During last quarter July-Sept has not been very favourable for the laminate industry. Resulting majority of laminate manufacturers in Gujarat and North have been reported to increase the production of liner grade laminate. According to an estimate, India consumes roughly around a crore of liner laminates sheets every month. During slowdown this approximate number has a little bit increased because everybody is pushing liner grade and due to this development the prices in liner segment has contracted by 3 to 4%.
As per the market report, average prices of liner laminates have been found around Rs 240 plus GST, which was around Rs 260 plus GST last year. The reason for this contraction was the favourable prices of chemicals, which laminate manufacturers, have been passing to supplies of liner laminate. The rise in liner laminate is also due to demands coming from Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and some other neighboring countries and the demand pushing up in rural areas within the country is also helping the rise of liner laminates.
The Ply Reporter regular study already had mentioned six months before that out of 300 HPL manufacturing units, more than 100 units are basically running their plants on the basis of liner laminates supplies. Experts say, “Due to rise in competition in decorative laminate category let see how long this trend will continue. It is certain that in coming months laminate prices will witness further competition and pressure. Let see when the bigger players will root out the smaller players, and who are the smaller players, waiting for that condition during 2020.