Recently, the market for alumina ceramic raw materials has experienced a new round of price increases, with multiple ceramic companies announcing price hikes ranging from 10% to 20%. This price surge not only affects the production cost of alumina ceramic substrates, but also affects the entire passive component industry chain, triggering widespread market attention.
It is understood that the price of alumina ceramics, as a key upstream material for passive components such as chip resistors, has been affected by fluctuations in the raw material market. In recent years, with the recovery of the global economy and the growth of demand, the prices of raw materials such as alumina have continued to rise. Especially since 2022, due to multiple factors such as the dual carbon policy, emission reduction, and power rationing policy, the cost of energy such as coal and natural gas has also significantly increased, further pushing up the production cost of alumina ceramics.
The data shows that the futures price of alumina has shown a significant upward trend in the past year. Taking the latest data on October 15, 2024, as an example, the latest price of the main contract for alumina futures is 4856.0 yuan/ton, an increase of 85.0 yuan/ton from the previous trading day, with a fluctuation of 1.78%. This increase not only reflects the tense situation in the raw material market but also indicates a further rise in the price of alumina ceramics.
Under cost pressure, multiple alumina ceramic production companies have had to announce price increases. The leading global upstream material for chip resistors, alumina ceramic substrates, has announced a price increase of at least 15%. This measure is not only to cope with the rise in raw material costs, but also to ensure the normal operation and profit margins of the enterprise.
However, the wave of price increases has also raised concerns in the market. Some downstream companies have stated that the rise in prices of alumina ceramics will directly increase their production costs, thereby affecting the market competitiveness of their products. Meanwhile, price increases may also lead to some small and medium-sized enterprises being forced to shut down or reduce production due to cost pressures, further exacerbating the supply-demand imbalance in the market.
Faced with the wave of price increases, industry experts suggest that companies should strengthen cost control and risk management, and improve product added value and market competitiveness through technological innovation and industrial upgrading. At the same time, the government should strengthen market supervision and policy guidance to promote the healthy and sustainable development of the alumina ceramic industry.
Overall, the rise in the price of alumina ceramics is the result of multiple factors working together. Under cost pressures such as rising raw material prices and increased energy costs, raising prices for enterprises is a last resort. However, price increases also bring uncertainty and risks to the market. In the future, how the alumina ceramic industry will seek a balance between cost pressure and market competition will be the focus of industry attention.
