Raw Material Shortages Affect Ink Prices

Rosin

In all regions rosin remains in tight supply. In North America tall oil rosin (TOR) is very tight and under severe upward price pressure due to the global demand for TOR (driven by replacement demand of Gum Rosin and bio diesel demand in Europe) and has now hit price levels nearly equal to Gum Rosin. Although we are recently seeing some price stability, prices remain at an all-time highs. Since January 2010 the cost of rosin is 3 times more expensive and will likely remain at very high price levels for the foreseeable future. We are beginning to see some changes away from rosin to alternatives but the alternatives also have supply and price issues associated with them.