PAPER MERCHANTS / PAPER COMPANIES-Get what you need!

I wondered if people were as frustrated as we are when trying to order paper/

stock. Gone are the times when distributors like Unisource would host a

three ring circus and invite designers, printers and converters to their

warehouse and tour their facility while adorning each and everyone with

copious commercial samples and swatches.



While on the phone today with my printer it was further discouraging to

learn that Fox River products, a wonderful product for higher end stationery

packages and that unique smooth Confetti cover were not going to be… well

now how did the distributor at Cascades phrase it… they wouldn*t be stocking

that item any longer.



The reason why they will not be stocking Fox River or representing them any

longer - or as my friendly distributor phrased it… Fox River paper is not a

real mover. Wow, I thought we supported them alone in Canada.



Well either is Mohawk then because we have trouble getting samples and stock

from them as well. After attending several paper shows, the Meade annual

report show (Unisource) and a seminar hosted by Cascades, we walk away with

a host of swatches and printed samples, ready to spring these new, or

re-positioned standbys on our clients.



Once the client has pounced all over our recommended samples, our paper

merchant or printer is back to us with sad news. Ok we*ve learned and got

smarter and now check to see if what we are about to recommend is available.

And despite having a very organized library of current stocks, all purged of

older fluff, you can*t seem to get an envelope (square flap open ended or

open side) that is nicely presented in "designer*s dream" sample packs,

unless you are prepared to purchase 5,000 or 15,000 units.



Have the paper companies not heard of email? Have the paper merchants never

tried to purchase a stamp lately - half a buck? For Pete*s sake, smaller

companies don*t use 5,000 envelopes. Its lucky if they use 500 before they

grow and change address. The only mass mailers are the government and the

credit card companies and while you would think that they would use the

cheapest thing going they still print 3 and 4 colour envelopes - reams of

them.



So my rant has gotten a little carried away, but without support from paper

companies and paper merchants alike, our work becomes frustrating. And I

haven*t even spoken about broken carton pricing (merchants should take a

page out of French Papers policy - good marketing), dirty stock (paper dust),

scored packages, et al (very pleased that we have such a great printer who

maintains a keen eye).



Can we see if other printers and designers have similar frustrations and lobby

the paper distributors and paper companies to determine if we can go back to

days of old. Where quality, service and price were the order of the day and not

order taking.



Peter Gabany