In terms of China’s economy, the country was experiencing deflation, in contrast to many Western nations grappling with inflation. This phenomenon was characterized by price weakening and stores offering rebates. Another concern was the real estate bubble, a significant issue in China. This has prompted us to focus not only on quality checks before shipment but also on the financial stability of our producers. The memory of the real estate crisis from 20052011, when we lost three suppliers, underscored the importance of safeguarding our prepayments.
Innovation Award: Ebnat AG
Hörz offered his conclusion on the market, “I would rather cover my demand for the near future and buy now. The chance of falling prices in natural bristle is very minimal. Also, freight rates have bottomed out. Most shippers are taking out their vessels and putting them in a shipyard to reduce price pressure and reduce capacity. I rather feel a risk of increasing prices or even worse of missing raw material in some items.”
SYNTHETIC FILAMENTS: Andrew McIlroy (Perlon) In his report, Andrew McIlroy highlighted significant price fluctuations in the industry. Certain raw materials have experienced a decrease in prices, largely due to shifts in demand, even though these changes aren’t necessarily justifiable from a cost perspective. However, it’s important to note that high energy costs continue to impact the market. Specifically for raw materials related to the production of synthetic filaments, PP and LDPE prices have been affected by a lack of demand, with PP reaching its peak pricing in mid-2022 and experiencing a C3 increase in September 2023. Meanwhile, the demand for PE remains very low, resulting in a reduction in production volumes and a C2 (Ethylene) increase in September 2023. Additionally, PBT faces low demand and competition from cheap imports from Asia, while PET saw a slight increase in costs in September. The PA 6 market is marked by very weak demand and competition from affordable Asian imports. PA 66 is facing limited availability and weak demand, partly due to increased substitution by PA 6. Finally, PA 610 (base materials: Sebacic Acid, HMD) and PA 612 (base materials: Butadiene, HMD) are experiencing weak demand but are relatively less volatile compared to other polymer types.
FINE HAIR: Mark Samuel (Mark Samuel Trading Co. Ltd) Mark Samuel, the world’s preeminent specialist in fine hair, reported continued reduced offers for natural hair in the high-quality range and growing sourcing shortages.
The 2023 FEIBP Innovation Award went to Ebnat AG for their Wood Grill Brush. The company set out to rethink the bristle pattern of a grill brush from the ground up. A specially designed stepped cut ensures optimum cleaning performance. Angled, slightly longer bristle tufts wrap around the grill grates for greater efficiency than conventional grill brushes. Offset filament tufts ensure the grill bars do not get between the filament rows and the bristles clean “into the void.” As a result, the grill bars are in contact with the tips rather than the sides of the bristle tufts, allowing the highly abrasive properties of the brass to be fully utilized. A stronger filament has also been chosen. This allows the brush to withstand high forces during cleaning and prevents deformation of the bristles. The stainless-steel scraper integrated into the handle is another practical cleaning feature. “Sustainability is very important to Ebnat,” says Peter Langenegger. “Our grill brush is made of natural materials - FSC® certified beech wood, stainless steel, brass, goatskin - and is manufactured in Switzerland. The replaceable grill brush head also ensures the longevity of this quality product.”
