Clariant announce price increases for paper chemicals.

Clariant joins the crowd in announcing price increases in paper chemicals. The reasons given are:

• continuing high price of crude oil
• high energy costs
• increased raw material prices - particularly from China

The price increases affect dyes (10-30%); optical brightening agents - OBAs or FWAs - to increase by 10-15%; and polymer emulsions.

As with the other announcements, it remains to be seen whether they are realised and start to show through in the balance sheet.