Paper Forecast — Consolidation Cuts Through

Crone feels the U.S. presence of Stora Enso could actually augment availability. "Pricing is another matter. You would think that less competition would allow a harder line on pricing, but if you look at the merchant level, which has gone through the same consolidation—locally, we have gone from 11 merchants, 15 to 18 years ago, to three—their pricing is as competitive today and maybe even more so than in earlier years. Time will tell."