of 2025 and hope that the negative trend will not continue. However, compared to FEPE members, who suffered a decline in sales volume of a good 7% in Q1 2025, graphic paper manufacturers performed significantly better.
Euro-Graph Statistics Deliveries of Uncoated Woodfree Reels to Europe Quarterly, in tonnes in comparison to figures of FEPE statistics
It is also always interesting to compare the long-term volume trends in both associations. The jointly developed volume index (2005 = 100) shows an almost continuous decline in volumes in both associations since 2007. However, the decline in the envelope sector is somewhat more pronounced than in the graphic sector. After a convergence of the indices in recent years, the Euro-Graph Index performed significantly better than the volume index in the envelope industry in 2024, with the result that the two index curves diverged again. |
Euro-Graph versus FEPE 2005 – 2024
Index 2005 =100
