Imerys SA and Omya AG - two of the world's largest industrial minerals companies - have announced major price increases for 2005 in an effort to combat spiralling costs resulting from energy, shipping and raw materials costs. On 7 October, Paris-based Imerys announced that prices for its kaolin a and carbonate products for the paper industry will increase effective 1 Jan/05 or as contracts allow across the entire range of products from between 6-15%, depending on the grade. This follows an earlier move upping prices for non-paper minerals manufactured in Europe by an average of 6%. Switzerland-based Omya announced on 17 October that it will raise prices for GCC, PCC, talc and dolomite between 4-8%, effective also 1 Jan/05, or as current price agreements expire. Omya said, "Significantly higher energy, shipping & raw material costs are to blame."
