Paper News
Apr. 2007
ZINK patents inkless printing
HInk is, of course, a major expense in any shop. Now, an American company has developed an ink-free printing process using a new kind of paper. Zink—short for zero ink—has developed a paper embedded with millions of micro-fine dye crystals. These magenta, cyan and yellow crystals are melted using heat pulses from a specially designed printer to form the colours of whatever image is being produced.Currently, the technology is only being marketed in the digital photography sphere with palm-sized printer/camera devices to be introduced in the first quarter of 2007. But Scott Wicker, Zink’s chief marketing officer, says the company is “keenly aware of the commercial printing space and believes there is an opportunity there for the Zink technology in the future.”
Zink will manufacture and market its paper, which has 100 patents and patents pending, and, according to sales vice president Paul Baker, it’s working with “a network of partner companies who are creating products enabled with the Zink technology.”
Contact: www.zink.com
Forestry research organizations to merge
This month The Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada (Paprican), the Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada (FERIC) and Forintek Canada are set to become one research institution—FPInnovations. The boards of each member institution voted in January to merge, forming what is being called one of the world’s largest forestry research organizations. According to Frank Dottori, chairman of the board of Paprican, “With the creation of this single institute we will be in a position to speak with a stronger common voice on forest sector issues.”
Contact: www.paprican.ca www.feric.ca www.forintek.ca
Contact: www.paprican.ca www.feric.ca www.forintek.ca
Stora Enso introduces green EcoSet labels
Hoping to appeal to more eco-minded water bottlers, Stora Enso’s new EcoSet wet-strength label paper was tested and designed for use with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. This recyclable synthetic fiber is gaining prominence among water companies, and Stora Enso is hoping this new product finds favour among them.Contact: www.storaenso.com
Best thing for forestry? Consider getting out of paper!
Following a $1 billion cash injection from the Ontario government, and then another mill closure—the Fort William mill in Thunder Bay, Ont.—David Ramsay, Ontario’s minister of natural resources, spoke to reporters about the province’s struggling forestry industry. He made a somewhat startling suggestion for making the industry profitable again—getting out of the paper business.
“We are entering an electronic age,” Ramsay said, “and there is less demand for paper products, starting with newsprint and even some of the business papers as people record their data more electronically. And so that means that the industry is going to have to adapt.” When asked about alternatives, Ramsay spoke of a proposed resin product made from 50% wood waste that would be used in auto manufacturing.
Bob Huget, Ontario vice president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, says the minister’s statement “shows a tremendous lack of concern about a major economic cornerstone in the province.
“I would have thought that the minister would have been looking at ways to retain that industry and the economic benefits from it rather than throwing his hands in the air and suggesting that all that can happen is the ceasing of production of certain products,” Huget said.
“We are entering an electronic age,” Ramsay said, “and there is less demand for paper products, starting with newsprint and even some of the business papers as people record their data more electronically. And so that means that the industry is going to have to adapt.” When asked about alternatives, Ramsay spoke of a proposed resin product made from 50% wood waste that would be used in auto manufacturing.
Bob Huget, Ontario vice president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, says the minister’s statement “shows a tremendous lack of concern about a major economic cornerstone in the province.
“I would have thought that the minister would have been looking at ways to retain that industry and the economic benefits from it rather than throwing his hands in the air and suggesting that all that can happen is the ceasing of production of certain products,” Huget said.
New swatchbook for 50/10 line
Mohawk has updated its 50/10 line of recycled coated papers. The paper series carries three finishes across three shades of white (White, Soft White and Blue White). Papers are available in eight, 10 and 12 pt sizes for small presses, and the matte and gloss finish papers contain 15% post-consumer waste fibre.Contact: www.mohawkpaper.com
