Many print press operators across Europe have run into a shortage of both newsprint and magazine paper, according to news outlet Keskisuomalainen. The shortage, which has lasted just over a month, has had a broad effect in Europe. The effects of the deficit have also been noticed by paper manufacturers in Finland.
Paper factories have reported difficulties in keeping up with demand which has resulted in prices increases on all kinds of paper. The market prices of newsprint, for example, have seen a reported 10 percent increase over the past year, according to the paper.
The UPM Biofore Company’s factory in Kaipola is the only factory in Finland to produce newspaper.
Reasons for the shortage are linked to paper factory and individual paper machine closures, bankruptcies of forestry companies, and China’s tendency to use newspaper as a raw material in the production of cardboard.