The fluff pulp market has been the subject of much interest lately, attracting significant investment in mill conversions, acquisitions and new capacity. Despite representing only 10% of the global bleached chemical pulp market, the sector has attracted investment because of its remarkably consistent growth rate; global demand has expanded at an average rate of 3.3% pa since 2011, compared to 1.9% pa for paper grade pulp. The growth in fluff pulp demand has been underpinned by improving living standards, demographic trends and low penetration rates in developing countries. However, while the prospects for demand remain stellar, a surge in new supply promises a period of market volatility.
Against this backdrop of growing uncertainty, the Outlook for fluff pulp service provides subscribers with Hawkins Wright’s observations on the sector. These observations include a close examination of historical demand, supply and pricing data. Forecasts for these three variables are also provided, allowing subscribers to plan effectively and successfully: to identify and seize opportunities and strategize for any threats. The analysis also includes an overview of the dissolving pulp market, which is having an increasingly important influence on capacity developments within the fluff pulp sector.