Fujifilm UK managing director Keith Dalton said that in the past year or two, raw materials used within the printing industry have become "increasingly scarce", leading to escalating costs.

He added: "This volatility in the raw materials market hasn’t been seen for more than 30 years, but the demand is still there. This is allowing the raw material suppliers to charge almost whatever they like.

"It’s important that the supply of consumables such as inks and plates is not affected, so printers, suppliers and manufacturers need to work together to distribute cost increases and spread the burden."

The move follows a 50% hike in the cost of Fuji’s graphic arts film. Rival manufacturer Kodak confirmed in March that the price of its digital and conventional plates was set to rise globally by between 5% and 20% as of 1 May.

Meanwhile, Agfa Graphics said that, in light of the ongoing steady increase in aluminium costs, it would be implementing an aluminium surcharge to more accurately reflect the cost of raw materials.

Marketing communications manager Tim Light said: "We believe this is a fairer solution than a flat price increase right across the board and, of course, higher aluminium prices also mean that customers will receive more for their waste litho plates."