Top 10 Things You Might Not Know About Paper
You may already know Jack Miller, the “Paper Guru.” I met Jack several years ago when he attended one of our events, and I recognized back then that he truly is a paper expert. Ever since then, I count Jack among my top resources when it comes to questions about the paper industry – and am delighted to share with you that he will be presenting a session entitled, “The Mystery of Paper Prices Explained,” at our 5th Annual Print & Media Conference next month.
He is the founder and Principal Consultant at Market-Intell, LLC. Previously, he was senior consultant, North America, with Pira International. He is also the former director of Market Intelligence with Domtar.
Jack blogs as the Paper Guru for Printing Impression’s web site, www.piworld.com. Today’s Print Tip originally ran as one of his blog posts there. As soon as I read it, I wanted to share it with you. I received permission to reprint it here.
Top ten things you might not know about paper
By Jack Miller
Most of you probably know all of this, but there may be a thing or two that you don’t know. Or maybe you just need to be reminded.
#10. We usually like to print color on coated paper. For most applications, coated paper is best for color, but some excellent work can be done on uncoated papers, especially text and cover or opaque grades.
#9. The antidumping case on coated papers from China and Indonesia continues to move forward. The final ruling from the Department of Commerce is now scheduled for September 21, and the ITC’s ruling is scheduled for October 16.
#8. Digital ink jet is very different from digital laser or toner based printing. Toner can work well with most ordinary coated and uncoated papers. If you have a new toner-based press, try printing on your regular offset papers. Ink jet is more problematic, and while some presses may work with some papers, ink jet may not adhere well to coated papers and may be absorbed too readily by uncoated papers. For more on ink jet, and the new generation of high-speed ink jet presses, see [the September issue of] Printing Impressions.
#7. For uncoated papers, smoother papers often look and feel better than rougher papers, and many printers and print buyers believe that this means they will print better. But that may not be the case. Unless formation is excellent, mottle or granitizing may be accentuated on smoother papers, especially in large areas of solid color.
#6. Books are now being printed on demand. I recently went to a small local bookstore for one of the “Dummies” books. It was a print on demand issue, and I got it in a few days. The storeowner showed me how the “on demand” books were different: glossier covers with full color on coated stock, and black and white text on brighter uncoated stock. More on this to come.
#5. Groundwood papers offer good alternatives to uncoated offset for some applications: lower price, higher bulk thus less basis weight. These factors are all pluses. The downside is lower brightness, potential lower print quality, and loss of permanence, an important negative for book papers.
#4. Paper is greener than many people think, and electronic communications are not as green as people think. Paper is renewable, and much of the energy that paper mills use is carbon neutral, or at least renewable: bark, lignin, wind, hydro. On the other side, according to the EPA, computer servers use 1.5% of all electricity in the U.S., and more than 2.2 million tonnes of electronic waste were generated in 2007. Of this, 1.8 million tonnes went to landfills, up 7.7% annually since 2000.
#3. Mills announce prices increases, but not decreases. Prices may end up unchanged at the end of the year after three increases. Stay close to your mills and merchants to find out if price increases are holding and when prices are falling.
#2. Printers use opaque grades because they have better opacity than offset. Or because they are brighter. Or both. For heavier basis weights, especially 60# and over, offsets usually have enough opacity. Now that offsets have moved to 92 bright, offsets usually have enough brightness. Why else to use opaques? They are often smoother, have better formation, and offer matching cover weights.
And . . .
The number one thing you might not know about paper or might need to be reminded of . . .
#1. People still love paper, and will continue to use it.
Didn’t I tell you it was too good not to share? Love this list. You should sign up for Jack’s monthly newsletter, “Marketintelllibits,” at his website, which is http://www.mktintell.com.
You’re invited to meet him in person at our Conference on November 3rd. When you register for the event, please select his session to reserve your seat. Then you won’t have to say that you don’t know Jack.
© 2010 Jack Miller and Margie Dana. All rights reserved. Your comments are encouraged. You’re free to forward this email to friends and colleagues. However, no part of this column may be reprinted without permission from the author.