Paper marketing takes on more importance:
Rebranding is part of the game

By Peter N. Williamson
Editor, PAPER INDUSTRY

It’s good to know that the industry hasn’t gone to sleep.
Listening to some around the industry, one could very quickly reach the conclusion that no one’s buying paper and because it’s a very iffy market, mills might as well hibernate.
Fortunately, that’s not happening: People are buying paper and producers are taking firm steps to take advantage of the fact. Examples abound.

• Southworth Company, Agawam, MA, saw an opportunity to expand its market when it discovered there are about nine million job seekers in the US. For stationery sellers, this represents millions of potential customers for Southworth’s fine cotton-fiber résumé paper, letterhead, envelopes and other job-search related products. Its ivory and pure white 100% cotton, 24-lb watermarked résumé papers are its best sellers.
To build on this prestige, Southworth has launched several products including an ensemble of 100 sheets of paper with 50 matching No. 10 envelopes in 28-lb stock in both snow round corner paper with sculpted envelope or snow linea™ paper with embossed vertical lines. A résumé guide is included. There’s also a Job Search Organizer Note Pad.

• Renaming its high-brightness office papers will make it easier for customers to identify and order them according to their brightness, believes Boise Paper Solutions, Itasca, IL. Boise Xerographic paper is now called PRO-88™ and the Multipurpose paper is called PRO-92™ reflecting their 88 and 92 brightness levels. As well as getting a variety of product enhancements, the X-9000® paper was renamed X-9™ for ease of ordering.

Boise also upgraded its recycled papers to boost equipment performance and improve presentation. Aspen™ and Aspen™ 100 post-consumer recycled content papers are brighter, feel more substantial and are more consistent, says Boise. As well, the MP Colors™ pastel papers now contain 30% post-consumer fiber.

• Products like Appleton’s new moisture vapor barrier offer packaging companies new tools to help sell consumer products. The Appleton, WI-based company says MoistureBloc™ folding carton barrier packaging is a substrate engineered to protect consumer dry goods such as detergents, powdered milk and baby cereal. It eliminates the need for a separate overwrap or laminated film. It includes an innovative barrier coating applied to the inside and an “exceptional” outside print surface. It is recyclable and repulpable.

• Hamilton, OH-based SMART Papers recently launched a new retail identity and packaging system for its SMART Digital™ papers line as well as 10 new inkjet and laser printing papers for consumers, printers and graphic designers. Under its Kromekote brand name, SMART’s new retail products include Inkjet and Color Laser Textured papers. Printers and designers can now choose from Laser High Gloss CC2S (cast-coated two-side) and CC1S (cast-coated one-side), plus Inkjet Photo Proofing paper. SMART Papers now has over 100 stocked papers for digital printing. PI

www.southworth.com;
www.BoisePaper.com;
www.appletonideas.com;
www.smartpapers.com

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