Leaders from the European PVC Profiles and related building products Association (EPPA) have described the negative impact that war in Ukraine has had on the profile industry. “Beyond the immediately visible, devastating effects of the war, we can expect negative consequences for the PVC window market as a whole, in the medium and longer term,” the EPPA presidents said.
Trade between the EU and Russia has largely ceased, which has had a negative impact on member companies’ production sites and supply chains. The global community’s sanctions against Russia are exacerbating this effect.
Several EPPA member companies have Ukrainian and Russian production facilities, whose operations have been affected since the war began, they explained. “Our members have made great efforts to protect and support their employees and other affected people on the ground,” said Patrick Seitz, EPPA president.
The leaders reiterated that the profile industry has long considered Ukraine to be part of Europe, and that Ukrainian production facilities are fully integrated into the European supply chain of PVC window system suppliers. “This allows companies in this difficult situation to use their existing logistics, network and material to actively support the people in Ukraine directly with necessary goods and shelter,” said Carsten Heuer, the EPPA’s vice president.
The pressure on material supplies is expected to further increase – especially due to rising energy prices, which in turn affect production costs. Supplies of raw materials and commodities have already been severely negatively affected, according to the EPPA. The pressure on the industry as a whole is thus intensified once again, after the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have already caused price increases and supply bottlenecks, the EPPA argues.
