77 September / October 2024 - Issue 350 email: news@printmonthly.co.uk When it comes to the bread and butter of print, very little is more important than the paper you opt to work with. There is no universal solution with paper as the requirements of jobs can differ greatly, and this makes the whole process even trickier – especially for those that are producing a wide range of printed material. The good news for print companies is that there is a regular supply of new paper solutions from manufacturers. Suppliers in this sector are very much on the ball in responding to changing trends and demands, and often adjust their offering to account for this and ensure they are providing their customers with the right sort of papers. Print Monthly speaks with several providers in the paper market to find out about their new and most popular papers, as well as the benefits each of these products offer to print service providers (PSPs). All-round Sustainability First up is EBB Paper, whose marketing manager, Clare Johnson, says there are many key factors in choosing paper for your print job, with the obvious ones being price, availability, and quality. However, in the modern market, printers are also looking at sustainability as a motivating factor when choosing paper. “Recycled paper was the trend several years ago, which then moved onto carbon balanced/neutral paper,” Johnson says, adding: “Now the market is tending to take a more holistic view of ‘eco-friendly’ papers, looking at everything from the tree species used for the pulp, such as whether it is a fast-growing crop like eucalyptus, for example, that also has huge advantages in terms of bulk and whiteness. “PSPs are also looking at the efficiency of the manufacturing mill; and are asking whether they are using biomass fuel instead of fossil fuels, and whether they can demonstrate circularity in their production processes and ensure the resources they are using are renewable and the energy clean. They're also asking, is the product manufactured in Europe or even the UK, therefore minimising shipping and reducing the environmental impact? “All of these concepts can be promoted downstream to their customers as the demand from larger clients to small businesses is on promoting an all-round sustainability message.” Another thing to consider, Johnson says, is sizes. At EBB, Johnson says the supplier tries to deliver a wide range of sizing options to suit every print job, so that printers can choose the optimum size for their job, proOPPORTUNITIES FOR THE TAKING From specialist finishes to sustainability, there is plenty to consider when it comes to picking the right paper to work with. Here, Print Monthly takes a look at some of the latest offerings available to the market PAPER SOLUTIONS ▲EBB counts Sappi Magno and Horizon as its most popular coated and uncoated brands
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