There have been many changes within the document processing industry that have affected the quality and quantity of throughput document professionals are capable of producing, but none of them have been so essential as those changes that have shifted the production and distribution of the paper used to create documents. Although the paperless office is supposedly upon us, paper use continues to increase each year, and it is estimated that its use will continue to climb. Some of the more recent changes affecting the paper environment include the acquisition of Consolidated Papers by Stora Enso, the merger of Mead and Westvaco and, most recently, the merger of Weyerhaeser Company and Willamette Industries.

Unfortunately, the changing environment often equates to cost fluctuations that are often reflected back to the consumer, making price the driving factor when deciding to purchase paper. But price isn't the only deciding factor when considering which brand to buy. The requirements have become more complicated, but the need for quality remains constant. Paper that is resistant to breaking, static, curling and other problems increases productivity and promotes faster turnarounds. That's why we've decided to take a closer look at paper options. We have received submissions from companies including Océ, Mohawk, Stora Enso, Xerox, Boise Technology and International Papers, Hewlett-Packard, Eastern Paper and Smart Papers. And we will feature them in our June issue.

To submit article ideas, please contact Ken Waddell or Michelle Schultz at 608-241-8777.