Boston Print Buyers - Margie's Print Tips

Margie Dana

Thanks for subscribing to Margie's Print Tips, written to build bridges between the printing industry and its customers.

For today's Tip, I consulted with "the Paper Guru," Jack Miller. Jack is the Senior Consultant for Pira International, North America, and a wealth of paper information. Want to meet him? He will be moderating our Paper Trends Panel at the 2nd Annual Print Buyers Conference this November, on Thursday the 8th at 11 am. Register at www.bostonprintbuyers.com/pbiconference.

Are you reading this because it was forwarded to you?
Click here to get your own copy of Margie's Print Tips!

Margie Dana

Print Buyers Conference Registration Is Now Open!
Register early - and save $150.

Our 2nd Annual Print Buyers Conference takes place November 7-8th in Westford, MA. We designed a content-rich program of 21 sessions that address print customers' "hottest" topics. Themed "Challengers vs. Champions," this event offers something for everyone who purchases printing. Our speakers, some of the industry's finest, are not to be missed.

You can access our online schedule and begin your registration. Don't delay! For a limited time, conference registration costs only $279 at the Early Bird Rate. After September 30th, the regular rate of $429 will apply. Members of Boston Print Buyers can register at the best rate of just $179.

[Print this article]

The Paper Trail - from Mill to Merchant to Printer

by Margie Dana

When I was a corporate print buyer, I was intrigued by the winding road that paper took to get to printers. (To be honest, I thought printing and paper were part of the same industry.)

So, for the benefit of new buyers and designers who might identify with my confusion all those years ago, I wrote a very basic Print Tip about paper and how it is supplied to printers. The original Print Tip on this subject was done 5 years ago. Because this industry never sits still for very long, I updated it for today's column.

To help ensure the Tip was "spot on," I sought professional assistance from "the Paper Guru" himself, Jack Miller of PIRA International.

Here now is the tale of the paper trail.

Paper comes from pulp, which is converted into paper by PAPER MANUFACTURERS. Paper manufacturers typically own several mills, and each mill is devoted to a certain kind of paper - such as coated or uncoated. Every paper is given a specific brand name by the mill.

PAPER MILLS sell their paper to MERCHANTS. Different merchants can carry the same brand of paper and each merchant can carry different brands of paper. Some merchants have "private label" paper, which they name themselves. Note that some of the larger papermakers also own merchants.

Jack noted that both paper mills and merchants inventory paper. Merchants can sometimes deliver small orders (a few cartons or skids of paper) the same day, while mills can often deliver the next day. Larger orders, especially web orders, take longer, and are usually shipped direct from the mill.

Paper mills and paper merchants both have paper specialists. Called SPECIFICATION CONSULTANTS, these pros meet with buyers and graphic designers to recommend papers, discuss trends, and supply dummies and swatch books (paper samples). Times have changed this once-common practice, said Jack Miller. "Unfortunately, since the print buyers and designers don't typically buy the paper, it has been difficult for mills and merchants to measure the results of this effort, so many mills and merchants have eliminated this service."

Merchants sell paper to printers. Printers buy their paper from several merchants, since no one merchant carries every brand. Some printers buy paper directly from paper manufacturers as well.

Most print customers leave the paper buying to their printers. Large-volume corporate print buyers sometimes buy their paper directly from a merchant or a mill. Only the savviest, most experienced print customer has the knowledge and know-how to buy his or her own paper.

When it comes to paper, this is just a Tip – not the iceberg.

Comments? Talk to me at

Upcoming BPB Dinner Program:

"Environmentally Sustainable Advertising & Print Production"
Sponsored by Pictorial Offset Corporation and Cascades

Tuesday, September 25th, 6 - 8:30 pm
Millennium Bostonian Hotel, Boston, MA

Our September program will focus on one of the hottest issues in our industry today: sustainability. Thanks to our sponsor, Pictorial Offset, we'll hear from a panel of experts on how you and your organization can take steps to practice sustainability in the areas of advertising and print production.

Only print customers and those who influence the purchase of print may attend this sponsored program. The cost is $20 for BPB members; $50 for all others.

Conference Spotlight:
Paper Trends Panel - Digital Plus a Whole Lot More

Thursday, November 8th, 11 am - 12:15 pm
Moderated by Jack Miller, Pira International

We're bringing together paper experts to get the paper low-down. You'll hear comments and concerns about brightness, recycled papers, digital papers, specialty grades and more. Consider this your best opportunity to catch up with what's new in paper.

Known as "The Paper Guru," Jack is Senior Consultant, North America, for Pira International. Among our panelists will be Sabine Lenz of PaperSpecs. PaperSpecs is independent and offers a comprehensive online paper database, specially developed for the design and print industries. Sign up for their free PaperTalks enewsletter.

Jack Miller writes another excellent enewsletter about paper called MarketIntellibits. Write to subscribe@mktintell.com to receive it monthly.

The full conference schedule is viewable at www.bostonprintbuyers.com/pbiconference.

Print Buyers Speak!

Our home page interactive feature asks print customers this question:

How important to you is the look of a printing company's web site?

Several very insightful (not "inciteful") posts were made last week. Have a look - and add your own. Go to www.bostonprintbuyers.com and look for "Print Buyers Speak" in the middle of the home page.

Print Tips Archives!

Our Print Tips archives are public. Access them from the home page of our site
under Print Tips at www.bostonprintbuyers.com.

BPB Sponsor Directory

Take a look! The BPB Directory offers firms a unique online presence for their prospective customers. Interested? Visit our sponsor information page for details.