Thermal Market Info
No you are not looking at a Wal-Mart add where they roll the pricing back. Actually, you are reading about the CRAZY world of thermal paper. Yesterday, on the heals of making a large price increase announcement, Hansol decided that the increase would not be passed on in the US markets. However, they are experiencing large increases in freight costs, so we will hold our breath till a later time.
Editorial by
Brandon Kent, Vice President, Telemark Corporation, bkent@telemarkcorp.com
Hansol, a key importer of thermal paper into the US from S. Korea, has announced a 10%-15% increase on thermal paper effective January 1, 2021, according the RISI.
Torraspapel (Lecta) announced an increase of 5% effective January 4, 2021.
Time will tell if/when other mills follow this announcement. Hansol announced a 10% increase in February, 2020 only to rescind it shortly after, when the competition did not follow their lead.
An announcement like this can make an Economic Professor scratch their head in wonder. Normally, the supply and demand model is pretty black and white. However, that is not the case today. POS paper demand is near and all time low, due to Covid-19. POS paper supply is at a near all time high, due to global availability. These too key factors would indicate a steady supply of low cost paper into the US.
Another potential factor in this announcement is the pending FTC (Federal Trade Commission) anti-dumping case that was filed by the US Thermal Coater, Domtar.
Is it possible that some Mills are looking to show “Good Faith” towards pricing by making this announcement ahead of the FTC investigation or is the marketplace truly in need of a price increase?
Will the other manufacturers of Thermal Paper follow? One thing is certain, they are all watching this announcement very carefully and will probably be making statements in the coming weeks.
Editorial Comments supplied by Brandon Kent, Vice President, Telemark Diversified Graphics bkent@telemarkcorp.com
Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia said that low-income parking violators should have to pay less than everyone else.
Boston, MA – A Boston city councilor with a history of racking up parking tickets has proposed imposing parking fines based on violators’ incomes.
During a weekly meeting at City Hall on Wednesday, Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia said that paying fines associated with parking violations puts too large of a burden on low-income families.
“What happens when you’re struggling to juggle all your finances?” Mejia asked. “Then you realize that you are deciding whether or not you are going to pay a parking ticket or put food on the table.”
Mejia, who racked up $159 in her own parking fines before she came into office, said that she is not trying to eradicate fines for low-income parking offenders altogether.
“I don’t think people should just get away from paying their fee. I think we have to find ways to make it easier for people to pay that debt.”
Currently, Boston’s parking violators can expect to pay tickets ranging from $15 to $120, which can increase if they aren’t paid on time.
“I felt that pinch,” Mejia said of her own parking fines, which she paid off after she was elected, according to The Boston Globe.
She said that she believes establishing a sliding-fee scale based off of incomes verified by offenders’ taxes could work.
“When you have a $40 ticket, that could be food off the table for two or three days for a family,” she reiterated.
Based on reports from WBZ and The Boston Globe
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