Horror Story

Terrified in the toilet ! 


No it is not the snatch thief,  kidnappers  nor  hidden cameras. Scary stories are told on the toilet tissue and you get the best. In Japan a new type of  toilet paper is sold with a nine-chapter scary story printed on it. The story  "Drop" is written by  Koji Suzuki , the author of the Hollywood film "Ring".
The company sells the toilet paper  for  210 yen , promises a horrifying experience in the toilet.

Read more here  http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j1oHiEOixjD6ti_Pr8v56PxU1sbwD98CHSJ03

Definition

WOODFREE .......FREE OF WOOD??

To many people that I have come across in and out of printing and graphic industry this word is a puzzle and misnomer. Holding a piece of photocopy paper while scratching their heads , asking themselves can this be really free of wood?

To understand fully we need to back track on how it is made. Paper is made from pulp which is extracted from wood .Wood by itself is natural contains ingredients from mother nature that enable it to mature from a tiny seedling to a full grown tree ready for harvest for paper or furniture. One of these ingredients is lignin. Lignin is the glue that binds all the celullose fibres together in the tree. This adhesive in particular turns yellowish when exposed to light. Remember the other day you left your Star in the back of your car baking in the 36 degree celsius ; you came back to a golden yellow newspaper.

Woodfree on the other hand does not change color in the light. This because it is made from pulp that is free or mostly free of lignin. A lignin free pulp is a result of a chemical pulp making process which uses chemicals [the chips are 'cooked' by heat and pressure in caustic soda and sulphur] to clean the impurities especially lignin. So woodfree is made of chemical pulp.

At the opposite end there are others who want or at least do not mind lignin in the paper like newsprint (for newspaper).A lignin containing pulp is pulp made from a mechanical process. This process is just crushing the wood physically to remove the impurities but much lignin remains. So newsprint and mechanical paper are from mechanical pulp.

Back to square one,why call it woodfree and not lignin free or mechanical pulp free?. A likely explaination is that the word "woodfree" is a shortened version of groundwood free, a mouthful. Groundwood is mechanical pulp.[logs can be pressed against grindstones which is why this process is also known as ground wood pulp]

But terminology is cultural. In the USA woodfree is always called free sheet. In some countries woodfree is called fine paper but some of the bargain woodfree papers that get imported into Malaysia is anything but fine! . And then oddly, in our local market for some unknown reason woodfree is called "simili" paper. Somebody enlighten me, please.

APP denies  logging plans in conservation areas

APB [Associated paper and board] , one of the largest integrated pulp and paper company in the world has been accused of  planning to log in a protected region, Bukit Tigapuluh National Park in Indonesia. 

For those of us in Malaysia unfamiliar with the name APP, popular mill brands like  Pindo Deli, Tjiwi Kimia  and  IKPP  will ring familiar bells.These relatively more well-known names are amongst the six mills owned by APP in Indonesia.  

WWF says APB  jointly with Sinar Mas Group have been given license to clear a large area of natural forest in a protected territory, home to indigenous tribes and a protected natural habitat to orangutans. An APP spokesman denies such allegations saying that the accusation is totally unfounded.

This is not the first time they have been criticized by environmental groups. In 2007 APP was kicked out of FSC for destroying tropical trees in a high value conservation area in the island of Sumatra. In June 2008 WWF raised concern over their logging operations. However in September 2008 four APP mills in Indonesia received PEFC* Chain-of-custody certification.

*The PEFC Council (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes)

For more go to  http://www.printweek.com/RSS/News/907940/APP-refutes-illegal-logging-allegations/

Key coral reef vanishing!

Although this piece of news is not directly linked with the paper and printing industry it certainly will propel us to use more environment-friendly papers. As temporary residents in this planet we want to leave behind a green earth for our children and grand children.

The coral region, the coral triangle, between Indonesia and five other S.E.A. countries containing 75% of the world's coral are in danger of disappearing. Man's tampering with the ecological system namely pollution , greenhouse emission,uncontrolled exploitation of the coast and fishing will deplete marine life. As a result by the end of this century millions of people will be unable to harvest any fish from this part of the sea.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8047138.stm

Many of our friends and customers will be displaying their paper products. Luxurious packaging in all shapes and made with the state- of -the art material will be exhibited. Many innovative and creative greeting cards printed with the latest technology will amaze you. See you there.

R.R. Donnelley stunned the printing and publishing industries 
 
On May 13, 2009  R.R.Donelley one of the largest printers in the world shows interest to buy into another big printer, Quebecor World. R.R.Donelley, Quebecor World and Quad/Graphics are the three largest in the U.S.A.


The big three took care of all the big, long run catalog and magazine printing in the US.The tens of thousands of smaller offset printers simply cannot 
compete with these three. Now three is about to become two. Will R.R.Donelley pass the anti-trust laws?.


Read more in http://deadtreeedition.blogspot.com/2009/05/rr-donnelley-stalks-quebecor-world.html

FSC

In January 2009 one million invitations and envelopes were printed on FSC paper for President elect Obama's inauguration.
FSC or forest stewardship council is and has been in the rage for the last few years. Recently I was asked again what it stands for. So I thought maybe I make myself useful and try to explain it here. In simple layman terms it is someone or some company outside your organisation [if you make paper] checking on everything related to how the paper is made including the forest, the transport, the process of pulp-making, paper making, the chemicals, the fillers, etc. Then the merchant that stocks the paper has to be audited and so is the printer because they are part of the chain. Both merchant and printer need to be FSC certified.

What are the factors for this check?. Basically we need to show that we are responsible to the forest.
In the past the focus was on recycling and particularly, reusing post-consumer waste. Today recycling I think, is still very important as sooner or later we will all run out of landfills. In fact using more recycled paper lessen the cutting of trees. However FSC instead of looking at the pulp content shifts the emphasis to the whole process . FSC is about controlling forest management in the production of wood. It is talking about the use of alternative fibers, chemical treatment and resulting effluence or waste. FSC is for responsible choice for the environment. It is against illegal and unsustainable logging activities.

The FSC possesses very noble intentions. The FSC system aims to eliminate habitat destruction, water pollution, displacement of indigenous people, violence against people and wildlife that often accompanies logging.
Forest Stewardship Council certification is an important way to improve the practice of forestry.

If you want to read more go to http://www.fscus.org/

Design Line Opens a Retail Shop

DESIGN LINE PUDU SHOP OFFICIALLY OPENS

17/4/09

What a gala time ! It was a very big turnout beyond our expectations. So many friends , old and new acquaintances. And nice to make so many new friends in the printing industry. I believe the atmosphere was lively and everyone enjoyed the food and drinks .We had to use up the standby food but the beer was overly popular ...must be the extremely hot day!. Extreme temperature......um.......that reminds me of global warming.
We did our tiny bit for the environment. Everyone who wanted to send congratulatory flowers were encouraged to donate that money to Malaysian Nature Society. And the response was staggering meaning that people do care for the environment. Thank you. The flowers too were just great creating an ambiance of celebration and festivity. Thank you.

P.S. Thanks to all our colleagues who doubled up as "bouncers" against the never ending stream of gate  crashers.   Kudos to our multi-talented comrades.

A Good Cause

                                NOBLE INTENTIONS TO SUPPORT MOTHER EARTH

                                Many companies, individuals and friends expressed their love
                       for the environment by donating money to Malaysian Nature Society
                                                   Truly an inspirational moment.  

[From left] Mr. Wong, Ms Evelyn and Mr.Leong

[Back left]Mr. Leong, our Pudu Retail Manager sharing a good laugh with colleagues.    [Clockwise] Ms. Yoong, Ms. Joyce,Ms. June,Mr. Adrik and Ms. Evelyn
Adrik in a sworn statement,
denies that he was sleeping on the job. Instead he was overjoyed at work![Chinese saying,"see teeth but no see eyes"].

Thanks for your support!

Ms Fallon, our colleague [back facing us] talking with Mr. M.C. Wong of Yamagata [M] Sdn. Bhd. [facing us] and Mr. Ng













The writer [from right] with Mr. Jeffrey of Bakti Tulin Sdn. Bhd., Mr. Johning of Chiat Marketing Sdn. Bhd. and three lovely ladies from Bakti Tulin.

pose

Mr.Jeffrey of Sunflower. An uncontested winner of the best pose of the day!.


Just behind Mr, Jimmy Tan of Actan and talking to Mr. Ang of Ang Trading.

Another great shot of Mr. Kok of Percetakan Jiwabaru,,,possibly another winner of the best pose award!

Design Line in Pudu

Mr Tony Lim [ Deputy Director of Marketing] of Winpac gives a fortune away to MNS..
Mr.Lim of Salam Greeting is working for MNS on a part-time basis?.









[From left] Mr.Lim smiling [presumably prior to  his heavy duty part-time job] ,  followed by Mr. Wong of Memory Lane and Mr. Alex Teng of ATI Marketing

At the front table[ from left], Mr. Ho of Artmax, Mr. Wong of Memory Lane, Mr.Terry Gan  and Mr. Richard of Artmax having  an  interesting chat, apparently.
At the rear table [from left], Mr. S.M. Lee of Unique Print, the writer and Mr. Ee Chong Hoe of Trendy Print.

                                                         The man with a presence.
 Mr.Goh of Saftax , all the way from Ipoh with  his many friends. Thank you Goh, Keong, Kok   and Ah Mun.

[From left ] Mr.Edmund Lim of Happiness Wedding, Mr. Adrik of Design Line, Mr. Allan Tan of Design Line, Ms. Penny Lim of Happiness Wedding, Mr. Goh of Over The Rainbow Sdn. Bhd. and Mr. Wong.
Standing [from left]Ms Ivy from Carlsberg and Mr. Leong of Design Line .













Mr.Charles Lau of Percetakan Delima in a deep and meaningful discussion

[From right] The writer chatting with Mr. S. M. Lee of Unique Print Sdn. Bhd. and Mr. Ho of Artmax Sdn. Bhd.To the far left Mr. Loo of Plus Two Trading busy with his wallet.










[From right] Mr. Loo of  Plus Two Trading, Mr. Lai, Mr.Terry Gan  of United Earthworks Sdn. Bhd. and Mr .Richard Tan of Artmax who momentarily found interest elsewhere other than  the food or camera.

STELLAR PAPER - smart choice in uncertain times

Talking about Korea reminded me of this newly launched paper. It carries great bulk, feels like an uncoated paper but prints like one. The surface is good to touch but print colours jump out.
Comes in a lively white and a warm cream with various substances. But the most outstanding feature and , I may add , the most exciting, is that it is affordable. Really value added.

Stellar Paper , the smart choice.