Prices for bars in Benelux retail outlets have increased significantly this year and, according to rumors, are now on par with, if not surpassed, prices in Germany.
The base price in Germany is currently estimated at about 350 euros per ton ($412), which is lower than in Italy, where domestic prices can reach 380 euros per ton. An additional fee of 420 euros per ton will be charged for standard sizes, resulting in a price of about 770 euros per ton for delivery to Germany.
One German buyer living near the western border is surprised by the current prices he sees in Belgium at the moment. "Prices were usually 50 euros/ton lower than ours," he tells Kallanish.
Benelux countries such as Germany do not have their own factories. The nearest supplier is Beltrame in France.
Until now, the supplier plants have worked with regional agents, not with hired workers. "It's easier for an agent who gets paid per ton to offer lower prices," says the German manager. Another reason for the previously lower price level is the proximity to major ports of the ARA and the region's access to imports.
According to the manager, the recent price increase may be due to a change in opinion at the factories and a growing reluctance to engage in excessive competition through price concessions.
Factories also seem to be pushing more for transportation costs, which have increased significantly recently and can now reach 60-70 euros per ton when ordering from countries further away than France.
"Some sizes can only be made in Italy, but you usually don't need a full truck of special sizes, so you pack the truck with standard sizes, but you still have to pay the full long-distance fare," explains the manager.
And he points out one notable difference in transportation prices in Benelux compared to Germany.: In Benelux, factories charge for the actual distance. In Germany, which also does not have its own variety plant, foreign factories apply a standard price that is the same for all regions, regardless of whether it is to Hamburg or Munich.
Author: Christian Kel
Kallanish.com
