Recently, "Ceramic Information" learned from the Gao'an production area in Jiangxi that starting from September 1, the price of Gao'an natural gas has increased by another 0.6 yuan/m³, and the highest gas price for ceramic companies is approaching 5 yuan/m³. At the same time, coal prices have also risen to historical highs, with the factory price reaching 1,400 yuan/ton.
In addition, the prices of chemical materials, cartons, etc. have been showing a sharp upward trend. The continued rising cost pressure has further aggravated the kiln shutdown rate in the production areas. Affected by this, since September, ceramic companies producing antique tiles and small floor tiles in Gao'an production areas have issued price increase notices.
Natural gas prices have risen three times in a row in three months
The maximum is approaching 5 yuan/m³
According to the gas-consuming ceramic enterprises in Gao'an Ceramics Base, according to the price adjustment notice issued by Gao'an Natural Gas Co., Ltd., starting from September 1, the price of natural gas has been increased again by 0.6 yuan/cubic meter, which means that the gas consumption of Gao'an ceramic enterprises The highest price reaches 5 yuan/cubic meter, and the average price of gas used by ceramic enterprises in the base is about 4.5 yuan/cubic meter.
According to "Ceramic Information", at present, natural gas is used in production in Gao'an production areas. In addition to ceramic supporting enterprises in the ceramic construction base, it is mainly the newly expanded ceramic production lines in the second half of last year. A total of 7 ceramic production lines are using natural gas. , mainly produces 800×800mm glazed tiles, 600×1200mm and 750×1500mm large slabs and other products.
"Since June this year, the price of Gaoan natural gas has been raised three times in a row, soaring from more than 2 yuan per cubic meter to the current more than 4 yuan per cubic meter (nearly 5 yuan). Such a gas price is believed to be The situation is the worst in the country, and the company cannot survive at all and has no choice but to shut down its kilns," said the owner of a ceramics company in Gao'an.
According to "Ceramic Information", as the price of natural gas continues to rise, coupled with inventory pressure caused by market pressure, many gas-based ceramic production lines have been suspended in Gao'an production areas, and recently some gas-based ceramic companies have stated that "the cost If we can’t bear it anymore, we have plans to stop the kiln.”
Intensive price increase of antique bricks
"If it cannot rise, production will continue to be suspended"
At the end of August, Jingcheng Ceramics, a long-established antique brick company in the Gao'an production area, and the company that just enteredIn the field of antique tiles, Wenzhou ceramic companies such as Kangerju Ceramics and Debon Ceramics have issued price increase notices and plan to increase the prices of their products starting in September.
It is worth noting that this price increase is mainly concentrated in the two categories of antique tiles and small floor tiles. The price increase range is 0.2 yuan/piece for 600×600mm, 0.5 yuan/piece for 800×800mm, and 600× 1200mm increased by 0.5 yuan/piece...
"It is imperative to raise prices. If the price cannot rise, we will continue to suspend production!" The boss of an antique brick company in Gao'an revealed that if the price is not raised, it will only lose money. If the price is raised, it can only maintain capital. If the market does not accept the price increase, then it will only We can make some inventory to continue production.
In the opinion of the owner of the company, the company is in an embarrassing situation due to the high production costs. The prices of coal and chemical materials are unstable, and companies dare not make large inventories as before. Once the price of coal drops, the coal inventory in the warehouse will depreciate. Secondly, there are many types of antique bricks, and it will be difficult for customers to replenish their positions after production is stopped, which will easily lead to market losses.
It is understood that due to the sharp rise in prices of coal, chemical materials and other materials, as well as the dual impact of market sales pressure, since June, the Pan-Gaoan production area has ushered in a wave of large-scale production suspensions, with more than 60 kiln production lines suspended, and Mainly focusing on categories such as tiles, antique bricks and porcelain tiles.
After August, some antique brick companies and tile manufacturers began to resume production in a planned manner. As the market sales pressure has eased and production costs have increased again, it has also promoted the antique brick companies to a certain extent. Prices rose after production resumed.
According to "Ceramic Information", since the first price increase in the Gao'an production area at the end of May this year, during the three months of June, July and August, the Gao'an production area has changed from Western tiles and antique tiles to glazed tiles, The prices of products such as large slabs and small floor tiles have been raised to varying degrees. The price increase in the off-season is "the first time in the history of the development of high-security production areas."
There are obvious signs of sales recovery in August
Restore "centralized gas supply" before the end of September
According to "Ceramic Information", in the just-ended August, many ceramic companies in the Pan-Gao'an production area said that their production and sales rates were better than in July. Asus Ceramics Group announced at the group marketing conference that the group achieved a production and sales rate of 100% in August; Sun Enterprise Group also stated that production and sales in August reached more than 95%, which was better than July.
As market sales tend to pick up, companies in pan-high-security production areas have begun toResumption of production lines that have been discontinued or have undergone technical transformation. On August 29, Jinliyuan Ceramics has successfully put into production its 400×800mm medium plate line after nearly three months of technical transformation of its production line; at the same time, at the end of September, Yawei Ceramics’ 750×1500mm large plate line will also be put into production.
As previously discontinued ceramic production lines begin to resume production one after another, the sales pressure on enterprises remains severe. Therefore, in the face of continued rising cost pressure, most manufacturers in Gao'an production areas dare not increase prices on a large scale, and only some companies with niche and small-sized products have issued price increase notices.
According to the bosses of many companies in Gao'an Ceramics Construction Base, the Gaoan Centralized Gas Supply Project will begin to resume gas supply to Gaoan Ceramics Construction Base companies before the end of September. Faced with the current rising coal prices, "centralized gas supply" As a clean coal gas project, the gas supply price for ceramic enterprises will be increased to a certain extent compared with the price during the trial operation at the end of last year.
This also means that after the "centralized gas supply" project in high-security production areas resumes gas supply, the fuel costs of ceramic companies may rise again.
(Article reproduced from Ceramic Information)
