Buyers' Guide

Sometimes it's the little things that make all the difference. A survey by Arjowiggins found that 90% of businesses believed that the choice of letterhead paper stock says a lot about a company, as it goes a long way towards communicating messages ranging from quality to the company's environmental responsibility.

A letterhead is a major part of how a company sells itself to the outside world – be it to customers, suppliers or key stakeholders, says Katie Hungerford, marketing communications manager for graphic and communications products at Arjowiggins.

Choosing which grade is no longer just about how well the paper will perform – that’s a given – but also the touch, feel, bulk and environmental credentials the grade offers. Buyers also need to decide on whether to bulk up or use watermark paper to achieve a look of quality and security.

Deceptive appearance
A paper can be bulkier than another grade, while still having the same basic weight and, therefore, costing the same to post. Simply having a logo and address at the top of the sheet is no longer enough, as designers are getting more adventurous with blind embossing, thermography, irregular sheet sizes and unusual envelopes.
We are also finding increasing demand from customers and end users for grades with high environmental credentials, says Simon Shenton, UK & Ireland sales manager for Fedrigoni. Being environmentally responsible doesn’t mean you have to compromise on quality.

For example, recycled paper has improved in both price and quality. Product development means the days of dirty, grey-coloured recycled papers are gone and there is now little visible difference between recycled and virgin stocks, adds Hungerford.

According to a report published by Global Industry Analysts, growing demand for recycled paper will push the global market for speciality paper additives to £4.16bn ($8.6bn) by 2010. It also found that, although the trend to communicate via electronic means was having a negative impact on the paper and pulp industry, the demand for speciality paper is actually on the increase.

Carbon neutral paper is also gaining momentum. By switching to it, UK businesses alone could save more
than 23,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, according to Arjowiggins.

Switching to environmentally friendly paper is a quick and easy step that can be taken over night and lead to big reductions in a company’s carbon footprint, says Hungerford.

WHAT'S NEW IN LETTERHEAD PAPER

• Fenner Paper has introduced a range of recycled letterhead paper manufactured for the UK market called Avebury Recycled Wove. The product is made from 50% post-consumer waste and 10% cotton fibres and is available in five weights. It combines a tactile feel with a natural shade and excellent environmental credentials, says Justin Hobson, marketing director at Fenner Paper
• Elliott Baxter’s (EBB) white laser pre-print grade Navigator was FSC-certified in June. The product can be printed on litho presses and then put through an office laser printer for letterheads. The paper is made with lower moisture content to prevent it curling under the heat of the laser. The grade is available in 80 to 120gsm from A4 to B1
• Curtis Fine Paper went into administration at the end of July. So far, 208 out of a total of 260 staff have been made redundant at the 135-year-old Guardbridge, St Andrews-based company, while administrators KPMG look for
a buyer