Jul 30 2007
Aligning business innovation with environmental responsibility, Xerox Corporation today unveiled a first-of-its-kind paper for digital printing that uses half as many trees as traditional paper, while lowering the cost to mail printed material.
Developed by scientists and engineers at the Xerox Media and Compatibles Technology Center, a lab devoted to paper innovation located in Webster, N.Y., the Xerox High Yield Business Paper™ is a mechanical fiber paper that overcomes operational problems, such as curling and dust, which until now prevented mechanical fiber papers from being used with digital print devices.
Xerox High Yield Business Paper is made through a "greener" process than standard paper used with digital printers. For example, High Yield Business Paper uses 90 percent of the tree versus only 45 percent being used to create traditional digital printing paper. In addition, High Yield Business Paper requires less water and chemicals and is produced in a plant using hydroelectricity to partially power the pulping process. This process reduces fossil fuel use and results in up to a 75 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
"What's good for the environment and what's good for business come together in the Xerox High Yield Business Paper," said Steve Simpson, vice president and general manager, Xerox Paper and Supplies Business Unit. "This paper brings the benefits of traditional mechanical fiber paper to digital printers who produce high quality, shorter-life print applications. And it delivers an environmentally friendly option with increased savings to our customers."
The lighter weight of High Yield Business Paper makes it ideal for transactional printers and direct-mail centers seeking to reduce shipping costs. A printer who used a carton of the new paper to print and mail 1,000 5-sheet sets of a document would save $80 in mailing costs because of its lighter weight.
Xerox believes print shops will use it to preprint offset shells for transactional documents like invoices, statements, and direct mail pieces, then use a digital press to add highlight color or personalized information, such as names and regional details, to draw attention to documents. The paper can be used to produce manuals, catalogs and brochures, all key digital print jobs for commercial and in-plant printers.
The pulp used for Xerox's uncoated 45 lb. text (17.7 lb. bond/67 gsm) sheet is produced by mechanically grinding wood into papermaking pulp instead of using the chemical pulping process traditional for producing digital business papers. The mechanical process converts more than 90 percent of wood weight to papermaking fiber, double the 45 percent yield from chemical pulping.
Xerox High Yield Business Paper has 10 percent more sheets per pound yet performs like 50 lb. text (20 lb. bond/75 gsm) made by a chemical pulping process, which is the most widely used type of paper for digital printing and copying. This reduces the cost per roll or 500-sheet ream, helping print providers increase profit margins.
With opacity – show-through resistance – equal to that of traditional 60 lb. text (24 lb. bond/90 gsm), the result is high quality, two-side printing where images and text on one side are barely visible from the other side of the paper.
"The functionality, weight and brightness of Xerox's High Yield Business Paper opens up new application opportunities and cost savings to print providers using digital equipment," said Merilyn Dunn, director, InfoTrends Communication Supplies Consulting Service. "This mechanical fiber paper fills a gap in the printing industry and is a great addition to Xerox's extensive paper portfolio."
High Yield Business Paper has a level of 84 brightness on a scale of one to 100 with 100 being the brightest and is whitened using a chlorine-free process. This softer shade allows for easy reading, making it ideal for short-run books, educational printing such as supplemental course books and worksheets, and temporary business documents, which do not need a long archival life.
Xerox High Yield Business Paper is designed to work on a variety of digital systems, including the Xerox DocuTech® and Xerox Nuvera® production families, Xerox 4110 Enterprise Printing Systems and Xerox continuous-feed digital printers. The product is offered in 10-ream cartons of 500 8.5" x 11" sheets or in 40" and 50" diameter rolls.
Xerox High Yield Business Paper is available for order taking in North America beginning August 1 through Xerox's direct sales force, authorized resellers and at http://www.xerox.com/supplies. Continuous-feed rolls are a custom solution available through Xerox Supplies sales representatives in North America.