Finding Long Value in Short Runs

Recent statistics have shown that digital printing devices are not always used for short-run color printing jobs. In fact, the target of 2,000 or more impressions for digital printing runs is exceeded more often than not, probably because owners of this type of printing equipment want to see their returns sooner rather than later.

Devices that fit in between digital and offset technologies are also very popular today. As color copy machine sales are on the rise due to advances made in resolution, media choices are fanning out to meet corresponding quality demands.

Printing businesses use color copy machines for the production of jobs like brochures, newsletters, flyers, and presentations. More recently, color copy has found popularity in medical summations and pictures, electronic diagramming, proofing, and even inserts and direct mail.

The rising use of color in the once-dominant black-and-white copy world is increasingly important for non-verbal communication, personalizing messages, and grabbing people's attention. Color copying is perfect for more subtle uses of a few colors for invoices, charts and graphs, and real estate advertising flyers, for instance.

In-house printing is fast becoming the leading market for color copy papers.

Color copy paper has been in the market as long as there have been color copy machines. A small, focused group of mills make paper for color copy machines both here and in Europe. The total market represents less than 10% of the entire copy paper market (about 3½ million tons), and lines blur with laser paper and other digital paper products when viewing the entire market.

Nevertheless, papermakers are continuing their development of color copy paper choices with better smoothness, brightness, and varieties of basis weight/caliper to carve niches into this expanding segment.

Papermakers continually seek ways in which to add value to regular copy paper, while improving on laser sheets to best serve color copy machine users. Laser papers are not made for the high speed and demanding environment of a copy machine, and regular 20-lb. bond paper provides little value on color runs. Engineers look to bulk up the sheet, thus improving stiffness (for jam-free, high-speed operation) and opacity (for less show-through and strike-through).

Mills also must provide paper with a uniform moisture level so as to eliminate curl while under high heat exposure. OEMs strive for higher speeds and throughput to compete against digital machines, as paper jams (caused by curl or weak paper) or slip creates waste and frustration for the end user.

The other distinction of color copy paper is surface strength. Superior smoothness is required for good toner adhesion and blending. Mills achieve smoothness by refining their pulps and forming the fiber web in a deliberate manner, which is not possible on every machine.

Generally speaking, slower, smaller, and more precise paper machines using superior pulps make smoother sheets. Smoothness can be improved by certain mechanical means such as calendering, as well as via high-tech chemistry like micro-particle and nano-technology. Only mills with flexibility in operation can employ these techniques due to production economy.

Both OEMs and mills market color copy papers at fairly steep prices, which generally are higher than both multifunction and laser offerings.

Weights range from cheaper 24-lb. bond (usually ineffective) to 32-lb. bond (sometimes too thick), with complementary cover stocks from 60- to 80-lb. text. The most popular weight is 28-lb. bond and 80-lb. cover. This weight seems to provide the stiffness and opacity for good image and color reproduction.

Most mills target brightness at 96. Popular brands at this level include Domtar's Microprint, Finch's Color Copier, Hammermill's Color Copy, Wausau's Exact, and private labels like Office Depot. Weyerhaeuser's First Choice offers Color Print at a lower brightness with a recycled-content option, while Domtar and Finch have 65-lb. complementary covers. UPM in Europe offers its Yes brand at 100 gsm and 100 brightness. Hammermill also has released a short-grain color copy paper for superior converting (folding and scoring), a premium gloss offering, and a two-sided coated paper at 90 brightness. Prices for 28-lb. bond/70-lb. text range from about $0.50 to $0.70 per sheet.

A new entry into the field is Mohawk Paper. After an exhaustive review of the crowded field, Mohawk designed four grades to fit specific applications and performance expectations. Mohawk has capacity in both paper and converting, and worked on developing grades that would eliminate mottle in toner adhesion.

Grade definitions are standard (96 brightness), premium (100 brightness), 100% recycled (96 brightness), and gloss (15% post-consumer-recycled, and 96 brightness).