As a papermaker, you can create significant new value by taking an existing grade and developing its usefulness to the market. Chemistry plays a key role here. For example, with graphical and printing papers, our binder replacement concept can lower costs, while giving printers better ink setting and faster drying times, which means they can be more productive in printing both sides.
For label papers, high surface strength is a key property, but that needs to be balanced with good ink setting, drying, and printability. New optimized coating formulations allow this, and can even work on previously-difficult cast-coated papers and varnished grades.
Moving up the value chain, recent opportunities in decor papers have been created by inkjet, 3-D and on-demand printing. For example, counter-tops or flooring can be custom made. Inkjet has special needs, due to water-based inks. We address this with a special pigment that keeps the inks on the surface and enhances color reproduction and brightness – even on uncoated papers.
There are lots of opportunities for profitable growth in specialty paper grades. Let’s explore them together.
