Trouble Getting Heavier Digital Stock
- Thread starter Rsias
- Start date
Depends on where you are I think. We've been able to still get Titan 130# Dull/Gloss. Blazer's 130# Satin/Gloss has been harder for us to get ahold of. We've been working with Kelly Paper and West Coast Paper on the USA West Coast. Not as familiar with options in the middle/east of the USA.
farcrowd
Well-known member
Some of the mills are having a hard time keeping up. Just a couple days ago I was looking for some 80lb gloss cover in a house brand (made by Lecta). This is usually very easy to get ahold of, and they had to sub Titan for me. I've had to take other substitute papers or just wait for availability.
Part of the supply issues have been due to shut downs due to COVID. Had an interesting conversation with one of my paper reps a couple days ago. Evidently multiple brands are modifying their mills for production of corrugated board and other items that are more in-demand/profitable. If that's happening, then supply is going to be even more difficult to get ahold of.
Part of the supply issues have been due to shut downs due to COVID. Had an interesting conversation with one of my paper reps a couple days ago. Evidently multiple brands are modifying their mills for production of corrugated board and other items that are more in-demand/profitable. If that's happening, then supply is going to be even more difficult to get ahold of.
I'm in Chicago and we've had to sub Titan as well. It works okay, but we could only get gloss and Blazer 110# and 130# satin were customer favorites. Our supplier supposedly has some stuff coming in from Korea in late July. Word around the campfire is that Verso lost the capability to make anything over 100#C and Korea is one of the only places that has been reliably making heavier digital stocks.
farcrowd
Well-known member
@Rsias I also run Blazer 110# - I actually think its a great paper. Titan appears to be made by Hansol and is a Korean company. First prints on it actually look great (80lb gloss cover).
If you can get ahold of them in your area - check out the Creator brand by Lecta (a European paper - I think this stuff is made in France or Spain). This used to be the 'Delta' brand (Delta Gloss, Delta Silk, etc.) and they rebranded to Creator a few years ago. I did some digging and found out that the house brand of coated stocks that one of my paper vendors was pushing is indeed the exact same thing with a different label, and cheaper. This is the stock they had to substitute Titan for, but they said it was only delayed a few days and they had more coming in next week. Everything seems to be quick turnaround - the stock is sold before they even get it from the mill.
For uncoated, I run Domtar Lynx 95% of the time (we're an in-plant - it matches our brand). I don't seem to have any problem getting ahold of it, but I also don't run it heavier than 100lb cover.
If you can get ahold of them in your area - check out the Creator brand by Lecta (a European paper - I think this stuff is made in France or Spain). This used to be the 'Delta' brand (Delta Gloss, Delta Silk, etc.) and they rebranded to Creator a few years ago. I did some digging and found out that the house brand of coated stocks that one of my paper vendors was pushing is indeed the exact same thing with a different label, and cheaper. This is the stock they had to substitute Titan for, but they said it was only delayed a few days and they had more coming in next week. Everything seems to be quick turnaround - the stock is sold before they even get it from the mill.
For uncoated, I run Domtar Lynx 95% of the time (we're an in-plant - it matches our brand). I don't seem to have any problem getting ahold of it, but I also don't run it heavier than 100lb cover.
farcrowd
Well-known member
Following up on this topic as I just had a conversation with my paper rep...
I was ordering a pallet of Finch copy paper, and he said they won't have it in stock until May 14 - almost 2 weeks out, and most of what they ordered from the mill is already sold. He mentioned at one point a few months ago, there was no 80lb gloss text available in the US (from the mills), no distributor could get their hands on it from any manufacturer, so they had no way to restock their warehouses for a time.
Aside from mills converting their machines to make other products, the lumber industry is also affecting paper production. Some mills own their own forests, but those that don't are having to deal with increased profitability from lumber. More trees are being converted to lumber instead of pulp, so raw material for any paper is in shorter supply. And because some mills are converting to other products, people are turning to other brands to fill the void. This places more demand on those mills, who are having a difficult time keeping up with the drastically increased demand.
I was ordering a pallet of Finch copy paper, and he said they won't have it in stock until May 14 - almost 2 weeks out, and most of what they ordered from the mill is already sold. He mentioned at one point a few months ago, there was no 80lb gloss text available in the US (from the mills), no distributor could get their hands on it from any manufacturer, so they had no way to restock their warehouses for a time.
Aside from mills converting their machines to make other products, the lumber industry is also affecting paper production. Some mills own their own forests, but those that don't are having to deal with increased profitability from lumber. More trees are being converted to lumber instead of pulp, so raw material for any paper is in shorter supply. And because some mills are converting to other products, people are turning to other brands to fill the void. This places more demand on those mills, who are having a difficult time keeping up with the drastically increased demand.
Heavy digital stocks...
Although the cut-to-run stocks are eminently convenient, they do not always give the greatest benefit for every printshop. (Especially when they are hard to find.)
Give some thought to whether you can substitute a "standard printing sheet" and cut your digital sheets from large dimension parent stock such as 25"x38", 26"x40" or A1 or B1.
The sheets will be cheaper, even with the cutting time. Just be careful with cutting and keep a clean cutting area, which you should be doing anyhow.
We have found no problems at all with this approach for many papers. The difference between digital paper surface and "litho" paper surface is minimal.
Although the cut-to-run stocks are eminently convenient, they do not always give the greatest benefit for every printshop. (Especially when they are hard to find.)
Give some thought to whether you can substitute a "standard printing sheet" and cut your digital sheets from large dimension parent stock such as 25"x38", 26"x40" or A1 or B1.
The sheets will be cheaper, even with the cutting time. Just be careful with cutting and keep a clean cutting area, which you should be doing anyhow.
We have found no problems at all with this approach for many papers. The difference between digital paper surface and "litho" paper surface is minimal.
AP90
Well-known member
We had trouble getting 70lb gloss text for about a month. We use Mid-Land paper and they had a bunch of stuff just waiting in the shipping docks waiting to be unloaded that was causing a backup. We use their Pro-Digital stuff. it runs great, price is great and quality is pretty good. never had a customer complain about the paper.
farcrowd
Well-known member
@Bill Ward I mentioned above the Platinum papers are made by Lecta. I agree - they're great papers and cost-effective too. I've run their silk covers and text, and gloss text. Good all around.
Bill Ward
Active member
I don't see that
discountprinting
Well-known member
Yes I just posted on another thread about anything #100 cover or above being either out of stock or very limited supply. I am pretty sure it going to be similar to limited supplies of lumber due to high demand and limited number of sawmills due to their capacity hampered more by people not wanting to work to process the raw wood which there is plenty of. I just hope the prices don't do what lumber has.
Cheaper paper is going up an average about 3% bimonthly around here. That would take it up about 20% in a year. Welcome to the 1970s!
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