Paper Report - Water Cooler Sheets

Gather around the old water cooler—or in this case the office copier or laser printer—and find out about the latest paper offerings for the office environment.

OFFICE Papers must provide users with consistent performance. To ensure runnability, major paper mills work closely with office equipment manufacturers on product and equipment issues, notes Dick Thomas, business and converting papers manager for Willamette Industries. This is done particularly when new copiers or printers are in development to make sure work can be produced smoothly. The result, Thomas says, has been the addition of more reliable papers to the market.

Recent manufacturing enhancements have helped Beckett develop a text weight linen sheet to run on electronic imaging equipment. Beckett Cambric Linen text weights, as well as writing weights, are compatible with laser printers, ink-jet printers and copiers, as well as offset presses.

After receiving extensive end-user feedback, Champion International has relaunched its home and office paper offerings known as the "Champion" line. The improved products offer increased brightness and expand the line of ink-jet and laser specialty papers. Champion also markets its PaperOne Multipurpose product, designed for use on all office imaging equipment.

Glacier 95 from Fraser Papers is a bright, smooth opaque paper for use with laser and ink-jet printers or digital presses. The Bight White shade maximizes print contrast and minimizes tonal compression. The Glacier 95 line includes a range of basis weights from 40 lb. to 100 lb. text plus 65 lb. and 80 lb. cover. A special business card stock and a none-point business card stock round out the line. Glacier 95 is available in reams, folio cartons, stock rolls and skids.

Glacier 95 Bright White text and cover stocks are available from Fraser Papers.

Via by Hammermill is an evolving system of writing, text and cover papers for an array of business correspondence—from letterhead and business cards to annual reports and brochures. This line is guaranteed to run on photocopiers, laser printers, ink-jet printers and fax machines that use plain paper. It can also perform on offset presses, providing dual capabilities. Hammermill recently created a 2500-sheet Express Pack for its Tidal DP line of copier and printer paper.

Hewlett-Packard recently introduced three new paper product lines. One new offering is HP Office Recycled Paper, designed for everyday use with all types of office equipment. It comes in 20 lb. stock and has an 84 brightness rating. HP Premium Choice LaserJet Paper is extra thick and bright, and is designed for use with HP Color LaserJet printers. It is a 32 lb. stock, boasting a 98 brightness rating. Finally, HP Printing Paper was created for small office/home office use. This 22 lb. stock with a 92 brightness rating can be used with ink-jet and laser printers.

Transcopy from Mead Carbonless is specifically designed for use in high-speed copiers because of its heavier basis weight and increased stiffness. It's specially manufactured to provide smooth, jam-free runnability through the complex paper paths of high-speed copiers. Precise moisture levels have been engineered for superior reliability. Transcopy runs flat and resists curling during the heat-intensive xerographic process.

Strathmore Papers has reinvented its flagship recycled grade, Strathmore Renewal. This environmentally friendly paper features a series of contemporary pale shades, as well as bold colors. The text and writing weights are engineered to perform in laser printers and copiers. Renewal's surface has been re-engineered for greater smoothness.

Strathmore Renewal has been redesigned for greater smoothness.

A range of laser ink-jet papers are available from Wausau Papers. The Exact Color Copy line of paper is an acid-free stock specially designed for color reproduction on color copiers. It is available in a variety of sizes. Also from Wausau Papers is the Exact Offset Opaque Colors line of products. It is designed for use with low- and high-speed copiers, and black ink-jet and desktop laser printers. It comes in 15 colors and three natural-looking fiber sheets.

Weyerhaeuser Fine Paper recently introduced Cougar Digital, specially formulated and approved for a variety of digital printing equipment. It comes with a smooth finish in white and natural. Text is available in 60, 70, 80, and 100 lb. weights. Cougar Digital is good for jobs that require both offset and digital printing.

The Business Forms Division of Willamette Industries offers a variety of office papers, including the Willcopy line of products. Willcopy is engineered for use in copiers, laser printers, desktop printers and plain paper fax machines. Each ream is dust-free and cut square to offer problem-free runs. Willcopy also has built in "curl control" to help eliminate jams. Included in the line is Willcopy Xerographic DP, which is a 20 lb. multipurpose sheet featuring an 84 brightness level. A recycled grade is also available.

To extend the versatility of the Xerox DocuColor 12 copier/printer, Xerox Supplies Group has developed Digital Color Super Gloss 12 Point, a heavy cut-sheet paper stock that allows users to create traditional offset-based applications—such as point-of-purchase signage, posters, book covers and displays—on a DocuColor 12. Digital Color Super Gloss 12 Point features a cast-coated mirror finish on one side (92 percent gloss coating). It has a smooth surface, along with 99 percent opacity and an 87 brightness rating.