Agfa has announced that it will increase the prices of its offset printing plates worldwide beginning this August. “The ongoing rise of raw material costs, particularly aluminum, energy and packaging materials, in combination with high freight rates, make price adjustments unavoidable,” said the OEM. The price for aluminum, the key component of an offset printing plate, peaked in June at more than $2,500 (USD) per ton, said Agfa. Plus, prices for packaging materials almost doubled in a couple of months, while freight and transportation services remain under severe pressure in terms of availability and costs. The bottom line is that Agfa’s offset plate prices will increase by up to 10% effective August 1, 2021 as individual contracts permit. Agfa sales teams will be in contact with their customers to discuss the details and support the implementation, taking into account individual existing agreements.