CPH Group, which is active in the paper, chemistry and packaging sectors, continues to feel pressure on margins due to rising raw material prices. There is still no relief in sight, CFO Richard Unterhuber told FuW at the Investora investor conference on Wednesday.

In the Packaging Division, which specializes in blister foils for medicines, the trend of rising prices for plastics has continued since the beginning of the second half of the year, he said. "We hope that the increase in raw material costs will stop in the coming months," CPH CFO Richard Unterhuber said. With a slight time lag, the Packaging Division, which accounted for a good 35% of group sales in the first half of the year, is trying to pass on some of the price increases.

The development of raw material prices was less problematic in the smaller Chemistry Division (share of sales around 20%), which also recorded good growth.

In line with the industry, the hardest hit is the Paper Division, which accounts for 45% of sales. The sector continues to be under heavy pressure, Unterhuber added. The shortage on the market for recovered paper continues. According to Unterhuber, it is not possible to predict whether recovered paper prices will fall at the turn of the year.

Read the entire article here (in German).