Paper Tariffs — Will Commerce Be Swayed?

Fortunately for printers, Maine says there are “buffering factors” that could help prevent prices from escalating too sharply.

“The Chinese government reinstated the export tax rebate, or in some cases, completely eliminated the value-added tax that was partially rebated,” he notes. “Korean and European suppliers will fill in some of the supply gap. And North American producers will shift capacity to sheets, when possible, and will eliminate dabbling in the uncoated offset market if free sheet becomes tight.”