Posted by on Feb 9, 2012 in
Essay Paper
Profitably Using White Papers By Christine Taylor
Most B2B companies have a white paper under their belts or are
planning to write one. But it’s not enough to write a white
paper. You also need to distribute your white paper to your
prospective customers and channel partners. For example, channel
executives can sharply increase qualified leads to pass along to
their channel partners and can offer the same white paper for
channel partner sponsorship. Marketing executives can generate a
steady stream of qualified leads, passing hot leads directly to
Sales, and successfully grooming warm leads through the sales
cycle. And PR executives can raise brand awareness in the
marketplace and leverage awareness into qualified leads for
marketing campaigns and sales. Marketing your white paper
correctly will increase qualified leads making back your
investment many times over.
#1 Target your white paper to readers who need your technology -
and know it.
White papers are notorious for sitting on a company’s Website
doing pretty much nothing. There are reasons for that:
A. The white paper isn’t right for its target market, or… B. The
white paper wasn’t written well to begin with or… C. The white
paper doesn’t compel readers to find out more or… D. All of the
above!
Don’t let this happen to you – wasting your investment in a
white paper is like setting fire to a sheaf of bills. The money
you spend to write the white paper whether in staff time or
hiring a professional writer is a poor investment if nobody
reads it or responds. But by marketing a well-crafted white
paper to the right audience, you’ll dramatically increase your
ROI – making a white paper your best single marketing investment
and the core of your marketing communications program.
Who’s the right audience? Readers who: 1.Know they have a
problem and need to fix it. 2.Can make a decision to purchase
your product (decision makers/executives), or can alert someone
who does (influencers/IT), or can resell your product to their
customers (channel partners).
Decision Makers/Executives. Decision makers are the managers and
executives who have the final say in spending budget and buying
your products and services. They are often CIOs but may be
C-level executives of any stripe who are interested adopting
technology that serves their business needs. White papers
written to decision makers should contain a strong business
focus.
Decision makers are comfortable with white papers. They’ll use
search engines to get to them and use search terms on technical
libraries. If they like your white paper, they’ll pass it along
to other executives and staff. They would much rather read a
white paper before talking to a sales representative – in fact,
decision makers are just the kind of long-term lead that Sales
usually ignores, but who consistent marketing and marketing
communications can bring on board within the year. The Sales
department then enters the picture to confirm facts and
negotiate the sale.
This role, which has decision makers proactively researching new
technologies for business advantage, is an increasing trend: CIO
Magazine reports that 68 percent of CIOs believe that CIOs
should proactively envision business opportunities and apply
technology to achieve them. Your white paper can help the
decision makers do that.
Influencers/IT. IT staff and managers aren’t looking for a spec
sheet but for a technology that will meet a pressing need.
They’re using white papers much earlier in their buying cycles.
A recent TechTarget survey reported that 79% of IT professionals
read white papers to learn something new about technology
relevant to their job, 73% of them consider white papers very
valuable for keeping up-to-date on the latest technology trends,
and 62% said they use white papers to get information on actual
implementations. This means that putting white papers where IT
can find them will get their attention very early in their
buying cycle and guiding prospects through the decision-making
process so you’ll be top-of-mind when they’re ready to make
their short vendor list. With 9 out of 10 prospects using white
papers to research vendor capabilities, the last thing you want
is for your white paper to sit around gathering dust. Channel
partners. It’s a real trick to get marcomm into the hands of
your channel partners, especially if you have a large partner
network. Even companies with partner portals find that their
partners rarely consistently download product marcomm. One way
around this is to actively distribute a compelling white paper
on your technology to partners, who in turn can use the white
paper to sell your product to their customers.
Using white papers with channel partners, especially during new
product launches, increases sales, decreases expenses and
reduces complexity.
#2 Persuade prospective customers to respond to your offer and
download your white paper.
Your white paper is useless unless the right people read it.
Once you know who your best prospects are, you must offer your
white paper where they’ll see it and respond by filling out a
registration form and downloading a copy. Depending on the
readership you’re trying to reach, this could mean electronic
and direct mailings, newsletter sponsorship, content syndication
and paid search/contextual advertising.
Top B2B White Paper Marketing Strategies in 2005
1. Mailings, email and print: Mailings, whether email or print,
are a great way to reach your targeted audience. Use email to
reach mid-level professionals and managers, and use direct mail
with high-level executives. Use in-house and highly targeted
lists like VARBusiness.com to reach channel partners and partner
prospects.
2. Newsletter sponsorship: Advertising in a newsletter targeted
to your audience works very well with mid-level IT
professionals. Since a popular newsletter can go to more than
10,000 subscribers, this is an excellent balancing technique to
direct mailings. Use trade journal newsletters directed to
resellers to reach the channel.
3. Content syndication: Posting white papers on syndication
sites like Bitpipe and TechTarget works especially well for
white papers in hot categories. Ideally, links should point to a
landing page that’s specific to your white paper.
Paid search/Contextual advertising: Method of presenting ads
based on user-entered keyword searches. Google Adwords is a
popular method of paid search, and contextual ads extend keyword
search into business and IT sites.
Here are some practical applications:
Channel executives. Reach existing and prospective channel
partners through mailings. Email is ideal for partner sales reps
while direct mail is best for high-level partner executives.
In-house lists can be golden, but if you rent an outside list
make sure it’s highly targeted to the people you want to reach
and that it’s scrupulously cleaned. Also post your white papers
on content syndication sites; you can pass on the resulting
leads to partners as well as your direct sales force.
Marketing executives. Do all of the above. Send email and direct
mailings in-house and other trusted lists, syndicated content on
the top syndication sites, sponsor popular newsletters to your
targeted prospects, and invest in paid search in Google and
business/IT sites.
PR executives. Offer your white paper in mailings to media and
include a copy in your press kit. Reporters that will dump a
press release in a hot second will stop to read a good white
paper. Suddenly your client’s approach to solving a business
problem becomes a valuable resource for the reporter instead of
an annoying intrusion. Titles and abstracts
Compelling titles and abstracts pull readers to click on a link
to download the white paper (content syndication sites) or be
sent to a landing page customized for the white paper
(everything else). Take a hint from extensive ad testing -
headlines are responsible for at least 50% and as much as 75% of
an ad’s responses rates. White paper downloads depend on the
same element.
Here is an example of before-and-after titles and abstracts:
Before: Not compelling, to say the least Title: “Protecting Your
Email Directory with Guardian Software from SecureLock”
Abstract: “Many challenges are faced today by email
administrators. This white paper from SecureLock describes how
Guardian Software protects email directories from Directory
Harvest Attacks.”
After: A whole lot better Title: “How Spammers are Assaulting
Your Critical Systems and How to Stop Them” Abstract: “How
secure are your critical messaging systems from outside attack?
Most corporations say email security is a top priority, but all
they do is set up a virus checker and call it a day. This white
paper investigates the challenge of fighting off spam, hacking,
phishing and harvesting attacks, and tells you how to protect
your vital email systems today and in the future.” Which one are
you more likely to download?
#3 Once the prospect has downloaded your white paper, ask
permission to contact – then do it.
Some prospects will be ready to talk to a salesperson right
away. These so-called hot leads go directly to the direct sales
force or channel partners. The challenge lies in the warm leads
- people who are interested enough to register and download your
white paper, but who aren’t ready to purchase in 3 months or
less. These leads often get lost, which is a shame – a large
percentage of them do end up buying within 6 months, and even
more within the year.
Registration forms will allow you to capture the lead and to
request permission to contact. One of the best ways to encourage
a prospect to respond and give permission to contact is by
encouraging them with a specific landing page optimized to your
white paper. The great beauty of a landing page is that it
vastly increases white paper requests and registrations, and
increase permission responses to send the prospect other
materials like newsletters, articles, and promotional mailings.
This is key to warming up a lead and bringing them to a purchase
decision: regular, permission-based contact keeps your product
top-of-mind when the prospect is ready to buy.
Tags: Paper, Profitably, Using, White
Posted by on Feb 4, 2012 in
Essay Paper
If you want to keep up with the research paper rubric and get the desired A+, you need to sweat your guts out. However, there is the alternative way to hit the bull’s eye: you can learn the way your teachers judge your research paper, namely research paper rubric, and apply the newly gained knowledge to practice.
Since I am inclined to believe that you are craving to get A+ for your research paper, instead of middling B or gloomy C, I will gladly provide you with some research paper help you will definitely need to get an excellent mark.
So, let us define what you’ve got to do with all the parts of a research paper and how you need to climb the steps to writing a research paper.
According to research paper rubric, you are required to state the purpose, introduction, body, and conclusion of your research paper clearly and comprehensively if you want to get an excellent mark. Moreover, you’ve got to make your writing clear, which means thorough organization, varied sentence structure, rich word choice, correct grammar, spelling and proper transitions. On top of that, you need to stick to the rules of qualitative source citations.
Don’t loose your heart if the above paragraph scared you. It seems so horrifying only at first glance. Once you examine these points closely, you will see they are manageable to master. So, let’s get down to business.
1.Purpose of Your Research Paper
You are sure to please any research paper rubric if your writing has a clear purpose or argument that is readily apparent to the readers in the research paper introduction. So, keep an eye on it.
2.Research Paper Introduction
The only research paper introduction that will pass is the one that is attention grabbing and impressive enough to induce the reader to read further on. As far as the scientific level of research paper evaluation is concerned, your research paper introduction should be clear and show relevance to the discipline you are writing your research paper on.
3.Body of the Research Paper
The body of your research paper must be a smooth continuation of the introduction and should have the same rhythm, pace, and tone.
As you write the body of your research paper, take great care in constructing your paragraphs. Remember that each paragraph of the body should focus on one main idea and develop it in several supporting sentences. Make sure that all paragraphs are logically arranged and there are no repetitions.
4.Content of Your Research Paper
Research paper content of an A-student should have balanced presentation of relevant and legitimate information that clearly supports the central purpose or argument and shows a thoughtful, in-depth analysis of the research paper topic.
5.Clarity of Writing
Out of the subheading, it is clear that your writing should be clear and concise. Thus, avoid various distractions that can leave you side-tracked. Stick solely to the main research paper ideas and develop them in logical succession.
A variety of thoughtful transitions is sure to boost your score. Keep in mind that transitions should clearly show how your research paper ideas are connected. As you might guess, it is important that your research paper ideas flow smoothly from one to another and are clearly linked to each other so that readers can follow your line of reasoning.
Sentences must be well-phrased and varied in length and structure. Remember that word choice is of particular importance in any research paper rubric. Therefore, go beyond the generic word to find more precise and effective words and make sure they are concise and meaningful at a time.
It goes without saying that you are not allowed to make grammar or spelling mistakes if you want to reach the top. With numerous mistakes in your research paper, the readers will be often distracted and persuaded that you are inattentive.
6.Conclusion of Your Research Paper
Research paper rubric adores succinct and precise conclusions that are based on the review of literature. It also gives preference to appropriate insights into the research paper topic. Do not forget to check whether the conclusions and research questions or suggestions are strongly supported within the report.
7.Use of References
The references in your research paper require special attention. They turn out to be the pitfall to getting an excellent mark quite often. Escape the common lot by sparing some time to the references.
So, in order to support your claims in the research paper, you should give preference to compelling evidence from professionally legitimate sources. Make sure that the information you refer to in your research paper can be trusted.
The attention of teachers is often pointed to the use of the particular reference style. Thus, do not forget to double-check your list of references for mistakes.
That is all. Seven-point plan to rescue your research paper is over. Simply commit these points of a research paper rubric for A-students to memory. If not, keep this guideline of a research paper rubric close at hand and getting A+ for your research paper will be as easy as never before.
Tags: Paper, Research, Rubric, Tips, Tricks
Posted by on Feb 1, 2012 in
Essay Paper
Handmade Paper Journey from Valley to the Peak the Indians is said to hold the credit of having used paper from cellulose fibers during third century BC. Skilled Indian makers use a variety of raw materials for making handmade papers.
The handmade paper in India is produced mainly by recycling waste agro raw materials such as cotton rags, in the form of tailor cutting, hosiery cutting; and small quantities of waste paper. Other agro fibers like jute, straw, banana are also used to blend with the primary fibers for effect purpose etc. The major states for acquiring raw material for manufacturing are Tamilnadu, Kanpur, Mumbai etc.
The process to make is also Eco-friendly i.e. there is no machinery involvement or any kind of chemical usage done. They come in appealing varieties, with small dried flowers and leaves, colored fiber etc., making them attractive.
It’s popularity is increasing day by day due to the effective inbuilt qualities as it has huge tensile, bursting, tearing and double fold strength as compared to mill paper and it does not turn brittle due to aging. The possibilities for what can be accomplished with handmade paper and paper pulp are limitless.
These are effectively used in making a variety of decorative items, greeting cards, wallpapers, carry bags, gift boxes, art portfolios and much more. Also in the stationery field many items like paper letterheads, visiting cards, envelopes, note pads, memo cubes and many more items are seen to be made of this. Today, this industry has approximately 157 working units all over the country. The paper industry in India could be roughly categorized into three according to the raw material used that is wood based, agro based and waste paper based.
A wide range of raw materials, such as bamboo, wood grass, rice and wheat straw, jute, rags and waste paper are made available for paper and board making. The Indian pulp and paper industry has recently experienced enormous growth, coupled with consolidation due to the value addition activities like embossing embroidery on handmade paper etc.
The industry in India offers considerable potential to meet the increasing demand for paper products in an environmentally sound way.
Delhi is an ideal location to find both of these materials because it has a thriving rag trade, which provides abundance of old cloth and vast amounts of used paper.
The cost difference between handmade paper and millmade paper is marginal. The concern about the disappearance of forests, coupled with renewed interest in the quality of papers generated new study of the paper maker’s materials, especially the pulps and fibers. With several technological changes taking place in the paper industry, the government has to rethink its land use policies and conservation strategies to protect the natural resources.
The Indian government has provided funds to different supplying councils like KVIC (Khadi & Village Industries Commission) which tie up with banks and through banks provide funds to promising entrepreneurs who want to start handmade paper making business. Seven years back UNDP provided funds to improve activities further in the industry which gave a lot of exposure of that market.
Also the government had come out with REGP plans (Rural Employment Generation Program) where the government gave loans to village people to start small handmade paper units thus boosting the rural areas to further develop. India is said to produce approximately Rs.21crore worth of handmade papers, providing full time employment to around 10,000 persons in the rural areas.
They also plan to carry out similar activities in northeastern states also to boost the northeastern regions of paper industry. This year two major units, The Sthaneshwar Handmade Paper P.C.I.S. LTD and Handmade Paper & Board Industries under the KVIC sector won National Award through the president of India for supplying best quality products.
Mr.K.Sudhakar – Dy.Director I/C (Handmade Paper and Fiber industry) is of the opinion that the “Handmade Paper products is a real treasure with full of creative, innovative and thought provoking ideas and the industry has got an excellent future because of value addition and export oriented prospective.”
The sector also plans to tab or explore the very big area of packaging industries be it for medicine packaging or fertilizer packaging etc. Even the Internal Trade Fairs like PAPEREX have been fruitful trade encouraging activities. This year in PAPEREX 2005, Carlton Coats Pvt.Ltd. were the ones to win the 1st prize. Each unit in India is said to roughly provide fifty crores worth material.
Most of these units have become totally export oriented. Ever growing International market for Handmade Paper Though countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines have already emerged as `handmade paper giants’; India is being looked upon as the country with the maximum growth potential. The country is almost self-sufficient in manufacture of most varieties of handmade papers. There has been phenomenal growth in the export market for Indian Handmade Paper and its products, especially in the developed countries like the United States of America, West Germany, European Countries, Australia etc.
The last decade witnessed rapid growth in export as a number of Handmade Paper and paper products manufacturing units have become hundred percent export oriented units and helped in increasing the foreign exchange of the country. The export of handmade paper and paper products from the last two year was estimated for around fifty crores and this year the approximate growth was estimated to be 20% more and in the coming years it is said to be growing in many folds or multiples.
The Eco-friendly quality and long shelf life of the handmade paper fetches a high premium in the international market. Exports from Sanganer alone accounts for nearly 70 percent of the total handmade paper exports from India. The paper and allied products are sold in the US, Australia, Japan, Britain and South Africa. Besides paper sheets, items like paper bags, sacks, gift wrappers, art books, photo albums, diaries gift boxes and photo frames find ready buyers abroad.
The international demand for handmade paper and its value-added products are increasing at an approximate rate of 30-35 percent a year, which is phenomenal compared to five-seven percent a decade back. The industry, however, has weaknesses in terms of market concentration to a few countries and lack of technology for product conversion resulting into low production capacity.
Other than this other threat that would have to be overcome would be the competition being posed by more pioneering countries like China. But it is said that like any other commodity, handmade paper too goes through a cyclical trend depending upon the demand-supply scene in the international markets. Even the prices in the domestic market are inextricably linked with the paper price movements internationally.
But the growing preference for environment-friendly products worldwide and increasing demand for handmade paper products have eradicated the limitations of the handmade paper industry and once again it has emerged as one of the market leaders. In the era of globalization, handmade paper is one of the prime sectors, which has a major say.
Tags: Boom, Ecofriendly, Paper
Posted by on Jan 31, 2012 in
Essay Paper
WE’VE POSTED OUR WHITE PAPER ON THE NET,
BUT NO ONE IS CLICKING OR CALLING!
HOW TO BUILD A COMPREHENSIVE (BUT SIMPLE) WHITE PAPER MARKETING PLAN
White Papers have a great reputation for really working – for getting more leads, closing more sales and helping companies reach positions of thought leadership in their industry.
And yet… many companies have this complaint:
We’ve written a great White Paper. We’ve posted it on our website – and there has been VERY LITTLE RESPONSE.
Like the tree falling in the forest, if no one hears about the White Paper, does it really exist? Well, sure, it’s there, but if it doesn’t have an effect, if it’s not noticed, does it really matter?
In order for your White Paper to matter it has to be heard, read, it has to make an impact. Posting White Papers alone is clearly not enough.
This report presents ways to market White Papers more effectively so they can truly be heard falling into the hands of prospects, decision makers and buyers – So you can hear a resounding YES to your product or solution.
80% of Companies Make the Same Mistake
According to leading B2B copywriter Steve Slaunwhite, nearly 80% of companies make this very same mistake. They post their White Paper to their website and wait. And wait some more.
Why? It boils down to inexperience. While brochures have been around for centuries, White Papers as marketing tools are a relatively recent phenomenon. And while it is clear that they work, companies simply are not aware of the means to get them to do so.
White Paper specialist Michael Stelzner presents a similar argument. In his book, Writing White Papers, he describes the “post and hope” fallacy. Companies spend a lot of money and effort to put out a terrific White Paper only to post it their website and wait – “if you post it they will come.” Companies are inevitably disappointed in the results, often questioning the efficacy of their choice of White Papers as a tool.
Blame the Messenger, not the Message
In situations like this, it’s not the message, but the messenger that’s the problem. White Papers are uniquely effective – they slip under the “don’t try to sell me” radar. They convince in a non-threatening way. And they have a great track record of closing deals.>
But they have to be seen to be effective. When they are not seen, it’s their method of delivery that must be further examined.
Make a White Paper Marketing Plan
White Papers are extremely valuable marketing tools. Your mission is to get them seen as much as possible, to get them passed around. And once they get into peoples’ hands, they will work very strongly and effectively for you.
Considering how valuable a tool they are, it is more than worthwhile to make a Marketing Plan for getting them seen. This plan does not have to be overly complicated or expensive. What it should be, though, is varied and far-reaching. Don’t just post it – use the different means at your disposal to expose your White Paper as much as possible. Get it seen. And when it is seen, it will certainly be heard.
Suggested Marketing Plan Components
Steve Slaunwhite provides several suggestions for steps companies can take to market their White Papers. These steps can be taken in part or in whole – based on what works for the individual company. The important thing is to plan ahead with numerous components, to utilize a varied comprehensive plan.
Price Tag Promotion
White Papers need to be promoted and sold as items of strong value. Giving them away for free lowers customer perception of the actual worth of the White Paper.
This doesn’t mean you need to charge customers. Rather, they should be promoted and “sold” as if they had a price tag. To that effect:
Put an icon on the front page indicating the newly available White Paper
Build a separate landing page devoted to the White Paper
Use compelling sales copy on the landing page
Use contact information as the “sales price” for the White Paper download and start that first step of having your White Paper get customers in the sales funnel
E-Promotion
Companies that have an electronic presence besides their website should certainly use that to get the message out about their new White Paper:
Add descriptive content and a link to the landing page in the company e-newsletter or ezine
Send promotional copy with a sign-up link to the opt-in e-mail list
Announce the White Paper with a more personal discussion style in company blogs
Print Hand Out Promotion
In addition to the typical PDF production style, companies should print physical copies of the White Paper. Remember to keep it professional looking, but not too slick – White Papers work because they are not brochures – they go beneath the “hype radar.” That means not being too stylized, not having the company logo everywhere, etc.
Once available in a physical version:
Distribute as a highly effective “leave behind” tool for salespeople
Use at trade shows for marketing material that will truly stand out from the thousands of brochures that get “circular filed”
Repurpose
White Paper content can be easily repurposed. This will get their message out in other media, while at the same time, give an opportunity to deliver the actual White Paper as a supplement.
Convert the White Paper content to PowerPoint slides. Present the slides as part of an Executive Lecture, or a similar sales presentation. Make the actual White Paper available as a hand-out following the presentation
Submit a magazine-style article based on the White Paper content to business publications. Add a link to the White Paper sign-up form.
Lead Generation – Direct Mail Piece
Direct Mail campaigns for White Paper signup have been known to have dramatic response rates of 3%, 5%, even 7%, depending on the strength of the material.
Prepare a simple, one page Direct Mail piece to appropriate mailing list prospects. Use your ezine list, opt-in list, or perhaps a purchased list for your mailing list.
Add an icon sized picture of the White Paper
Use promotional copy for the White Paper
Keep it straightforward, short, and direct
Press Release
Press Releases can be another valuable methodology for gaining readers of your White Paper. This is particularly so if the product is really new, unique and different.
Structure it well – make it “Newsy”
Either attach the actual White Paper (if you know the editor) or attach a note saying contact us, we’ll send you a copy
Additional Marketing Plan Possibilities
Steve Slaunwhite describes the above marketing plan suggestions as best practices. They are particularly effective in terms of their simplicity – they do not require tremendous budgets, or intense levels of preparations to reach maximum impact.
But they are by no means the only possible components of an effective White Paper marketing plan.
Michael Stelzner presents a number of additional suggestions:
Syndication
Companies frequently promote their White Papers via syndication networks. In this scenario, companies pay a service provider who places the White Paper across a network of targeted websites based on ideal leads.
Public Relations
Companies often hire public relations firms to promote their White Papers, as well as the new technology or service it describes.
Pay-Per-Click Advertising
Google Adwords and similar tools are frequently effective methods of drawing attention to White Papers. They are particularly targeted, as only those who are looking for the solution you offer click the relevant advertisement.
Stephan Tornquist, research director of MarketingSherpa.com provides some further suggestions:
Search Engine Optimization
Make sure to use the latest Search Engine Optimization techniques, particularly in Press Releases describing the White Paper. This will enable a great deal of exposure in business press, in blogs, and at times in the mainstream press as well.
Podcasts
While rather new, Podcasting can likewise have a positive effect in getting the word out about your White Paper. Make sure to use someone with a passionate voice (both literally and figuratively) to announce and describe your product or service. Podcast in a series, rather than just in an isolated one-shot scenario.
Putting it All Together
White Papers are extremely valuable tools for getting leads, closing sales, and becoming known as industry leaders.
But White Papers must be seen to get your message heard.
Posting your White Paper to your website and waiting is a recipe for failure and disappointment.
Use the ingredients in this report to build a Marketing Plan to promote your White Paper. Make sure it gets seen. Make sure it gets read. Only then will response you intended for it be strongly heard.
References:
Steve Slaunwhite, interviewed by Sheldon Gladstein, GladsteinConsulting, February 16, 2007
Stelzner, Michael A. Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged. WhitePaperSource Publishing, Poway, CA 2007
For a list of syndication resources, refer to Appendix III of Michael Stelzner’s “ Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged.”
As interviewed by Nettie Hartstock for WhitePaperSource, http://whitepapersource.com/marketing/tornquist-interview.html
Tags: Calling, Clicking, Paper, Posted, We've, White
Posted by on Jan 26, 2012 in
Essay Paper
“Say no to plastic.”"Save energy, save the world.” “Global Warming, the new monster.”
Slogans echoing in today’s world, shibboleth of the world, which is heading towards a phase where the species called “Homo sapiens” will be an endangered one!! The “intelligent” human race is creating a serious threat to the ecological balance because of the increasing degradation of trees to match the ever-increasing demand for paper. Approximately 300 trees are cut for every one ton of mill-made paper. As a result the forest covered land of the earth has come down from 30% to around 16% in today’s date. Acting “intelligently”, as ever, mankind brought back the age old cult of handmade paper, as a respite, to reduce the drastic deduction of trees, to save the world.
Handmade paper, environment friendly and bio-degradable, is 100% wood-free. Made out of cotton and agricultural wastes, handmade paper has high tensile strength and a longer life compared to mill-made paper. Grass, jute and straw waste, banana stem, mulberry bark, sisal, weed and waste paper, are also used in the making of handmade paper. Infact any raw material can be used as long as it has fiber. Flourishing at its heights, today the wide range and kind of handmade paper include multifarious collection from plain paper to banana paper, embroidered paper to starch coated paper, hand printed paper to screen printing paper…creating a myriad of utilitarian paper products.
Following the hazy path of history, the ancient art of handmade paper making traces its roots from China through the Mid-East to Europe. Its invention in China dates back to the fifth century A.D. Known as Kagzis (paper-makers), the Muslim handmade paper makers, originally belonging to Arabia, migrated to India during the first Muslim invasions of Mohammed Ghazni (997-1030 A.D.). And that was the beginning of handmade paper industry in India which is looked upon as a country with maximum growth potential in handmade paper, with the largest population of handmade paper-makers in the present world.
Handmade papermaking is nearer to art than to the mechanics of industries because of the bewildering variety of natural materials and dyes, as well as finishing techniques, used in its making. The fairly simple process of handmade paper making can be basically divided into six stages – preliminary treatment, beating, sheet formation, pressing, peeling and drying, and sizing. The beginning marks the breaking down the raw materials like rags, straw, grass, etc. into small pieces which are then beaten in the second stage to disjoint the fibers, impurities are washed off and kept in abeyance to make a pulp. At the third stage the cast, which is inside a wooden frame, is doused into the tub containing the fiber-water mixture and the tub is agitated to make an even layer of the pulp, draining the remaining water out; the conjoined fibers give strength to the sheets. In the fourth stage the damp sheets are moved to a woolen felt and in this stage different patterns could be given to the sheets. Extra moisture is removed in the fifth stage and in the sixth stage the handmade paper is treated with glue and starch to restrain blotting and the process is complete with the drying of the sized sheets.
Just because handmade paper is not produced in a massive quantity, it turns out to be a little more expensive compared to conventional paper. But that is not worth counting when it comes to the much greater price which the entire human race has to pay if the demolition of trees is not barred at the first place, which is giving rise to the monstrous Global Warming. 100% eco-friendly and recyclable, handmade paper reduces pollution, saves trees, thus contributing to a much balanced and healthier environment.
Attractive and aesthetic, handmade paper has high bursting, tearing, shredding and double fold strength, and does not have brittle qualities of mill-made paper. Artistic feel and elegant natural look of handmade paper is for its natural unprocessed fiber content, which makes it more fashionable, more classy.
Recycled, reinvented and resurrected, handmade paper has come a long way from an antique handcraft to setting newer trends of fashion. Handmade paper products are a rage now. Handmade paper diaries and notebooks, slip pads, paper bags, wrapping papers, lanterns, photo frames, envelopes…the range of handmade paper products is ever increasing. What gives the handmade paper products a distinctive place is the attractive and aesthetic appeal, with a tinge of ethnicity and fashion.
Colourful handmade diaries, notebooks and slip pads can add life and vibrancy to the dull and boring working hours!! Handmade paper diaries and notebooks are decorated with stone work, zari work, string work, lac work, etc. which sprinkles an ethnic and artistic appeal wherever kept, be it your working desk or the center table of your living room.
A gift wrapped in handmade wrapping paper in a handmade paper bag would speak for itself in any party, any occasion, also verbalizing your artistic and designer outlook! Be it the embroidered paper or the marbled paper, handmade wrapping papers and handmade paper bags are creating a new cult…an eco-friendly way to wish your loved ones, saving the lovely earth too.
What could be more romantic than a dinner under a beautifully textured handmade paper lantern shade? Diffusing the light into the color close to your heart, handmade paper lantern shades can give a new meaning to any occasion, be it the vibrant party times or a romantic dinner. And capturing those moments in a handmade paper photo frame…a new dimension to relishing some of the life’s best moments.
Ecologically sensitive, imaginative and innovative, handmade paper is at its boom now, with its demand increasing in a rapid way in both domestic and international market. Its artistic and elegant appeal, mingled with the need of the century to save the world, lead to the resurrection of this antique art of handmade paper making creating a new cult in the history paper industry…ensuring that nature survives, forever.
Tags: Handmade, Paper, Products
Posted by on Jan 25, 2012 in
Essay Paper
INTRODUCTION
News papers have collected information from all directions. It helps to improve reading habit, knowledge skills and current awareness about world. Most of the people wish they read more. It is an activity that is both fun and enlightening. It can help us be more knowledgeable and successful. However, it is an activity that many people don’t engage in very much. According to the 1999 National Household Education Survey, 50% of the U.S. population aged 25 and over read a newspaper at least once a week, read one or more magazines regularly, and had read a book in the past 6 months. What does this mean? It means that 50% of the population hasn’t read a book in the last six months! And most of the staff members read the news papers for various purposes it’s clearly defined this article. So now a day news papers reading habit important for all the staff members because more information’s exist and to identify the latest development in their subject or field.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Begum and Ramesh (1991) investigated the Factors inhibiting the public library use; A case study of city central library, Mysore. This article “Factors inhibiting the public library use” analyzed the responses gathered from the users of the City central library, Mysore, India. Assesses the reading interests, factors inimical to the use of City central library, availability of reading materials and the necessary improvements suggested by the users to the existing conditions of City central library ., Mysore.
Somsong(1999), Reading habit promotion in ASEAN libraries. This paper described the different activities that ASEAN Libraries had undertaken to promote reading by increasing awareness among their people. Firstly, factors limiting reading habit in ASEAN Libraries had been approached. Secondly roles of local institutes or organizations in helping libraries conducting reading habit promotion had been acknowledged. Finally some suggestions on effective methods and successful programs of reading habit promotion by ASEAN Libraries had been collected
Bndaka(2007) investigated the using newspaper articles to develop students’ Reading skills in senior high school that the aim of this paper is to present a reading lesson which was initially designed for the students of Peiramatiko Senior High School (Experimental Senior High School) of Patras, Greece and more specifically for class A of Senior High School. The main aim of the lesson was to develop the students’ reading skills using a newspaper article and help student’s gain confidence when faced with authentic texts. The planning of the lesson was based on the belief that students should be exposed as much as possible to authentic reading texts so that they are given the chance to encounter real language and not only the language made up of course books
RESEARCH DESIGN
This topic deals with the content and the meaning of the undertaking study in terms of objectives and process of analyzing the formation of hypothesis. It also explains the methodology of study with respect to sampling from interview schedule, sources of data, method of data analysis and limitation of study.
Objectives
The main aim of the study is to analyze the News paper reading habit among the professional college staff members for various points of view: A survey. The following are the subsequent objectives:
1. To study the socio economic conditions of professional college staff members.
2. To study the news reading habit among the professional college staff communities.
3. To observed the professional college staff members read the news paper for various purpose
4. To make suggestions for the effective reading of news papers in the professional college staff community.
Methodology
For realizing the objectives of any study data, it is required and in turn, for the collection of data, a field is selected to realize the objectives of the study to collect data required for the purpose, the researcher choose News paper reading habit among the professional college staff members for various points of view: A survey
Method of data collection
For collecting the data the researcher has prepared interview schedule for the users and distributed to them. The empirical research design and random sampling technique was applied to select the sample.110 questioners were distributed to the sample and 105 were received back. Out of the 105 samples taken from professional college staff members in Einstein college of Engineering, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu. 11 samples were from professor and 24 samples were from Asst. professor. 39 samples were from lecturer, 28 samples were from Non teaching staff and 3 samples were from others staff community.
Data Analysis
The collected data were entered in the master table and sub-tables were created. The statistical tools like average and weighted percentage have been used.
ANALYSIS
SOCIO ECONOMIC BACKGROUND OF THE STAFF MEMBERS
Table.1
Distribution of professional college staff community according to Sex.
S.No Occupation Male Female Total
1 Professor 6
(54.5)
5
(45.5) 11
(10.5)
2 Asst. Professor 14
(58.3) 10
(41.7)
24
(22.8)
3 Lecturer 31
(79.5)
8
(20.5) 39
(37.1)
4 Non teaching staff 22
(78.6)
6
(21.4) 28
(26.7)
5 Others 2
(66.7)
1
(33.3) 3
(2.9)
Total 75
(71.4) 30
(28.6) 105
(100)
Note: * Source computed
** Entries within parenthesis denote percentage
The data in table 1 indicate the distribution of professional college staff members according to sex. Out of all the respondents, 71.4 percent are male followed by Female (28.6).
Among all the professional staff members, more than 75 percent of the respondents from male are seen in Lecturer (79.5) and Non teaching (78.6) staff communities and more female respondents are seen in Professor (45.5) and Asst. Professor (41.7) staff communities.
It is clearly seen from the above discussion that the more than 75 percent of male staff members in lecturer and Non teaching staff are reading the news paper then female.
Table.2
Distribution of professional college staff community according to their occupation wise.
S.No Occupation No. of Response No response
1 Professor 11(10.5) -
2 Asst. Professor 24(22.8) -
3 Lecturer 39(37.1) -
4 Non teaching staff 28(26.7) -
5 Others 3(2.9) -
Total 105(100) -
Note: * Source computed
** Entries within parenthesis denote percentage
The data in table 2 indicate the distribution of professional college staff according to their occupation wise. Out of all the respondents, Most of the respondents are lecturers (37.1) and followed by the non teaching staff (26.7), Asst. Professor (22.8), Professor (10.5) and few respondents (2.9) are others staff member
NEWS PAPER READING HABIT
Table.3
Distribution of professional college staff members according to the habit of reading news papers.
S.No
Professional college staff Habit of reading news papers
Total
Yes No
1 Professor 7
(63.6) 4
(36.4) 11
(10.5)
2 Asst..Professor 19
(79.2) 5
(20.8) 24
(22.8)
3 Lecturer 30
(76.9) 9
(23.1) 39
(37.1)
4 Non teaching staff 26
(92.8) 2
(7.2) 28
(26.7)
5 Others 1
(33.3) 2
(66.7) 3
(2.9)
Total 83
(79.0) 22
(21.0) 105
(100)
Note: * Source computed
** Entries within parenthesis denote percentage
The data in table 3 indicate the distribution of professional college staff members according to the habit of reading news papers. Out of all the total respondents, 79.0 percent are having the habit of reading news papers and (21.0) respondents do not have the habit of reading news papers.
Among all the professional college staff members , majority of respondents are from non teaching staff who are having the habit of reading news papers followed by Asst.Professor (79.2), and Professor (63.6). More respondents from others (66.2) do not have the habit of reading news papers.
Table.4
S.No Frequency Response Percentage
1 Daily 35 33.3
2 Twice or Thrice per week 31 29.5
3 Once in a week 22 21.0
4 Very rarely 17 16.2
5 Never 0 0.0
Total 105 100
Distribution of professional course staff members according to frequency of reading news papers
Source: computed
The data in table 4 indicate the distribution of professional course staff members according to the frequency of reading news papers. Among all the total respondents, 33.3 percent are to read the news papers ‘daily’ and followed by the persons are Twice or thrice per week (29.5), once in a week (21.0), very rarely (16.2) and no one (0.0) never read the news papers.
Table.5
Distribution of professional college staff community according to the reading habit of news papers from various points of view.
Professional college staff Reading News papers for various point of view
Total
Main heading Important news Political news Employment
news Entertainment news
Professor 2
(28.6) 2
(8.6) 2
(28.6) 1
(14.2) 0
(0.0) 7
(8.4)
Asst..Professor 5
(26.3) 4
(21.1) 0
(0.0) 10
(52.6) 0
(0.0) 19
(22.9)
Lecturer 7
(23.3) 2
(6.7) 6
(20.0) 15
(50.0) 0
(0.0) 30
(36.1)
Non Teaching staff 0
(0.0) 0
(0.0) 2
(7.7) 16
(61.5) 8
(30.8) 26
(31.3)
Others 0
(0.0) 0
(0.0) 0
(0.0) 0
(0.0) 1
(10.0) 1
(1.3)
Total 14
(16.9) 8
(9.6) 10
(12.1) 42
(50.6) 9
(10.8) 83
(100)
Note: * Source computed
** Entries within parenthesis denote percentage
The data in table 4 indicate the distribution of professional college staff members from various points of view. Out of all the total respondents, 50.6 percent read news papers for employment news, followed by the Main headings (16.9), Political news (12.1), Entertainment (10.8) and important news (9.6).
Among all categories of the college staff members, more than half of respondents are lecturers (50.0), Ass. Professors (52.6) and Non teaching staff community read the news paper for employment news. Others staff community read entertainment news only. Few respondents who are professor (28.6) and Asst.Professor (26.3) read main headings and important news in the news papers.
FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS AND CONCLUSION
SOCIO ECONOMIC BACKGROUND OF THE STAFF MEMBERS
The findings on distribution of professional college staff members according to sex revealed the following facts. The staff members from male read the news papers than female.
NEWS PAPER READING HABIT AND VARIOUR PURPOSE
The findings on distribution of professional college staff members according to habit of reading news papers revealed following facts. More than 75 percent of the professional college staff members are having the habit of reading news papers. More Non teaching staff communities have the habit of reading news paper. More others group staff community do not have the habit of reading news paper.
The findings on distribution of professional college staff members according to frequency of reading news papers revealed following facts most of staff members read the news papers daily and twice or thrice per week. Some staff members read the news papers once in a week and very rarely.
The findings on distribution of professional college staff members according to the reading habit of news papers from various points of views revealed following facts. More than half of the staff members are Non teaching, Asst. professor and lecturer read the news papers for employment news purpose .Others staff community read only entertainment news from the news paper.
Constraints:
Most of the staff members have felt that news papers must be read completely but time is too short for them to read the news paper.
SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
In order to maintain and raise the News paper reading habit among the professional college staff members for various points of view the following suggestions may be found useful.
1. To promote news paper reading habit among the others staff community in professional college.
2. Electronic news papers are more help to read all information very short period.
3. Online news papers may help to find out latest development in various field, employment news, and other important news.
4. Now day’s professional college staff members must read the news papers for improve their knowledge skills.
5. The educational institutions should motivate and give opportunity to the professional college staff members for read online news papers and improve their knowledge skills.
6. The following are some suggestions to help you strengthen your reading habit ways to find and make more time for reading, always have a book around, set a reading goal, keep a log, keep a list, turn off the television, listen when you can’t read, Join a reading group or book club, Join a reading group or book club, build your own strategy and drop everything read
CONCLUSION
In this study the researcher concluded that the staff members from male read the news papers than female. More than 75 percent of the professional college staff members are having the habit of reading news papers. More Non teaching staff communities have the habit of reading news paper. Majority of the staff members read the news papers for employment and entertainment news only.
REFERENCES
BOOKS
Allen, Harrell.T. New methods in Social Science Research. New york: Praeger Publishers, 1978
Kothari, C.P. Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. New Delhi: Wishwa prakashan, 1990.
Kumaresan, S.C and Swaminathan,S. Library science unleashed. Trichy: Rock City Publications, 2003
JOURNALS
Begum, Khaiser Jahan and Ramesh, C.P. “Factors inhibiting the public library use: A case study of city central library, Mysore.” Library Review. (1991): 332-350.
Bertot,John Carlo, Mcclure, Charles R and Ryan ,Joe Statistics. “Performance Measures for Public Library Networked Services.” Library and Information Science Research.23 (3)2001:299-300
Bndaka ,Eleni. “Using newspaper articles to develop students’ Reading skills in senior high school”. The Reading Matrix 7 (1)(2007)
Somsong, Sangkaeo . “Reading habit promotion in ASEAN libraries.” 65th IFLA Council and General Conference Bangkok, Thailand. 28August1999.
Yilmaz ,Bülent. “Reading and library usage habits of the students whose mother tongue is Turkish in Vienna, Austria.”66thIFL council and General conference Jerusalem, Israel. (2000): 13-18.
Tags: Among, College, Habit, Members, News, Paper, Points, Professional, Reading, Staff, Survey, various, View
Posted by on Jan 24, 2012 in
Essay Paper
If you are in retail, food service or the hospitality industry, chances are that you are using at least one machine that uses thermal paper. Whether the machine is a credit card processor, a cash register, a fax machine or a complete point of sale system, you will find that there is a wide difference in the quality of the thermal paper available for use with them.
What is thermal paper?
Thermal paper is paper that is impregnated with heat sensitive chemicals, often with a top coat or sealer. The pigmented chemicals darken when exposed to heat, as when they are passed over a heated printer head. While thermal paper used to be expensive, the prices have come down considerably in recent years as the use of thermal printing systems and thermal paper has increased. The increased competition and better technology has made thermal paper for receipts, credit card receipts and food service tickets the state of the art for point of sale technologies.
How to choose thermal paper for your business
There are a number of factors to consider when choosing thermal paper that is right for your business. Those factors range from the size your machines require to the quality of the paper to the price per roll. Here is a look at things you should consider when trying to determine which type of thermal paper is right for your business.
What point of sale machines do you have?
The most obvious requirement for your thermal paper is that it fits your machines. Thermal paper is available in a wide range of widths and lengths. Most machine manuals recommend using a specific size and some may recommend a specific brand of thermal paper to use for best results. If you use the wrong size or type of paper in your machines, you could invalidate your equipment’s warranty. Even using paper that is too small for your machine can have an impact on your bottom line. Using POS thermal paper that is the highest diameter and width accepted by your machine will increase the number of receipts that you will get from each roll and decrease the amount of time you will have to spend changing the rolls.
Why is the paper important to quality?
There are two major factors in the print quality of the receipts and information printed out by your POS, FAX and other systems that use thermal paper. The first, of course, is the quality of the printer used. The second is the quality of the paper, and it has a surprisingly large effect on the quality of the print. This is true even with standard printers, but it is all the more true when the ‘ink’ is actually part of the paper as it is with thermal paper.
One important factor in choosing the right thermal paper for your business is how important and how enduring the print quality is with a specific paper. The pigment in many lower quality thermal papers is subject to fading within a short time of printing. If you rely on printed receipts for your record-keeping, then it will be important for you to choose a thermal paper that will stand up to time. This is not as important if you use a point of sale system that stores all transactions. Your customers, however, will very likely appreciate the extra attention to quality when they find themselves trying to balance a checkbook or credit card invoice using receipts that they can actually read.
What’s the significance of A-grade when applied to thermal paper?
While there are many different kinds of thermal paper, there are two grades of paper that are most commonly used with POS systems – “A” grade and “TMP” economy grade. The biggest difference between the two is the brightness of the paper. A grade thermal paper is much brighter white than economy paper, which means higher contrast and better legibility of the printing. “A” grade thermal paper is more expensive than economy grade, as might be expected, but it will give your business a much more professional image. You will have to decide yourself whether the additional cost is worth it.
There is one other reason you might consider using higher quality thermal paper with your POS equipment. Lower quality paper gives off more dust when going through the printer, which can contribute to machine breakdown and paper jams. The investment in higher quality paper could pay off in time saved doing maintenance on your point of sale system.
How about the cost?
There are many ways that you can save on the cost of your point of sale replies without sacrificing quality. One of the best is to shop online with a supplier of POS thermal paper and other POS supplies. By shopping online, you can compare prices and find the best deals on quality point of sale paper rolls and thermal paper.
Tags: about, Details, Different, Paper, Thermal, Types
Posted by on Jan 21, 2012 in
Essay Paper
Recycled Paper: Exploding the Myths
Paper and paper products are the largest single component of society’s waste stream. The movement to recycle paper and manufacture products is primarily an effort to reduce the amount of costly, disposable waste. When we choose to use recycled paper for our businesses and homes, we don’t have to sacrifice quality. Recycled paper is readily available in many high quality grades meeting the same technical specifications as virgin (tree) paper. The quality of recycled paper has improved significantly over the years, so that it performs well in office copiers, fax machines, printers and printing machines.
The First Paper Mill in the U.S. Recycled
Believe it or not, the very first paper mill originated in the U.S. colonies in 1690 close to Philadelphia, and operated as a recycling mill. The paper mill created paper from recycled cotton and rags. It wasn’t until the 1800s that papermakers learned to make paper from trees. Back then papermakers thought the resources of the forest were limitless and capable of constantly renewing itself. Today we realize that our natural resources do have limits and sustainable alternatives must be implemented to protect the world’s environment.
Just the Facts
Recycled paper is widely used in products today. Newspapers, magazines, books catalogs, direct mail, tissue and towel products, packaging products and more use recycled paper. Still, there are many myths surrounding recycling and recycled paper.
Myth 1: Recycled paper doesn’t have a professional appearance.
You can easily find a variety of quality and grades available. You’ll find paper made just for business cards, letterhead, and brochures, tissue and towel papers and more just as easily in recycled paper products. Recycled paper is often cost-comparative to virgin paper.
Myth 2: It doesn’t make sense to buy recycled products because they cost more. In the instances where recycled paper does cost more than virgin paper, the average cost difference is generally around 10 to 20-percent. The tremendous benefits to the environment outweigh this cost difference in the end.
Myth 3: You compromise quality when you go with recycled paper products.
When recycled paper was first introduced, it was known for being discolored and uneven in texture and appearance. Today’s recycled paper products with even 100-percent post consumer content are comparable in quality to virgin paper products.
Myth 4: All paper is recycled now anyway.
Actually post-consumer recycled paper comprises only about 10-percent of the printing and stationary market. 90-percent of these industries still use virgin paper.
Myth 5: The poor quality of recycled paper creates paper jams in machines.
You should have no problem finding quality, recycled paper to use in printers, fax machines copiers and other equipment. Whether you are using recycled paper or virgin paper the key is to pick the right paper for the task (e.g. copier paper for the copier).
Myth 6: The fibers in recycled paper create excess dust which can damage machinery.
This is not just a recycled paper issue. Whether you choose recycled paper or virgin paper, make sure to use high quality paper to reduce the incidence of dust.
Myth 7: Tree-free and chlorine-free recycled paper is the best.
This is an example of misused definitions. “Tree-free” refers to an alternative fiber source such as hemp, kenaf or cotton which is used to make the paper. “Chlorine-free” refers to the bleaching process. These terms are not directly related to the recycling process. Most recycled papers however, are classified as processed chlorine-free (PCF) which makes them environmentally friendly in this additional way.
Myth 8: Burning paper for energy is much better than recycling.
Paper can be recycled over and over multiple times. This saves trees, water, energy and reduces pollution, increasing the value of recycling.
Myth 9: Recycling paper damages the environment.
Ultimately, recycling conserves the environment by saving trees, water and energy. However, there is a sludge produced from recycling as in virgin paper production. Most sludge tests non-toxic, but toxic sludge can be properly disposed of.
Myth 10: Buying recycled paper doesn’t really help the environment.
This is probably the biggest myth of all. Paper that goes into landfills produces large amounts of methane gas. This contributes to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that virgin paper decomposition in landfills is one of the biggest sources of methane. In addition the manufacture of recycled paper saves on energy, water, pollution and reduces pressures on our dwindling forests.
Tags: Article, Exploding, Myths, Paper, Recycled
Posted by on Jan 20, 2012 in
Essay Paper
Given the numerous applications of thermal paper, leading manufacturers of thermal paper introduce their own grading system based on the industry sector they serve and the specific uses for their products.
Thermal paper grades, therefore, are determined by the manufacturers. They use their own terminology, with terms such as high grade or super grade; however when it comes to differences between individual manufacturers, much will depend on who their suppliers are.
When talking about thermal paper grades, one usually goes by the Alpha grading system which means that the higher the number, the higher the grade (or in the case of thermal paper, the higher the resistance and stability).
For instance, an Alpha grading of 300 would refer to thermal paper that would be used for gas station receipts and other documents with a short life-span (meaning simply that people tend to throw these away almost as soon as they receive them, so a high-quality paper is not important). An Alpha grading of 900, on the other hand, would refer to paper that is used for medical prescriptions and which should have a longer storage life, (usually around seven to ten years).
Then there are thermal paper manufacturers who offer standard top coated thermal paper and high heat resistance thermal paper.
Criteria for thermal paper grades
In terms of thermal paper grades, one of several criteria is the base: standard paper base, thin paper base, film base and board paper base.
Another criteria is resistance. You have high heat resistance, high resistance to ultraviolet light, super high sensitivity, intense heat resistance, superb dot production, and a few others. Heat resistance ranges from 60 to 100 degrees Centigrade.
Thickness is another aspect to consider. Thickness ranges from 64 to 190 mm. The weight of the thermal paper is part of determining its grade. Weights can range from 55 to 170 grams.
What the thermal paper is being used for will also determine grade. For example, do you need to print parking tickets, grocery tickets, train and airline tickets or industrial use tags? Obviously, the industrial tags would require a higher grade thermal paper.
As for shelf life, the higher the grade, the longer the shelf life. And you can even extend the shelf life of the paper by storing it carefully – some manufacturers say that storing their higher grade thermal papers in a dark location with moderate humidity and at the recommended temperature will make them perform at a satisfactory level for at least three years from the date they were manufactured.
The grade of thermal paper will also determine the degree of durability or what the paper industry calls fade resistance. Obviously, the higher the grade, the higher the resistance. Those with superior resistance are usually manufactured with special dyes and co-reactant technologies for image production. Care must be taken however not to over-expose thermal paper for prolonged period to UV light as discoloration may occur.
It is recommended that no matter how high the thermal paper grade is, measures must be taken to protect them from contact with plastic wraps, adhesives, industrial glues, wet toner, and copies of certain types of carbon paper.
Specialized Manufacturers
If you visit the web sites of thermal paper manufacturers or resellers, their descriptions of thermal paper products vary. For example, one European thermal paper manufacturer claims that his standard paper types are guaranteed for at least a five-year legibility. The same manufacturer can also accommodate requests from buyers for special papers with shelf life of up to 99 years, but this type should be requested in advance. These 99-year thermal papers must be stored in the right conditions – usually 20 degrees Celsius room temperature, a 50% relative humidity and definitely no direct exposure to sunlight.
Some manufacturers specialize also in thermal paper used for POS systems: most of these produce two-ply paper rolls for a wide range of POS systems.
OEMs of thermal printers impose strict specifications for thermal paper. The kind of thermal paper to be manufactured will depend on the model or brand of the printer. Specifications may cover base, weight, caliper, smoothness or degree of glossiness, stiffness and resistance to tear and fade. The quality of the image also plays a key role in thermal paper grading as well as the cutting test.
Whatever the grade, suitability of the application must take precedence. If you run a grocery store for instance, you would not purchase 99-year thermal paper just to print check out receipts. If you run a drug store and need to print medical prescriptions which can be the subject of a court inquiry, you will want to have a superior grade type of thermal paper – the kind that would last at least 10 years. Not only should they hold up to time, but they must be able to preserve whatever image is printed on them
Tags: Grades, Overview, Paper, Thermal
Posted by on Jan 15, 2012 in
Essay Paper
All of us have heard about photo paper, but very few of us are really aware about what is a photo paper? A photo paper is actually a form of ink jet paper that is specially designed for photo printing. Photo papers can be divided into several categories, the most common of which is the glossy finish photo paper. Photo papers usually differ in thickness and brightness depending upon its usage. Since these papers are designed for the purpose of photographic reproduction, you need to make a wise choice as per your requirement, while making a selection of the paper.
When you are thinking about buying any kind of photo paper you need to know about some basic things. These include the brightness, weight, finish and caliper of these papers. You need to learn how to choose the best paper as per requirement, before you decide on buying. Weight makes an important criteria for any paper. The different types of photo paper have different types of weight. The bond papers, that are quite popular with the common ink jet photo papers are usually found in the 24 to 71 lb range. However people prefer to use heavier paper to give a more corporate and urgent look to the paper. Brightness also forms an important criteria while you are deciding on photo paper. The whiteness of paper can be measured in a scale from 1 to 100 and the best of photo papers are usually thought to be of high 90s. So next time while choosing photo paper do not forget to compare the two papers side by side. This is the best way to know and measure the brightness of paper.
This thickness of photo papers that is well known as its caliper is quite important. Any user needs to know the caliper of the paper so as to judge its look. It is usually seen that an inkjet paper caliper ranges from a thin 4.3 mil to a thick 10.4 mil paper and if you are using photo paper, you will see that it is usually 7 to 10 mils.
Glossy photo paper is a common kind of paper that can be seen in many photos. The glossiness of these photo papers usually comes from the coating that is done on the paper. The coating gives a new look to the paper and usually it is seen that ink is not absorbed fast in these papers. This makes some glossy photo paper to dry slowly. Today the most common kind of glossy paper is the quick dry gloss finish paper. Other kind of glossy photo papers are the soft gloss or semi gloss paper. T-shirt transfer paper is also a common kind of paper that is available in several stores. Matte finish is also a popular kind of photo paper and used in many occasions. The images that are printed on photo matte papers have a distinct look. Most of these papers are usually soft and non-reflective and in no way do they appear shiny. This is the specialty of these papers. These papers are specially developed and formulated for the purpose of photography and are usually printable on both their sides.
Tags: about, Know, More, Paper, Photo